Azure Water Wins Business Achievement Award for Medium Size Business
January 5, 2016Ally Stewart is still speechless. And it’s been nearly a month.
As head of Azure Water, Stewart was unable to attend Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s business awards banquet early this month. When chamber representatives showed up at her business Dec. 21, she was surprised – and speechless. Chamber representatives handed her the Business Achievement Award for Medium Size Business.
When asked about the business award the following day, Stewart was … speechless.
It’s not often Azure Water wins awards or is recognized for community involvement. Well, it is.
And it’s not often that Stewart is speechless when asked about community involvement. Except that she is.
It’s just this: How do you explain a concept of connecting with your community when that’s the norm? Isn’t that what everyone is supposed to do, she asks.
Stewart wasn’t exactly speechless when pressed for comment. “It is a surprise,” she said. “It is good. We’re grateful for our efforts. We work very hard.”
Azure Water’s resume of community involvement in 2015 is long.
Azure Water helped with Leesburg Police Department’s National Night Out Sponsorship. Azure Water helped Fruitland Park’s Heritage Community Church sponsor a mission trip to Nicaragua. Azure Water helped MaryKatherine Fechtel’s bid to become Miss America (Fechtel of Leesburg won Miss Florida). Azure Water helped sponsor a local Boys and Girls Club event. Azure Water helped sponsor an event for New Vision for Independence in Lake Sumter counties. Azure Water helped sponsor the Leesburg Lightning, a local minor league baseball team.
Why does she do it? Stewart shrugs. How could it be any other way? “All businesses should do it,” she said. “That’s your neighbor.”
In fact, the visit by chamber leaders still has Stewart perplexed. “I’m still in a state of shock,” she said.
The award carries a broader meaning for Stewart. Instead of placing the award on the wall, she now feels a greater sense of compulsion. She said she’s grateful, but now she feels compelled even more to reach deeper into her community to provide help. “We’re just part of the community,” she said.
Azure Water’s state-of-the-art equipment can generate 5,000 cases of water a day, including alkaline spring water and artesian mineral water. Azure can make custom-bottle shapes, and fill, seal and label your bottles. If you want to expand your business or have questions about co-packing, contact us.
