BY GREGG L. PARKER / FOR THE RECORD

A Madison civic club is launching a new recognition to honor one of those who served our country well.

Rotary Club of Madison is accepting nominees for Distinguished Veteran of the Year.

The Rotary Club initiated the new program “to recognize the veterans in our community and publicly acknowledge our appreciation for their continued ‘Service Above Self’, which is the motto of Rotary,” president Carla Daily said.

The Rotarians wanted to add a veteran to its annual recognition of city employees.

“We felt that Madison has a significant population of veterans that continue to support our community through volunteerism and civic organizations,” Daily said.

The Rotary Club also recognizes the employee, firefighter and police officer of the year for the City of Madison.

Jim Faw is committee chairman for the veteran nominations, and Sandy Patel and Daily are assisting.

Nominees must have been honorably discharged from service and meet the definition of a veteran in Alabama state code 31-5-1. The code defines a veteran as any person who served on active duty (commissioned, enlisted, inducted, appointed or mustered) in the U.S. military during any war.In addition, nominees must be a Madison resident and cannot be a Rotary member.

The application should emphasize the nominee’s community service contributions from September 2010 to September 2011, along with an optional summary of contributions from the previous two years.

Applications are available at madisonalrotary.org or at the Hogan Family YMCA. Completed applications can be emailed to Madisonrotary@gmail.com or mailed to Larry Becker, 401 Diamond Drive, Huntsville, AL 35806.

Deadline for applications is Oct. 23.

“The winner will be announced soon after the cut-off date,” Daily said

Rotarians will present the award at a veterans’ breakfast on Nov. 11 at the Von Braun Center. The honoree will receive a plaque and $250.

In other service projects, the Rotary Club completed their ninth annual and most successful Parrots of the Caribbean fundraiser in August. The club has purchased and will assemble new playground equipment on Oct. 22 at the Harvest Youth Center, which was destroyed by the April 27 tornadoes.

“We are continuing our ecostove project in Honduras,” Daily said. “In January, we will once again host the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) conference at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.”

The Rotary Club of Madison meets on Thursdays at 7 a.m. at the Hogan Family YMCA.

For more information, visit Madisonalrotary.org or Facebook/Parrots of the Caribbean.