Skip to content

Citizen of the year tradition continues

The 'Orillia Packet and Times', which was shuttered in November after 147 years of operation, recognized local community champions with its annual Citizen of the Year honour
Award Winners
Stock image

NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF ORILLIA
*************************
A decades-long tradition to recognize those who go above and beyond to make Orillia a better place will continue, thanks to a group of local residents.

The Orillia Packet and Times, which was shuttered in November after 147 years of operation, recognized local community champions with its annual Citizen of the Year honour. The newspaper was closed in the midst of its search for the top citizen of 2017.

A panel of local residents, with the assistance of the City of Orillia, is accepting nominations for 2017 Citizen of the Year. Nominees must be residents of Orillia, Chippewas of Rama First Nation, or the townships of Oro-Medonte, Ramara or Severn, who have contributed to the betterment of Orillia. Emphasis should be placed on the nominees' volunteerism and accomplishments during 2017.

The 2017 Citizen of the Year panel includes former winners Anderson Charters, Ralph Cipolla (non-voting member), Steve Clarke (non-voting member), Doug Lewis, Gini Stringer and Bruce Waite, as well as former Packet and Times editors and reporters Dave Dawson and Nathan Taylor, and Dr. Linda Rodenburg of Lakehead University's Office of Community Programs.

The deadline for nominations is noon on Monday, Jan. 22. Nominations can be emailed to [email protected] or delivered to the office of Mayor Steve Clarke: 50 Andrew Street South, Suite 300, Orillia, ON, L3V 7T5.

Submissions must include the full name of and contact information for the nominator and a detailed explanation of why the nominee deserves to be named Citizen of the Year.

The continuation of the award was also made possible thanks to the support of Orillia City Council.

The City of Orillia is a city of 31,000 people in the heart of Ontario’s Lake Country on the shores of Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. Visit our website at orillia.ca.

*************************