Volunteer of the Year Award and Lake Association of the Year Award

Presented on August 17, 2017 at the COLA Meeting

Dear Otter Tail County COLA General Directors and Friends:

Please pass along this notice to the Officers of your Lake Association and others that may find it of interest.

As we approach the August 1, 2017 deadline for acceptance of Nominations for Volunteer and Lake Association of the year, we ask that you honor your volunteers who tirelessly share their time and talent, either individually or as a group.

The OTC COLA’s Volunteer of the Year and Lake Association of the Year is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging volunteers to assist in protecting and preserving the lakes they love.  Self-nominations are accepted.

Do not pass up this opportunity to inspire, recognize, encourage and engage your volunteers who have demonstrated that they have the fortitude to meet challenges and accomplish goals.

The Volunteer of the Year nominee criteria:

• Can be a past or present volunteer; and
• Has made a significant investment of their time and talent to protect and preserve their lake; or
• Has demonstrated an ability to bring people together and engage them in activities that protect and preserve the lake; or
• Has demonstrated an ability to bring about positive change.

The Lake Association of the Year nominee criteria:

• Must be a present member of the OTC COLA; and
• Successfully implemented a lake improvement project; or
• Successfully implemented an educational or outreach program; or
• Has substantially increased membership or participation of members; or
• Has successfully partnered with the local/county/state or federal government or agencies.

In no more than two (2) pages, describe the nominee’s specific achievement (s).  Please be sure to include the name and contact information for the person submitting the nomination, including e-mail address and phone number; the name of the Lake Association/Volunteer, their contact information, including e-mail addresses and phone numbers.

The letter of nomination should be emailed to: [email protected] and electronically dated by August 1, 2016.  It may be mailed to:  The COLA Selection Committee, C/O Jerry Horgen, 41708 Grace Etta Road, Henning, MN 56551 and postmarked by August 1, 2017.  The awards presentations will be on August 17, 2017, in the Otter Tail Community Rooms in the City of Ottertail.