The 2020 Cochrane Community Awards is the latest local event to fall victim to COVID-19.

The annual awards program recognizes outstanding local residents, community leaders, businesses, organizations and schools that help to make Cochrane a great place to live.

The awards ceremony was originally scheduled for May 24 but the decision was made in March to postpone this year's event to the fall as a precaution during the height of the COVID outbreak.

Six months into the global pandemic, the committee has now made the tough call to postpone the 2020 Cochrane Community Awards until next year.

In a press release the awards committee organizers say that their "preference is to celebrate the great people in our community and the Cochrane spirit in a person, which unfortunately is not possible at this time." They say that "The prestigious Order of Cochrane however, presented by Cochrane’s Mayor and Council, will run with a call for nominations to be made in September."

The aim of the awards is to celebrate and recognize outstanding achievements and contributions throughout our community through a total of 13 award categories.

So, if you do know of a standout Cochranite, business or a community group that goes above and beyond for Cochrane, there's still plenty of time to nominate them for a Cochrane Community Award.

While the committee received several nominations this spring, they are asking Cochranites to resubmit  nominations once a new date has been determined for 2021.

The  Awards program is overseen by a committee of local representatives which includes seniors, educators, businesses, sustainability champions, as well as the Cochrane and District Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Cochrane.

Stay tuned for an update on the new date for the Cochrane Community Awards, in the spring of 2021.