Honor Your Hometown Hero

(February 19, 2010) - The Deadline for nominations for the fifth annual Celebrate Our Communities! Community Service Awards is right around the corner.

Who is your hometown hero? That’s the question residents of Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington are again being asked as the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain seeks nominations for its fifth annual Celebrate Our Communities! Awards program.

Nominations for the Celebrate! Awards in Berlin, Plainville or Southington are due March 1. All Celebrate New Britain! Nominations are due by April 5.

One award will be presented in each of the four towns the Community Foundation serves - Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington. The awards honor four outstanding grassroots volunteers, who earn the right to designate a $2,500 grant to a local charity of their choice subject to approval of the Foundation board of directors.

“People who give of themselves are at the heart of positive change in our communities. These awards recognize the value of volunteers and the many creative ways they can make a real difference,” says Community Foundation President Jim Williamson. “Last year we received more nominations than ever, and we hope that people again take this opportunity to recognize and honor those in their community who have touched the lives of others.” 

The Celebrate Our Communities! Awards have four objectives: To raise awareness of the importance of volunteerism and community service; to offer recognition to deserving volunteers who make a difference in their communities; to provide financial support to local charities; and to raise awareness of the important work that the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain does in the four communities it serves.

Residents in each town nominate candidates and separate committees of community leaders of each town will select recipients. The Community Foundation will honor the Berlin and Plainville recipients at the Annual Meetings of their respective Chambers of Commerce. The New Britain Chamber of Commerce Annual Voluntarism Luncheon will be the back drop for The Community Foundation’s winner in New Britain and in Southington, The Community Foundation will partner with the United Way of Southington at its Annual Stakeholder Breakfast to recognize their community’s winner.

The Citizen Newspapers of Berlin, Plainville and Southington are again co-sponsoring the Celebrate Our Communities! Awards in their respective towns and the Herald is the co-sponsor in New Britain.

Nominees do not have to be residents of the town in which the award will be presented. They must simply have a demonstrated track record of volunteer community service benefiting the town in which they are nominated. In-kind or compensated service is not eligible. Elected officials and paid staff of community service agencies and organizations are not eligible.

All nominations must include: The nominee’s name, address, telephone and e-mail; the nominator’s name, address, telephone and e-mail; and a typed or handwritten testimonial on a single, 8.5” by 11” sheet of paper. Testimonials should describe the scope and nature of the nominee’s community service, the agencies/organizations for which the nominee volunteers and the positive impact the nominee’s service has made upon his or her community. Past nominees who were not selected as award recipients can be resubmitted with a new nomination form.

Nomination forms are now available online. Once completed, nominations can be faxed to (860) 225-2666; or mailed to the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, 74A Vine Street, New Britain, CT 06052. For questions or more information, call the Foundation at (860) 229-6018.