Thurston EDC Awards Economic Courage Medals at Hootenanny

Photos from left to right/top to bottom: Large Business Crown Beverage Packaging North America David Haynie & Tony Ellison. Agricultural Award Winner, Olympia Farmers Market, represented by Melissa Southwick, Market Board Vice President and Nora Hantula, Market Assistant Manager. New Business Gary & Kristin Rurup. Non-Profit Northwest Cooperative Development Center Fred Medlicott, Cooperative Development Specialist for the NWCDC- Diane Gasaway- Jessica Jensen Cap City Law. Photos by Shanna Paxton Photography.

On July 19, the Thurston Economic Development Council (EDC) held an old-fashioned BBQ & Hootenanny! That’s right – delicious food, drinks, hay bales, a

Congratulations to Debra Van Tuinen of Van Tuinen Art, winner of the Small Business Economic Courage Award.

Cornhole Tournament, Bluegrass music from Runaway Train, and hippity-hop races featuring local celebrities.

“We gave out awards to organizations that have shown ‘Economic Courage, ’ including fortitude, perseverance and success in an ever-changing business climate,” said Michael Cade, Thurston EDC’s Executive Director.

What is Economic Courage? Economic courage could be defined as a leader, a business, nonprofit and or organization that, while facing economic uncertainty and a radical retraction of “business as usual,” took extraordinary steps to provide a service, a product, and or a support service that made a positive impact to the community and or employees of their organization. These are individuals that took economic risks to continue to provide a service, product and or resource in the face of unprecedented economic uncertainty. Showing the ability to adapt, change and thrive during a time of uncertainty.

Congratulations to the 2022 Economic Courage Award Winners:
Agricultural Business: Olympia Farmers Market
New Business: Shiplap Quilt Shop and Coffee House
Non-Profit Business: Northwest Cooperative Development Center
Small Business: Van Tuinen Art
Large Business: Crown Beverage Packaging North America

We celebrate all of our 2022 Economic Courage Nominees for their contributions to our community:

Small Business Nominees

  • Archibald Sisters
  • A&E Relocation Services
  • Browsers Bookshop
  • The Brotherhood Lounge
  • Captain Little
  • Chicory
  • Delmonico’s Butcher Shop
  • Encore Chocolates
  • Event Support
  • Exit Puzzles
  • Firefly Yoga
  • Miss Priss Lash and Brow
  • Precisely Right Accounting
  • Sound Vision
  • Taylor Rays Café
  • Wayside

Non-Profit Nominees

  • Community Farm Land Trust
  • South Sound YMCA
  • Tenino Food Bank

New Business Nominees

  • 507 Taproom and Filling Station
  • Adam’s Bagels
  • BIPOC Biz Directory
  • Buckwheat and Sons painting
  • Camp Clout
  • Crystal Forest
  • Lacey Bin Wash
  • Pinball Museum
  • VBNC Physical Therapy

Large Business Nominees

  • Capital Medical Center
  • Dancing Goats Coffee
  • OlyFed

Agricultural Business Nominees

  • Colvin Ranch – Agricultural
  • HotBabes-Hot Sauce
  • Kirsop Farm