For the third year, the Green Bay Press-Gazette plans to choose a Person of the Year.

The designation, which has been announced in feature stories on the last Sunday of the year, was started in 2007 to take note of someone who made a significant contribution to the community and Northeastern Wisconsin.

The Rev. Guy Blair was named Person of the Year 2007 for his work at the St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter, after an extended battle with the Green Bay City Council over whether Blair's church could continue to operate the facility. In 2008 the honor was bestowed on the entire 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, which had spent the year in Iraq.

Reader solicitations and nominations began during the Opinion staff's online chat at lunchtime Thursday. We noted that the person does not have to be a household name — although familiar "stars" have been considered. Most important is that the person has had a significant impact on the community this year.

Along those lines "Allouez guy" suggested, "Follow trends. Teen pregnancies down? Who's doing the counseling? Traffic deaths down? Who's teaching traffic safety? Better Alzheimer's care? Who's counseling family caregivers? That kind of thing."

Among people who were nominated in 2008 were politicians such as Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt and Green Bay Alderwoman Celestine Jeffreys, former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre and current Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, longtime Brown County District Attorney John Zakowski and Bellin Hospital Chief Executive Officer George Kerwin. There were also recommendations for general groups such as single mothers, volunteers helping the homeless and police and fire personnel.

Send nominees, with a brief explanation of why you'd select that person, to: Person of the Year c/o Warren Bluhm, Opinion Editor, Green Bay Press-Gazette, P.O. Box 23430, Green Bay, WI 54305-3430, or e-mail forum@greenbaypressgazette.com.