Right place for jury on good deeds

At noon today, 13 local people will gather at Seattle University to give away $1.2 million.

The money is known as the Opus Prize, and is a little like winning the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes without even knowing it exists.

Nominees have no clue that they're being considered for $1 million, or one of two $100,000 prizes, all funded by Opus, the Minneapolis-based construction giant now building a residential tower at 1521 Second Ave.

The Opus Foundation has 15 "spotters" all over the world, secretly watching good people do good deeds. ("Opus" is the Latin word for "work.")

The spotters make recommendations, and once a year at a Catholic university somewhere in the United States, a jury gathers to whittle 12 finalists down to three.

A representative from the foundation, along with a Seattle U. faculty member and student, will visit each finalist this spring. The winners will be notified this fall.

Last year's $1 million winner was Brother Constant Goetschalckx, founder of AHADI International Institute in Tanzania. It provides post-secondary and high-school training to refugees from war-torn places like Congo and Rwanda.

"The finalists don't have any reason to think that anything is coming around the corner for them," said juror Margaret Larson, former "Dateline" correspondent. "And that gives me a giant thrill."

The jury includes Larson, William Gates Sr., Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, former U.S. Sen. and Gov. Dan Evans, REI Chief Executive Sally Jewell and former Sonics coach Lenny Wilkens.

Impressive. But still, I wondered: Who are we to judge an international prize like this?

Opus Prize adviser Amy Sunderland said Seattle was chosen, in part, for its reputation for both social innovation and philanthropy.

"It's a great place that truly embraces this kind of work."

The Rev. Stephen V. Sundborg, Seattle University's president, called Seattle a "globally sensitive community."

"We're more aware of what can be overcome," he said.

Sundborg will build the school's annual "Mission Day" around the Opus Prize winners in the hopes of creating more social-justice leaders.

"There is a great culture of ingenuity here," Larson said, citing the computer and biotechnology industries. "The things that have been good for business here are being applied to world problems.

"The Gates Foundation, PATH ... They're changing the world in an important way."

Wilkins was just looking forward to being in the jury room.

"Seattle is an international city, full of people who are very progressive, very involved," he said. "They're knowledgeable. They've seen things."

And the nominees are much the same, Wilkins said.

"These are people who are committed to transforming what they see," he said. "To be part of this is a huge honor."

For Larson, the day of judging won't be work at all.

"It just makes you happy to know that there is this kind of goodness in the world."

Nicole Brodeur's column appears Tuesday and Friday. Reach her at 206-464-2334 or nbrodeur@seattletimes.com.

Thank you, Patty Stonesifer.