Published in the October 24 – November 6, 2018 issue of Morgan Hill Life

Since 1957 the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce has hosted an annual “Celebrate Morgan Hill Awards Dinner” in honor of the many remarkable people, businesses and nonprofits within our community.

Award recipients are considered within the following categories: Man, Woman, Student, Teacher, Volunteer, Non-Profit Organization, Small Business and Large Business.

Every fall, nomination forms are released to the community at large and collected in confidence by chamber staff. A panel comprised of award recipients from the previous five years convenes in a locked boardroom and engages in deep discussion of each individual nomination form that is submitted. It is a level of confidentiality and seriousness that would rival even the most secret society’s meetings.

Nominees are then ranked based on their history of outstanding service, civic involvement, volunteerism, awards received, philanthropy, accomplishments and leadership within the community. Votes are cast and the nominees in each category that receive the highest votes are awarded the accolades.

Coordination then begins to surprise these honorees with the news, my favorite part of the entire process because they are always caught unaware. Expressions of shock, disbelief, appreciation, broad smiles and teary eyes have graced the faces of honorees when surprised with this announcement.

These notable individuals and organizations are then celebrated at the annual awards dinner and receive honorable mentions throughout the year including broadcasts and float rides during the 4th of July Parade and the Holiday Lights Parade at Christmas in addition to a feature page within the Annual Directory and Community Guide.

Happy nominating everyone — and may the year’s most worthy champions of Morgan Hill win. Nominations for consideration of the 2019 honorees are now open. If you know a person, business or nonprofit that you think is deserving of being a Celebrate Morgan Hill Awards recipient please take a moment to enter them into the running.

Nomination forms are currently posted on the chamber of commerce website (www.morganhill.org) with the deadline for submissions set for 5 p.m. Friday Nov. 9.

Stay tuned for additional announcements of the 2019 honorees and details of the Saturday, March 2 awards dinner sometime in mid-November.

Brittney Sherman is the member and community relations director for the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce.