COONEYS HONORED WITH LEGACY AWARD AT ANNUAL BANQUET
“I’ve never had a home that I have loved more than Centralia,”
Those were the words of business owner and entrepreneur, Shannon Cooney, who spoke on behalf of he and wife and business partner, Mindy Cooney, at Celebrate Progress - Chamber Annual Banquet after being honored with the Chamber’s Legacy Award.
The 2019 Partners in Progress Awards recipients were given the Legacy Award, meant to recognize though with continued investment in the Greater Centralia Area, celebrates the Cooneys decade of entrepreneurship and investment. This includes Cooney Hospitality Group, RePurpose Development, Inc., Crooked Creek Winery, Crooked Creek Wintery - Downtown, Prescription Shared Space, the historic Centralia House Restaurant, and the newly opened Sporting House Restaurant.
“There are a lot of people here tonight, and it’s wonderful to see everyone come together and celebrate progress and celebrate the success that the city of Centralia is having in our region right now,” said Shannon. “I know that there are a lot of other communities that are looking at Centralia and asking, ‘What’s going on there?’ And we’re just really happy to be a part of that, and if we could have been any part of that initial spark, we are very grateful to do that.”
Shannon said that when considering what legacy means to he and Mindy, it means making their community a better place for their children to live in.
“I’m just so grateful to be part of a community that has this many people that are pulling from the same side of the rope to make it a better place to live and a better place to raise children,” said Shannon. “My kids couldn’t love Centralia anymore. They cannot wait to grow up and be a bigger part of this community, and I’m just thankful that we’ve been able to be a part of the community with you all, and that you all have loved us, and welcomed us, and helped us grow the things that we have grown.”
The Cooneys - whose legacy of community investments has persisted a decade - are currently continuing work on their Winery Block Project in Centralia’s Downtown.
