2015-first-citizen-award-jaimy-and-sherine-beltran-with-kyle-bunchThe Rotary Club of Wilsonville is now accepting nominations for the 2016 First Citizen Award to honor a local community member or couple for exceptional volunteerism and community service. Since 1983, our Club has recognized and honored 28 Wilsonville First Citizen recipients, which occurs at our annual Heart of Gold celebration each winter.

At the last year’s Heart of Gold Celebration, Sherine and Jaimy Beltran accepted the 2015 Wilsonville First Citizen award from Rotary Club of Wilsonville then-president Kyle Bunch. Prior winners include Donna Bane, Kathryn Whittaker, Jay Puppo, Dick Spence, Debi Laue, Lonnie and Julie Gieber, Theonie Gilmore, Anne Easterly, Ron Anderson, Bob and Judy Woodle, Alan Kirk, Doris Wehler, Sue Ludlow, John Ludlow, Charlotte Lehan and Dr. Laura LaJoie Bishop.

“Our Heart of Gold Dinner and Auction exists so we can celebrate Wilsonville’s great volunteers, engaged citizens, and the important service projects that benefit the city,” said Rotary Club President Richard Martens. “But to do that, we need the community’s help to identify the next deserving honoree who exemplifies what makes Wilsonville such a wonderful community in which to live and work.”

Nominations for First Citizen will be accepted through Dec. 31, 2016. A committee made up of Rotary and other Wilsonville community leaders, will then select a small group of finalists and, ultimately, the 2016 Wilsonville First Citizen. The finalists will be announced in late January, and the winner at the Rotary’s Heart of Gold Dinner and Auction on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, at the Wilsonville Holiday Inn. The theme for this year’s event is Mahalo to You. Mahalo is a Hawaiian term meaning thanks, gratitude and respect and it is the Rotary Club of Wilsonville’s message to the volunteers being recognized as well as those supporting the club at the event and throughout the year.

To nominate a community member (or couple) who is an exceptional volunteers go to www.WilsonvilleRotary.com/nominate or send an email to president@wilsonvillerotary.com. There is also a PDF nomination form that can be downloaded from the site and mailed in.