September 1, 2011 Staunton, VA – Is there someone in our community who exemplifies the spirit of service for our children in public education? If so, consider nominating them for a prestigious 2011 Dawbarn Education Award.

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CENTRAL BLUE RIDGE is now accepting nominations for the 18th Annual Dawbarn Awards through October 3rd, 2011. The Dawbarn Awards were created to reward individuals in the region who work to improve public education by demonstrating a strong commitment to inspiring an education ethic, encouraging good citizenship, and fostering learning among young people in the public schools of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County. Because of the negative effect of the teenage pregnancy rate in the region, recipients of these awards can also be individuals who, by effective mentoring and training, have encouraged young women to remain and succeed in school. Nominees are not limited to teachers, but may be any individual who works to improve the education of our public school children.

This year, ten Dawbarn Award winners will be selected, and the individuals honored will also receive a cash award of $10,000 each. A regional selection committee will review all nominations and will identify those individuals most deserving of recognition.

Nominations are available to anyone. Nomination forms can be obtained from the Community Foundation’s website at www.communityfoundationCBR.org . For additional information, contact Christiana Shields at the Community Foundation at (540) 213-2150 or cshields@communityfoundationCBR.org .

The Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge www.communityfoundationcbr.org enriches quality of life by responding to needs and inspiring philanthropy in our community. The Foundation serves the communities of Staunton and Waynesboro, as well as Augusta, Nelson and Highland counties. As one of the largest philanthropic institutions in the Central Blue Ridge, the Foundation is committed to careful stewardship of and thoughtful investment in our region’s future. Unlike other non-profit organizations, the Community Foundation is endowed in perpetuity.