We need your help.

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized as our community’s Citizen of the Year? We bet you do, and we’d love to have you share their story with us.

As part of the 2021 State of the City event, we’re seeking nominations for Minot’s Citizen of the Year. All you have to do is make a short (1 minute to 5 minute) video telling us why this person should be recognized and submit it to the City. We’ll take it from there.

The winning video will be included in the annual State of the City event on Feb. 2. The subject of the winning video will have a $1,000 donation made in their name to their favorite Minot charity, courtesy of First International Bank & Trust. The creator of the top video will win $100 in Minot Chamber of Commerce bucks, courtesy of Farmers Union Insurance.

Submissions are due by Dec. 23, and can be submitted to the City of Minot via a link on the City’s website at www.minotnd.org/mayorschallenge.

What does citizen of the year mean? Well, that depends on who you ask.

As we all know, 2020 has been a very trying year, to say the least. Despite COVID-19 disrupting our lives, there are countless stories of good deeds – and the people responsible for them – that too often go unnoticed. We’d like to change that. This contest is an opportunity to share a positive, uplifting message with your fellow community residents.

It could be someone who has had a significant impact on your personal life, like a teacher, a coach, your best friend, or a relative who makes a positive difference on your life. Maybe it’s a neighbor who takes care of little things to make your neighborhood a better place to live, or a veteran who shares their life experiences to help educate younger generations. It could be a longtime volunteer with a local charity, or an elected official or a board member who has made an impact on the entire community.

The simple truth: It could be anybody.

Everyone has a story to tell, and that’s the point of this contest. Our people have always provided the real magic in Minot. Our sense of community spirit and pride is visible and palpable; sometimes we take that pride for granted, and we fail to see the goodness that is right in front of us. Take a good look at our community, and you’ll see our real identity. You’ll see it in the little things people do for each other every day, and you’ll see it in the large community-wide projects that help shape and define our city.

Minot is a great place to live, work, and play; our people make that true. This contest is an opportunity to showcase some of our best people, both in front of the lens and behind the camera.

We appreciate the sponsors who helped make this contest possible. Community partners play a vital role in the continued success of our city. Thank you for contributing to this project that aims to recognize the best of our community.

We’re looking forward to the seeing your videos, and to learning about someone who has touched your life or the lives of other Minot residents. Our community is full of extraordinary people, and we can’t wait to discover some of their stories.

Sincerely, City Hall.

You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.