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Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

One of my favorite things about living in Albert Lea is the people.

I’ve talked about it before, but there’s truly something special about the people in this community.

That’s why I love this time of year at the Tribune, when I have the opportunity to meet and learn more about people who are doing phenomenal things in the community as we select our annual Citizen of the Year.

This year we are again asking people to nominate individuals who they think go above and beyond for the community and who have made a tremendous impact within the last year, particularly.

Once the nominations are received, a committee of Tribune staff members and a half dozen others in the community will gather to review the recommendations and qualifications and select the winner.

A reporter will then interview the winner, and he or she will be featured in our Community section of Progress.

We’ve had some pretty fantastic people in the years since we started this award, including Holly Karsjens in 2018, Norm Fredin in 2019, Brad Arends in 2020, Johanna Thomas and Eileen Woyen in 2021, and most recently, Cindy Gandrud in 2022.

We’re looking for people who have impacted others in multiple areas in the community or who have stood up to be a leader within the past year.

If you have someone you would like to nominate, please email your nomination to sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com or drop it off at the Tribune office at 808 W. Front St.

Include information about what efforts your nominee is involved in within the community. A personal letter stating how this person has impacted others is also welcome. If you have their contact information, please include that, as well.

Nominations are due by Jan. 3.

For our Progress edition, we’re also looking for letters written by people in the community who want to recognize their everyday heroes — people like neighbors who always do nice things for you, a convenience store clerk who always offers a kind word to customers, a teacher who has made a lasting impact on your child or anything similar.

If you have a letter you would like to send recognizing your everyday hero, please send that to me, as well by the same date.

I look forward to hearing more about these special people in the community and to giving these individuals the recognition they deserve.

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Wednesday.