The American Latvian Association is now accepting nominations for its annual awards of recognition for outstanding achievements in social and cultural work, the association announced May 28. The awards may go to organizations or individuals.

Nominations are due by Aug. 24 and will be reviewed by the association’s board during its September meeting. Awards traditionally are announced during local November 18 celebrations, according to Sarma Muižniece Liepiņa, head of the ALA’s office of cultural affairs.

Nominations should include detailed information about the candidate’s work and achievements, length of service and their meaning to the Latvian community. Awards are given for community leadership; for development of new and successful activities; for creativity in and maintenance of Latvian culture; for promotion of the survival of the Latvian people, and for popularizing Latvian culture and history to non-Latvians.

Nominations should be mailed to Sarma Muižniece Liepiņa, Director of the ALA Office of Cultural Affairs, 27 Highland Road, Boxford, MA 01921. Nominations also may be e-mailed to her at sarmaliepins@comcast.net. For further information, contact Muižniece Liepiņa at +1 (978) 352-6328, call the ALA office in Maryland at +1 (301) 340-1914, or visit the ALA’s Web site at www.alausa.org.

The ALA award of recognition may be earned just once in a person’s lifetime. A total of 33 awards were given in 2007. A list of previous winners is available on the ALA Web site, although Muižniece Liepiņa noted that some names may be missing. She asked that if someone knows a name is missing from the list that the ALA be contacted.