Nominations are now being accepted for the 2017 class of inductees into the Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame.

Nomination forms are available at a number of area locations.

The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognize those individuals, living or deceased, whose history of involvement has contributed in some positive way to the betterment of the communities of the lower Verde Valley including Fountain Hills, the Verde Communities, Fort McDowell and Goldfield Ranch.

Nominations are being accepted from anyone in these communities.

Candidates to be considered for election to the Hall of Fame in 2017 must have resided or been active in the Lower Verde Valley area on or before Dec. 31, 2007.

Consideration for election will be based on the individual’s contributions in one or more of the following categories: Arts and Culture, Business and Professions, Community Service, Education, Governmental Activities and Religious and Spiritual Activities.

Forms available

There is a nomination form on Page 5A of this week’s edition of The Fountain Hills Times.

Nomination forms are also available at the L. Alan Cruikshank River of Time Museum, Fountain Hills Branch Library, Chamber of Commerce office, Community Center, Rio Verde Post Office and the Fort McDowell Tribal Office.

Completed forms are to be mailed to Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame c/o Barb Hansen, 16929 E. Salida Drive, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 by Dec. 31, or delivered to The Times office (16508 E. Laser Drive) by Dec. 30.

Hansen is chairman of the selection committee and president of the River of Time Museum Foundation.

A member of the Hall of Fame, Hansen is an active community volunteer. Currently she is serving as vice president of the Fountain Hills Cultural and Civic Association and is on the boards of the Fountain Hills Theater Advisory Board, Four Peaks Women’s Club and the River of Time Museum Foundation.

Previously, she served on the boards of Sister Cities, Fountain Hills Senior Services and was secretary of the Fountain Hills Civic Association before it merged with the Cultural Association.

She is employed as the medical administrator for AAP Dermatology in Mesa.

Serving on her committee are Alan Cruikshank, publisher of The Fountain Hills Times and co-founder of the Historical Society; Aggie Kramer and Peter O’Reilly, both active volunteers in Rio Verde; Don Lawrence, pastor of Christ’s Church; Dori Wittrig, president of Sonoran Lifestyle Real Estate; Jerry Miles, a retired attorney and former Fountain Hills mayor; Joanne Meehan, former principal of McDowell Mountain Elementary School; Mike Scharnow, financial advisor with Thrivent Financial; Sharon Morgan, Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce events manager; Jay Schlum, former Fountain Hills mayor and realtor with Sonoran Lifestyle Real Estate; and Val Stasik, retired president and executive director of the Fountain Hills Theater.

All committee members are members of the Hall of Fame. An announcement will be made by mid-January listing the names of the seven newest inductees.

The committee will select five from Fountain Hills and one each from The Verdes and Fort McDowell.

They will be formally recognized at a special dinner meeting of the Historical Society on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at the Community Center.

Information on dinner reservations will be announced in advance of the dinner.

Proceeds from the dinner will go to the River of Time Museum Foundation, a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation. Its purpose is to support and assist the operation of the River of Time Museum.

Foundation officers are President Barbara Hansen, Vice President Alan Cruikshank, Secretary Jean Linzer and Treasurer Jackie Miles.

Board members are Aggie Kramer, Debbie Skehen, Dori Wittrig, Ed Kehe, Joanne Meehan, Michael Scharnow, Peter O’Reilly, Robert Thomson, Sharon Morgan and Jay Schlum.

The Hall of Fame began in 2004. There are now 136 members.