William Tynes Award given to Western Supermarkets

The William Tynes Award is an annual award given out by the Emmet O’Neal Library in Mountain Brook to recognize someone who has been a huge community partner. Although it is usually given out to an outstanding person in the community, this is the first year it was given out to an outstanding business in the community, Western Supermarkets, which has donated thousands of dollars to the library and made a significant difference in fundraising.

In the case of Western Supermarkets, money from three local supermarkets has gone to fund author and speaker events. 

“We couldn’t have done it without Western Supermarkets. They’re a terrific community partner, and they just do an amazing job,” Emmet O’Neal Library Director Susan J. DeBrecht said. 

Western Supermarkets has been partnering with the library for over 10 years and made the Emmet O’Neal Library the recent beneficiary of funds from the Annual Western Wine and Food Festival.

DeBrecht said that the library staff usually has to be heavily involved with these types of fundraising events, but Western Supermarkets takes care of almost everything with the annual festival. 

“They lined up the vendors, they lined up the food vendors, they lined up the wine vendors, they probably have over a hundred tables of wine and food and then they set everything up and take everything down. They start working this about a year in advance,” DeBrecht said. 

The award will be given out at the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce Annual Luncheon on Jan. 24.