(LAGRANGE) – The LaGrange County Chamber of Commerce has received a special recognition.

At the 2024 Annual Indiana Chamber Executives Association Conference, the LaGrange County Chamber received the prestigious Innovative Excellence Award for its groundbreaking “Willing To Work Tours” program, highlighting the Chamber’s commitment to workforce development and community engagement.

The “Willing To Work Tours” is a pioneering project that offers customized group tours of local workplaces to individuals served by The Arc of LaGrange County. These tours provide participants with firsthand exposure to various industries including animal science, hospitality, restaurants and the arts. Led by employment specialists and Chamber representatives, participants engage in job exploration, job shadowing and volunteer opportunities. They have the opportunity to interact with working professionals, ask questions and gain insights into different career paths.

The LaGrange Chamber was also honored as a finalist for two other prestigious awards at the conference. One is the Innovative Excellence Award for the Chamber’s “Women To Women Roundtables” and the “Chamber Of The Year” Award.

Chamber Executive Director Sara Patrick says they are incredibly honored to be recognized by ICEA for for their efforts. She says the success of the programs is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the LaGrange County Chamber team, the Chamber members and their community partners.

Patrick says the programs reflect the Chamber's mission to support local businesses, foster economic growth and enhance the quality of life in LaGrange County.