ST. ALBANS CITY — Local change-makers were honored Thursday night at the Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation’s annual meeting.

In the Bliss Room of the Saint Albans Museum, local leaders and the FCIDC board gathered Nov. 10 to network, socialize and give out three awards to outstanding community members.

FCIDC executive director Tim Smith served as emcee, joking with the crowd and introducing the three recipients: Handy Cars, Med Associates, LLC and Jim Cameron.

In the past, the annual reception has had a guest speaker on its agenda, but Smith said this year FCIDC opted to give the awardees more time to share their own stories.

“Do we need a speaker? What more of a message can a speaker give us than what Jim shared, what Valdemar shared, what Adam shared; that’s the message that makes Franklin County a great place to live,” Smith said.

Rick Manahan Civic Involvement Award

The Rick Manahan Civic Involvement Award was presented to Handy Cars. Created in 2010, this was the first time the honor was bestowed upon a business and its employees rather than a single person.

Each year, the recipient is selected by the Franklin Grand Isle Workforce Investment Board, which provides funds to area schools for the implementation of school-based learning strategies and professional development opportunities.

Handy Cars has been in business for 70 years and has included three generations of family leadership. The business was chosen for its collaboration with area schools to provide technical education to students through internships, co-ops and scholarships.

Cold Hollow Career Center director Nate Demars, one of the award’s presenters, said the tech center’s automotive technology program is one of its most popular, thanks in part to the school’s partnership with local businesses like Handy’s.

“When we can send our students out in the real world, where they’ll do real work with real experts in the field, it’s a win-win relationship,” Demars said.

Corey Jankowski, a senior in Northwest Career and Technical Center’s automotive program, is currently an intern in Handy Toyota’s main office and financial services department. He told the audience the staff is patient, makes him feel welcome and has inspired him to pursue a career at a dealership after graduation.

“Handy’s operates with a sense of constantly…