COLUMBUS, Ind. – Heritage Fund is seeking nominations for two new annual awards established by the estate of longtime Columbus residents Donald and Catherine Jurgemeyer to honor and celebrate noteworthy heroes and projects in the community.
The Donald W. and Catherine G. Jurgemeyer Community Hero Award recognizes the contributions of everyday local heroes – those who have performed life-saving measures, come to the aid of another, or contributed to the safety, security, and resiliency of the community.
Nominees must be a professional or volunteer serving in Bartholomew County, such as law enforcement officials, firefighters, first responders, or those in the medical/healthcare field. The nominee will have exhibited heroism in his or her response to an emergency or is involved in an ongoing activity in which a commitment is made to the safety, security, and resiliency of the community through acts of courage and unselfishness in response to an identified need. A $5,000 award will be presented.
The Donald W. and Catherine G. Jurgemeyer Community Leadership Project of the Year Award promotes and recognizes an organization or project in the community that exemplifies the Columbus community leadership values while addressing a pressing need or opportunity to improve the quality of life in Bartholomew County.
Nominees will be nonprofit organizations, volunteer groups, government entities, coalitions, or businesses serving Bartholomew County. A $15,000 award will be presented to the selected organization to further support its charitable initiatives.
The deadline for nominations is March 20 at 5 p.m. Required nomination information can be found at heritagefundbc.org and should be emailed to info@heritagefundbc.org or dropped off at Heritage Fund, 538 Franklin St., in Columbus. Award recipients will be notified in March with a public announcement in April.
