Mount Vernon News

MOUNT VERNON — If hugs and compliments could be exchanged for gasoline, Holly Quaine could drive to work at the Delaware Ohio Area Chamber of Commerce on Monday morning for free.

The outgoing Mount Vernon-Knox County Chamber of Commerce president enjoyed a farewell reception at The Parkside Restaurant and Tavern on Thursday evening, following her last day of work here. Chamber members and others arrived to wish Quaine well in her new job as president of the Delaware Chamber, thank her for her efforts on their behalf, and give her many hugs, handshakes and fond farewells.

Quaine began her leadership of the Knox chamber in April 2006.

“Leaving was a bittersweet decision for me,” she said. “But sometimes life just hands you stuff. Two years ago, life handed me Knox County. Now life is handing me Delaware. But you know what? We don’t always get a chance to know if we have had an impact ... this [the weeks after she gave her notice] has been a rare opportunity to find out. What I’ve learned is that I have had an impact in my way, that people have felt the effect of what I tried to do.

“But it was all a reflection of what the chamber members were doing around me. I was the custodian of a fraternal organization. We’re in a better place now than we were two years ago, it’s true, but that’s because of the people you see here tonight.”

Gene Jackson told Quaine how much her work is appreciated.

“We wish you only the best,” Jackson said. “We know this is a good career move for you, but we hope that if we need help, you’ll come back and help us.”

“I’m only a phone call away,” answered Quaine.

She will commute from Mount Vernon to Delaware, but only for a short time, until she finds a house there.

“You need to live in the community in this kind of job, and be in the community. So my condo here is for sale ... and it has ceramic tile fireplaces,” she joked.

In the lively spirit of the reception, Jeff Boucher, owner of The Parkside, announced that he had some gifts for Quaine.

“A chamber president has to wear many hats,” he said, handing her a tissue-paper-wrapped package. Quaine, a native Michigander, shrieked with delight when it was unwrapped to reveal a Michigan State University Spartans cap. “That’s for where you came from,” said Boucher, handing her a second package. “And this is for where you were.”

Quaine immediately put on the scarlet and gray OSU Buckeyes cap, but laughingly refused to let a Mount Vernon News photographer take her picture wearing it. The third package contained an Ohio Wesleyan University cap.

“And for those times when you are sadly missing us and you’re blue,” said Boucher, “you can wrap yourself up in this Little Brown Jug stadium blanket.” He also handed her a bottle of her favorite wine, to cheers from the audience.

“And when you get out of that funk,” Boucher added, “you can treat yourself to this.” The envelope he gave Quaine contained a gift certificate to the Charles Penzone Family of Spas.

“Oh my. I don’t know if I can let myself be pampered like that,” laughed Quaine. “But I guess I’ll try.

“I’ve been overwhelmed,” she said. “Since I gave my notice a few weeks ago, so many people have wished me well. It’s been a very moving experience. Some of the best people I’ve ever known in my life I met here in the last 27 months.

“Keep moving with the chamber,” she told the crowd. “It’s a worthy organization.”

Then Quaine walked back into the audience to give, and get, more hugs.