Longtime Vandalia educator Rod Deem and Vandalia businessman Tom McCarty were announced as this year's recipients of Abe Awards for community service at the Jan. 29 annual banquet of the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce.

Also on the program were addresses by outgoing president Doug Knebel and incoming president Joanna Helm.

Providing the entertainment for the evening was ventriloquist Greg Claasen from Wichita, Kan.