2022 Citizens of the Year

After reviewing several submissions, the selection committee has named Clary Illian and Bark Horak co-recipients of the 2022 Jim Miller Ely Citizen of the Year award!

Volunteers are truly the heart and soul of every community. We are fortunate to have two incredible people like Clary and Barb helping to make Ely a better place for us all to call home. After reading their nomination letter, it’s easy to see why:

“Clary and Barb were charter members of the Ely Community History Society, and from its inception have been the driving force behind it. They have spent countless hours upon hours handling the day-to-day functions of maintaining and preserving the collection, archiving, and cataloging. They have designed and created all of the historic displays that hang in City Hall and spearheaded the preservation of Fackler’s Grover Pioneer Cemetery. They have facilitated talks throughout the community, conducted oral histories of venerable Ely citizens, and maintain a very active and comprehensive history blog on the ECHS website, elyhistory.com. Local residents and individuals from far and wide with ties to the Ely community often reach out to the ECHS for information about their ancestral families. When they do so, it is barb and clary who answer the phone calls and the emails, and they are always eager to answer any questions that they can.

Historic preservation is an often-underappreciated community asset, but its value is frankly priceless. We are fortunate to have these two talented and dedicated individuals in our community, who have thanklessly endeavored for years to maintain the Ely history collection with care, precisions and professionalism, and have never asked for anything in return. I believe that they are deserving of some thanks, and this award would be a proper way for the community to show its appreciation.”

For these reasons, and many more, it is our pleasure to announce Clary Illian and Barb Horak as the 2022 co-Citizens of the Year!

Join us at the Potluck this Sunday afternoon to celebrate our community; our wonderful volunteers and to recognize the 2022 co-Citizens of the Year Clary Illian and Barb Horak!

Thank you to all who submitted nominations! Ely is extremely blessed to have such inspiring people working hard to create positive growth in our community! #beEly #belikeJim