Community Corner
Lifelong Influencer Quietly Shaped Lafayette — Now Comes Spotlight
Community honors a woman's half century of service at annual event in March.
LAMORINDA, CA. — After more than four decades of shaping parks, trails, civic planning, and public engagement in Lafayette, Carol Singer has been named the city’s 2026 Citizen of the Year, a local honor recognizing sustained contribution to community life.
Singer, a resident of Lafayette for more than 50 years, earned a reputation as a thoughtful volunteer whose impact can be traced to some of the city’s most visible public spaces, from Community Park to the Hamlin Nature Park.
For nearly four decades, she served on the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Commission, often in leadership roles, and took part in every major planning committee guiding the city’s development, including the General Plan Advisory Committee, and the Downtown Specific Plan Committee.
Beyond her official roles, Singer helped facilitate civic engagement on issues from candidate information nights to local campaign finance discussions, and has been active with groups such as the Lafayette Homeowners Association and the Friends of the Lafayette Library.
Those who know her describe Singer as principled and collaborative, with a distinctive ability to navigate differing viewpoints with civility — qualities many residents said helped shape civic life without fanfare.
The award will be celebrated at a dinner hosted by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce on March 19. The Citizen of the Year program received 28 nominations this year, according to organizers.
Information and register for the dinner: lafayettechamber.org/citizen-of-the-year/
Date: Thursday, March 19
Time: 6-8:30pm
Venue: Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa
3287 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
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