Nominations for the 2013 Seattle-King County First Citizen Award will be accepted until Oct. 1.

Next year marks the 75th anniversary of the prestigious award honoring community leadership, volunteerism and public service.

This year’s recipient, Rotary International District 5030 and its 3,300 members around Puget Sound were recognized for its “Service Above Self” commitment in meeting challenges associated with hunger, poverty and illiteracy.

Since 1939, only one other organization – Children’s Orthopedic Hospital (now Seattle Children’s) – received the First Citizen Award.

Other past recipients include individuals, couples and families from businesses, humanitarian organizations, charitable and educational institutions, arts groups, environmental causes and various civic endeavors.

Letters of nomination, together with any supporting material, should be sent by Oct. 1 to First Citizen Selection Committee, c/o Seattle King County Realtors, 12410 SE 32nd St., Suite 100, Bellevue WA 98005 or submitted by email to Val Towler, vtowler@nwrealtor.com.

Nominees should be current or former residents of King County whose leadership, benevolence or inspiration has helped enhance the quality of life for the area’s residents.

The First Citizen Award, believed to be this region’s most senior citation of its kind, has no fund-raising expectation, but instead is designed solely as a not-for-profit celebration of community involvement.

The contributions of “First Citizens” have benefited humanitarian organizations, charitable and educational institutions, arts groups and various philanthropic causes that have enriched the community.

The Seattle King County Realtors is a nonprofit professional trade association whose goals include promoting business practices that reflect a strict code of ethics and supporting policies that preserve and expand real property rights and housing affordability.  Based in Bellevue, SKCR is one of 1,800 local associations of the National Association of Realtors.