In 2007, the Ełk City Council adopted a resolution on the establishment of the annual White Lily Award for outstanding contribution to the development of the city of Ełk. The idea of the award is to distinguish people who in a special way with their daily work, activity and commitment serve the city and its residents and contribute to the promotion of Ełk.

The awards are granted to individuals, legal entities and other entities for special achievements in the previous calendar year or for lifetime achievement in one of eight categories:
1. Patron of Sport,
2. Athlete of the Year,
3. Artistic Award,
4. Patron of Culture,
5. Ambassador of Elk,
6. Entrepreneur of the Year,
7. An attitude worthy of imitation,
8. Special Prize.

Applications are evaluated by a special Chapter, which this year was composed of:
1. Maria Terlecka – Laureate of the White Lily 2009 in the category of Patron of Culture – President of the Jury,
2. Artur Urbański - Deputy Mayor of Ełk,
3. Stefan Węgłowski - Chairman of the Ełk City Council,
4. Sabo Company – Winner of the White Lily 2007 in the category of Patron of Sport – representative: Karol Jabłoński,
5. Sebastian Kosiorek – Winner of the White Lily 2008 in the Sportsman of the Year category,
6. Sandaless Group – Laureate of the White Lily 2008 in the Artistic Award category – representative: Rafał Poniatowski,
7. Kontrapunkt Choir – Laureate of the White Lily 2010 in the category of Ambassador of Ełk – representative: Bożena Bieleniewicz,
8. Jan Kosiorek – Laureate of the White Lily 2006 in the category of Attitude Worthy of Imitation
9. Lucjan Różycki – Winner of the White Lily 2010 in the Special Award category

Out of the submitted applications, the jury awarded 18 nominations (in total in all categories). The winners and honored were announced during the White Lily Awards 2011 gala, which took place on October 18, 2012 at 18.00 in the Ełk Cultural Center.

LIST OF NOMINEES AND WINNERS OF THE WHITE LILY AWARD 2011:

Category: Athlete of the Year:
• Maciej Falaciński – White Lily Award 2011
• Dawid Kamiński – distinction

Category: Art Award:
• Piotr Karpienia – White Lily Award 2011

Category: Patron of Culture:
• Pawel Mojsiewicz
• Halina Orzechowska – White Lily Award 2011

Category: Attitude worth following:
• Walerian Stefan Zieliński
• Nicodemus Kemicer – White Lily Award 2011
• Alicja Śliwa
• Sebastian Kosiorek – distinction

Category: Ambassador of Elk:
• Janusz Majewski – White Lily Award 2011
• Masurian Song and Dance Ensemble "Ełk"

Category: Entrepreneur of the Year:
• Luxima S.A. – White Lily Award 2011
• Fish Farm in Ełk
• Rutkowski Development Sp.J – distinction
• Trade and Service Company "SPLENDOR"

Category: Special Prize:
• Jerzy Bauer – Special Mention
• Aneta Werla – Special Mention
•Przedsiębiorstwo Gospodarki Odpadami "Eko-Mazury" Sp. z o.o. – White Lily Award 2011



Medal "Meritorious for the City of Ełk" for Mr. Wojciech Jassak

This year's Gala began with a special event, which was the awarding of the medal "Meritorious for the City of Ełk".

This title deserves someone whose outstanding achievements have significantly influenced the development of our city, its contemporary shape and the quality of life of its residents.

This year, Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji Sp. z o.o. in Ełk celebrates its 20th anniversary. Thanks to many investments carried out by PWiK in Ełk – including the largest, modernization in the post-war history of Ełk, we can now boast of a modern water and sewage system.

Few cities in Poland can boast that their residents can drink water directly from taps, without worrying about their health. Elchans can.

At the request of the President of the City of Ełk, the City Council of Ełk awarded Mr. Wojciech Paweł Jassak – President of Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji Sp. z o.o. in Ełk the title of "Meritorious for the City of Ełk" for merits for the development of the City of Ełk, especially for many years of committed work in improving the quality of services provided by Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji Spółka z o.o. The City Council of Ełk adopted an appropriate resolution in this respect.

Mr. Wojciech Paweł Jassak by profession Sanitary Equipment Engineer was appointed President of the Management Board of the company on 01.04.1992.

Continuously for 20 years, he performs this function with great commitment, fully using professional skills and organizational talent, for the benefit of improving the quality of services provided in the field of water and sewage management of the Ełk agglomeration.

President Jassak is characterized by great personal authority, the ability to gather committed collaborators around him.

Consistency and persistence in achieving the chosen goals contributed to the creation of many investments in the city, significantly improving the quality of life of the inhabitants of Ełk. The last 20 years of the company's activity have been the implementation of pro-ecological investment activities, which are part of the Sustainable Development Program in Ełk, undertaken by the local government in 1993.

The result of the company's investment activity is:
• Modernization of the water treatment plant, based on technology imitating the processes occurring in nature, not requiring support with chemicals, and the achieved parameters meet the requirements of the European Union.
• An important investment is the built sewage treatment plant. Its operation brings measurable results, reducing the impact of the facility on the environment.
• Currently, the company is implementing the largest investment in the history of Ełk in the city, the total cost of which amounts to nearly PLN 115 million. The investment involves the construction and reconstruction of about 40 km of water supply and sewage network. The project will make Ełk one of the cities with orderly and modern water and sewage infrastructure. This modernization is a key element of the company's pro-ecological activities.