Last week’s wind storm left much of Southeastern Indiana without power and Switzerland County faced with acres of cleanup. Downed trees and power lines mixed with damaged roofs and barns, and now that the remnants of Hurricane Ike have gone, stories have emerged about friends and neighbors who put forth valiant efforts to help those in need.
To honor that service, Vevay Newspapers, along with Duke Energy and Southeastern Indiana REMC, has announced that nominations are now open for “Golden Windmill” awards.
“A windmill takes the wind and makes something good out of it,” Vevay Newspapers editor Patrick Lanman said. “The windstorm that hit this community on September 14th was a challenge, but there were many people who worked to make something positive out of it.”
The purpose of the “Golden Windmill” award is for the people of Switzerland County to tell their stories and honor those people who helped out during the crisis. Anyone may nominate someone or an organization for an award, and a special ceremony will be held to present the recipients of the “Golden Windmill” with certificates of appreciation.
Southeastern Indiana REMC and Duke Energy, who had hundreds of employees put in thousands of hours to make sure that everyone’s power was restored as quickly as possible, have joined in sponsoring this program, and representatives from those companies will be on hand to help present the certificates.
Once the nominations have been submitted, a special section will be included in Vevay Newspapers with photos of the winners along with the nomination letters that were submitted.
To nominate a person or organization, a person needs to send a letter explaining what happened to Vevay Newspapers. The letter should include the name, address, and phone number of the person who is submitting the nomination; and also the name, address, and phone number of the person being nominated.
If a person is nominating an organization, then a contact person for the organization should be included, along with a phone number.
Deadline for nomination letters is Friday, October 17th. Nomination letters may be mailed to: Vevay Newspapers, P.O. Box 157, Vevay, Indiana, 47043. Letters may also be delivered to the newspaper office at 111 West Market Street in Vevay; or they may be emailed to news@jsouthvv.com. Letters may also be FAXed to 812-427-2793.