Luminaries of Lakewood nominations welcome

Published on January 09, 2025

In 2024, the Lakewood City Council announced the "Luminaries of Lakewood" program, designed to recognize deserving individuals for their significant volunteer or professional efforts to benefit the community. 

Lakewood is filled with many dedicated volunteers, hard-working individuals and supportive neighbors who make our city a great place to live and work.

You are invited to help shine a spotlight on someone you know who reflects Lakewood’s values and goals as they tirelessly invest their time, talents and dedication in giving back to our community by nominating them for this honor.

Who might be a potential "Luminaries of Lakewood" nominee?

They could be members of Neighborhood Watch, PTAs, city and county government, religious organizations, health care agencies, youth sports leagues, or any of Lakewood's many civic and service organizations.

While they don't have to be a Lakewood resident, they should embody the spirit of the community and have a meaningful impact on the lives of those who live and work in Lakewood.

Traits and criteria of an excellent candidate for nomination

A nominee who has meaningfully demonstrated at least one of these seven traits would be an excellent candidate:

1. Community Impact: Scope of influence and sustainability

The nominee should have made a significant, measurable impact on the local community, possibly through volunteer or professional work, community organizing, or creating initiatives that benefit others and have a lasting effect, not just a short-term impact, on the community.

2. Commitment and Dedication: Long-term involvement and personal sacrifice

The nominee has shown consistent dedication to the community over an extended period, demonstrating a deep commitment to making a difference, going above and beyond often at personal cost, to contribute to the well-being of the community.

3. Innovation and Creativity: Innovative approaches and problem-solving

The nominee has introduced new ideas, methods, or solutions that address community needs in creative ways and has effectively addressed a specific challenge or gap in the community through their unique approach.

4. Leadership and Mentorship

The nominee has demonstrated strong leadership skills, inspiring others to take action or get involved in community efforts, and/or has mentored others, helping to build capacity within the community by empowering future leaders.

5. Inclusivity and Diversity: Promoting and championing

The nominee has worked to promote inclusivity, ensuring that their efforts benefit all community members, particularly marginalized or underserved groups, and/or has actively supported or created opportunities for diverse voices and perspectives to be heard and valued within the community.

6. Collaboration and Partnership: Building partnerships and fostering unity

The nominee has successfully collaborated with other individuals, organizations or groups to achieve common goals for the betterment of the community, and has helped to bridge divides and bring people together to work toward shared community objectives.

7. Ethical Integrity: Honesty and transparency, respect and empathy

The nominee demonstrates a high level of integrity, acting with honesty and transparency in all their community efforts, and consistently treats others with respect and empathy, fostering a positive and supportive environment.  

How to submit a nomination

When you submit a nomination, you'll be asked to provide:

• Your name and contact information.
• Nominee's name and address.
• Nominee's email address or phone number, so we may contact them (required for processing a nomination).
• Details on organizations or community activities the nominee is involved in, including how long they have been involved.
• What makes this nominee special and how have they contributed to building a better Lakewood? Please include as many details and examples as possible. 

Submit your nomination