The annual Riverbank Community Awards Banquet, usually held in late January or early February, has been moved back to March this year, according to members of the Citizen of the Year Committee. The announcement of a Youth of Year also is made at the banquet.
In years past, Committee members have begun the selection process by making their announcement in early November, with a submission deadline in mid-December. Almost yearly, however, busy holiday schedules have made postponements necessary.
This year, the group hoped to eliminate that stress by moving the entire schedule back.
The nomination deadline is now Jan. 31 at 5 p.m.
The Citizen of the Year is sponsored annually by the Citizen of the Year Committee (COY). The winner will be announced at the Annual Riverbank Community Awards Banquet held on March 10, 2018. Those interested in purchasing tickets for the dinner can call 209-863-7153 for information.
Nominations Requested
Any individual or organization may nominate one candidate and must include name and contact information for that candidate, along with the reasons for the nomination.
Only one person per application will be accepted. All others will be disqualified. No couples or team nominations will be accepted. All nomination forms will be reviewed by the Committee to ensure that they meet the given guidelines. Nominations must use the Official Nomination form format. Additional pages may be added if necessary.
Committee members ask that, when considering a candidate, nominators should focus on:
• The contributions of the nominee to the Riverbank Community, highlighting service activities aside from their job responsibilities.
• Nominees who have given selflessly of their personal time and talents for the betterment of the community, whether they are known by many or few.
• Outstanding accomplishments in community service to others.
• Impact of achievement on the community.
All nominees must be either a citizen of Riverbank or work/volunteer in the City of Riverbank.
Committee members point out that the Citizen of the Year Award is not just a one-night event, but will involve new duties and participation throughout the year, as well as a life time membership on the committee. Each nominee will be contacted via phone to notify them of their inclusion. They also will be given an opportunity to decline consideration.
The winner receives a plaque and the title Riverbank 2017 Citizen of the Year. He or she also will preside as Grand Marshal of the annual Riverbank Christmas Parade at the end of November.
The winner will preside over the COY committee as chairperson for the following year.
Officials also noted that, this year, members of the public are invited to submit nominations for this honor. In the past, they have been limited to coming only from committee members. Committee members will remain the only ones to vote on the winner. In the event that a nominee is related to a committee member, that member shall refrain from voting that year.
Nomination Forms are available at Riverbank City Hall North or click on a link on the city’s web site: http://www.riverbank.org/
Youth of the Year
The annual Riverbank Youth of the Year award is sponsored each year by the COY committee and awarded at the same time. The committee is a group of dedicated volunteers which has been serving the community since 1962. The goal of the committee is to recognize the dedication and contributions of youth that have given selflessly of their time and talents to the Riverbank Community. This recognition also comes with a monetary scholarship award.
The 2017 year scholarship application process has changed from the previous years where the community (usually teachers, school counselors, family or friends) nominated the youth for the award. This year youth will be given the opportunity to apply for this scholarship themselves. Officials of COY Committee say they want to learn from them what and how they contribute to the Riverbank community.
The scholarship amount for the 2017 Youth of the Year is the highest it has been in the history of this award. It’s set at $1,000 for the first place winner and $200 for the second place winner. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2018. Applications will be evaluated by the active members of the Citizen of the Year Committee. This scholarship is a one-time cash award payable directly to the recipient. Funds must be applied towards tuition or books and the winner will need to provide confirmation of college or trade school acceptance and attendance. The winner will be announced at the annual Citizen of the Year awards dinner scheduled for March 10. Youth, family, and friends are encouraged to attend the dinner and support the applicants.
To be eligible for the scholarship award, youth applicants must live in the City of Riverbank and must be a high school senior currently attending school anywhere in Stanislaus County and in good academic standing. Team or group applications will not be accepted. Applicants are welcome to include comments and letters of recommendations from local organizations and community members.
Final decisions will be made by the active members of the Citizen of the Year Committee.
