Nominations are now open for the 2015 Outstanding Citizen of the Year to be presented by the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce (SCCCC) this spring at Longwood Gardens. SCCCC established the Outstanding Citizen of the Year award in 1968 to recognize exemplary volunteer efforts, community service, vision, leadership, and citizenship of individuals who positively influence the welfare of the Southern Chester County community. Nominations are open until Friday, November 20, 2015. For more information and to download the submission form, visit www.scccc.com.

The 49th Annual Dinner honoring the 2015 Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award will be held on Friday, March 18 from 7:00 – 11:00 pm at Longwood Gardens. Tickets are $175, with sponsorship opportunities available.

Last year, the Chamber recognized Joan Holliday as the 2014 Outstanding Citizen of the Year. Holliday has served the community for more than 23 years through a variety of programs. She is the founder of Study Buddies, a program dedicated to helping at-risk children perform to their best abilities in school; Bridging the Community, a non-profit organization linking volunteers with community organizations; and ACTIVATE Chester County, a collaboration among hospitals, health and recreation organizations, school districts, municipalities, and community service organizations advocating for policy and behavior changes that decrease the obesity rate in Chester County.

The 2015 Outstanding Citizen will share the honor with these recent past recipients: 2003 Michael Perna, Esq.; 2004 John W. Singer; 2005 Kathleen Lafferty; 2006 Doris Haley; 2007 Eva Verplanck; 2008 James T. Horn; 2009 Michael R. Walker; 2010 Janice Taylor; 2011 Terence Farrell; 2012 Stacie A. Kucera; and in 2013 Ken Goddu.

The Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, the region’s leading business member organization, is dedicated to the growth and development of its members by providing opportunities to connect businesses and support sustainable economic development. Founded in 1929 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, the Chamber’s nearly 500 member businesses consist of influential business leaders and professionals, not-for-profits, institutions, legislative leaders, and more. The Chamber hosts more than 70 events and programs each year in the Southern Chester County region. To join or learn more about the Chamber, visit www.scccc.com.