The City of Carlsbad celebrated its first annual Spirit of Carlsbad Awards June 17 at the Carlsbad Beach bandshell.
The awards were presented to organizations and individuals in the Carlsbad community who exhibited the “Spirit of Carlsbad” through either charitable contributions of funds or volunteer hours or through lifetime acts of support for the community.
The event was hosted by the City of Carlsbad, the Carlsbad Current-Argus, the United Way of Eddy County and the Ricky Garcia Foundation.
The following are the winners of this year’s Spirit of Carlsbad awards:
Outstanding Nonprofit Agency – Cavern City Child Advocacy Center
Outstanding Student Humanitarian – Joseph Kindopp and Devyn Martinez
Outstanding Humanitarian – Dave Perini
Comeback Kid of the year – Kameran Williams
Comeback Woman of the Year – Ashley Lopez
Student Citizen of the year – Valeria Quezada
Mayor’s Student of the Year – Kandle Kitchens
Citizen of the Year – Norbert Rempe
Citizen of the Decade – John Heaton
The Carlsbad Lifehouse received special recognition as part of the ceremonies as a nonprofit agency in the City of Carlsbad.
Runners up in the category of Outstanding Nonprofit Agency were the Community of Hope Center, Southeast New Mexico community Action Corporation and Packs for Hunger.
Honorable mentions in the category of Outstanding Humanitarian of the Year were Clint Cone and Anthony Foreman.
As part of the awards ceremony the event recognized special contributions by Kent Hitchens and the Southeast New Mexico Historical Society to preserving Carlsbad’s vibrant history.
Editor’s note: Jessica Onsurez, news director for the Carlsbad Current-Argus, is a member of the organizing board for the Spirit of Carlsbad awards.
