Finalists by category:
Be More ... Artistic (Arts and culture award)• Chattanooga Kids on the Block• Friends of the Festival• Orange Grove Center Inc.Be More ... Collaborative (Partnership award)• Creative Discovery Museum• Volunteers in Medicine• YMCABe More ... Entertaining (Special events award)• Ballet Tennessee• Memorial Health Care System• Ronald McDonald House CharitiesBe More ... Innovative (Innovation award)• Ballet Tennessee• Chattanooga Kids on the Block• Tri State Therapeutic Riding CenterBe More ... Impactful (Local service award)• Children's Advocacy Center of Hamilton County• Creative Discovery Museum• Greater Chattanooga Area American Red CrossBe More ... Knowledgeable (Educational outreach award)• Chattanooga Kids on the Block• Medical Foundation of Chattanooga• Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies
Rebecca Eaton, executive producer of the PBS series "Masterpiece" and recently named one of Time Magazine's Most Influential People of 2011, will be the keynote speaker at WTCI's upcoming Be More Awards luncheon.
Winners of nine awards will be recognized at the 2012 Be More Awards ceremony, to be held March 6 at the Chattanooga Convention Center, according to a news release from WTCI-TV Channel 45.
The awards are designed to recognize the "best in the Chattanooga area's nonprofit community," the news release states.
PBS member station WTCI will honor individuals and organizations "dedicated to helping the community and all its citizens to reach their best potential."
The award categories celebrate "a different aspect of making a positive difference in the lives of people within the WTCI viewing area," according to the release.
Sixteen people have been nominated for the Be More ... Devoted award recognizing individual leadership. The nominees are Ann Ball, Hayley Bates, Monique Berke, Ricky Brown, Rebecca Cannon, Jay Craven, Ellen Heavilon, Ruth Holmberg, Peggie Kilpatrick, Stacy Lightfoot, Mike Pollock, Dr. Walter Puckett, Lorie Street Runge, Shannon Shaver, Jordan Thomas and Sue Anne Wells. The winner will be announced at the ceremony.
There are no finalists for the Be More ... Encouraged (Judges' Choice Award) and the Be More ... Engaging (People's Choice Award). Finalists are selected by a majority consensus of the judges and the citizens of the community, respectively. The winners of these awards will be announced at the event.
WTCI officials said sponsors for the luncheon include Blood Assurance, Diversified Cos. LLC, First Tennessee Foundation, Hamico Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, First Volunteer and Johnson Hickey & Murchison CPA.
IF YOU GO
What: Be More Awards luncheonWhen: March 6 at 11:30 a.m.Where: Chattanooga Convention Center.Tickets: Now available on BeMoreAwards.com