Mayor's Awards honorees to be recognized Thursday in Brookings

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BROOKINGS – Brookings Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer, along with several of the city’s volunteer boards and commissions, have announced the 2022 Mayor’s Awards honorees.

The public is invited to help honor the recipients at the Mayor’s Awards Event, in conjunction with the Mayor’s Holiday Celebration, on Thursday at the Swiftel Center at 824 32nd Ave. The event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. with the awards program beginning at 6 p.m.

Award recipients are:

Most Inspirational Award

Awardee: Matt Fenske

New this year, the Mayor’s Most Inspirational Award recognizes the inspiring work and commitment of individuals in Brookings. The award is given to a community member age 40 or older who has made a significant impact in the community by contributing to community engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness, diversity, and innovation.

Generational Leadership Award

Awardee: Samantha Turnquist

The Mayor’s Generational Award is given to a community member age 35 or younger who has affected the community in the following ways: positively changes how people think about the community and city; helps Brookings attract and retain young professionals and families; motivates new generations to be active in their communities; contributes to the advancement and well-being of the community through service in areas such as education, sports, fundraising, charitable and voluntary service, economic development, arts, and the environment.

Dorothy & Eugene T. Butler Human Rights Award

Awardees: Tom and Jeanne Manzer

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 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 local, regional and national levels.

Parks and Recreation Board Partnership Awards

Awardee: Cami Powers

Category: Individual

The Mayor’s Parks and Recreation Partnership Award is a recognition award of the Brookings Park and Recreation Board. This award recognizes an individual for outstanding accomplishments for parks and recreation events.

Awardee: Brookings Ice Skating Association (BISA)

Category: Group/Organization

This award recognizes a group or organization for outstanding accomplishments for parks and recreation events. It is also a recognition award of the Brookings Park and Recreation Board.

Empower Award

Awardee: United Living Community

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.

A.B.L.E. Award

Awardee: Brookings Youth Mentoring Program

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. 

Historic Preservation Awards

Awardee: Matthew and Melissa Otteson – 804 Sixth Ave. (C.A. Caldwell House)

Category: Excellence in Restoration

The Mayor’s Historic Preservation Award for Excellence in Restoration is a recognition program of the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission. The award recognizes exemplary restoration of historic structures. An accurate restoration project depicts the form, features and character of an historic building as it appeared at a particular period of time. Restoration requires sensitive upgrading of mechanical systems and other code-required work to make the site functional.

Awardee: Paul and Lori Sauser – 703 Eighth St.

Category: Stewardship – Residential

The Mayor’s Historic Preservation Award for Stewardship – Residential is a recognition program of the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission. The award recognizes those who have ensured the preservation of historic properties through long-term care and maintenance, stabilization, and protection, or continuous family ownership.