The Clay County Public Health Center has announced the winners of its annual Food Safety Excellence and Pool Safety Excellence Awards, recognizing local establishments that went above and beyond to protect public health in 2024.

“These recipients demonstrated an unwavering commitment to health and safety,” said Robert Gilliland, Section Chief of Environmental Health. “They consistently paid attention to the details and took their responsibility seriously. We’re proud to celebrate their efforts.”

Food Safety Excellence Awards

A total of 93 food establishments—representing the top 12% of those inspected—earned the 2024 Food Safety Excellence Award. These businesses met strict criteria, including a full year of operation with no repeat violations, no follow-up inspections, and no confirmed cases of foodborne illness.

Among them, 23 were honored with “Gold Standard” status for earning the award three or more years in a row.

Clay County’s food inspection program covers a wide range of establishments beyond traditional restaurants, including food trucks, school cafeterias, hospitals, nursing homes, bars, caterers, churches, convenience stores, and event vendors. In 2024, CCPHC’s 11-member environmental health team conducted 1,490 routine inspections, 372 temporary event inspections, and followed up on 155 food-related complaints.

Local winners in Kearney included:

Club At MariMack
Coco Street Fudge
Fair Share Farm*
Hawthorne Elementary*
Kaji Sushi & Grill
Kearney Early Education Center*
Kearney Middle School*
Kearney Nutrition

(*denotes “Gold Standard” recipient)

Pool Safety Excellence Awards

Twenty-six recreational water facilities—22% of all those regulated in Clay County—received the 2024 Pool Safety Excellence Award. Seven facilities achieved “Gold Standard” status, placing them in the top 6% for consistently safe and clean operations.

Award-winning pools met tough criteria such as maintaining proper certifications, avoiding repeat or serious violations, and having no confirmed waterborne illness outbreaks. In total, the environmental health team conducted 474 inspections of recreational water facilities including neighborhood pools, civic centers, spas, and spraygrounds.

For a full list of award recipients or more about Clay County Public Health’s safety programs, visit www.clayhealth.com.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts Contributed to this story.