Commission on the Status of Women accepts award nominations

The City of Bloomington will honor in March local women committed to supporting women in the community.

The City’s Commission on the Status of Women has begun planning for Women’s History Month in March and receiving nominations for the Woman of the Year and Lifetime Contribution and Emerging Leader awards.

The Commission on the Status of Women is a group of nine community members, five appointed by the mayor and four by the Common Council, who meet monthly to explore women’s issues and concerns.

“We celebrate women’s accomplishments and try to come up with solutions to challenges and problems faced by women in the community,” said Sue Owens, program specialist for the Community and Family Resources Department.

The Commission’s Woman of the Year Award is given to a woman who has inspired others both inside and outside the professional sphere.

“They’re seeking women who are role models in their community for other women who are maybe not even in their profession,” said Debra Vance, member of the City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women.

The Lifetime Contribution Award is presented to a woman who has promoted women’s status in the community through her leadership skills. The Emerging Leader Award recognizes potential and ability to contribute to the community in the future.

The Commission will accept nominations for these three awards until through Jan. 25. Nomination forms are available in the City of Bloomington’s Community and Family Resources Department or by contacting Sue Owens at owenss@bloomington.in.gov.

Each nomination should include the name, address, telephone number and email address of the nominee with an explanation of why the nominee deserves the award.

The nominator also should include his or her name, address, telephone number and email address, according to the CSW webpage.

The Emerging Leader Award will be presented March 13 during the Women’s Leadership Development event at City Hall. The Lifetime Contribution and Woman of the Year awards will be announced March 26 during the Women’s History Month Lunch at the Convention Center.

Vance encourages women to attend both ceremonies, especially the Women’s Leadership Development event because it is free.  

“I would like to say that, if you can, come out to this event because there’s a lot of women in this community that are doing great things,” Vance said. “And also, I’d like to encourage women to come by the Commission on the Status of Women’s meetings to see what we’re working on. We meet the first Thursday of the month in City Hall.”

Follow reporter Kate Starr on Twitter @kastarr7.