Jan. 5 is deadline for annual awards program nominations

Jan. 5 is the deadline to nominate for Tehachapi’s Finest — the annual awards program sponsored by the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce and Tehachapi News.

Chamber President Jeanette Pauer said a new category has been added for 2023 — Nonprofit of the Year. The other awards are Citizen of the Year, Small Business of the Year and Large Business of the Year.

The awards will be presented at the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce Annual Installation and Recognition Gala early next year. Details about that event will be available soon.

Nomination forms are published in the newspaper or available from the chamber.

AWARDS CRITERIA

The small-business award is for businesses with one to nine employees; the large-business award is for businesses with 10 or more employees.

For both, nominees should be businesses that have contributed to the community through their volunteer efforts, continuous involvement and support of charitable organizations or improvement of the economic climate. Employees are encouraged to nominate their own company.

Nominees for citizen of the year are people who have made a significant contribution through community service or volunteerism over the past year or over the past several years combined.

The following guidelines have been set for this award:

■ The recipient must live or work in Tehachapi.

■ Their outstanding service to the community should include humanitarianism, charity or volunteer work and/or heroic deeds.

■ Their service must be voluntary or beyond the general scope of regular, paid work.

■ Meritorious service may be within the last year or may be a span of years.

■ Nominations may come from individuals or organizations.

HOW TO NOMINATE

Entry forms will be published in upcoming editions of Tehachapi News. Completed forms can be mailed to: Citizen of the Year 2023, Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 401, Tehachapi CA 93561.