Barbara Hardt, Peak to Peak. On Saturday, January 16, 2021, The Peak to Peak Healthy Communities Project (PPHCP) board met to discuss the idea of bringing back the Community Champions Awards. This time-honored tradition was cancelled after community interest waned in 2015. Coupled with several entities holding their own awards, PPHCP put off future Community Champion events. Until now.

In 1995, PPHCP began with a group of community members that wanted to make a difference in the region. And over 25 years ago, at a board meeting, they decided that there were people in the region who should be recognized for their extraordinary efforts toward making our mountain home an excellent place to live.

This was to be a recognition of those that planted gardens, built paths, created services and assistance for those in need, went to their jobs and then came home to work for others. Our community champions spend endless hours in meetings, offering their expertise to bring visions to reality. They clean up when the celebration is over. They bring people together to get a job done and jump right in with a shovel or hammer or blueprints. They donate funds to help non-profits stay in business. They dedicate their talent, their time and their passion for the community to make it as great as it is. Sometimes the community does not even know what these people do until they stop doing it. They are often anonymous and work behind the scenes. Some are volunteers and some are employees who go way beyond what is expected from them. 

Our community depends on these people to keep us moving forward. It needs its teachers to do the best they can to help the students do the best they can. It needs the business owners who partner with the non-profits, the employees who do their job to the best of their abilities, with a smile.

The Peak to Peak region has more than its share of exemplary community members. We hope from behind your screen, or with a word of kindness or gratitude, you will help us to recognize and honor these people. Give a virtual standing ovation and let them know you appreciate their work. 

Community Champion nomination forms are available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/peakcommunitychampions. Forms will be due February 28, 2021. Categories to be recognized include:

Outstanding Youth

Best Non-profit

Educational Excellence

Volunteer of the Year

Government Paid Employee

Government Volunteer

Lifetime Achievement

In March, these local heroes will be honored with a beautiful certificate and a gift card for dinner at a local restaurant (dine-in or take-out). The returning Community Champions celebration will recognize your neighbor, your friend, your mentor, even your relative who has done good work for everyone.

Current sponsors are Peak to Peak Healthy Communities Project and The Mountain-Ear newspaper. 

If you would like to be a co-sponsor of the event, donate a gift certificate or find out more about the awards, please email publisher1977@gmail.com.

(Originally published in the February 4, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)