Editorial

One of our favorite events of the year in a calendar packed with wonderful Suffolk events is the annual First Citizen Award reception. It says a lot about a community that its members take the time each year to gather in support and celebration of the work one of their neighbors has done to improve the lives of those around them.

The First Citizen Award, given each year since 1956, except for a hiatus from 1999-2002, goes to an outstanding individual who best exemplifies the spirit of citizenship and who has shown significant leadership through his or her time, talents and efforts in order to make Suffolk a better place to live.

The long list of First Citizen recipients includes folks who have made contributions in a wide variety of fields — philanthropy, the arts, education, history, medicine, state and city legislative affairs, social justice, business and more.

Last year’s recipient was the late Robert W. “Bobby” Harrell Jr. Other prior recipients have included Dr. R. Leroy Howell; M. Caroline Martin; Sen. Fred Quayle; Dr. Doug Naismith; Delegate Chris Jones; Betsy Brothers, who was active in renovating Suffolk High School as the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts; community activist W. Ross Boone; attorney Whitney Saunders; longtime City Councilman Curtis Milteer; historian Sue Woodward; former Mayor E. Dana Dickens; business owner George Birdsong, longtime General Assembly member Sam Glasscock; dentist Dr. George Barnett; former Mayor Andy Damiani; and former Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr.

The award used to be given by the Cosmopolitan Club. A few years after that organization disbanded, the Rotary Club of Suffolk took over the honor of selecting and honoring each year’s recipient. For the past couple of years, the North Suffolk Rotary Club has also been part of the effort. The money the two clubs raise with the event goes toward their charitable giving each year.

Nominations for this year’s award must be postmarked by Sept. 9, and nominees must be residents of Suffolk. A reception honoring the recipient will be held at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts on Nov. 5.

Nomination forms can be found on the Suffolk Rotary Club website at www.suffolkrotary.org. Attach letters of endorsement to the application. When complete, mail to Suffolk Rotary Club, c/o First Citizen, P.O. Box 1972, Suffolk, VA 23439-1972.

There are many people in Suffolk who have labored long and hard to make the city a better place. You can help make sure they get the credit they deserve for their efforts.