NORTHAMPTON — The Daily Hampshire Gazette is accepting nominations for its annual Person of the Year award, as well as an inaugural Young Community Leader Award.
The awards will be bestowed upon residents who are dedicated to making Hampshire County a better place through community service. Young adults ages 15 to 30 years old are eligible for the new youth award.
This is the third year a Person of the Year will be honored, in partnership with the United Way of Hampshire County.
The winner of Person of the Year will win $500, half of which is be donated to a charity of his or her choice. The youth recipient will receive $250, half of which also must be donated to a charity of choice.
The winners will be featured in the Gazette on March 7.
Nominations must be received by Feb. 28. The winners will be chosen by a selection committee, comprised of United Way staff and community members. Past Person of the Year honorees are also invited to join the selection committee.
Laura Dintino, event marketing coordinator at the Gazette, said the winner is someone who has not gotten much recognition before — someone who has been silently doing good deeds in the community and making a real difference.
The award went to Jack Finn, founder of the A2Z Science and Learning center in Northampton in its first year. Yvonne Freccero, an advocate for the homeless and past president of Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals, received the honor in 2016.
James Ayres, executive director of the United Way of Hampshire County, said that some recipients have been surprised when they hear they have won. Some were not even aware that they were nominated.
“It’s fun to be able to call attention to someone who’s done great work and thank them publicly,” Ayres said.
The new youth award was created to ensure that young people of the Valley are recognized for their acts, Dintino said.
“There just seems to be some good work being done by young people — from high school students to young professionals,” Gazette Publisher Michael Rifanburg said.
United Way and the Gazette used to honor exemplary volunteers with the Paragon Awards. After the Paragon Awards were discontinued, the Person of the Year award took its place to celebrate community service.
“I think it’s important to recognize good work in the community,” Rifanburg said.
Aside from giving recognition where it is due, Ayres said the Person of the Year award can be an encouragement to others.
“Their stories can be inspirational to others who might be interested in giving back,” Ayres said.
Dintino agreed that the award has the potential to inspire others. “People think one person can’t make a difference, but you really can,” Dintino stated.
Nominations for the awards can be made online at Gazettenet.com, by mail using a nomination form published in the Gazette, or by email at nominations@gazettenet.com.