Hoffman named 2006 Citizen of the Year

Anthony Hoffman, right, steps up for a closer look at the plaque given to his father, Greg Hoffman, who was named the Citizen of the Year during a ceremony at the Nevada Country Club on Thursday. Mary Ireland, who is a past recipient of the award looks on. Hoffman is the 62nd recipient of the award, which is given, among other things to a citizen who has been outstandingly committed to service to the community. Hoffman actively serves with the Nevada Lions, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, the Nevada Regional Hospital Foundation and more.

Greg Hoffman thought he'd been asked to the Rotary's Citizen of the Year luncheon to present the award to someone else, but this year, the gathering was in his honor.

His voice quaking with emotion, he accepted the award with the humility those who know him best will know is just a part of Greg Hoffman.

"I couldn't have done all of this (community service) without my family, my friends....Thank you." he said.

The award is given to a person who has had a long-term record of giving to the community.

Presenting the award, Judge James Bickel, last year's recipient, said it's safe to say that those who are given this honor don't do the things they do so they can put such an award on their resume -- they do it because they care about the community and the people in it. As a past recipient of the award, he noted, as others have before him, that one never expects to be recognized by ones friends and peers, but there are no words to tell what a life-changing moment it is.

Hoffman, in fact, often chooses to stay out of the limelight, choosing to serve with organizations that don't make headlines, and often doing less-than-glamorous tasks, said David Litton, who has known Hoffman for many years and has served with him in the Nevada Lions Club and the Salvation Army Service Unit.

"Dedicated. Devoted. Humanitarian. Those are words I would use to describe Greg Hoffman," Litton said, "and if I know my friend, he's very uncomfortable right now." Nevertheless, Litton went on to say that Hoffman deserves such an award in honor of the years of service he's given.

Indeed, the list of service projects, organizations and community enrichment efforts in which Hoffman has played an active role is long, and friends shared a few of them with the crowd Thursday, when the award was presented.

One such friend is Sue Quitno, who told of Hoffman's dedication to causes like the MS150, a 150-mile bicycle ride benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; the many roles he's played as a member of the Nevada Lion's Club, where he's participated by doing everything from flipping pancakes to delivering eyeglasses. He's taught marketing to high school students and has taught adult education courses, and much, much more.

"Chances are, if there's something that needed to be done, Greg's done it," Quitno said.

Bob Beaver, representing Habitat for Humanity, told of Hoffman's work with that organization, and Litton highlighted Hoffman's service with the Nevada Regional Hospital Foundation.

Hoffman is the 62nd recipient of the Citizen of the Year award, which was first given in 1942, and has been given annually, except for a few years during the 1960s when no award was given.