Friday deadline for Citizen nomination
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

Friday is the nomination deadline for the 2007 El Campo Citizen of the Year - and so far only three people are in the running.

"We're hoping for more responses," El Campo Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture President Becca Socha said.

The Citizen of the Year is an award which recognizes an individual's efforts of a lifetime to make El Campo a better to place to live or help its residents better themselves.

Honorees are typically older and must be engaged in, or once worked with, at least three community activities in fields other then their primary profession.

They must have resided in the county no less than five years and must be living at the time of consideration.

"There are probably numerous people in El Campo who have given back in many ways, who have made this a better community for all of us," Socha said, adding she hopes people will take the time to really think about those who have had an impact on the town.

Past recipients have included those who have worked tirelessly to establish and maintain organizations from the El Campo museum to the Beautify El Campo Extension, the local chapter of the Boy Scouts and programs for seniors or the mentally disabled.

The award is not for a single shining moment, Socha said, for that the Chamber has created the Achiever of the Year Award.

The Achiever is for a single event or effort which has made a difference in the last calendar year (2007 in this case).

The deadline for Citizen of the Year is Friday, Nov. 9. Those nominations can be delivered to 201 E. Jackson or mailed to the Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, P.O. Box 1400, El Campo, Texas, 77437.

Nominating letter should be clear and concise, Socha added, saying bullet points are fine and letters should preferably be a page or less in length.

Living recipients of the Citizen award include: Leslie Collins, Joyce Henderson, A.G. "Red" Miller, Russell Raun, Irvin Foytik, Melvin Parker Jr., Allen Collins, John Corbett, Ann Leach, Cecil Davis, Martha Johnson, Frankie Novak, Jerry Aulds, Joe Tom Davis, Bob Melanson and Rita Radley.

Past recipients, now deceased, include Cortez Allen, Harold Bishkin, Verda Boyle, Donald Duson, Richard Meek, Mary Baca, John E. Kainer, Blossom Meyer, Naomi Chappell, Dr. E.A. Weinheimer, Verner Petersen, Rev. Lloyd Nixon, Jim Tuttle, Bob Meisel, Tom Henderson, H.D. Madsen, Hazel Montgomery, Kitty Simank, Wilbur Swanson, John L. Russell, Viola Webb, Evelyn Kainer, Norris Raun, Mary Meyers Rosenfield, Lucian Kainer, Dr. Walter Presley and Fred Barbee.