PACIFIC PALISADES COMMUNITY COUNCIL AWARDS
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1. OVERVIEW
Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) honors individuals who have made voluntary contributions to Pacific Palisades that benefit the community at large.
PPCC has honored community contributions in the following ways: as a former co-sponsor with the Palisadian Post of the “Citizen of the Year” and “Golden Sparkplug” Awards and as sole sponsor of the “Community Service” Award. Beginning in December 2015, as the sole sponsor of all awards, PPCC has awarded honorees annually with the Citizen of the Year Award (combining the prior “Citizen of the Year” and “Community Service” Awards) and the Golden Sparkplug Award.
Citizen of the Year Award: Honors those whose contributions to Pacific Palisades have been both a recent effort resulting in a substantial benefit to the community, and a steady, reliable long-term history of service to the Palisades.
Golden Sparkplug Award: Honors those who have an idea and effort resulting in an original contribution to Pacific Palisades that benefits the community. The Golden Sparkplug Award ceremony is held in conjunction and in cooperation with the Citizen of the Year Award.
The Awards Event, sponsored by PPCC, shall generally be held on the 2nd Thursday in December in conjunction with the PPCC board’s annual holiday party and in lieu of its regular meeting, but exigent circumstances and any conflicts with religious holidays are to be considered. The PPCC Chair makes the opening remarks at the Event and presents the Award to each honoree, with each Award honoree and members of their immediate family being guests of the PPCC.
Guidelines for these Awards, procedures for selection and the Awards Event, the names of past honorees (including their bios and the names of each year's selection committee members) are set forth below. The Guidelines are recommended practices that allow flexibility in interpretation, implementation or use.
2. GUIDELINES: CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD
a. PURPOSE: The purpose of the Citizen of the Year Award (“Citizen Award”) is to honor long term and continuing outstanding volunteer service as well as a recent extraordinary accomplishment by an individual that resulted in a substantial benefit to the Pacific Palisades community-at-large.
b. NOMINATIONS: Any organization or individual in the community may nominate a candidate. There is no limit on the number of nominations an individual or organization may submit. Nominations must be submitted in writing to the Chair of the Pacific Palisades Community Council (“PPCC Chair”) via email (info@pacpalicc.org) or to the President's email (president@pacpalicc.org) by October 31st 2023, at 11:59 pm (deadline being extended to Tuesday, from Saturday, due to the date of this release). The nomination for the Citizen Award must both (a) state the nature of the extraordinary recent accomplishment done by the candidate that resulted in a substantial benefit to the community at-large and (b) summarize the candidate’s steady, reliable, long-term service within the community.
c. RECIPIENT: The recipient must be an adult individual who resided in the Pacific Palisades (within the PPCC Area boundaries) at the time the accomplishment and the long-term services were rendered. Each recipient’s service should be of a voluntary nature and not be any beneficial outcome of official, financial, business or professional work or occupation that the recipient is engaged in. The Citizen Award shall not be given to any PPCC board member based on services directly related to his or her responsibilities as a board member, although long term services may be considered as qualifying factors. There shall be only one Citizen Award given each calendar year.
d. AWARD: The Citizen Award shall be chosen and prepared by the Awards Selection Committee and presented to the recipient at the Pacific Palisades Community Council December Meeting/Holiday Party/Award Event. The Citizen Award shall be given based on the quality or benefits achieved of work and not the quantity of nominations.
3. GUIDELINES: GOLDEN SPARKPLUG AWARD(S)
a. PURPOSE: The purpose of the Golden Sparkplug Award (“Sparkplug Award”) is to honor those citizens who ignite ideas and projects into community action that benefit Palisadians throughout the community.
b. NOMINATIONS: Any organization or individual in the community may nominate a candidate. There is no limit on the number of nominations an individual or organization may submit. Nominations must be submitted in writing to the PPCC Chair via email (info@pacpalicc.org) or by personal delivery by October [ ], 20[ ] (the last Saturday in October of the given year). The nomination for the Sparkplug Award must state (a) the nature of the original idea, effort or project, (b) in what way the effort or project benefitted the community at-large and (c) how the effort or project was initiated, in progress or completed during the current or prior calendar year.
c. RECIPIENT(S): The recipient(s) must be individual(s) who owned real property located in, resided in, or operated a business located in Pacific Palisades (within the PPCC Area boundaries) at the time the services were rendered. Both adults and youth are eligible for the Sparkplug Award. While there may be multiple recipients in a given year, the Sparkplug Award may be given to only one member of a particular group or community. Each recipient’s service should be of a voluntary nature and not be any beneficial outcome of official, financial, business or professional work or occupation that the recipient is engaged in. The Sparkplug Award shall not be given to any PPCC board member based on services related to his or her responsibilities as a board member.
d. AWARD(S): The Sparkplug Award shall be chosen and prepared by the Awards Selection Committee and presented to the recipient(s) at the PPCC December Meeting/Holiday Party/Award Event. The Sparkplug Award shall be given based on the quality or benefits achieved of work and not the quantity of nominations.
4. GUIDELINES: SELECTION AND EVENT COMMITTEES; COMMITTEE COMPOSITION; SELECTION PROCESS; AWARDS EVENT
a. AWARDS SELECTION COMMITTEE: The PPCC Chair shall appoint a Committee of five persons, consisting of at least three (3) current board members and one previous “Citizen of the Year Award” recipient not currently serving on the board (if such person is available to serve) to review the nominations and select the person to receive the Citizen Award and the person(s) to receive the Sparkplug Award(s). The Awards Selection Committee (“ASC”) shall select both the Citizen Award and Sparkplug Award(s) recipients. Prior to the ASC selecting a person or persons for the Award(s), the PPCC Chair or ASC Chair shall circulate by email to other current PPCC board members a confidential list of those persons who have been nominated and ask that if any PPCC board member desires to submit comments about any nominee, he or she should submit any comments in writing to the ASC Chair by email or personal delivery, to be received within three (3) days. The ASC is not obligated to select any recipients for the Citizen Award or Sparkplug Award(s) if in the ASC’s judgment no nominees meet all qualifications for such Award(s).
b. OPTIONAL SPECIAL RECOGNITION: From time to time in special circumstances, the ASC may determine, at its discretion, that an individual who is not a resident or qualified in all respects for the Citizen Award or Sparkplug Award should receive “Pride of the Palisades” recognition for extraordinary service to the Palisades community. In such case, the name of the individual shall be circulated confidentially to the board for comments as set forth in section A above. After consideration of board comments, should the ASC then select that individual for “Pride of the Palisades” recognition, all procedures set forth in subsections 4.e (3-7) below shall also apply to the individual to be honored with this recognition.
c. AWARDS EVENT DATE AND VENUE: At least six (6) months prior to the event, i.e., in July of each calendar year, the PPCC Chair shall establish the Event date and post the Event date on the PPCC website calendar.The Chair shall endeavor to establish the Event venue as soon as possible after establishing the Event date.
d. AWARDS EVENT COMMITTEE: No later than the first meeting in October, the PPCC Chair shall establish the Awards Event Committee (“AEC”). The PPCC Chair, in cooperation with the ASC and AEC Chairs, shall establish the deadline for the selection of the Citizen Award and Sparkplug Award winners and coordinate publicity for the request for nominations. The AEC Chair, in cooperation with the PPCC Chair, shall coordinate the Event details, such as invitations, budget, menu items, and dinner ticket cost, paid reservation procedures, decorations, event ceremony, complimentary dinner tickets, parking, and other assignment of duties and tasks for the night of the Event.
e. TIME FRAME & PROCEDURE:
1) No later than the first October PPCC Meeting: Distribute Award Guidelines and discuss the Awards. Appoint ASC and AEC Chairs and committee members. Submit press release to relevant publications soliciting nominations.
2) The last [Tuesday] in October: Deadline for receipt of nominations.
3) Last Week in October or First Week in November: The ASC meets in person to review nominations and comments from the board. The ASC shall evaluate how well the candidates meet the guidelines and discuss the merits of each potential award winner. The ASC shall vote; however, no committee member who nominates shall vote when that nomination is considered, and no committee member shall vote for him/herself or a family member. The ASC Chair shall complete a synopsis of the committee’s efforts and shall notify the PPCC Chair of the efforts and the award recipient(s).
4) Early November: Immediately following receipt of the ASC Chair’s synopsis and results, prior to any public announcements the PPCC Chair and/or the ASC Chair shall notify the winner(s), notify local elected officials and dignitaries who will be invited to the event, authorize the preparation of the award plaque(s) and prepare a brief biography of each award winner for later release to the press and elected officials.
5) Early November through the time of the Event: The AEC Chair, in coordination with the PPCC Chair, shall follow up with Event details such as reservations and parking, menus, flowers, invitations, tribute programs, ordering award plaque(s), tribute ads and congratulatory letters from elected officials; and coordination of all Event details with the venue.
6) PPCC November Meeting (Nov. 9, 2023): ASC announces award winner(s), notifies the winner(s), notifies the press and the PPCC Board of Governors. AEC provides details of the Awards Event and invites recipients to the event.
7) Immediately following the November Meeting: The ASC Chair and/or the PPCC Chair shall submit biographies of the award recipient(s) to the press and elected officials. The AEC Chair and/or the PPCC Chair shall email invitations to the award recipients, to the prior “Community Service Award” and “Citizen of the Year Award” winners, to local elected officials and dignitaries, and to the public (via the PPCC email list); shall post the invitation of the PPCC website; and when possible should distribute the invitation via social media.
8) PPCC December Meeting: The Awards Event, sponsored by PPCC, shall generally be held on the 2nd Thursday in December in conjunction with the board’s annual holiday party and in lieu of its regular meeting, but exigent circumstances and any conflicts with religious holidays are to be considered. The PPCC Chair makes the opening remarks at the Event and presents the Award(s) to each honoree, with each Award honoree and members of their immediate family being guests of the PPCC.
9) Any future revision of the Awards Guidelines shall be upon recommendation of the Executive Committee and subject to a vote for approval by the PPCC board.
Originally adopted 2015
Revised 2019
