CHAMPAIGN – City officials are hoping the community will take advantage of a new awards program created to recognize those who have led or improved Champaign in some way.
The city’s Neighborhood Services Department is accepting nominations until March 1. Nominees and winners of awards in six categories will be recognized during the city’s annual Neighborhood Leaders Meeting, this year on April 14.
“That recognizes the limitations of the city to do all things as a governmental agency,” said Neighborhood Services Director Kevin Jackson. “To promote quality of life, it’s just a necessity that we promote the involvement of other people in the community.”
The department is accepting nominations for individuals in six categories: neighborhood leadership, neighborhood of the year, neighborhood-community building, business-neighborhood partnership, good neighbor award and community partner.
“These acts don’t have to necessarily be connected to a particular neighborhood as much as they have some benefit to the Champaign community at large,” Jackson said.
The city is hoping the program will catch on with residents and promote more community building in the future. Jackson hopes to make the so-called STAR awards an annual event – STAR is an acronym for Service Together Achieves Results.
Jackson already is looking to add to those categories and said an award for elementary- to college-aged individuals will be introduced next year.
For more information or to make a nomination, visit the city’s Web site or call the Neighborhood Services Department, 217-403-7070.
“I know it will take some time for it to gain visibility here, but I know it will work,” he said.
Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services