Honor Your Hometown Hero:  Nominations are still open for Fifth Annual Celebrate New Britain! Community Service Awards

Although nominations have closed for the Berlin, Plainville and Southington awards New Britain voting is still open through 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 Citizen Newspapers of Berlin, Plainville and Southington are again co-sponsoring the Celebrate Our Communities! Awards in their respective towns and the New Britain Herald is the co-sponsor in New Britain. The New Britain award will be presented at the New Britain Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Volunteerism Luncheon in mid-May.

Nomination forms are available by visiting the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain website at www.cfgnb.org. 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.

Please fax nominations to (860) 225-2666; or mail nominations 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.