Rotarians seek nominations for Citizen of Year
Warwick. Deadline to nominate is Sept. 12; awards to be presented when safe.
| 18 Aug 2020 | 02:56
Rotarians are seeking nominations for Warwick’s 2020-2021 Citizen of the Year. Committee members include, left to right: Master of Ceremonies Michael Sweeton with the Jaycee plaque honoring winners from 1968-1999; Co-chairs Leo Kaytes Sr. and Stan Martin; and Warwick Rotary President Ed Lynch, holding the Rotary plaque listing recent winners. The Warwick Citizen of the Year plaques are displayed at Town Hall. Photo by Ana Kanz.
Who should be Warwick’s next Citizen of the Year? You might have the answer.
Rotarians are seeking nominations for the coveted award. A letter outlining the accomplishments and reasons for the nomination can be mailed to the Warwick Town Supervisor, 132 Kings Highway, Warwick NY 10990, or e-mailed to stanmartin42@yahoo.com.
Deadline for nominations is Saturday, Sept. 12.
Warwick’s 2020-2021 Citizen of the Year and two recipients of Outstanding Community Service honors will be announced in late September. However, the awards ceremony will be postponed until health conditions are favorable for an appropriate gathering.
The Warwick Valley Rotary Club, a service organization of local community-minded men and women, is again sponsoring the annual event.
Stan Martin and Leo Kaytes Sr., both former Warwick Rotary presidents, are co-chairing the event. Thirteen years ago, they were instrumental in restarting the “Warwick Citizen of the Year” program which was inaugurated in 1968 by the now defunct Warwick Jaycees.
“There are so many local residents who deserve recognition for making this a quality place to live,” said Martin. “These volunteers have demonstrated a commitment to community service over an extended period of time.”
Kaytes encouraged community input on candidates. He pointed out that there were so many qualified nominations in recent years that two additional persons will be recognized with “Outstanding Community Service Awards.”
Hannelore Chambers, who spearheaded a community-wide effort to construct a new playground in Stanley-Deming Park for all ages and abilities, is the current Citizen of the Year. Jack Ellis and Chosun Taekwondo Academy’s Youth Leadership Team were honored with Outstanding Community Service Awards.
Two former Warwick Jaycees and current Warwick Rotarians - Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton and Attorney Doug Stage - are also on the selection committee along with John Buckley, John Bollenbach, Lilibet Lewis McLean, Calvin Hargis, John McGloin, Frank Truatt, Leo Kaytes Jr. and Warwick Valley Rotary President Edward Lynch.
Lynch said proceeds from the event will be donated to PolioPlus, Rotary International’s ongoing project to eliminate polio worldwide. Last year’s Warwick Citizen of the Year Awards Ceremony raised $6,000 after a two-for-one matching donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Previous winners
The year-by-year honorees as Warwick Citizens of the Year were:
1968 – Lawrence Stage
1969 – Clifton Brown
1970 – Charles Rowe
1971 – Daniel Maxwell
1972 – Harry Sayre
1973 – George Hansen
1974 – Calvin Gilbert
1975 – Mildred Stewart
1976 – John Cox
1977 – Patricia McConnell
1978 – Fred Batz
1979 – Gearlin Logan
1980 – Joseph DeBold
1981 – Elmer C. Fry
1982 – Dorothy Sanford
1983 – Roy Barker
1984 – Bruce Sherman
1985 – George Relyea
1986 – Warwick Against Radioactive Dump
1987 – George & Mary Goodman
1988 – John S. Hicks
1989 – John Mattison
1990 – Pete Sayre
1991 – Lon Tytell
1992 – Elizabeth Van Leer
1993 – Mike Myrow
1994 – Richard Kiley
1995 – Dick Wells
1996 – Betty Jane Wright
1999 – Leo Kaytes
2008 – Clayton Eurich
2009 – Frank Cassanite, Jr.
2010 – Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce
2011 – Ben Winstanley
2012 – John Woloszczak, Jr.
2013 – Dr. Richard Hull
2014 – Glenn P. & Susan D. Dickes
2015 – Bill Iurato
2016 – Claire Gabelmann
2017 – Stan Martin
2018 – Doug Stage
2019 – Hannelore Chambers