It’s that time again – time to start taking notice of the inspiring seniors in your life. Then put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and let us know about them.

In May, in honor of Older Americans Month, Eastern Area Agency on Aging will hold the second annual George Hale Silver Frame Awards: the Picture of Active Aging in Eastern Maine.

George Hale, beloved broadcasting icon, is co-host of the “George Hale and Ric Tyler Show” on WVOM-FM 103.9, and he does a sports commentary on WABI-TV 5 on Fridays.

“We are very excited about these awards because there are so many seniors doing great things in eastern Maine who deserved to be recognized,” said Noelle Merrill, executive director of Eastern Area Agency on Aging. “And George is so inspirational that he’s the perfect person for whom to name the award. He epitomizes active aging.”

EAAA is in search of nominees in two age groups: 60 to 75, and 76 and older, who have shown themselves to be exceptional role models in any one of the following categories:

. Artistic-Creative.

. Fitness or Outdoor Enthusiast-Adventurer.

. Life-Long Learner-Entrepreneurial.

“The Active-Creative category includes painters, quilters, gardeners and others who are living vital lives and sharing their talents with the world, and we want to know about them,” Merrill said.

The second category is Fitness or Outdoor Enthusiast-Adventurer, which means living life to the fullest extent possible.

“Clearly our many senior athletes demonstrate that as people age, they don’t have to give up their physically active nature,” Merrill said.

The last category is Life-Long Learner-Entrepreneurial. Lifelong learning is an attitude of being open to new ideas and decisions, or an eagerness to learn new skills.

“It’s said that brain fitness can be developed by formal education, being actively, mentally engaged in life, continuing to learn and [through] exercises designed to challenge cognitive skills,” Merrill said. “Given that Maine [has the oldest population] in the nation, it shouldn’t be hard to find those entrepreneurs or lifelong learners in our midst.”

I am sure by now that most of you are brimming with ideas of who to nominate, so here are the nuts and bolts of the contest.

To enter someone, you must complete a nomination form, which is available by calling EAAA or by downloading from our Web site EAAA.org. Send the form with an essay of 350 to 500 words describing why the person is a good candidate for a George Hale Silver Frame Award to Noelle Merrill, Eastern Area Agency on Aging, 450 Essex St., Bangor 04401. You may enclose a photo, but it is not necessary.

“Please check with the nominee first, because some people don’t want to receive public recognition,” said Merrill. “But, we think that those who remain active and involved in the community are examples of greatness for the rest of us. We would also like to publish these essays to our Web site.”

The winners in each category will receive $100 cash and will be honored with a celebratory lunch in their communities, if possible, during the month of May. The winner will have his or her picture taken with George, which EAAA will put in a Silver Frame. Essays will be judged by members of the EAAA board of directors. George Hale will present the awards as his schedule permits.

The deadline for nominations is March 31. Eastern Agency on Aging staff, board of directors and advisory council members are not eligible for the award, although each one is deserving.

Carol Higgins Taylor is director of communications at Eastern Area Agency on Aging. E-mail Higgins Taylor at chtaylor@eaaa.org. For information on EAAA, call 941-2865, toll-free 800-432-7812 or e-mail info@eaaa.org or log on www.eaaa.org. TTY 992-0150.