Since 1991, when the first Citizen of the Year award was presented, I have heard, "If I'd known (name of recipient) was going to get it, I'd have been there."

So, last year, the name of the recipient was announced in advance, and you weren't there.

So, this year, the name of the recipient will not be announced until the banquet on Thursday, Nov. 13.

You need to be there.

Just about every volunteer organization in this community has been the recipient of the labors, commitment and dedication of past Citizens of the Year recipients. It's a pretty good bet that this year's recipient will fit the same profile.

Representatives of the nonprofits in this community owe it to those who have demonstrated a commitment to their organizations to be at the chamber banquet when the award is presented. The chances that one of your most dedicated volunteers will be the recipient are better than good.

Looking over the list of past recipients, the organizations that have benefited from their commitment to this community include the city, the school district, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Keep Port Aransas Beautiful, the Port Aransas Garden Club, Port Aransas Community Theater, the Joint Effort Leisure Ministry (JELM) Center, Port Aransas Preservation and Historical Association, the Salvation Army, our churches and countless individuals and other organizations.

We should take great pride in the fact that each of our Citizens of the Year, if they are still with us, continues to do that which resulted in their being honored with this distinction.

The criteria are tough. Citizens of the Year must have a record of giving to the community in volunteer time without expectation of personal or professional gain over a long period of time in several aspects of the community. That means they have had an impact on more than a single cause.

The difficulty is such that one committee reviews nominations to see that each nominee meets the criteria, and a second committee chooses the recipient from those who made the cut. Port Aransas is richly blessed with many individuals who meet those criteria. It will take years for every deserving individual to be recognized.

In addition to those who meet the criteria for Citizen of the Year, Port Aransas is even more blessed by a legion of individuals who work tirelessly for specific causes. They, too, deserve recognition for their commitment.

For now, every nonprofit in Port Aransas should commit to being well-represented at the banquet on Nov. 13. Someone who has been good to you will very likely be honored - and you should be there for him or her.

Mary Henkel Judson is editor and co-publisher of the South Jetty. Contact her at (361) 749-5131, southjetty@centurytel.net or P.O. Box 1117, Port Aransas, TX, 78373.