The deadline is Tuesday, Jan. 10, and only one nomination has been submitted for the 2011 Citizen of the Year.

Serveral key requirements should be kept in mind by those making nominations: The nominees must have a long record of service to the community, the service must cover a broad range of activities and not be limited to a single aspect of, or group in, the community; and specifi c details of the nominee’s service must be included in the nomination.

The recipient will be honored during a reception beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26.

The nomination form can be found at the South Jetty Web site, www.portasouthjetty.com and may be picked up at the South Jetty office, 141 W. Cotter Ave., or at the Port Aranas Chamber of Commerce Tourist Bureau office, 403 W. Cotter.

To access the form online, go to the South Jetty Web site and click on Forms in the menu bar at the left under Services, then select Citizen of the Year. The form can be printed, completed and taken to the newspaper or chamber office.

The Citizen of the Year award recognizes individuals for past and current service in several aspects of the community, according to Ann Bracher Vaughan, president and CEO of the tourist bureau, which sponsors the award.

The service should be above and beyond the requirements of the individual’s employment.

“While it may be called the Citizen of the Year, the nominees should be those who have given selflessly of their time, talent and resources over many, many years,” Vaughan said.

Criteria for the award requires that nominees have long records of giving back to the community without expectation of personal or professional gain, and their contributions must have broad impact on the community rather than be focused on one cause or organization. The award is not intended to recognize an individual for a single accomplishment.

Many individuals in the community make major contributions that are well publicized, yet do not meet the criteria for Citizen of the Year. The chamber endeavors to recognize those accomplishments. In 2009, Tony Amos was honored as the ARK Angel of Port Aransas for his founding of and work with the Animal Rehabilitation Keep and more than 30 years of monitoring the beach. The award was an expression of appreciation to Amos for his efforts in the stewardship of Mustang Island, its wildlife and their habitat, and for his untiring efforts to increase public awareness about wildlife and the need for preservation and protection of the environment.

In 2001, in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United States, rather than award a Citizen of the Year, all first responders were honored at the chamber’s annual banquet.

Vaughan emphasized that the Citizen of the Year is not “voted” upon by the public, nor is the recipient determined by the number of nominations an individual receives.

Nominations are reviewed to insure that all nominees meet the criteria. Those making nominations should provide detailed information that is specific to the criteria because only nominees who meet the criteria are considered for the award, Vaughan said.

Previous recipients of the Citizen of the Year Award are, starting in 1991, Dale Bietendorf, the late Lillian Graham, Mark Creighton, Una Farley, the late J.C. and Wanda Barr, Georgia Neblett, Mike Hall, the late Barbara Sheppard, John Thompson, George Horner, Pam Greene, Betty Crawford, Charlie and Linda Zahn, Richard Safford, Chuck Borders, Barbara Behrens and Arlene Hughes, John Fucik and Jack Dreessen.