DOWAGIAC — After a year of hard work, the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce feels a celebration is in order for its members.

That celebration, with a theme of “Caring for the Community,” will take place from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30, as the chamber hosts its annual dinner and celebration of members at the Dowagiac Elks Lodge. A social hour from 5 to 6 p.m. will allow business professionals to network with familiar and new faces in the Dowagiac community. The evening will also feature a guest speaker from the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and a presentation of business awards.

“Our members do an awful lot for the community throughout the year and every year,” said Kim MacGregor, the chamber board president. “It’s our way to say, ‘thank you’ and say, ‘congratulations’ on a great year.”

Different businesses from around the community are represented at the dinner to learn more about each other and brainstorm ways they can continue to help the community of Dowagiac.

At past dinner celebrations, the business awards have included a rising star award, shining star award, partnership award and member of the year award, but the awards change every year, MacGregor said.

The chamber awards businesses they feel have attained certain set goals within the community. These goals are not surrounding money or sales the businesses have generated, but instead how the business has participated in the community.

Traditionally, the partnership award is awarded to a business that has partnered with the chamber all year long or helped the chamber host events. The rising star award can be given to a business or businesses that have surpassed their own goals for their new business in the community.

MacGregor, who is also the chair of the event, has been planning the dinner with a committee for the past three months. The committee also selects the winners of the business awards.

With the dinner being hosted at the Elks, the venue is ready, but will be decorated by the committee. Chamber ambassadors will also be stationed at the Elks entrance to welcome and greet attendees of the evening.

This year’s theme for the dinner was also selected by the committee.

“Because we are going in that direction, certain winners are in line for caring for the community,” MacGregor said. “It’s been a feel-good year, right?”

Another aspect of the night will include guest speaker Steve Winchester and Andy Jackson of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and members-at-large of the tribal council.

“We really put a lot of thought into our guest speakers,” MacGregor said. “We are so excited. The [Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians] are here. They are in our community, and they are very active.”

At the event, attendees will celebrate among fellow business owners, learn more about the Pokagon Band and celebrate another year of chamber membership.

“My hope for the night is that chamber members take away how valued they are in the chamber, how much we appreciate them and have a little fun on the night, too,” she said.