In the weeks to come, Americans will be at their community-building best. From outpourings of human compassion, in the form of charitable giving, to civic pride, in the form of gaily decorated homes and streets, citizens will showcase their connectedness with other citizens.

But while that spirit blossoms most widely in the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, there are those for whom the blush lasts all year long. They’re the ones who agree with University of Chicago political philosopher Jean Bethke Elshtain:

“True democracy … requires a mode of participation with one’s fellow citizens that is animated by a sense of responsibility for one’s society.”

A sense of responsibility for one’s society drives some people to look around their communities and neighborhoods to see what needs doing – and to show the grit to undertake it, often with little or no fanfare.

A couple of years ago, The Spokesman-Review editorial board decided it would be appropriate to ring in a new year by honoring one such person, someone who showed the courage and conviction to work on some form of community betterment during the year. We weren’t picky about what the enterprise would look like, just that it be someone who demonstrated a genuine concern for the community and made a difference.

As it turned out, Shannon Sullivan, the single mom who spearheaded the recall drive that removed Mayor Jim West from office, stood out. The experience made us realize, however, that there are too many commendable works being done in the Inland Northwest to restrict the focus to a single person. Accordingly, we broke the process down into five categories:

“ Citizen activist: One who gives personal time and energy in the interest of community betterment.

“ Businessperson: Someone who makes sure his or her commercial interests reflect constructive civic values.

“ Government official: An elected or appointed person who demonstrates that words like politics and bureaucracy needn’t be pejorative terms.

“ Nonprofit worker: Working at an organizational level but outside of government, someone whose dedication to the community supports the teamwork of a public-spirited enterprise.

“ Lifetime achievement: A veteran contributor of social capital, measurable over years of involvement.

We’ll be selecting five more winners for 2007 – we call them Uncommoners – between now and the end of the year. As in the past, we’re inviting your participation. Send us your nominees in any of the categories listed above and from anywhere in The Spokesman-Review circulation area. Explain what makes your candidate stand out and submit your recommendation by e-mail to citizencall@spokesman.com or by conventional mail to Doug Floyd, Editorial page editor, The Spokesman-Review, 999 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA 99201.

We’ll announce the winners on New Year’s Day.