The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce has honored three residents with individual awards recognizing their commitment to the community.

Michelle Fales, business relationship officer at Peoples Bank, received the Wally Galluzzi Volunteer of the Year Award; Ron Olin, chief of police, won the Buford M. Watson Jr. Public Service Award; and Judy Billings, of Destination Management Inc., won the Athena Award.

Fales said she enjoyed volunteering for the chamber because the organization has done so much for her.

“It actually totally surprised me, and it was a great honor getting it,” she said of her award.

Volunteering for the chamber and being more engaged in civic activities have helped Fales become more confident and have honed her leadership skills, she said.

The police chief said it was an honor to receive an award named for Watson, a former city manager who played a large role in advancing his career in law enforcement.

“To win an award named for the man who really made my career is a huge honor,” he said.

Olin said he was proud of his longevity with the police department, which has nearly doubled in size since he took over.

“I’m just very proud of the quality and level of professionalism that the department has,” Olin said.

Billings, who has done work with the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area and other organizations, received the Athena Award, which celebrates the potential of women as valued members of the community and recognizes those who support them.

Leading by example is one way Billings said she tries to connect with other women. She said she was honored to be listed among other women who had won the award, including Judge Deanell Reece Tacha, with whom Billings has worked in the past.

“It’s a very, very nice recognition,” Billings said. “I was very honored, very surprised.”