2012 Azalea Awards
April 28, 6:30 p.m.- 9 p.m. Takoma Park Municipal Building
Welcome
The Takoma Foundation and the Takoma Voice newspaper welcome you to the 8th annual Azalea Awards ceremony. We are delighted that you are able to join us as we recognize some of the most dynamic leaders in our community. Takoma Park is a special place to live and work, and the nominees for the 2012 Azalea Awards are dedicated to making it even better. They have helped to create and sustain so much of what we hold dear: our festivals and cultural events, athletics, green initiatives, schools, unique businesses, and more. While we are celebrating the Azalea Award nominees and winners tonight, please remember that this event would not be possible without the support of individual donors, business sponsors, and the City of Takoma Park. Our key sponsors and donors are listed on the last page. When you see them, please thank them for their generosity. We hope that you will enjoy the ceremonies this evening and gain inspiration for your own local projects. Sincerely, Franca Brilliant, President, Takoma Foundation Eric Bond, Publisher, Takoma Voice
Foundation Board members Kevin Adler Tebabu Assefa Bruce Baker Barry Barth, Treasurer Eric Bond Franca Brilliant, President Maureen Feely-Kohl Peter Feiden
Ben Frey Nadol Hishmeh Robbi Kimball Howard Kohn, Vice President Pam Larson Kathy Porter Bob Sheldon, Secretary Scott Ward
Thanks
Takoma Foundation For All Your Beneficial Work
Meg Finn & Dan Metcalf Long & Foster Realtors Specializing in Takoma Park and Close-in Silver Spring
Meg Finn
301-270-6515
Meg.Finn@LNF.com
Dan Metcalf 301-830-1221
Dan.Metcalf@LNF.com
O: 240-497-1700
Our Evening Program Opening Song
Pam Parker and Chester Burke (piano)
Welcome
Mayor Bruce Williams Franca Brilliant, President, Takoma Foundation
Presentation of Awards
Hosted by Eric Bond, Publisher, The Voice Robbi Kimball and Howard Kohn, Takoma Foundation Mentor/Youth Leader. Presented by 2011 Awardee Pat Rumbaugh Educator. Presented by 2011 Awardee Burton “Mr. G” Generlette Business Leader. Presented by 2011 Awardee Lisa Ripken, Fair Day’s Play Coach. Presented by 2011 Awardee Ernesto Campos School Activist. Presented by 2011 Awardee Linda Tipton Community/Neighbor Tak-tivist. Presented by 2011 Awardee Loretta Neumann Takoma Spirit. Presented by 2011 Awardee Diana Kohn Arts Leader. Presented by 2011 Awardees John Guernsey and Merrill Leffler Green/Environmental Leader. Presented by 2011 Awardee Jim Baird Announcement of Spring 2012 Takoma Foundation Grants Maureen Feely-Kohl, Chair, Takoma Foundation Grants Committee Volunteer Superhero. Presented by 2011 Awardees Wolfgang Mergner and Michelle Morgan
Raffle Prizes! Closing song by Pam Parker and Friends Please join us for a dessert reception in the Azalea Room.
Nominees
Takoma Spirit
Mary Carter-Williams. Retirement from teaching has led Mary to new avenues in health and wellness activism, as well as poetry. Lorig Charkoudian. From the Takoma Junction Task Force, to the Food Coop, to a proposed community kitchen, Lorig is always on the move. Christopher King. Improving safety and expanding recreational options drive this MapleView Tenants’ Association leader. Terrill North. Terrill’s presence in Ward 6 has jumpstarted a sense of “neighborhood” in the Takoma Overlook condominium. Marika Partridge & Larry Ravitz. Bringing beauty to Takoma Park through music and mosaics are just the tip of the iceberg from this inseparable team.
Volunteer
Alexander Berley. Looks out for the interests of folks on Allegheny Avenue and beyond. Dan DeMocker. Cub Scout Pack Master and Soapbox Derby enthusiast, Dan always has a smile on his face and tools in his hands.
Bob Patten. Takoma Park’s oneman trail and street beautification service. Jeffrey Trunzo. Takes on controversial issues at the municipal, regional, and state levels for numerous committees. Joyce Seamens. Hiding behind a quiet and humble demeanor, she makes sure that members of our neediest communities are not forgotten. Wayne Sherwood. The ultimate behind-the-scenes neighbor and quiet advocate for kids. Lois Wessel. Organizes meals for families in crisis or hardship and provides health services for lowincome and uninsured residents across the region.
Artist
Bruce Krohmer. He’s raised the visibility and popularity of the annual JazzFest during his tenure as chair. Charlie Pilzer. Founder of Azalea City Recordings, our town’s music label that enables a collective of artists to reserve creative control of their work and its distribution. Mark Sylvester. Music teacher, composer, and acclaimed instrumentalist, he’s both a master musician and down-to-earth mentor.
Business Leader
Jeanne & Dennis Ha, Park Florist. They know that Takoma Park isn’t interested in the ordinary, so they do the extraordinary.
Jose Dominguez. Under his leadership, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center has become a destination for professional artists, as well as art enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.
Ed Gossen & Murat Uzuntepe, Roscoe’s. Their delicious firecooked pizza and paninis honor renegades, railroads, roosters, and Roscoe—indoors and al fresco.
Sara Daines. She delivered on the city’s promise that the Municipal Building Auditorium will be a local arts center through the “We Are Takoma” series.
Karen Leeman, Moonshadow. Keeping the community artfully aware of our “moment in time” through a thoughtful selection of vintage objects and clothing.
Caitlin & Meaghan Murphy, Capital City Cheesecake. Generous spirits as well as superior bakers, they helped to establish Takoma Park’s foodie culture. Tori Paide, Still Point. Acclaim for this holistic spa has drawn many new clients to Takoma Park, where they discover our city’s many charms. Bruce Sawtelle, Takoma Bicycles. New to town but not to bicycles, Bruce offers an array of products and outstanding service; he loves solving can’t-be-fixed problems.
Coach
Roy Austin. A big guy with a big voice and gentle heart, Coach Roy is also a founder of the Takoma Park Running Club. Andrew Partan. This Takoma Soccer coach is also the league’s techno wizard and can be found lining the fields every Friday. Raj Pillai & Ted Unnikumaran. These coaching partners have perfected the right blend of teaching, encouragement, and behavior management (!) for their kindergarten team. Norm Suchar. Win or lose, his teams always exude sportsmanship and positive motivation.
Joe Temenak. When the baseball games are done for the day, our league commissioner deals with countless e-mails and phone calls so the fun can continue for the rest of us.
Educator
Julian Brinson. No event at Sligo Creek Elementary is complete without Mr. Brinson’s smiling presence and steady stream of jokes. Kristin Dunlap. Dynamic and engaging, Kristin’s Piney Branch Elementary classroom activities inspire every student to rise to the challenge. Bryan Goehring. A beloved figure at Takoma Park Middle, he’s the advisor for the Difference Makers, the Ski Club, and the Science Expo. Abby Golden. Known as “Mother” at Takoma Park Elementary, the school’s sole guidance counselor makes each child feel special. Chris Goodrich. Northwood’s musical theater and drama director is known for innovative ideas, such as Project 24, a one-day writing, directing, and acting extravaganza.
Renay Johnson. The effervescent principal moved to Blair last fall after five years of rising achievement and community interaction at Takoma Park Middle. Lesley Romanoff. For more than 10 years, Lesley has been director of Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School, affectionately known as “The Purple School.”
Green Activist
Joe Edgell. It’s tough to turn a task force report into the talk of the town, but Joe achieved that last year by convincing the City Council to create a city staff position dedicated solely to “green” issues. Marty Ittner. A longtime steward of Friends of Sligo Creek, Marty uses her daily walk with her dog to keep an eye on problems with the creek. Diane MacEachern. Diane helped to establish the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument and has authored several popular books and an influential website about how to live a “green” life. Pamela Sparr. The inspiration behind new gardens along New Hampshire Ave. and the Hillwood Manor Gardening Association.
Mentor
Chris Colvin. A passionate music instructor, Chris finds venues for his students (and others) to play for live audiences, build their confidence, and share their music. Ahmed Elmi. As president of the Somali American Community Association, Ahmed has led the way in developing job training opportunities for East African immigrants. Bomani Jones. Bo’s rounds as a garbage and recycling collector are the highlight of many young children’s early mornings. Bo says he’s just being himself when he gives each child a boisterous greeting. Lew McAllister. Twice a week, Lew brings together 30 boys and girls at Takoma Park Middle who have been identified as having failing grades or behavioral challenges for honest discussion.
Joan Samworth. Through numerous public art projects, Joan has taught kids and adults to paint in vivid colors and to draw with abandon.
School Activist
Jenny Evans-Muir. As president of the Takoma Children’s School board, Jenny has upgraded educational excellence at this tiny nursery school. Megan Scribner. From Piney Branch Elementary to Blair, Megan has been a stalwart contributor, especially as the multi-year leader of Blair’s “after-prom” party. Barbara Shuttleworth. She’s brought art into the schools by organizing parents to make handsewn crafts highlighting their native countries, as well as by showing her own art. Sally Taber. In addition to holding formal PTA positions (including Cluster
Find out at the Azalea Awards! Congratulations to all the Nominees and Winners!
Realtor & Certified Buyer’s Agent
Real Estate Professional Specializing in Takoma Park & Silver Spring
301-455-4427 (O)240-497-1700
www.TakomaHomes.com Hank@TakomaHomes.com
Coordinator), Sally has always been a go-to person for all issues related to the schools. Carolyn, Jack, and Julian Thompson. Through numerous book drives, this mother and sons have opened the world of books to every Takoma Park Elementary student.
Takactivist
Colleen Clay. Girl Scout leader, Folk Festival chair, and affordable housing activist, this former City Council member also finds time to co-host a huge Halloween party. Cindy Dyballa. A renaissance mom, Cindy is in the swirl of sports leagues, dance, choral music, and youth gardening. Barrie Howard. For the citizens of Takoma-Langley, Barrie is master at analyzing the fine print of government rules, as well as leading petition drives and speaking publicly on key issues. Denise Jones. Denise has been the NAACP representative at multiple local public schools, an IMPACT Silver Spring parent trainer, a GED instructor, and more. Elissa McBride. For civic-minded dedication to families in need, few can match Elissa’s heart or her organizational skills. Dan Robinson. Dan has made a mark in town as a musician, environmentalist, City Council member, mentor, business leader, a founder of The Takoma Voice, fundraiser, and more. Roger Schlegel. Roger conceptualized and summarized the 16-month Takoma Junction Task Force project into a valuable report last year, just the latest of his local contributions.
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Who We Are The Takoma Foundation is your community foundation. We raise money locally and distribute it to innovative, community-based organizations in Takoma Park, Takoma DC, and Silver Spring. Our goal is to help make our community a great place to live, work, and play. Our grants are typically $2,000 or less, but they go a long way. Last year, we provided funding for youth art classes, field trips, and theatricals; a proposed FM radio station; healthcare referrals for immigrants; distributions of free books; beautification projects; and much more. Plus, we support beloved Takoma Park traditions such as the Folk Festival, JazzFest, and the Independence Day Parade. Those are just some of the more than 110 projects we have funded in the last five years. In all, we have raised and distributed more than $400,000 since 1989. You can make our work possible through a tax-deductible donation to the Takoma Foundation, participating in our events, and telling your friends about our grants programs. For more information, please visit www. takomafoundation.org and become a fan on Facebook.
The Takoma Foundation salutes our spring 2012 grantees. • Montgomery Blair PTSA. B-SMART summer program • Create Art Center. smART Kids art program at East Silver Spring Elementary • Crossroads Community Food Network. Eat Fresh Takoma Park • Montgomery Blair. Instruments and music for new world drumming class • Impact Silver Spring. El Rosal: Long Branch Women’s Entrepreneurial Sewing Circle
• Eastern Middle School. Slam poetry and performance art • Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington. Swim lessons and public awareness • Takoma United for an Engaged Community. International dance & dinner; Takoma Walk/Passport Day; and Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
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The Takoma Voice
The Voice is proud to be a co-sponsor of Support the 2012 Azalea Awards, and we extend our local appreciation to each of this year’s nominees for independent news. their contributions to our community. tpssvoice.com For a quarter-century, the Voice has been the homegrown, hometown journal of Takoma Park and Silver Spring. We began as a monthly tabloid newspaper pasted together with wax. Today, we blend quarterly printed editions with an interactive online format. We have changed in some ways, but our goal is the same: serving you. In a world cluttered by cookie-cutter franchises, we believe in the importance of maintaining a unique, local enterprise.
Thank you … The following individuals and organizations helped make tonight’s Azalea Awards event possible. The Takoma Foundation Board of Directors & Meg Kinghorn, Suzan Klein, Katya Parton, Jenn Wofford, and other volunteers. Blessed Coffee, dessert reception City of Takoma Park, facility City of Takoma Park Cable, videotaping Community Printing, flyers and program booklet Nadol Hishmeh, food donations & Happy 30th Birthday! John Hume (Sligo Creek Tile), award tiles Olive Lounge/Middle Eastern Café, dinner for volunteers and dessert reception Pam Parker, performer Raffle prize donors: Chopteeth and GriGri Discs, DC Labor Chorus, Pam Parker, Step Up Takoma!, Takoma Bistro, Takoma Park Folk Festival, Willow Street Yoga, Casey Willson Program editorial and design: Kevin Adler, Eric Georgevich, Pam Larson
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2012 hoME SChEDULE
Mon.-Sat. games start at 7PM; Gates and concession open at 6PM Sunday games start at 6PM; Gates and concession open at 5PM Schedule subject to change. Check website for updates.
THURSDAY, JUNE 7 v BALTIMORE
7PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 9 v HERNDON
7PM
SUNDAY, JUNE 10 v ALEXANDRIA
6PM
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 v BETHESDA
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FRIDAY, JUNE 15 v YOUSE'S ORIOLES
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SUNDAY, JUNE 17 v ROCKVILLE
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 v HERNDON
7PM
FRIDAY, JUNE 22 v SO. MARYLAND
7PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 23 v VIENNA
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MONDAY, JUNE 25 v YOUSE'S ORIOLES
7PM
THURSDAY, JUNE 28 v VIENNA
7PM
FRIDAY, JUNE 29 v D.C.
7PM
SUNDAY, JULY 1 v ALEXANDRIA
6PM
THURSDAY, JULY 5 v HERNDON
7PM
FRIDAY, JULY 6 v BALTIMORE
7PM
SATURDAY, JULY 7 v D.C.
7PM
MONDAY, JULY 9 v BETHESDA
7PM
FRIDAY, JULY 13 v ALEXANDRIA
7PM
THURSDAY, JULY 19 v SO. MARYLAND
7PM
SATURDAY, JULY 21 v VIENNA
7PM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 25 v ROCKVILLE
7PM
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