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Maria Day named Richfield’s 2026 Gene and Mary Jacobson Outstanding Citizen
Summary
The Richfield Human Rights Commission awarded the 2026 Gene and Mary Jacobson Outstanding Citizen Award to Maria Day. The award recognized her partnership work with local groups including VEAP, RCSN and Saint Stephen’s Diaper Depot.
The Richfield Human Rights Commission presented the Gene and Mary Jacobson Outstanding Citizen Award to Maria Day during the City Council meeting on June 23, 2026.
Valerie Hershberger, chair of the Richfield Human Rights Commission, announced this year’s nominees and praised the volume of nominations after a difficult winter in the community. Kim Jacobson, who introduced the award in honor of his parents, described the family’s ties to Richfield and handed the award to Maria Day.
In her remarks accepting the award, Maria Day said the honor “does not belong to me; it belongs to the spirit of Richfield and the remarkable organizations that show up every single day.” She accepted the award on behalf of partnerships including VEAP, RCSN, Saint Stephen’s Diaper Depot and the Little Richfield Little Pantry and urged continued community care.
The council paused after the ceremony to allow photographs and congratulate the nominees. The award has been presented by the Richfield Human Rights Commission since 1971.
