2026 JONESVILLE CITIZENS OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED
The Jonesville City Council is pleased to announce the selection of Trinity Bird, Ann Johnson, and Don Toffolo as the 2026 Jonesville Citizens of the Year and Ryder Cornett as the 2026 Jonesville Youth Citizen of the Year. The public is invited to an Award Ceremony on Tuesday, April 14th at 7:00 p.m. at The Sauk Theatre to honor the contributions of these outstanding individuals.
Trinity Bird has been the Executive Director of The Sauk Theatre since 2015. Prior to that, he was a long-time volunteer at The Sauk, and directed his first play at the theater in 1998. Along with management of the facility, he has directed and performed in numerous plays and musicals, and has had written adaptations performed on stage. He has grown the offerings of the theater, with attention to the development of playwrights, directors, and youth. Trinity is a member of the Jonesville Rotary and is the President Nominee of the club.
Ann Johnson was born and raised in Jonesville. She has been actively involved with the Grosvenor House Museum since 2009, serving on the Museum Board. Ann has worked tirelessly at the Museum overseeing donations of period pieces and has cataloged all donations to preserve a historical record. She has led tours of the beautiful Victorian home, and organized volunteers to care for and manage maintenance and repairs of the mansion for the last 17 years.
Don Toffolo is a Downtown business owner and the father of children in the Jonesville schools. Don is the current President of the Jonesville Business Association and past president of the Jonesville Rotary. Don’s leadership on the JBA includes support and planning of Riverfest and Christmas in Jonesville. He is a long-time member and chair of the Jonesville Downtown Development Authority, championing business and development projects to support the growth of the Downtown.
Ryder Cornett is a senior at Jonesville High School. He is a leader in several areas at school, including serving as a class officer and a member of the Student Council. He has taken the lead in fundraising initiatives, including leading events to assure that all members of his class could attend the Senior Class trip. Ryder leads at the local and state level in FFA, as well. He represents the “living to serve” motto that defines the organization, competing in career development events, leading local chapter initiatives, and is seeking a state officer position to continue his FFA service after high school.
Tickets for the Award Ceremony are available for $5.00 at the Jonesville City Hall. The Jonesville Citizenship Awards act to recognize the contributions of citizens to the Jonesville community based on several aspects including, community involvement, leadership, and volunteerism. Nominations can be submitted to the City at any time. Visit www.jonesvillemi.gov or stop in to City Hall to pick up a nomination form.
