Janesville, WI – While this year marks the sixth annual History Makers Gala, 2020 brings a new twist to the Rock County Historical Society (RCHS) event, which honors local achievers for historic contributions to the community. This year for the first time, the public is being asked to nominate local residents, organizations and businesses for the three awards.
“Each year, the History Makers Gala recognizes Rock County residents, businesses and organizations that make a difference. While in the past the winners have been decided by a committee, this year we wanted to open the nominations process to all community members,” said RCHS Executive Director Tim Maahs. “It feels more inclusive this way. By engaging community members in the nomination process, we’re hoping to receive a diverse range of nominees.”
Nominations run from Feb. 7–Feb. 29 for three awards, which will be presented at the event on April 25 at 6 p.m. at the Janesville Country Club.
The three awards are:
- Community Pride Award: For an individual, organization, or business that has used history to make a significant impact on Rock County in the past year.
- Phoenix Award: For an individual, family or business that has revived a historic structure and reused it to spur economic development or improve the quality of life in Rock County.
- Scholar Award: For an individual who has made a significant educational impact by studying a historical scholarship, theme, or topic connected to Rock County.
The nomination form is available on the RCHS website. Individuals may submit nominations once per day between Feb. 7 and Feb. 29. Winners will be announced on the website on March 3, 2020.
Tickets to the History Makers Gala will be available on the website and by calling RCHS, beginning March 20 for RCHS members. Ticket sales will open to the public on March 25.
In addition to the awards presentation and a dinner, each year the History Makers Gala highlights a different period of time in history. This year, it’s the 1980s. Guests are welcome to wear ‘80s-appropriate attire while grooving to 1980s music.
