NORTHAMPTON - Community nominations are currently being accepted for the sixth annual Paragon Awards, which recognize volunteer work by citizens in Hampshire County.

The 2010 Paragon Awards are sponsored by a partnership consisting of the Daily Hampshire Gazette, the American Red Cross of Hampshire County and the United Way of Hampshire County.

Nominations for the award are being accepted through Jan. 29. Anyone can nominate someone for the Paragon Awards. Nomination information is available on gazettenet.com and at Gazette offices.

The awards, to be given at a reception April 15 at the Courtyard Marriott in Hadley, are presented by the Paragon Partners in conjunction with the ACT Community Service Center, a program that coordinates volunteer activities in Hampshire and Franklin counties, and the RSVP program, which links older citizens with volunteer projects.

The four awards are:

* The Kimball W. Howes Award for a person who has demonstrated a commitment to volunteer leadership over a lifetime.

* The Calvin and Grace Coolidge Award for outstanding public service to the community in a professional or volunteer position in Hampshire County.

* The Community Enrichment Award for exceptional work to improve the quality of life through contributions to the region's arts, social or cultural life, or to its environmental well-being.

* The Outstanding Youth Award for a person under the age of 18 for leadership, commitment and character through service and volunteerism in their school, workplace or community.

A committee of community members will read the nominations and make the selections.

Receiving the 2009 awards were:

* The Kimball Howes Award for a lifetime of volunteer leadership went to Carl Erickson, of Northampton, who has worked as a volunteer for more than a quarter century for a variety of community organizations. He serves at many of the meals provided by the MANNA soup kitchen, and he is active with the Northampton Survival Center, Friends of the Homeless, the county emergency food and shelter committee and Berkshire Children and Families.

* Russell Carrier, of Florence, a long-time member and president of the Forbes Library Board of Trustees and of the Calvin Coolidge Library and Museum, received the Grace and Calvin Coolidge Award for Public Service. Carrier has been a member of the volunteer board of the library for 29 years, playing a key role in renovations and expansion of the "people's university" during those years.

* The Veterans Education Project based in Amherst was recognized with the Community Enrichment Award, which is given to groups and individuals who make an exceptional contribution to the cultural life of the region. Started in 1982, the program trains veterans to share their personal stories in local schools, to teach history lessons and to help teens think critically about the realities and costs of war and violence.

* Emily Norman, a junior at Amherst Regional High School, received the 2009 Outstanding Youth Award. Norman volunteers as the Amherst Survival Center, and is secretary of the ARHS Community Service Club, where she has worked on community fundraising projects like Shelter Sunday. She has used school vacation time to help with reconstruction projects in New Orleans.

Gazette Publisher Jom Foudy said the awards are unique in that the nominations come from the community. Every year between 50 and 80 people are nominated. All the people nominated for an award will be recognized at the reception April 15.

Costs for the awards and the program are covered in part with financial support provided by Florence Savings Bank, Easthampton Savings Bank, PeoplesBank, Smith College and the Hampshire Hospitality group.

The Paragon Award program was started in 2004. Previous winners of the awards are:

Lifetime of volunteer activity: Kay Sheehan, of Florence, Ralph Levy Jr., of Northampton; Doris Holden, of Amherst, and Yvonne Freccero, of Northampton.

Public service: Stasia Charron, of Easthampton, Kathleen Anderson, of Amherst, Robert Mahar, of Florence, and Eleanor Jones, of Northampton.

Community enrichment: Bob Cilman, of Northampton, Steve J. Stoia, of Belchertown, Martin Wohl, of Northampton, and Steve Strimer, of Florence

Outstanding youth: Robert Reynolds, of Southampton, Kurtis Mckemmie, of Hadley, Abbe Hamilton, of South Hadley, and Shirin Hakim, of Amherst.