A trio of community advocates are up for Sequim’s top civic award.

Phil Castell, Lorri Gilchrist and Jean Wyatt are the finalists for the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 Citizen of the Year.

The winner will be announced at the chamber’s Citizen of the Year luncheon, set for 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, March 29, at the 7 Cedars Resort.

Reservations for the event are $42.50 per person and can be made at sequim chamber.com.

Castell, a local business owner, was selected for his dedication and time given to local organizations such as the Masonic Food Bank, Sequim Prairie Grange, Sequim Irrigation Festival and more. Heather Souza of Sound Community Bank nominated Castell, saying, “Phil is a true gem to the Sequim community.”

Known by many as a proud military veteran and champion of veteran concerns, Gilchrist was nominated for her years of community service to a diverse array of local organizations. Gretha Davis, who nominated Gilchrist, said, “She is ready to help her friends, veterans, and neighbors – just ask and she’s there.” Her work for the Peninsula Trails Coalition, Dungeness River Center, Humane Society, and others was cited in her nomination.

Wyatt, who was nominated by former chamber director Vickie Maples, may be best known for her years of service with the Sequim Irrigation Festival, but sh’s been involved in many other organizations, working mostly behind the scenes. In her nomination letter, Maples wrote that Wyatt is “responsibility-to-the-community personified.”

Created in 1968, the Citizen of the Year Award was designed to recognize those individuals who contribute to the betterment of our community. Former Sequim mayor Peter Black was the first recipient of the award, and all the recipients from then on are listed at sequimchamber.com (under the “Events & Programs” tab).

The Citizen of the Year for 2020 was chosen by the committee of prior winners to be the essential workers who kept our community and economy working through the shutdowns, mandates, and difficult conditions of the pandemic.

For more about this or other chamber events, contact executive director Beth Pratt at director@sequimchamber.com or 360-683-6197.

Sequim Citizens of the Year

1968 — Peter Black

1969 — Carl Klint

1970 — Virginia Keeting

1971 — Virginia Peterson

1972 — Tom Groat

1973 — None

1974 — Katie & Bill Merrill

1975 — Jerry Angiuli

1976 — Chuck Southern, Howard Wood, Lorna McInnes

1977 — Nellie Tetrude

1978 — Marcia Welch

1979 — Ruby Trotter

1980 — Iris Marshall

1981 — Howard Herrett

1982 — Guy Shephard

1983 — Don & Vivian Swanson

1984 — Bill & Shirley Keeler

1985 — Ed & Marcia Beggs

1986 — Ruby Mantle

1987 — Jeff Shold

1988 — Annette Kuss (dec.)

1989 — Jim Haynes

1990 — Bill & Judy Rowland

1991 — Nina Fatherson

1992 — Bud Knapp

1993 — Paul Higgins

1994 — Rand Thomas

1995 — Rochelle McHugh

1996 — Esther Nelson

1997 — Annette Hanson

1998 — Jim & Cathy Carl

1999 — Bill Fatherson

2000 — Robert Clark

2001 — Don Knapp

2002 — Gil Oldenkamp

2003 — John Beitzel

2004 — Emily Westcott

2005 — Lee Lawrence

2006 — Bob & Elaine Caldwell

2007 — Stephen Rosales

2008 — Walt & Sherry Schubert

2009 — Tom Schaafsma

2010 — Jim Pickett

2011 — Dick Hughes

2012 — Kevin Kennedy

2013 — Gary Smith

2014 — Cliff Vining

2015 — Louie Rychlik

2016 — Dave Bekkevar

2017 — Judy Reandeau Stipe

2018 – Don, Clare Manis Hatler

2019 — Deon Kapetan

2020 — First responders

Humanitarian Award recipients

2007 — Bill & Esther Littlejohn

2008 — Brown & Sarah Maloney

2014 — R. Leo Shipley

2016 — Dave & Patsy Mattingley