Montgomery County has named six individuals and organizations as recipients of this years Montgomery Serves Awards.
This year’s honorees, selected from among hundreds of inspiring nominations, represent some of the key ways volunteers regularly serve the community, including emergency response, food assistance, and other supports for the County’s most vulnerable residents.
“Volunteers make a real difference in Montgomery County,” said Molly Callaway, director of the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, in announcing the award recipients. “There are so many wonderful examples of that right now, in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Likewise, there have long been County residents selflessly serving critical needs throughout our region every day of every year. This year’s Montgomery Serves Awards honorees exemplify that amazing spirit.”
The 2020 Montgomery Serves Awards recognize volunteers in the following categories:
The Neal Potter Path of Achievement Awards, honoring lifetime volunteer service by those age 60 and up, goes to:
- Robert Marques, of Germantown, who has long volunteered with the Montgomery County Community Emergency Response Team and the Washington Grove Volunteer Fire Department, serving on the Community Emergency Response (or CERT) Go-Team, performing community outreach, instructing classes, working with teens, and more.
- Wolfgang Mergner, of Takoma Park, a long-time community activist who developed the Village of Takoma Park, an all-volunteer organization whose mission is to provide an array of intergenerational support services to seniors and persons with disabilities who wish to live actively in the community.
The Volunteer of the Year Awards, recognizing outstanding volunteer service performed during the previous calendar year in four categories:
- Volunteer of the Year: John Frizzell, a Rockville resident and president of Rockville Meals on Wheels, who volunteered more than 1,000 hours to the organization in 2019, providing the leadership skills, technical know-how, and dedication needed to achieve its mission of providing meals to Rockville community members in need.
- Youth Volunteer of the Year: Nick Casertano, of Gaithersburg, a junior at St. Anselm’s Abbey School in Washington, DC, who developed and led an outreach program for the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, giving children an opportunity to use their imaginations while building LEGO creations.
- Volunteer Group of the Year: Montgomery County Students for Change, whose 15 chapters at public and private high schools throughout the County provide local youth with an opportunity to tackle some of the most challenging issues of their generation, including gun violence prevention, climate reform, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Business Volunteer of the Year: GEICO, based in Chevy Chase, whose partnership with Shepherd’s Table—a Silver Spring nonprofit that serves those experiencing homelessness and other residents in need—includes reliable monthly meal services, passionate volunteer support for events, and pro bono assistance with special projects.
Montgomery County Volunteer Center
Learn more about the Volunteer Center and the awards at www.montgomeryserves.org. For more information, contact serviceawards@
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