TELLURIDE, Colo. (March 29, 2018) – Last year, Wendy Brooks, local mother, grandmother, superstar volunteer, and founder of Telluride Academy was honored as the 2017 Citizen of the Year. Telluride Foundation created the Citizen of the Year award to honor individuals, like Wendy, who unselfishly make extraordinary contributions to the community. Nominations are now being accepted from the entire regional community for the 2018 award.

“The Citizen of the Year Award is a celebration of people and their impact on our community. In honor of past recipients, the Telluride Foundation asks former recipients of the award to be involved in the selection process each year,” said Telluride Foundation President and CEO, Paul Major. “By engaging past recipients in the selection process, we hope to enhance the meaning of the award and increase community engagement.”

After all nominations are in, past recipients of the award are responsible for evaluating all nominations and deciding on two finalists. Past recipients also help the Telluride Foundation Board select the ultimate 2018 winner.

Telluride Foundation’s Citizen of the Year Award is in recognition of someone who has unselfishly contributed to the Telluride regional community’s quality of life. The regional community is defined as San Miguel, Ouray, and West Montrose counties as well as Rico. The recipient will receive a commemorative plaque and a grant of $5,000 to be given in their name to a local nonprofit of their choice. The 2018 Citizen of the Year will share this honor with Terry Tice (2003), Lissa Margetts (2004), John Micetic (2005), Bill Carstens (2006), John Pryor and Jane Hickcox (2007), Kathy Green (2008), Marilyn Branch (2009), Dan and Greer Garner and Andrea Benda (2010), Billy “Senior” Mahoney (2011), Ann Brady (2012), Dean Rolley (2013), Kristin Holbrook (2014), Gary Freedman (2015), Elaine Fischer (2016), and Wendy Brooks (2017).

The nomination form is posted on the Telluride Foundation’s website at https://telluridefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Telluride-Foundation-Citizen-of-the-Year-Nomination-Form-2018.pdf. Nominations are due by 5pm, June 4th, and anyone is invited to nominate a fellow community member. Nominators of the top two finalists will be asked to participate in short video as part of the final selection process. The video clips will be used by the selection committee to learn more about the nominees and bring to life their community contributions. The 2018 recipient will be announced after the Telluride Foundation’s summer board meeting in July, and a community celebration will follow. Please contact Katie Singer at 970-728-8717 or email katie@telluride.dreaminblog.com with any questions.

Nomination Guidelines
• Nominee must be a community member from the region, which includes San Miguel, Ouray, West Montrose counties and Rico.
• Nominees will be selected based on unselfish and extraordinary contributions to the community that include volunteerism, collaboration, leadership and compassion.
o Nominees in paid positions that represents these traits, are eligible; however, the nomination must be based on their non-paid work.
• Telluride Foundation Board Members and staff are not eligible.
• The award is designed for a single individual; however, exceptions can be made.

The Telluride Foundation is committed to enriching the quality of life of the residents and workforce of the Telluride region. It is a nonprofit, apolitical public community foundation that makes grants and runs programs in arts, education, health and human services, community development, and social enterprise. The Foundation strives to achieve excellence for the community through its mission and core values, including promoting inclusion and maximizing benefit to all. Our work is funded through the generous support of hundreds of donors as well as grants from state and national foundations. Pease visit www.telluridefoundation.org.

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