Williams named Citizen of Year

PRESCOTT – Satarra Williams was named Citizen of the Year Thursday night at the annual Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Banquet.

Each year the Chamber of Commerce opens this award up to the community to nominate individuals who they believe should be honored with this award. After all nominations are received, a nominating committee meets and combs through the written letters to determine one out of many who should be selected each year. This is never an easy decision as there are always so many deserving members in our community.

This years award winner was born and raised a Citizen of Nevada Count. She is a model example of an impactful dedicated citizen. She is an active member of the Prescott Church of God, where she is also an Associate Pastor.

As a community leader, she has provided more than a helping hand. Her kindness, knowledge and compassion have brought about positive changes. This individual serves on the Prescott Parks Board of Commissioners as a member and President, City of Prescott – Councilman, Ila Upchurch Corporation Board of Directors as Vice President, Prescott School Booster Club, Prescott Community Choir President, the L.I.F.T Civic and Social Club, Past Junior Auxiliary of Nevada County Secretary, UNLIFT Youth Ministry Coordinator, Generation Next Ministry Youth Leader and has a Secretary to the Prescott School District for more than 20 years.

This woman is an amazing wife and loving mother to four children.

When we asked her husband for information to share with you all he said “She is a special lady, she does so much for our community that people don’t see. But her family see it. She is helpful, above and beyond. She will do anything, for anyone. She feels like she owes people, in a good way. I guess if we all woke up OWEING someone something on the daily, the world would be a better place. She is Special!”

For all your pride, commitment and dedication to making a better future for Prescott/Nevada County we are naming you, Satarra Williams, our 2021 Citizen of the Year.

Williams said she was grateful for the honor and loves this community and its people. She told the packed house at the Prescott Junior High School cafeteria the wheels in her head never stop turning as she looks for ways to help others. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

This was but one of the awards presented during the event. The banquet began with a silent auction, with patrons checking out the items on display, seeing what they couldn’t live without and placing their bid, hoping no one came behind them with a larger one. This was followed by the live auction, which saw bidding go hot and heavy with auctioneer Don Honea doing his best to get the bidders to add “another $10” to their bids. Overall, it was a successful auction.

Then came the awards and accolades. The 2020 Farm Family of the Year was honored with Lauren Brown presenting the plaque to Richard and Cathy Jones.

The Business Leadership award went to Jackie and Velvet Lewis, owners of Prescott Raceway. The couple bought the business in 2009, though Jackie said it was a hard decision as he wanted to keep racing. Normally, the track has a few hundred fans during race days, but when the Street Outlaw team from television showed up last year thousands came out to enjoy a day at the races.

Lewis thanked the community for welcoming them in, saying he got hooked on drag racing when he was 10. The former owners, he said, were going to close the track down and gave him a chance to buy it – he did and invited everyone to come down, with their first visit free. He said the track is successful because of the efforts of the volunteers who work there.

Next up was the Student of the Year for the Nevada School District. This honor went to Brianna Lowe, who had a 4.0 gpa, was on the cheer squad and basketball team. Tonda Pennington, principal, said Lowe deserved the honor.

She presented Educator of the Year to Bobby Mullins, saying, they met in the 1990s but didn’t get to know him until she became an administrator at Nevada. She said he deserves the win for what he’s done on the basketball court as well as what he’s done off the court. Pennington said his goal is to win, but mostly for his students to win when they leave school and become successful adults.

Mullins thanked the Chamber for the honor, saying teaching can be a thankless job, like coaching, but teachers are needed who care about their students. Coaches, he continued, want to win, because that’s their job, but their job is also to train young people to become proud members of society.

Tommy Poole presented the Prescott School District Student of the Year to Jada Purifoy, saying it was a tough choice as there are a lot of personalities involved, but this young lady more than met all the criteria for the award. He encouraged employers to keep and eye on her as she’ll be successful and a welcome addition to any business.

Jay Turley presented Teacher of the Year to Pearl Bailey, saying she’s been teaching for 44 years and gives good advice.

Bailey said she’s proud of her former students, and let the audience know she’s seen 10 principals in her time with the PSD, starting with Don Mitchell.

The Organization of the Year went to Hamilton Haven. This group is made up of volunteers who literally renovated a house to be used to provide temporary shelter for those in need. MC Lynn Vanderveer said without them Prescott wouldn’t be the community it is today, as the group does fundraisers, solicits donations and gets help from governments, businesses, churches and civic groups to keep the shelter going.

This was followed by the Treasure of Gold award, which went to Judy Duke. In making the presentation, a long list of her accolades and accomplishments was read off. They included the various boards and organizations she’s been involved with, her time as curator of the Nevada County Depot and Museum, where she was instrumental in helping obtain the Prairie D’Ane and Elkins Ferry Civil War battlefields.

“I’m overwhelmed,” she said. “I love this community and have been part of it for a long time. I’m grateful to be here with all the friends I’ve made over the years.” She closed saying she’s looking for a job as she has “too much time on her hands.”

The Hometown Hero award went to David Gummeson, who was said to be quiet, humble and doing a good job without calling attention to himself, along with wearing many hats.

Gummeson said he was honored and this was unexpected. He thanked Jim Cross, the head of the Nevada Count Office of Emergency Services, saying he’s taught him a lot.

The meal was catered by Fore of a Kind BBQ.