PRESS RELEASE: Nominations Sought for 86th Seattle King County First Citizen Award
July 12, 2023
BELLEVUE, Washington (July 11, 2023) – Organizers of the prestigious Seattle King County First Citizen Award invite nominations for the 86th honoree. The award, presented annually since 1939, celebrates community service and selfless leadership.
Letters of nomination, together with any supporting material about the candidate’s exemplary volunteerism, leadership, generosity, and vision, should be sent by Monday, July 31, to First Citizen Selection Committee, c/o Seattle King County REALTORS®, 12410 SE 32nd St., Suite 100, Bellevue, Washington 98005 or submitted by email to Darla White. Nominees must be current or former residents of King County.
The award recipient will be honored at a not-for-profit civic event in 2024.
Earlier this year, Sue Bird was honored as the 85th Seattle King County First Citizen. The retired Seattle Storm player and future Hall of Famer was the first female athlete to be singled out. She was cited for her achievements on and off the basketball court, including her hands-on support of various youth programs, her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, and her unwavering compassion and commitment to Seattle, where the trailblazer spent her entire professional athletic career.
Seattle King County REALTORS® (SKCR) established the First Citizen Award in 1939 to help uplift sagging public morale following the years of economic hardships during the Great Depression. They believed residents around King County who give back to their communities, enrich the lives of their fellow citizens, and serve as role models for future generations should be saluted. Since then, a benevolent individual, family, or group whose generous gifts of “time, talent, and treasure for the greater good” has been honored.
The list of past recipients reflects a broad cross-section of citizens from myriad interests and causes. Former honorees have been associated with humanitarian organizations, charitable, health and educational institutions, arts groups, environmental and economic development causes, and various business and civic endeavors.
The First Citizen Award is believed to be this region’s most senior citation of its kind. It has no fundraising expectation, but instead is designed solely as a nonprofit celebration of community engagement. As part of the event, the First Citizen Scholarship Foundation presents scholarships based on criteria that includes good citizenship and involvement in community service. John L. Scott Real Estate, Windermere Real Estate, and Zillow are presenting partners of the First Citizen Award and banquet.
The Seattle King County REALTORS® is a nonprofit professional trade association whose goals include promoting ethical business practices and supporting policies that preserve and expand real property rights and housing affordability. Based in Bellevue, SKCR has more than 7,200 members and is a local board of the National Association of Realtors®.