UP Gazette

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Community members are reminded that nominations for the 2023 Crystal Awards are due on Monday, March 20. 

The Crystal Awards program, hosted by the East Lansing City Council, strives to honor and uplift individuals, businesses, organizations and community groups that have enhanced life in the City of East Lansing and made it a more welcoming and affirming place to live, work and do business. The community is encouraged to make nominations and attend the special award ceremony on April 27.

Nominations can be made in four different categories this year:

• Community: Awarded to East Lansing community members, organizations or community groups that meet some of the attributes and ideals listed in the Crystal Awards selection criteria: https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/140/Selection-Criteria. 
• Business: Awarded to East Lansing businesses that meet some of the attributes and ideals listed in the Crystal Awards selection criteria: https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/140/Selection-Criteria. 
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (NEW!): Awarded to East Lansing community members, businesses, organizations and community groups that have gone above and beyond to make East Lansing an amazing place to live, work and do business by championing equity work, uplifting disadvantaged members of the population and striving to transform East Lansing into a welcoming place for all.  
• Spirit of East Lansing (NEW!): Awarded to individuals or groups/organizations that reside outside of East Lansing, but who have contributed significant amounts of time and care to East Lansing. This new category is a way to ensure that people who contribute greatly to East Lansing are considered. 

Community members can find an online nomination form as well as eligibility criteria and a list of past recipients at www.cityofeastlansing.com/crystalawards.  

Paper copies of the nomination form are also available at East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road; the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road; and the East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road. 

“As we move into the 35th year of recognizing and honoring the people who make East Lansing such a wonderful place to live and work, we have made some changes to the Crystal Awards program,” East Lansing Department of Parks, Recreation and Arts Director Cathy DeShambo said. “It’s our hope that these changes will inspire renewed interest in doing good in our community and recognizing those who do good things in our community.”

The Crystal Awards program began in 1988 to honor individuals, businesses and community groups that have made an outstanding contribution to community life in East Lansing. There have been 128 Crystal Awards honorees since the program started. To read more about them, visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/crystalawards.

Original source can be found here.