Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. (seventh from left) presents the 2016 Veteran of the Year award to Charles “Andy” Anderson. Other Veterans of the Year at the ceremony were Al Tortonesi (left), Frank Pelaccio, Leo Barrett, Lenny Pitek, John Bendzick, Ray Wantuck, Mayor John O’Reilly Jr., Dan Ryder, Charles “Andy” Anderson, Ken VanHooser, George Harvey, and John Ruselowski. Nominations for the 2017 Veteran of the Year are due by Oct. 5.
DEARBORN – The Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council is accepting nominations for the 2017-18 Dearborn Veteran of the Year award. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 5.
Nomination can be submitted through the city website at www.cityofdearborn.org. Search for “Veteran of the Year.” Printable forms also are available online at the website and at the Dearborn Administrative Center’s front desk, 16901 Michigan Ave.
The award is presented each Veterans Day to the Dearborn veteran judged to have made a significant contribution to the Dearborn community and to the interests of veterans.
The following criteria apply to all nominations:
• The nominee must be a Dearborn resident.
• Nominations can be made by Dearborn residents or Dearborn veterans’ organizations.
• The nominee’s community service work and work on behalf of veterans’ organizations must have been done only on a volunteer basis.
• Nominees do not need to be an active member of a Dearborn veterans’ organization but at-large nominations must contain proof of military service.
There have been 35 Veterans of the Year since DAWVC initiated the award in 1982.
Veterans of the Year are remembered at the DAC on an engraved wall plaque.
Duties for the new Veteran of the Year include providing remarks at the Veterans Day service and leading the Pledge of Allegiance at ceremonies on Memorial Day and Flag Day.
The Veteran of the Year award will be presented during the city’s Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at Edsel Ford High School, 20601 Rotunda Drive. The public is invited.
For more information, call 313-943-2285.