Franklin Chamber honors four local organizations, announces initiatives

Four organizations were honored Thursday for their contributions to the Franklin business community.

Uplift Johnson County, Festival Country Indiana, Franklin Parks & Recreation and Frenchette Eye Center received awards during the Franklin Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting, which is held in conjunction with Franklin State of the City Address.

Rosie Chambers, the chamber’s executive director, also announced two new initiatives for this year; the creation the Franklin Chamber Foundation, Inc and to support local businesses with the goal of creating a business grant program. The chamber foundation is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit created to increase the Chamber’s efforts in business education, Chambers said.

The chamber also recently finished the renovation of the second floor of the organization’s downtown office to create a business space that will offer a place for businesspeople to gather and place to provide programming and education. The space is also the new home of Discover Downtown Franklin, Chambers said.

“In 2013, the city of Franklin — through Franklin Development Corporation — gifted the building in which we are currently located at 120 East Jefferson Street. We appreciate that generosity and trust in the chamber. And we have diligently tried to be good stewards of that gift,” Chambers said. “For 10 years we’ve been thinking about our underdeveloped second story and how best it might serve the business community.”

The future is bright for the city and the chamber in the coming year, Chambers said.

“The completion of that space and the addition of the Franklin Chamber Foundation will make a definite economic impact for businesses in Franklin and for the Franklin Chamber of Commerce,” Chambers said.

Last year the chamber launched a new website, franklincoc.org, as well as an event calendar that brings together events from Franklin businesses, park events and festivals, along with school events and city government meetings. The chamber also hosted 21 ribbon cuttings in 2022 and grew by 44 to serve 416 member companies and 15,000 employees, according to data provided at the meeting.

Community Service Award

UpLift Johnson County received the Community Service Award, which recognizes an individual or organization that has contributed significantly to the Franklin community, serving selflessly without intent for personal or monetary gain.

The annual recipient of the community service award is an organization founded on the principle of “see a need, seek to fill it.” UpLift Johnson County received the award because the organization seeks to partner with individuals, groups, churches or civic organizations, businesses or other local non-profits to identify opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others here in Johnson County, said Amy Richardson, president of the chamber board of directors.

Recent initiatives last year were Warriors Day Out, a Christmas food drive, a $7,500 monetary gift to each family impacted by the Greenwood Park Mall shooting and a Christmas giving tree that gave presents to over 50 children identified by local school counselors, Richardson said.

Community Impact Awards

The Community Impact Award was awarded to Festival Country Indiana and Franklin Parks & Recreation. The award recognizes a business or organization that has demonstrated outstanding business success in the areas of growth, stability and commitment to quality of life and overall contribution to the community, Richardson said.

The chamber usually gives this award to one recipient, but the selection committee saw fit to give the award to both organizations for their outstanding contributions to Franklin last year, she said.

Festival Country Indiana is the official tourism agency for Johnson County and has helped grow the economic impact of tourism by more than $85 million annually. Festival Country earned the award for their work through the visitor center in downtown Franklin, marketing including billboards on Interstate 65, and partnerships to bring new festivals, events, attractions and other amenities, Richardson said.

Franklin Parks & Recreation oversees and manages several community facilities including the Franklin Cultural Arts & Recreation Center, Franklin Family Aquatic Center, Youngs Creek Park & Amphitheater, Franklin Active Adult Center, Beeson Hall, the Wonder Five Center, the 20-plus miles of the Franklin Greenway Trail system, Booker T. Washington Community Center, the Franklin Urban Forest as well as 15 parks throughout the city. All of these community amenities work together to fulfill a vital role in the community and fulfill the city department’s mission to inspire the community to come together, learn, grow and be active, healthy and well, Richardson said.

Business Hall of Fame Award

Frechette Eye Center earned the Business Hall of Fame Award in honor of their long history of serving the Franklin community since 1980. The award is presented to businesses open for 25 or more years based on their success in growth and stability, commitment to quality, and overall contribution to the community, Richardson said.

Frechette Eye Center was founded by Dr. Linda Frechette who came to Franklin in 1980 to practice optometry after earning her degree from Indiana University. The eye center is a full-service primary eye care clinic offering comprehensive eye examinations for all ages plus emergency medical eye care, low vision rehabilitation, care and consultations for Lasik surgery, cataract surgery and treatment and management of macular degeneration and more, Richardson said.

Frechette’s daughter, Dr. Samantha Weaver, joined her in practice in 2015 and Dr. Katie Lee joined them in 2020. The clinic has always been run as a family business, and all co-workers are considered part of the “work family,” Richardson said.

Past President Award

The Past President Award was also presented to Kristen Loy for her leadership of the chamber in 2022. She has served on the board of directors since 2017 and as a Franklin Chamber Ambassador since 2015.