BATAVIA – The Batavia Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for the Batavia Citizen of the Year Award, which will be given Saturday, Jan. 28, at the chamber's annual dinner at Lincoln Inn Banquets, 1345 S. Batavia Ave. The award honors extraordinary contributions to the community over the course of the recipient’s lifetime. Nominees must reside, or have their business, in Batavia or Batavia Township.

Other requirements include:

• The nominee must have assisted in an improvement or program of significant value to the Batavia community.

• The improvement must be made as a result of a personal commitment and not substantially as a result of their primary employment or public responsibilities.

• The nominee may not currently be on the Board of Directors of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.

• The nominee does not need to be a member of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.

• The contributions of the nominee to the community should be of an extraordinary nature.

To nominate a deserving person, submit a letter of recommendation to the Batavia Chamber of Commerce no later than Dec. 15. The letter should state the reasons why the nominee is worthy of this honor. A committee of previous recipients of the award selects the Batavia Citizen of the Year based upon the letters of recommendation received. The last five Batavia Citizen of the Year winners are Virginia C. Babcock (2010), W.C. “Buzz” and Linnea Miller (2009), Richard and Joanne Hansen (2008), Robert Popeck (2007) and Michael J. Gaspari (2006). Contact Roger Breisch, executive director of Batavia Chamber of Commerce, by calling 630-879-7134 or via email info@bataviachamber.org for information.