DATE: July 14, 2003
23 ‘Good Neighbors’ to Receive Awards From Rockville’s Mayor and Council
New Program Honors Residents Who Have Contributed to Their Overall Communities or Helped Individuals
ROCKVILLE, Md., July 14, 2003 – Rockville’s Mayor and Council will honor 23 individual residents tonight with “Good Neighbor Awards” as part of a new program that recognizes individuals for contributions to better their communities.
The program, which will annually recognize citizens who improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods, was created by the City’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services. Those who will receive plaques signifying their contributions were nominated by other residents. The awards will be presented by the Mayor and Council before tonight’s general session that will be televised live by The Rockville Channel (cable channel 11).
“We hope that by recognizing the goodwill efforts that these citizens have made on behalf of their neighbors and community, it will inspire others to do the same,” said Guerdon Stuckey, Rockville’s Director of Neighborhood and Community Services. “We also hope that this program will evolve into helping stimulate a sense of community pride. The Mayor and Council have stressed that pride is built from within a community itself, and we know that many good things have been happening quietly in Rockville for many years. By letting people know about some of these things, we hope others will say, ‘Hey, I can do that, too.”
The nominees had to meet the following criteria to be selected to receive Good Neighbor Awards:
- Be residents of the City of Rockville
- Made significant contributions to their neighborhoods or to Rockville during the 2002-03 calendar year
- Demonstrated efforts beyond the scope of citizen responsibilities
- Demonstrated concern for their neighborhood’s well being or overall quality of life for Rockville
Nominations were submitted in May. City of Rockville employees were not eligible to be considered for awards.
The residents to be honored tonight are: Randy Alton, Robert Andrews, David Carter, Jimmy Carter, Richard Chace, Marie Consroe, Iness Davis, Christopher Garmer, Kathy Hickman, Wes Hickman, Raymond Lewis, Katie Makeig, James Marrinan, Edward Mattos, Megan McCormick, Mary McEachem, Robbin Morton, Greg Murdock, Helen Reed, Amy Robinson, George Sushinsky, Nancy Sushinsky and Butch Wright.
The honorees were selected for a variety of acts including shoveling snow for neighbors, constantly running errands, helping with yard maintenance and working toward the success of community programs.
Amy Robinson is typical of the award winners. The person who nominated Robinson wrote: “Amy is more than a good neighbor. She is a lifesaver. In my latest episode of illness, she has met my needs, both day and night. She has gone to the grocery story, picked up my prescriptions and bought me a battery-operated telephone so that help is always within reach. She has visited me any time I needed her—even at 3 a.m. … With more people like Amy, Rockville would be a better place for everyone.”
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