Do you know someone who makes a difference in your community, who you would like to see recognized for going above and beyond?
The Rotary Club of Ashcroft/Cache Creek wants to hear from you. They are once more looking for nominations for Citizens of the Year from Ashcroft and area, Cache Creek and area, and a youth nominee from anywhere in the region served by the club (Spences Bridge, Ashcroft, Cache Creek, the Ashcroft Band, and the Bonaparte Band).
This will mark the 15th time that the Ashcroft/Cache Creek Rotarians have named Citizens of the Year, and the club’s immediate past president, Theresa Takacs, says that as far as she knows the honouring of annual Citizens of the Year is unique to this Rotary club.
“I don’t know the origins of it,” she admits. “I do know that Shirley Dobson was one of the first recipients.”
Each year for the last 15 years the club has asked members of the public to submit nominations on behalf of people they feel are worthy nominees. While they’re largely looking for volunteers, Takacs says that “The person can be working. In the past we’ve shied away from elected officials, because it’s hard to know what they do that’s above and beyond their job.
“But we have some flexibility. If someone feels strongly about a given person, they can make their case. We’re looking for people who go above and beyond, and who build a sense of community by what they do. We ask ‘Do you see a difference because of what they’ve done for the community?’”
The Ashcroft and area honouree is sponsored by Interior Savings Credit Union, while the Cache Creek and area honouree is sponsored by Royal Bank of Canada. Desert Sands Community School sponsors the youth honouree.
Takacs says that the club looks for the same traits in the youth nominees that they see in those for adults. “We’re looking at youth who take the initiative and show leadership.”
She adds that nominated youth can be any age under 20, and do not have to be students at Desert Sands Community School. “It can be someone who’s home-schooled. They just have to have made an impact.”
Nominations will be accepted until Jan. 31, 2020, and when the winners have been decided there will be a gala dinner in their honour in spring 2020. Takacs says that the club will continue with the format of an evening dinner, rather than the luncheon that was the norm for many years.
“We got away from the lunch format because it was limited to an hour. We said ‘Let’s make a big deal of it, make it more celebratory.’ Now there’s time to socialize, and family members are able to come.” The date and venue of this year’s event will be announced in spring 2020.
If you would like to nominate someone in Ashcroft and area, Cache Creek and area, or have a youth nominee for the region, send an email to theresatakacs@hotmail.com or write to P.O. Box 11, Ashcroft, B.C., V0K 1A0. Please give a short summary of why you are nominating this person and why they should be recognized, including (if applicable) the names of groups/organizations the nominee has served with.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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