Last week, I introduced you to our Dancing With the Darien Starz Program, and this week, I am addressing our Citizen of the Year Program.
As stated last week, I will be covering two events in Darien that provide an opportunity for your involvement. Our second event is one of Darien’s most treasured traditions, our Annual Darien Citizen of the Year banquet, which will be held on Friday, March 5, 2027, at Ashton Place Banquet Hall.
Each year, this event gives our community an opportunity to recognize an individual who has made substantial contributions to the city over a period of time. It is a chance for us to pause and say thank you to someone whose dedication, volunteerism, and commitment have helped make our community a better place to live.
But there is something particularly important about this award; the nominations come directly from our residents and community organizations. That means you have an important role in helping us identify the individual who should receive this special recognition.
This year’s recipient will become our 54th inductee into the Darien Citizen of the Year program. Think about that for a moment: fifty-three individuals over the years have given their time, energy, and talent to help make Darien into the community we are today.
Perhaps you know someone who deserves to join this distinguished group. The nomination form will be available on the City of Darien website along with examples and information about what makes a strong nomination. The nomination deadline is in early January 2027, and the new Citizen of the Year will be announced in mid-January.
I would like to encourage our residents, and especially our civic, social, religious, and community organizations, to give some thought to the people who have made a difference in our community. Maybe it is a neighbor who has volunteered for years, or maybe there’s someone who has quietly helped others without seeking recognition, or maybe it is a person whose contributions have made your organization or your neighborhood, or Darien itself a better place.
Please consider nominating someone you believe has given so much of themselves to making Darien “ a nice place to live.”
Both the Citizen of the Year and the Dancing with the Darien Starz programs are very different; one asks you to put on your dancing shoes and perhaps learn a few new steps, while the other asks you to take a moment to recognize someone whose contributions have often taken place quietly and without recognition. But they share something very important: they depend on you.
Our community doesn’t become a great place to live simply because of what happens in City Hall. It becomes a great place to live because of the people who volunteer, participate, recognize others, support charitable causes, and step forward when their community needs them.
So, I’m asking you to consider getting involved. Volunteer to dance or nominate someone for Citizen of the Year, encourage a friend or fellow organization member to participate. Whatever you choose to do your involvement helps make Darien the community we are proud to call home. After all, Darien really is a nice place to live, and it is the people who live here who make it that way.