Volunteers. Advocates. Innovators. Those making a difference, whether by everyday service or extraordinary effort.

These are just a few of the types the Jewish Light will honor with its third annual Unsung Heroes edition of Oy! Magazine and recognition  event. 

The idea is simple: the Light solicits nominations from the community of individuals and groups making a major impact-but working largely behind the scenes and without substantial public recognition for their efforts. The honorees can be those making a difference within the Jewish community, or Jewish individuals making an impact in the community at large. 

A committee of individuals representing a wide swath of Jewish community life then help the Light look at the pool of nominations and select the honorees. Those selected will be featured in articles in the Unsung Heroes edition of the Light’s quarterly Oy!  Magazine and honored during a major community event taking place Thursday, May 24.

Unsung Heroes relies on community participation to nominate the remarkable individuals making a difference in our community.

“While we are privileged to be the conduit through which these exceptional people are recognized, our ability to find and honor them depends on our readership helping us find them so we can tell the stories of their amazing and often quiet contributions,” said Light Publisher/CEO Larry Levin. 

The previous Unsung Heroes events drew hundreds of people to the Jewish Community Center’s Performing Arts & Banquet Center to recognize the honorees. This year’s event is co-chaired by Sheri Sherman, Jane Roodman Weiss and Marilyn Ratkin.

Nomination forms are available in the ad on page 19 of today’s paper, and will run for the next six weeks.  The forms are also available on our website, www.stljewishlight.com.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 18.