Nominate a CityMaker

We want to hear stories about the citizens that make Lakeland great! Nominate your CityMaker today.

The Mayor’s #LoveLakeland CityMaker Award

What is the CityMaker Award?

The Mayor’s Love Lakeland CityMaker Award (CMA) recognizes energetic contributors, who have taken creative, positive and sometimes risky action for the greater good of our Lakeland Community. These are citizens who look for ways to make things better through their business, or their creations, events, works of art, innovative ideas and ultimately, through championing community initiatives with their fresh, new perspectives.

Why CityMakers?

All too often, awesome people and their efforts aren’t recognized in any official capacity, but that shouldn’t diminish the value of their contribution. Former Mayor Howard Wiggs and current Mayor Bill Mutz along with the City of Lakeland wish to encourage these innovative, creative thinkers in our community, and understand that sometimes these CityMakers are so focused on doing great things that they don’t always receive recognition for their efforts.

It’s the Mayor’s desire, along with the City of Lakeland to recognize these CityMakers by introducing the Mayor’s Love Lakeland CityMaker Award!

Who are CityMakers?

These CityMakers play their individual roles as entrepreneurs, activists, performers, students, artists, organizers — and otherwise engaged citizens — who make creating a positive emotional connection with our community their personal mission. CityMakers make things interesting, memorable, and unique.  The passion and risk they donate to the cause naturally leads to connections that draw others to the lovable and fun aspects of our community.

Simply put, CityMakers inspire others to Love Lakeland!

CityMaker Criteria

Pictured: Yard on Mass Mural, Gillian Fazio

  • The citizen(s) are unsung heroes and individuals who have chosen Lakeland as the place to share their awesomeness.
  • The citizen(s) will have taken initiative to bring value to the Lakeland community in some unique, positive way.
  • The citizen(s) naturally inspire others to Love Lakeland.
  • The citizen(s) may be businesses that have created new, innovative projects or initiatives that promote their skills, talents and unique products.
  • The citizen(s) may be businesses or individuals, working to create new projects, opportunities or connections that serve to improve some aspect of Lakeland’s Community Values such as Quality of Life, Community Engagement, Cultural Diversity or Environmental Improvements.
  • The citizen(s) may be City of Lakeland employee(s) who find creative ways to spread the #LoveLakeland message beyond the scope of their regular duties.
  • The citizen(s) may have used their creative energy to develop something online or offline.
  • The citizen(s) currently reside within the Lakeland Electric service area.
  • The work of the citizen(s) obviously reflects their love for the Lakeland community.
  • The work of the citizen(s) may be new, unproven, or lacking a sustainable model, but show innovation, effort, passion or risk to make things better.

Recommendations from the community are encouraged. Please contact the Mayor’s office with your suggestions.

A CityMaker embodies the values required to advance communities: a commitment to learning, critical thinking, selflessness in service to others, and personal integrity.