The Billings Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee has selected Melinda and Mark Branson to receive the 2020 Billings Citizen of the Year Award. Melinda (Mel) and Mark are very active members of the Billings Community and have gone above and beyond to serve the Community before and during the recent Pandemic.
The Bransons are known around the Community for cooking and delivering meals to shut ins and to those who are ill or need special assistance from time to time. During these deliveries they are known to pick up and deliver grocery orders and make small repairs if needed. The Bransons have also volunteered their time, equipment, and fuel to mow the town parks and neglected lawns around town.
They have donated and assisted with school events. They have organized fundraiser dinners for families within the community needing assistance at tragic times and for those going through unfortunate circumstances. They have also organized and cooked special holiday dinners for the Senior Citizens of the Community. When word was received the Billings Wheatheart Nutrition Site would be closed to Senior Citizens in March of 2020 due to the Pandemic, Melinda and Mark volunteered to cook and deliver meals to Wheatheart Nutrition Center Clients that wished to receive them. The Bransons solicited and organized food donations, shopped for groceries, and cooked and had homemade lunches delivered to twenty (20+) community members five days a week from March through September 2020. Mel personally cooked and packaged all the meals herself while she herself was confined to her home under doctor’s orders. Though the Wheatheart Nutrition site is now open,
Melinda and Mark continue to provide meals for a few community members needing special care and assistance. Due to the 2020 Pandemic, the annual Billings Citizen of the Year Award Dinner was not held and formal nominations were not solicited. The Billings Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee feel Melinda and Mark Branson are very deserving of this award and the Bransons have definitely met the Citizen of the Year Award criteria:
A Billings area resident who has provided a service, which has greatly improved our community in areas of business, beautification, economy, education, or culture. The Billings Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee would like to extend our utmost and sincere gratitude to Melinda and Mark Branson for all they have done for the Billings Community. Congratulations to Melinda and Mark Branson for being selected Billings Chamber of Commerce ...
