Tanner Wise and Moss Motor Co. Inc. took home the first-ever Youth Achievement Award and Business of the Year Award, respectively, at the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet Monday night.

High honors were also bestowed to Dillwyn Fire Chief Jason Wharam and former chamber President and longtime Kyanite Mining Corp. employee Faye Wyland Shumaker.

Wharam was named Volunteer of the Year, while Shumaker took the chamber’s MVP award.

The event — held at the Dillwyn Volunteer Fire Department — served not only as a celebration for the award winners, but also of the chamber’s success during 2015.

Shumaker shared a letter from fellow Dillwyn Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary member Barbara Keen, who nominated Wharam.

“He experienced a house fire as a young man, and that is when he decided he wanted to become a firefighter,” she said of Wharam. “He joined the fire department in November 1999, and also worked six years as a member of the rescue squad.”

Sharing Keen’s words, Shumaker listed Wharam’s long list of emergency, fire and rescue certifications with the large audience.

“I have experienced over and over his dedication to the Dillwyn Volunteer Fire Department and to the auxiliary. He has served as chief for four years, and in those four years, he has never failed to be present to help with any project we may have.”

After Wharam received his award — a slate clock — Shumaker called Wharam an outstanding young man.

“He is invaluable to us in so many ways. Thank you, thank you, Jason,” Shumaker said.

Chamber Treasurer Sandra F. Moss presented the Youth Achievement Award to Wise.

“We have realized that often our young people are overlooked, although many are involved in outstanding activities,” Moss said.

“This year, we had no problem finding our first one,” she said of Tanner, the son of David and Sherri Wise. He joined the Cub Scouts when he was 8 years old in 2011.

“I cannot read everything that Tanner has done since he was 8,” Moss said, holding up two pages of activities and accomplishments.

Tanner is an 11-year-old, straight-A, sixth-grade student at Buckingham County Middle School.

Moss said that Tanner, who has been attending chambers meeting for years with his father, has received his Webelos award, and is a member of the Buckingham 4-H program.

Moss listed the voluminous list of first place and other awards, ribbons and achievements he has accumulated in showing livestock.

She said that in December, he won more ribbons than any other sixth-grader in the school’s science fair.

“Tanner enjoys farming,” Moss said. “He helps his family raise sheep, goats [and] laying hens. His family sells eggs, lambs and will be selling goats this year as well.”

Wise, a member of Concord Baptist Church and the 180 Youth Group, plans on attending Virginia Tech and becoming a farmer, she said.

Local Realtor Jason Meeks presented the Moss Family with the new Business of the Year Award.

“Although Buckingham does not have a huge number of businesses, many of them contribute to our community in many different ways,” he said of the family-owned business.

Meeks said that the Mosses “always run friendly, professional businesses. They take pride in running a clean business too.”

The business owners have been involved in community events and supported Buckingham County for many years, he said.

“After their main goal of providing a decent product at a reasonable price, the company’s second goal is to make the community a more connected place — a place where businesses can grow,” he said of the car dealership, which has been in Buckingham for 31 years.

“In any success in business, it’s always your partner and your employees,” owner Bill Lewis Moss said after accepting the award alongside his family. “One person doesn’t run the show. It takes us all to do it … I’ve always loved Buckingham. I thank you for this.”

The chamber’s MVP award was presented to Shumaker, who was recently named chairman of the chamber’s board of directors, by former President Nan Holt.

“I’d like to call your attention to our very own Buckingham cheerleader,” she said.

Holt said that as president, Shumaker increased attendance and brought new businesses onto the chamber’s membership rolls. “She has incredible people skills, and the chamber is the beneficiary.”

After receiving her award, a surprised Shumaker told the audience that she loved the chamber.

“I love the people in this community … Support your community. Support your fellow businessmen, and never forget, we’re from Buckingham.”

According to chamber board member Janet Miller, the idea for the awards banquet came from local business owner Margaret Taylor-Collins in 2002. The first Volunteer of the Year Award was bestowed to the late Wallace Shumaker.

“Every year, members of the community get to participate in nominating citizens of Buckingham for these awards … Anyone can nominate anyone in the chamber for the award or outside of the chamber,” she said.