CARBONDALE - The Martin Luther King Celebration Planning Committee is accepting nominations for the Spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award. The award will be presented at Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Celebration at 4 p.m. Jan. 17 in Carbondale Civic Center.

This will be the seventh year that the community service award will be presented. Previous honorees include WDBX radio host Pepper Holder, Sen. Paul Simon, Southern Illinois University Associate Chancellor Seymour Bryson, longtime citizen activist Lillian Adams, community volunteers Marjorie Parker and Donna Haynes, as well as others. The award committee consists of representatives from the event planning committee and past award recipients.

The Spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award is intended to recognize an individual or group that exhibits the character and legacy of Dr. King. The award committee considers this a capstone award made in recognition of efforts and achievements throughout a significant period of time, rather than in recognition of a particular action or impact.

Nominees should have enacted or modeled a spirit of community service in the manner of Dr. King in Southern Illinois. For instance, recipients might have demonstrated a commitment to nonviolence and leadership in areas such as intervention for justice, equality and peace, conflict resolution, social change, improved race relations, improved conditions for workers or individuals in the face of inequity, or other efforts undertaken in the spirit of Dr. King.

Nominations should include the following information:

 Name and phone number of the person making the nomination

 Name and phone number of the person being nominated

 A summary (one to three pages) of the nominee's life in relation to the award

 A one-page explanation of how the nominee's life and/or work exemplify the spirit of Dr. King as described above.

If you are nominating a group, include both the name of the group and the name and phone number of a contact person for that group. Up to four letters of reference from others who know the nominee, endorsing the nomination, are not required but may be submitted.

Nominations must be received by Dec. 31. Mail information to Spirit of MLK Award, c/o The Rev. William Sasso, Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship, 105 N. Parrish Lane, Carbondale, IL 62901. Nominations also may be submitted via email to bsasso@juno.com. Optional nomination forms are available upon request.

For more information concerning the award or program, contact Sasso at 618-529-2439 or bsasso@juno.com.