We are thrilled to announce that the 2026 Citizen of the Year is Nick Krembs. If you’ve stepped foot on a trail in Norwich, or admired the 300 stone steps leading up to the Gile fire tower, Nick is the person to thank. He has been a champion of Norwich's trails since joining the Norwich Conservation Commission in the late 1990s, eventually serving as Chair and forming the Norwich Trails Committee. He was a driving force behind the layout and building of multiple iconic Norwich trails - Ballard, Parcel 5, Blue Ribbon - and he spearheaded the multiyear project to save and reconstruct the Gile Mountain Trail and fire tower. Whether applying for grants and fundraising, gathering partners and volunteers or digging drainage ditches and hauling rip rap, Nick was the one leading the way. The Gile Mountain Trail is now officially recognized by the State of Vermont as one of the crown jewels of its trail system. A number of years ago, on behalf of the Norwich Conservation Commission, Nick accepted the "Green Mountain Award" from the VT Agency of Natural Resources, recognizing the long-term positive impact of organizations to VT recreation. Never one to toot his own horn, Nick mentioned this to few people. Nick might be “a man of quiet action,” but his incredible actions speak loudly for themselves.

 

But Nick’s commitment to giving back to the community does not stop with trails. When he traveled to El Paso in 2018 to volunteer at a migrant shelter alongside his sister, he was so moved by what he witnessed that he returned for another 8 weeks, and then came home to co-found SHARe (Supporting and Helping Asylees and Refugees). SHARe has now grown to support more than 120 new neighbors with housing, legal services, English classes transportation, and countless acts of assistance. In the words of Martha Tecca, chair of the SHARe board, “Nick is the embodiment of abundance, generosity and compassion. He meets people where they are and helps them settle and thrive in a completely new environment.” 

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Beyond trails and SHARe, Nick has delivered more than 10,000 Meals on Wheels for the Bugbee Senior Center since 2015; volunteered 174+ hours in the fields for Willing Hands; and served as a tireless shift supervisor for WindowDressers, building insulating window inserts to help families reduce heating costs. Over and over again Nick is described as humble, warm, and seemingly tireless - someone who, as one nominator wrote, "is probably just getting warmed up." How fortunate for all of us that this community-building Citizen of the Year calls Norwich home!

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Please join us to celebrate Nick Krembs on Sunday, May 31, 2026 at the Norwich Women’s Club’s first Concert on the Green, 4:00 pm-7:00 pm. The Citizen of the Year award will be presented at 6:00 pm. The ceremony will be highlighted by a $500 check presented to Nick by Ledyard National Bank, to be donated to the charity of his choice. Come help us honor this outstanding person!