Nominate a Central Floridian of the Year for 2018

In 2016, Orlando experienced the darkest day in its history: A gunman killed 49 people and injured scores more at the Pulse nightclub one hot June night. The Emergency Medicine and Level One Trauma Teams at Orlando Regional Medical Center made heroic efforts to save lives that night and in the days and weeks that followed.

For that effort, the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board named these medical professionals the 2016 Central Floridians of the Year.

The Sentinel is accepting nominations for the 2018 Central Floridian of the Year. We're looking for individuals or a group who has made a difference in the lives of many, whether in business, social service, any sector of the community. If you know someone who deserves to be recognized, tell us who it is and what the nominee has done for our region. Our choice will be guided by how strong a case can be made for candidates, not by the number of nominations they receive, so be thorough in your submission. We'll select five finalists and then choose one from among them to be the 2018 Central Floridian of the Year. Here's how to submit your nomination:

Online form: OrlandoSentinel.com/ cfoty; email: insight@orlandosentinel.com (put CFOTY in the subject line); or postal mail: Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board CFOTY, Orlando Sentinel, 633 N. Orange Ave., MP-218, Orlando, FL 3281. The deadline for nominations is Dec. 15. See our gallery of past recipients dating back to 1983 at the website address above.