Do you know someone who went above and beyond the call of duty this year?

It could be a firefighter, a Sunday School teacher or the extra friendly cashier at your local convenience store. It could be someone who has helped a family rebuild their home, someone who has led the fight against cancer or heart disease.

They may have escaped the spotlight despite outstanding acts of heroism. The person may have even shunned the spotlight because they were more concerned about helping others.

Maybe it’s a small group of people who have worked together to make a difference in their community, the Roanoke-Chowan region and even the world.

There are thousands of unsung heroes throughout the four counties that make up the Roanoke-Chowan region. Every day real American heroes pass through our lives as we go about our day.

Roanoke-Chowan Publications wants to recognize those people – to allow them to stand in the spotlight they so richly deserve. As part of that effort, the local publishing house that includes the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald and Gates County Index will recognize a Citizen of the Year in the 2012 edition of Crossroads, which publishes throughout the month of February.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to recognize some of the people in our region that make it their life’s ambition to do for others,” RCP Editor Cal Bryant said. “In the 2012 edition of Crossroads we will bring you the stories of 25 of the most extraordinary people in Bertie, Gates, Hertford and Northampton counties.”

For the special edition to be successful, the news staff of Roanoke-Chowan Publications will need the help of the citizens in the four counties. The staff will begin accepting nominations for the Citizen of the Year beginning Monday, Oct. 24 and continue through Friday, Nov. 18.

Any citizen or group residing in the four counties of the Roanoke-Chowan region is eligible to be nominated. Those wishing to nominate a Citizen of the Year candidate should include the following information:

• name of the nominee;
• a 75-100 word nomination paragraph;
• listing of accomplishments and affiliations for the nominee;
• contact phone number for nominee; and
• contact phone number for the person making the nomination.

Nominations can be emailed to cal.bryant@r-cnews.com, thadd.white@r-cnews.com or amanda.vanderbroek@r-cnews.com. They can also be faxed to 252-332-3940 or mailed to Roanoke-Chowan Publications, P.O. Box 1325, Ahoskie, NC 27910.

Roanoke-Chowan Publications will also have nomination forms available at the front desk of its corporate office which is located on the corner of Catherine Creek Road and Main Street in Ahoskie. Forms will also be available for download at www.r-cnews.com.

“For this to be a true Citizen of the Year, we need participation from throughout the entire region,” Bryant said. “We want nominations from Merry Hill, Cofield, Sunbury and Seaboard just like we want them from Ahoskie, Windsor, Rich Square and Gatesville.”

Following nominations, the Roanoke-Chowan Publications staff will narrow the field to the top 25 and each of those will be profiled in the Crossroads 2012. The winner will be featured in the final edition of Crossroads which will be published the final week of February.