Banner Graphic seeking Putnam County Difference Makers

Chris Pruett

How many people do you know who make a difference in someone’s life?

They step up to help whenever something is needed, and they ask for nothing in return. They’re the type of people who make Putnam County such a great place to live and raise a family.

The Banner Graphic will recognize those types of individuals with our Difference Makers program, which kicks off this month. Between now and near the end of August, the newspaper is asking its readers to nominate those from Putnam County who are making a difference in our communities.

The nominations will be cut to 10 finalists, and they will be honored at a banquet Sept. 27. A Difference Maker of the Year will be named at the banquet and they will receive a prize package.

The location of the banquet, which will be open to the public, and the keynote speaker for the evening, will be announced a few weeks prior to the banquet.

What type of people can be nominated? Anyone who volunteers his or her time to help others would be a great choice. A link to the nomination form is available online at www.bannergraphic.com/forms/dm .

Our sister papers in Brazil and Linton have conducted a Difference Maker campaign, and some truly remarkable individuals have been honored.

One individual always steps up to help students during the Christmas season, and also helps with a food program for her school district. And when a family is in need following a tragedy, she’s always the first to step up and organize help.

Another individual started a festival in his or her hometown and also helped organize the construction of a veterans’ memorial wall to honor those who have served.

There are so many volunteers who work behind the scenes in our communities, and without their help, several programs wouldn’t be as successful as they are from year to year.

Nomination forms will begin appearing in the Banner Graphic starting today, and you can also go online at bannergraphic.com to nominate someone.

When sharing your nomination, please include as much information as possible about your nominee. That will help the judges make informative decisions.

We are partnering with some local businesses and organizations to help make the Difference Makers campaign possible. Thank you to Crown Equipment, Prime Real Estate Group, Putnam County Community Foundation and Putnam County Hospital for stepping up and being co-sponsors.

There are still some sponsorship opportunities available. If you would like to be a part of this campaign, please contact marketing manager Montica Pingleton at 653-5151 or email her at mpingleton@bannergraphic.com .

We hope you’re as excited as we are about honoring those who help make Putnam County a great place to call home.

Chris is the publisher of the Banner Graphic. He can be reached by email at cpruett79@gmail.com.