Help Us Choose the Stories We Write About Each Issue by Nominating Someone You Know or Want to Read About. Also, Feel Free to Pat a Loved One or a Friend on the Back for Being a Great Person. We List All Nominees Forever in Who’s Who In Your Community.

Last Month’s Winning Nominee, Chosen by You, Our Viewing Editors, Are … 

Isaac and Kati Helms, Greenfield Indiana 

Winning Samaritans

Isaac and Kati Helms, Greenfield Indiana. Winning Samaritans: Working with the Pioneers Mission Agency, the young couple plans to establish an orphanage to serve villagers in northern Peru. The missionaries also plan to help grow churches among the nearby Urarina, an isolated tribe with an estimated population of 3,300 living along the Maranon River. Isaac and Kati continue to work on fundraising for the project, which they hope to begin in early 2013. Both have previously participated in short-term mission projects in Latin America. Isaac currently works at Hancock Regional Hospital in Greenfield. Kati has been working as a substitute teacher. They are expecting their first child. By Kevin Lamiman

(Watch for Their Story, Coming Soon)

 

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Nominate Your Own Winner

1. Nominate someone you know and respect as a Winner. They can be your parent, friend, teacher, child, neighbor — anyone is qualified as long as they are making a contribution to our community — as long as you feel they deserve a pat on the back. When we receive your nomination, they will be posted below for our readers to vote on.
2. Your Nomination should state their name and the city they live in, which can be anywhere in the world. Your Nominations should be no longer than 50 –100 words.
3. At the end of each month, the nominee with the most votes will be developed into a full length article for this magazine. If your nominee is selected, we may ask you to write it, for pay, provided you have already submitted a manuscript for our approval and your writing meets our standards. If not you, then one of our writers will be assigned the story. In either event, you will receive credit as a contributing editor unless you prefer to remain anonymous.

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About The Nominees

Alexander Stewart, Ithaca New York. Winning Benefactor: He is a boxing trainer in Ithaca, NY. Growing up he was a star pupil of the legendary Floyd Patterson and his amateur career while serving in the army was extremely impressive. While his pro career was cut short due to Lyme Disease, he has been very successful as a trainer, working with many highly ranked professional mixed martial artists as a part of the Bombsquad MMA team in Ithaca. But the element of his story that I think would have a broader appeal to your readership is his work as an advocate on behalf of autism awareness and research. He is the parent of a child with autism and recently published a children’s book on the subject. He is involved in organizing fundraising events for autism research and support. He is in general a very positive, upbeat person and really exemplifies the values your publication seems to be interested in. By Briggs Seekins

Anthony Rinn, North Kingston, Rhode Island. Winning Son: I am nominating my son, Anthony Rinn, who is my strength – my true Angel. Ever Since he was just five years old when I was first diagnosed with non hodgkins lymphoma and was told I may not live to see the new year he was my hope and my reason I never gave up. I am in full remission now. Five years later I had a recent battle with thyroid cancer multiple times and through all this painful ordeals and all the storms my son and I went through he has always been a Winner* in school, at home, with family, and friends, just an all around great child. I believe with all my heart he will make a great man and make a huge difference in this world. He is a true defintion of a winner and I love him with all my heart and soul, and I am so blessed to call him my son. It would be an honor to have him see his face and name shown in your magazine so he can see just how much more special he is. Raising a child alone is hard and Anthony and I will continue to make it through any other storms that may come up against us. By Elisa Rinn

Daisy Smythe, Schenectady, New York. Winning Mother: Daisy is my local hero. She’s in her 70′s now. Along the way she raised thirty nine children, adopting some, fostering others. Many were not expected to go anywhere in life. She made sure the schools gave them a chance, instead of just dumping them in special needs classes. She fought for them in the schools. She received her Associates degree from a junior college at age sixty nine. I’ve helped her with an autistic child who was supposed to be “un-adoptable” and grow up in an institution. Instead, Javante, has had the experience of going to a regular school, playing sports and having friends. By Susannah Risley

Ed Sarton, Ruby, Alaska. Winning Citizen: Ed is developing community agriculture programs and is the Director of Natural Resources for the Ruby Tribal Council. By Kyle Norton

Joe Briggs, Dublin Ireland. Winning Benefactor: A Scout leader for the last forty years, Joe Briggs has taken in any youth who has walked through the doors without judging them. He has encouraged and helped children in any way possible, such as helping a child conscious about their weight to help get fit and build confidence,  or by teaching and encouraging a boy who had severe learning problems to stick with school. He has dealt with suicidal children and parental deaths. He has taught children valuable skills about leadership, manners, strength, and how to help other people. He does all this without ever seeking recognition and is still uncomfortable with actually receiving any. By Allen MC Connell

Mike Bochinski, Martinsburg WV. Winning Benefactor: A year ago I moved to Martinsburg with little to my name. Mike embraced me without judgment, but I soon learned that he cares for and shelters a number of people including his brother who is afflicted with both Schizophrenia and Parkinson’s. His nature is to uplift, his generosity boundless, and now he seeks to bring about a revitalization to this entire area for the benefit of everyone. By Deunan Skaal

Molly Duda, Morrisville Vermont. Winning Environmentalist: Molly is inspirational as a role model and a determined citizen not only to Vermont but the world.  Molly, a senior at Peoples Academy in Morrisville, Vt, organized and hosted a 350.org event where she demonstrated earth art by combining the Morrisville School District to make the shape of a snowflake, and hosted Bill Mckibbin, the founder of the global organization, 350.org, as the keynote speaker.  Her motivation was providing Global Warming Awareness to a younger generation in order to educate them about the current state of our environment.  350 means safety from the climate crisis. To preserve our planet, scientists tell us we must reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere from its current level of 392 parts per million (“ppm”) to below 350 ppm. But 350 is more than a number—it’s a symbol of where we need to head as a planet — 350.org. By Alyx Sellars

Olga Gomez, Lima Peru. Winning Mother: We always cherish the concept of a mother as a winner, but the one I describe here shows strength and power in everything she does. Also, in spite of all the problems our family has faced, she is the strongest person to hold the family together. In spite of her older age, she still supports all the family: “My Mother”, her name is Olga Gomez, she comes from a poor family, but I remember since I was a kid she gave everything for all her five children, working hard with love because her main goal was to grow good kids, I love and admire my mother so much. By Jesus Adolfo Montoya Gomez

Steve Motley, Asheville, North Carolina. Winning Entertainer: What better prize is there than providing happiness to others lives. Those who receive this wonderful prize are to me winners. That is why Steve Mosley is the epitome of a winner. He performs with his guitar for individuals with mental disabilities. He ushers in a feeling of acceptance and confidence in these beautiful peoples’ lives. What better triumph is there than what he is accomplishing. By Blake Latta

T. Guzman, Seattle Washington. Winner in Business: He came to live in Seattle ten years ago, as an immigrant, and started out cleaning bathrooms for a living. One year later, he used his marketing expertise (he holds a bachelor in Business Marketing from IPAE), to get clients from local Hispanic businesspeople, and eventually landed a job in sales at a local newspaper. Less than a year later, he opened his own publication, which expanded into Washington and Oregon states, respectively. He made a business out of nothing, and still remains a true humble person. By Manuel Páucar