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Bayers go 'Above and Beyond' for community: Chamber recognizes couple for helping community in many ways
[January 21, 2013]

Bayers go 'Above and Beyond' for community: Chamber recognizes couple for helping community in many ways


Jan 21, 2013 (The Jamestown Sun - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Of the five nominees for the local Above and Beyond Award, only one couple received multiple nominations, and that couple -- Corey and Jodi Bayer of Jamestown -- won.



They were surprised to win the annual award from the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce.

"We're very excited to win it, very grateful that we had a couple of nominations," said Corey Bayer. "We'd also like to tip our hats to all the other volunteers who make the community work too." Letters of nomination praised the Bayers for "always doing something to help Jamestown" and "volunteering countless hours." They were even described as "good people with huge hearts always available to help," and one letter writer added, "I think it is time to give them some applause for all they do." Both Bayers come from entrepreneurial families.


Corey's parents once owned Tastee Freeze, now known as the Polar King, and before they sold the business when Corey was in fifth grade, he helped out there.

"Being the child of a restaurant owner, you just learn how to interact with everyone," he said. "It's where I learned my gift for gab." Working there gave Corey a chance to learn how to treat customers.

Jodi's parents owned a bar in Edgeley when she was young, but due to the nature of the business she didn't get much of a chance to work there.

"I sat in the back room sometimes," she said, smiling.

Later business experience included Corey's work with Midwest Technologies and Jodi's work with Lifestyle Appliances.

Now the two own and run several businesses of their own.

Foremost among them is Express Tech, a computer repair and sales business, headquartered at 218 10th St. SE. The Bayers also own some investment property in town that they renovate to sell.

And seasonally, they sell fireworks, helping people celebrate Independence Day.

"At the end of the day, it's the Golden Rule -- 'Do unto others as you want done unto you,'" Corey said. "We always try to make sure our customers are happy." Still, receiving the award came as a surprise.

"It was a very nice surprise," Jodi said.

"I would probably use the word shocked," Corey added.

Though the chamber usually gives the Above and Beyond Award at its annual banquet, the Bayers had a previous engagement and received theirs early.

"As a chamber, we are thrilled to have citizens like that in our town," said Lisa Hicks, communications and program coordinator with the chamber. "... anyone who's lived in Jamestown for any amount of time knows they are everywhere. They do so much." There's no doubt that the Bayers are heavily involved in the Jamestown community.

Corey is a past president of the Main Street Downtown Association, and he and Jodi organize the annual Holiday Dazzle on Main Parade. Corey is a Mason and a Shriner, and Jodi helps the group by selling toys at the circus as a fundraiser.

Corey has served on committees for the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. and on the Buffalo City Tourism Foundation board. Jodi is the vice president of the Roosevelt Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization and serves on the Jamestown Chamber Ambassadors Committee.

They have two children -- Isaac, 8, and Carson, 6.

The Bayers are quick to give credit to other volunteers in the community.

"It's nice to be recognized but there are a lot of deserving people," Corey said. "(We're) humble, grateful, but we have some really big shoes to fall into too." Sun reporter Kari Lucin can be reached at 701-952-8453 or by email at [email protected] More from around the web ___ (c)2013 The Jamestown Sun (Jamestown, N.D.) Visit The Jamestown Sun (Jamestown, N.D.) at www.jamestownsun.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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