Anna Maria’s 2022 Citizen of the Year is to be shared by two people.
The city’s citizen recognition committee members unanimously voted Jan. 5 to select former Anna Maria Commissioner Carol Carter and the late Suzi Fox, executive director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, to share the honor.
The award recognizes residents and entities that have existed within Anna Maria for at least two years for their contributions to the community.
Carter became a full-time resident in 2006, was elected to the city commission in 2013 and was appointed chair in 2019.
Over that time, she frequently contributed to the Center of Anna Maria Island and helped create Thanks-Living, an annual community potluck dinner held ahead of the holiday season at City Pier Park.
She attended her last meeting Dec. 15, 2022, and moved the next day from her island home to Sarasota County.
Commission Chair Mark Short, who joined the commission while Carter was chair, nominated Carter for the award.
Fox began volunteering for AMITW in the 1990s before becoming its executive director and led the nonprofit organization in its mission to protect and support sea turtle nesting and shorebird populations on the island for about 25 years.
She died Sept. 30, 2022, from health complications following a May 2022 car crash.
Bonner Joy, owner and editor of The Islander, nominated Fox for this year’s award.
The city of Holmes Beach awarded Fox its 2022 Citizen of the Year award for her efforts with AMITW at a Dec. 13, 2022, commission meeting.
And, Jan. 5, Bradenton Beach commissioners approved a proclamation declaring May 1, 2023 — the official first day of sea turtle nesting season — Suzi Fox Day.
The Anna Maria Citizen Recognition Committee consisted of last year’s two winners — Anna Maria Island Historical Society vice president Barbara Murphy, the mayor’s wife, and Joan Voyles, a founder and past president of the Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island — and a third member, Kathy Donnar.
The city will present the awards at the next commission meeting, at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.
Directions to attend via Zoom can be found at cityofannamaria.com.