Awards celebrate more than simply good business
SUPPORT and shop local.
This has become a totemic mantra in modern society, but Saturday night's business awards give a glimpse into why this must be more than a surface statement.
While the night awards business achievements, the real story and celebrations are about the people behind them.
And, make no mistake, it is people who make places special.
Sure, buying things online is easy. All it takes is three easy clicks, two panics over the NBN dropping out, and one hour-long conversation with your bank about a suspected stolen credit card number, and everything can be delivered to your door.
Everything but the experience of meeting people passionate about what they do.
It's this passion which drives people to rebuild when their shop burns down. It's this passion which leads people to defy drought to keep their town not only alive, but also thriving. Passion is what makes places like Rainbow Beach and Goomeri unique and draws people to them.
Yes, tourist attractions are great.
But, having worked in one for more than six years, I know first-hand it's the characters and the people you meet - people dedicated to what they do - who keep everyone coming back.
