Your thoughts to nominate a "Citizen of the Year" award...

[Spookwriter]

Nothing to do with BYC, but more on a personal level.

In a local newspaper, it's time to nominate people as the
citizen of the year. And I've looked at the roll of the past winners.
College presidents, businessmen, doctors.

Really a pretty inpressive collection of people.

But I've got someone in my mind who isn't in that league. I've thought
about the traits I value in a leader. Their professional degree didn't make my list.

I put a value on things such as integrity, courage, confidence, adaptability, peer respect, enthusiasm, and community pride.
I thought about who that really describes. And I knew it wasn't me. But I know a man who brings that and so much more to the community I live in. By any standard you could measure someone, this person stands out.

But he isn't a rich man. Doesn't have one of those fancy jobs.

Today I ask you, as you read this, to give me your honest thought.
Take a minute a reflect on the things you would value in a person as
citizen of the year.

And even as I think to nominate my friend, I have second thoughts.
I would do nothing to embarrass him. So if our most honored citizens have to be a group of professionals who earn the most money or get their name in the paper time after time, my friend wouldn't qualify.

Sometimes you have to look beyond the fame to see the man.


Spook

 

[Imp]

Spook, sounds like you have an awesome, resourceful friend, who is a natural leader. You obviously feel honored to know this person.
I cannot imagine that anyone, of that caliber, would be embarrassed at a nomination, but you know your friend best. You should ask if it would be OK.
Does the nomination process spell out the qualities they are looking for in a citizen of the year? That should tell you if your friend has a chance.

Good Luck to you & your friend

Imp

 

[theotherranch]

Spook,I agree with Imp!
Ask your friend,then nominate him anyway.
If you include what you've just written in the nomination letter(with a few changes),he's a shoo-in!

 

[punk-a-doodle]

You seem to have a solid list on reasons why you would nominate them. Go for it!

In any interaction I have with *any* person, these are the things I notice:
-How do they treat others?
-How do they treat others who are seen as not-quality-people in there eyes, be it due to their lifestyle choices, moral differences, etc.
-Do they act differently in private and in public?

Degrees and level of money don't make the list. If they do for the paper, it isn't really a Citizen of the Year award. It is a "reward those who bring money into our community in a way that gives us positive PR" award.