LIMA — For the 17th year, volunteers in Allen County and five surrounding counties will have their chance to be recognized for their humanitarian efforts thanks to the Jefferson Awards for Public Service.
Since its inception in 1972, the Jefferson Awards has been devoted to honoring those who make a difference in their communities, giving of their time and talents to help their neighbor. This year’s award, sponsored by The Lima News, Your Hometown Lima Stations, the United Way of Greater Lima, and Husky Lima Refinery will honor eight volunteers in the Allen, Auglaize, Putnam, Van Wert, Hardin and Hancock counties area.
“We are now taking nominations for the Jefferson Awards,” United Way CEO Carol Braden-Clarke said. “If there are people you would like to nominate, the deadline is Feb. 22.”
The eight winners will then be honored at a banquet March 28 at Lima’s City Club.
For Braden-Clarke, these awards represent the best in area communities, showing how many in our region deeply care for the welfare of others.
“If you have never been to a Jefferson Award dinner, it is probably one of the most inspirational things you can do all year,” she said. “If you want to feel great about what people do to serve their local communities, this is the place to be.”
Each award also comes with a $350 reward to each winner’s respective nonprofit organization for which they volunteer, thanks to a donation from former county official Alberta Lee.
“This is one of the best communities you can be a part of,” Lee said. “So I would just like to continue to help our community and honor those who believe like I do, who want to dig in and make it a little better.”
Your Hometown Lima Stations general manager Kevin Creamer said that in the history of the awards, hundreds of worthy recipients have been honored, including the one selected each year to represent the region at the national Jefferson Awards banquet in Washington, D.C.
“You leave each banquet thinking, ‘What am I doing with my life?’ because they are all outstanding nominees,” he said.
Sandy Monfort, the head of the judging committee and a past award recipient, emphasized that public participation in nominating potential award winners is essential to the success of the program.
“I can’t encourage people enough to nominate someone,” she said. “Let’s encourage those nominations to come in.”
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