Community Star Nominations Now Being Accepted

It’s that time of year again to nominate a community star. The South Dakota Office of Rural Health along with the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) is asking for your help to identify and nominate someone making a positive difference for rural health through leadership, development, advocacy, education, and collaborative partnerships.

NOSORH established its annual Community Star Recognition Program in 2015 to tell the stories of people and organizations who make a difference in rural communities. Since then, these inspiring stories have been shared nationwide on National Rural Health Day, honoring more than 300 rural health stars!

This year, there is a new format for the program. Instead of collecting nominations, each State Office of Rural Health (SORH) will select a Community Star from their respective state. NOSORH is happy to accept a Star chosen by a designated SORH partner if help is needed.

SORH will have until Friday, August 18, to select and notify their Star.

Eligibility Guidelines

• Stars may only be selected by a SORH staff member or a SORH-designated partner (let NOSORH know who that partner is).
• Only one selection per state.There will not be a vote formultiple stars as done in previousyears.
• Stars must be located, working, or volunteering in a designated rural area to be eligible for selection. Use Am I Rural? Tool to determine eligibility.
• Stars may be an individual, organization or a consortium/coalition.
• Past Community Stars are not eligible (Please see this list to verify they have not been a past Star)
• Government officials, either elected or appointed to a position in the Executive,
• Legislative or Judicial branches of their State or the Federal Government are not eligible.

The Office of Rural Health would love to learn the stories of people making a positive health impact in their rural community and designate them as a Community Star. If you can identify a Community Star in your area, please email Amber.Hodgin@state.sd.us with their name, community, and the reason why they should be South Dakota’s Community Star.