The Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce Citizen and Group of the Year award nominations are open until Jan. 22.
Nominations are now being accepted. The theme this year is “Act of Kindness.”
The winners will be chosen by an anonymous jury outside the Chamber. Chamber CEO Rob Clark noted in an interview that the number of submissions is not what decides the jury’s selection.
Instead, the nomination should thoroughly inform and educate the judging panel about the nominee.
Nominations can be submitted at www.mjchamber.com/citizen-group-of-the-year/.
The form provides these guidelines for submission:
- Focus on volunteer activities as opposed to work done as an employee
- Volunteer hours involved; fund-raising; unusual circumstances overcome
- How the person/group contributed to the economic/social climate of the City
- News articles (online or paper), testimonials, and letters of reference
Each submission must be accompanied by a short essay (maximum 400 words). There is also an option to upload any supporting documents, such as those in the last bullet point above.
Although plans have not yet been finalized, it seems likely that this year's awards ceremony will again be streamed online.
“Just take a look around you,” Clark said, “and if there’s somebody that you know, or a group that you know, who’s done an act of kindness that you think should be recognized, that’s what we need. It’s been another difficult year, and many people have helped each other and the community, and we’re looking forward to recognizing the nominees as well as the winners.”
Last year John Iatridis, owner of The Mad Greek restaurant, won Citizen of the Year. Iatridis was recognized for his efforts as part of the business community and as an individual to help wherever he can.
The Moose Jaw Kinsmen Club was recognized as 2020’s Group of the Year for their hundreds of hours of volunteer work. That work included the Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade, which they adapted for the pandemic. The parade wound through the streets of Moose Jaw for several days, included participation from the police and fire departments, brought many people out in the cold to watch with their children, and collected thousands of pounds of food for Moose Jaw and District Food Bank.
