BROOKINGS – Brookings Mayor Ope Niemeyer along with the Brookings Human Rights Commission, the Brookings Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the Brookings Sustainability Council, the Brookings Disability Awareness Committee and the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission have announced the 2021 Mayor’s Awards.
The public is invited to the Mayor’s Awards Event from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, at the Swiftel Center, Daktronics Room, in conjunction with the Mayor’s Holiday Celebration. The awards program is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
2021 Mayor’s Dorothy & Eugene Butler Award
Awardee: Kas Williams
The Mayor’s Award for the Dorothy and Eugene Butler Award is a recognition award of the Human Rights Commission. This award is presented annually to the person(s) who have contributed to advancing the cause of human rights. The award bears the name of the first recipients, Dorothy & Eugene T. Butler. The Butlers were recognized for their lifelong advocacy in human rights issues on a local, regional, and national level.
2021 Mayor’s Youth Award
Awardee: Emily McColley
The Mayor’s Award for Youth is a recognition award from the Human Rights Commission. The Youth Award is presented to an individual youth who promote and/or contribute to Human Rights in the Brookings area and abroad.
2021 Mayor’s Park and Recreation Board Partnership Awards
Awardee: Dr. Matt Bien
Category: Individual
The Mayor’s Parks and Recreation Partnership Award is a recognition award of the Brookings Parks and Recreation Board. This award recognizes an individual for outstanding accomplishments for parks and recreation events.
Awardee: Prairie Striders Running Club
Category: Group/organization
This award recognizes a group or organization for outstanding accomplishments for parks and recreation events.
2021 Mayor’s Sustainability Awards
Awardee: Brookings Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department “Adopt-A-Plot” Program
Category: Social/Quality of Life
The Mayor’s Award for Sustainability is a recognition program of the Brookings Sustainability Council. The Sustainability Awards recognize excellence in sustainable practices demonstrated by local businesses, organizations, and individuals, while promoting a culture of resiliency. Award winners contribute to a more sustainable city by embracing and promoting an approach to business and daily living that balances environmental responsibility, economic prosperity, and community equity.
The Social/Quality of Life Category recognized projects and programs that focus on sustainability and social benefits help ensure that all Brookings residents gain from qualify of life improvements, through programs such as education, food security, affordable housing, or health and wellness.
Awardee: Friends of the Douglas Chittick Community Gardens
Category: Sustainability Leadership/Innovation Best Practices
The Leadership/Innovative Best Practices Category recognized projects and programs that focus on sustainability and social benefits help ensure that all Brookings residents gain from qualify of life improvements, through programs such as education, food security, affordable housing, or health and wellness.
2021 Mayor’s Empower Award
Awardee: The Children’s Museum of South Dakota
The Mayor’s Empower Award is a recognition program of the Brookings Disability Awareness Committee. The Empower Award is an annual award program designed to recognize the outstanding commitment of a business in employing and empowering individuals with disabilities. Highlighting the efforts of an outstanding business may motivate others to increase opportunities to hire individuals with disabilities. Businesses must be within the city limits of the City of Brookings.
2021 Mayor’s A.B.L.E. Award
Awardee: Brookings Cinema 8
The Mayor’s A.B.L.E. Award (Ability, Belief, Leadership, and Equality to Achieve Access for all) is an annual award program designed to recognize the outstanding commitment of a business or public entity in fulfilling the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This award is a recognition program of the Brookings Disability Awareness Committee. City officials believe highlighting these efforts may motivate others to also provide improved accessibility.
2021 Mayor’s Historic Preservation Awards
Awardee: Arthur and Steve Gilley – 622 Sixth Ave.
Awardee: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church – 726 Sixth St.
Awardee: Gregory Vaselaar – 721 Medary Ave.
Awardee: Gail and Rosemary Robertson – 825 Sixth Ave.
Category: Stewardship – Residential
The Mayor’s Award for Historic Preservation is a recognition program of the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission. The Historic Preservation Award for Stewardship – Residential recognizes those who have ensured the preservation of historic properties through long-term care and maintenance, stabilization, protection, or continuous family ownership.
Awardee: 4A ZoNes Properties, LLC – 324 Main Ave.
Awardee: Jack’s Entertainment, LLC – 327 Main Ave.
Awardee: Veterans of Foreign Wars, George Dokken Post 2118 – 520 Main Ave.
Category: Stewardship – Commercial
The Mayor’s Award for Stewardship – Commercial recognizes those who have ensured the preservation of historic properties through long-term care and maintenance, stabilization, protection or continuous family ownership. The mayor and Preservation Commission encourage the citizens of Brookings to recognize and applaud individuals who seek to preserve the historic character of Brookings.
