Rotary Interact student Yunseo Kim with the 2020 Spirit of the West Award created by Richard Ronquillo of Rich Welding, LLC. The deadline to nominate someone who makes a difference is Dec. 23. Courtesy photo

C’YA News:

Champions of Youth Ambitions (C’YA), announces that the Dec. 23 deadline is looming to nominate someone who makes a difference in the local community, state, nation or world.

The nomination process runs all year long with a special focus once November arrives. The whole process is free and can be completed in writing, via text or on the C’YA) website. Nominators may even call to receive details if technology isn’t an appealing process. Just leave a message at 505.695.9139 or text for more information.

Richard Ronquillo of Rich Welding, LLC, handcrafts the award each and every year. The current award has been completed and will be unveiled very soon. Ronquillo creates custom gates that open across large driveways, small gates for garden entry, beautiful metal bars to secure windows and splendid pieces of art to remember those we’ve lost. Rich Welding & Fabrication, LLC, can be reached at 505.920.0763. 

The year of 2020 highlighted winners in January of 2021 with a small Zoom event featuring some of the nominees.

“As 2021 comes to an end it’s becoming clear that a large event isn’t a possibility,” CYA Executive Director Bernadette Lauritzen said. “The plan to honor and acknowledge those who stepped up is something everyone can plan on hearing a lot about.”

Last year, the small non-profit recognized 50 nominees with a variety of articles, posts and announcements to herald their achievements. The top award recipient was the Rotary Interact students who received the Spirit of the West Award, named for former County Councilor Jim West. This year, one winner, will again receive that honor.

Send nominations to PO Box 4741 White Rock, NM 87547.

Help spread the word that Champions of Youth Ambitions has an easy-to-use nomination tool at www.cya-nm.org.