Bedford County Chamber Honors Local Businesses, Individuals During Annual Dinner & Award Celebration

With the theme of Bedford County: The Force is With Us, the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce recognized the excellence of the business community of the Bedford County region during the organization’s Annual Dinner and Award Celebration Thursday evening at the Bedford County Airport. The nearly 400 guests and participants in attendance enjoyed interacting with Star Wars re-enactors and aliens (portrayed by the Bedford County Players), dancing stormtroopers from GK Dance, photo stations by The Hoot Booth and Loving Touch Flower Shop, and a finale worthy of the Alliance by Star Flight Drone Shows.

But the highlight of the evening was the presentation of the prestigious Athena Award to Jennifer DeLong, a pilot and co-owner of BunAir Corp.  DeLong was lauded for her professional accomplishments, as well as her extensive community involvement, particularly in the area of mentoring youth.  DeLong was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the Young Life organization in the Bedford School District, and serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Bedford County Chamber (Education) Foundation.  For many years, DeLong and BunAir Corp. have welcomed thousands of students to the airport for a series of career fairs.  The Chamber’s Business Community Showcase is the county’s largest career fair for all Jr/Sr high students, held each fall; DeLong also spearheads the hosting of a 5th Grade Career Field Day and the very popular Touch a Truck career fair for the county’s 3rd and 4th graders.  She’s also presented after school programs with an aviation theme, and hosted Youth Leadership Bedford County classes for discover flights, often the students’ first experience in an airplane.

While announcing the Athena honoree, the only award that is a surprise during the event, BPW President Sherri Growden shared words written by DeLong’s children, all home-schooled Eagle Scouts, about their mother, saying:

“Her youngest daughter, Ella writing: As a successful, hard-working businesswoman, my mom is an inspirational figure for both her family and community. She has demonstrated the success that can occur through determination and passion, promoting hard work and family values as her foundation for success. She is an inspiration for me and others in aviation, while always putting her family first and making everyone feel valued and loved. Meanwhile, she is relentless at work and developing the family business.

“Her oldest daughter, Collette, says:  Dedicated passion and selfless sacrifice are two concepts Mom embodies and shares with everyone around her. Discussing her professional accomplishments, though numerous, seems less important than revealing her character and motivations. With a guaranteed smile and enthusiastic interest, her characteristic joy and approachability demonstrate her love for the aviation industry. As her daughter, I am privileged to witness how she navigates daily challenges.

“And her son, Chase concludes an eloquent description of his mother, saying, my story runs on three pages, plus or minus, describing my perspective on Mom as a businesswoman, community advocate, leader, and mother. In these three pages, I cannot do justice to the volumes of stories, talents, and strengths that are representative of my Mom’s excellence. Kindness, dedication, and strength describe some of the highest ideals of personal and public conduct. I submit to you that after interacting with Mom, even briefly, you will be hard-pressed to find a woman who better exemplifies these characteristics.”

The Athena award is selected by a blind panel of out-of-state judges and sponsored by Thomas Automotive Dealerships and the Bedford Chapter of Business and Professional Women.

Fifteen additional awards were presented to outstanding businesses, organizations, and individuals of the Bedford County region, recognizing a variety of accomplishments.

Watch the 2024 Honoree Videos: