2009 Nominees

Aaron Kozloff

"Aaron is a leader of the Awesome Club—a teen club devoted to wholesome fun. He is a captain of the Blair frisbee team, open to anyone who wishes to play. He involves other teens in new and adventurous activities such as the Takoma Park Sidewalk Game or practicing parkour."

Daryhl Lyons

"Daryhl's drumming circle is the only productive part of my daughter's mid-life crisis. Through his work at the TPSS Food Co-op and his open drum circles, Daryhl embodies the community rhythm of Takoma Park."

Takoma Park JazzFest

"The Jazzfest is an all-volunteer community event. Begun by Dave Lorentz 14 years ago (and now organized by Bruce Krohmer), the festival shows that Takoma Park is not just for folkies. The Jazzfest incorporates community members with prominent headliners, traditional jazz with experimental forms to create a truly cool event."

Takoma Park Recreation Committee
and Recreation Department

"Together the committee and the department created a winter basketball league of 450 players and 80 adult volunteers, all in a few months and from scratch."

Takoma Park Street Festival

"Eighteen musical groups playing on three stages, activities for children, crafts from around the world, community information booths, and food to please any palate—the Takoma Park Street Festival has been a community favorite for 28 years. The proceeds of the festival help support Mainstreet Takoma initiatives."

Vote for Takoma Spirit!

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2009 Nominees

A. Salon

"A. Salon is a nonprofit cooperative of artists located at 6925 Willow Street in Takoma DC. With only one paid staff person, the co-op manages A. Salon collectively and maintains the space through volunteer sweat-equity."

Chopteeth

"Chopteeth is a 14-piece Afrofunk orchestra that explores the common groove between West African and American popular music. In February 2009, the Washington Area Music Association voted the band Artist of the Year in their annual Wammie Award voting."

Charlie Pilzer

"Charlie Pilzer is the founder of Azalea City Recordings, a CD label that lets artists maintain the rights to their own work, reserve creative control, and work together with other artists to get their music heard and distributed."

Sam and Bobbi Kittner

"The Kittners marry fine photography with fine art. Sam Kittner has earned an international reputation for his sweeping panoramas and his portrait photography. In 2008, he lent his services to the Old Takoma Business Association to create a uniquely Takoma Park calendar. Meanwhile, Bobbi explores color,, texture, and found objects through her painting, mixed media, collage, and assemblage. They are Takoma Park's Steiglitz/O'Keefe couple."

Alice Sims, Arturo Ho, and Laurie Stepp

"Acclaimed artists in their own right, Alice, Arturo, and Laurie are combining their talents on a public art project to beautify the facing of the library and the community center with a major rendering of mosaic art."

Vote for an Arts Leader!

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2009 Nominees

Jennifer and Quentin Finney
owners, Tranquil Soul

"The Tranquil Soul is an eco-boutique with cool character, unique product offerings and alternative gift items. They only do business with vendors who support fair, ethical, and green practices. The majority of what they sell is created or produced by self-supporting crafters and artisans, small green businesses, and fair trade co-ops."

Roz Grigsby
Executive Director, Old Takoma Business Association

"Roz is the glue that holds the Old Takoma shopping district together. During these tough times, it is reassuring to know that someone is working to promote the local mom and pops."

Chris and Nadol Hishmeh
owners, Olive Lounge

"Brothers Chris and Nadol have expanded the oldest family business in Old Takoma to include a popular pub in the back. The new watering hole, serving exotic burgers and good beer, has quickly become the happening hangout in evenings for old friends and new ones."

Jeanne and Dennis Ha
owners, Park Florist

"With artistry and grace Jeannie runs a great business and touches important days in people's lives with beauty. She knows that Takoma Park isn't interested in the ordinary, and she does the extraordinary."

Karen Leeman
owner, Moonshadow

"Karen keeps the community artfully aware of our moment in time through her thoughtful selection of vintage objects. She is a delightful representative of the Takoma Park business community."

Tori Paide
owner, Still Point

"A holistic spa, the Still Point has been written up in the Washingtonian as one of the best in the area. Tori has introduced many new clients to Takoma Park who then frequent the other local businesses either before or after their treatments."

Lisa Ripken
owner, Fair Day's Pla

"How do you find toys and games for your children while ensuring that other children around the globe were not exploited in the production of your purchase? Fair Day's Play is built around the idea that shoppers should not have to make such a choice. Lisa runs her shop on the concept of Fair Trade, which allows farmers and textile workers to set their own prices, meaning more money in the pockets of the workers, without exploitation of children in sweat shops."

Zoe Stern
manager, S&A Beads

"Zoe personifies the spirit of Takoma Park retail with her friendly demeanor and eclectic, artistic eye. As longtime manager of S & A Beads, Zoe has overseen generations of DIY beaders. She deserves thanks for helping to keep this great store in the community."

Vote for a Business Leader!

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2009 Nominees

Bob Antonisse

"Bob is a veteran soccer coach and maestro of annual Takoma 4x4 Soccerfest. He is now on his second full tour of duty in the league, or maybe it's his third."

Ernesto Campos

"Ernesto coaches a soccer team of mostly Latina girls who are now 13 and 14 and who began with him at age 6. The girls do not all go to the same schools or live in the same neighborhoods, but when they come together they all feel at home."

Monica Ettinger

"Monica is still going strong as a longtime organizer and league official for girls softball. One result is that Blair has become a county powerhouse in the sport.""

Andrew Partan

"Andrew coaches soccer at both the oldest and youngest levels, high school and nursery school. He is also the soccer league's new techno wizard."

Sean Tipton

"Where once soccer dads with bad knees were the typical refs in the soccer league, now there is a corps of teenage referees, thanks to a training program organized by Sean, another longtime coach and league official."

Ron Verdonk

"A popular soccer coach, Ron turned his talents to basketball this past winter as an organizer of the new league."

Vote for a Coach!

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2009 Nominees

Sara Bodde

"Ms. Bodde is an uplifting and special third grade teacher at Piney Branch Elementary."

Kristin Dunlap

"Ms. Dunlap is the teacher all parents want for their child—literally! Dynamic, engaging, compassionate she makes her 3rd-grade classroom come alive at Piney Branch Elementary."

Abby Golden

"Mrs. Golden is known as the "mother" at Takoma Park Elementary Schoo, as the school's sole guidance counselor,. Her job is immense, yet she somehow is able to make each child feel special."

Mary Hochkeppel

"Ms. Hochkeppel, the lead music teacher at Sligo Creek Elementary, drives an hour each way from her home to inspire her students with music. From developing a partnership with the Washington Opera to developing a special percussion ensemble that practices weekly before school, she is a source of creative and engaging ideas."

Terri Reed

"Ms. Reed is an outstanding and caring kindergarten teacher at Takoma Park Elementary."

Vote for an Educator!

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2009 Nominees

Alan Abrams

"Building and renovating homes since 1975, Alan has taken a leadership role in promoting the practice of green building at the local and national level. He has drafted and ramroded a resolution in support of green building adopted by the American Institute of Building Design."

Steve Davies

"Steve is an environmental professional who most recently is spurring residents to give up the use of noisy, environmentally destructive power tools for routine yard care. Steve isn't shy about pushing Takoma Park to stay in the environmental vanguard."

Jim Epstein

"As board chair of DC Greenworks, Jim is a non-stop promoter of green roofs. Three have been installed thus far in Takoma Park, and, if his vision comes true, many more will be."

Sat Jiwan Ikle-Khalsa

"Sat Jiwan wears many environmental hats in Takoma Park. He is a board member of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the president of the Save Our Sky home heating corn cooperative, one of the founders
of the Takoma Park Green Building groups, he organized the Takoma Park Green Home and Gardens tour and he helps to inspire folks to green their own homes and lives through his business Truthful Living his construction management with Helicon Works and his monthly Voice article "Going Green"

Nancy Nickell

"A tireless volunteer with the Folk Festival, Nancy has led efforts to recycle vendors' cooking oils and to improve festival recycling policies and procedures."

Sandra Nitchie

"Sandra is the founder and executive director of the Monarch Effect Foundation, which raises awareness and funds iniatives to preserve of the Monarch Butterfly and the North American Migratory phenomenon."

Vote for an Environmental Leader!

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2009 Nominees

Kate Kelliher

"President of Piney Branch PTA and basketball coach."

Lucy Neher

"Organizer of 5K "fun run" to benefit PTAs."

Nicole Pauls

"Longtime PTA activist and sports activist for football, soccer and 5K run."

Rosa Sanchez

"Go-to Spanish translator for every local school."

Ray Scannell

"Longtime PTA activist, including cluster coordinator, and an organizer of girls softball."

Sally Taber

"In addition to formal PTA positions, up to cluster coordinator, she has always been a go-to person for all issues related to the schools."

Vote for a School Activist!

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2009 Nominees

Dave Burbank

"Dave has been leading Dungeons and Dragons for many years. He keeps huge groups of kids involved in an activity which engages their creativity (no screens) and sense of play."

Chris Colvin

"Chris teaches music to young people and has been instrumental in trying to provide opportunities for their bands to play at various venues. Teens don't have many places to go for that and Chris has made it happen."

Becky Linafelt

"Becky teaches her love of music to kids. Parents love her, but more importantly the kids absolutely adore her. She also teaches music classes at the Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School where she is a valuable part of the arts in learning program."

Phil Shapiro

"Phil relishes his title as Takoma Park's Resident Geek. Through his work at the Takoma Park Library and Community Center, Phil teaches kids to harness the Internet to learn, create and express."

Joan Samworth

"At the Community Center and in public art projects around the area, Joan has taught kids and adults to paint in vivid colors and to draw with abandon. When talking of her muse for her abstract seascapes, she's never more understanding to her students."

Vote for a Mentor!

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2009 Nominees

Kay Daniels-Cohen

"Kay has been a presence in the SS Carroll neighborhood and around Takoma Park for years, recently responsible for helping revive her neighborhood association, driving the campaign to reopen the Piney Branch pool and organizing the promotion of the new basketball league."

Elizabeth Brinkama

"Elizabeth has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to local, iondependent business and the preservation of Takoma Park's Main Street by organizing fundraisers and events and by writing on behalf of the local "mom and pops" in her Biz Buzz column and blog."

Sabrina Baron and Lorraine Pearsall

"As leaders of Historic Takoma, Sabrina and Lorraine have worked long and hard to preserve and enlarge what's best about greater Takoma through preservation of our historic districts, while also being positive forces for economic development."

Jay Levy

"Jay Levy was part of the Nuclear Freeze movement, but as one of Takoma Park's many citizen activists, he decided to focus on the local level. His idea was to draft a city ordinance declaring Takoma Park a nuclear free zone—which the nuclear free committee accomplished 25 years ago. His ordinance has been a model for municipalities across the country."

Rob Richie and Cynthia Terrell

Founders of FairVote, Richie and Terrell think and work nationally to enhance democracy—and they have already done so locally with the successful campaign to introduce instant run-off voting to Takoma Park.

Vote for a Taktivist!

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2009 Nominees

John Hume

"John built the Main Street Design Committee into an active, vital group. Single-handedly, he removed graffiti. He used to pick up all the trash up after the 4th of July parade on his own. A quiet, very unsung hero of T.P. I believe he goes unrecognized because he so quietly fights for Takoma."

Wolfgang Mergner

"Wolfgang is doing a great job with the Emergency Preparedness Committee, just as he did in the past with the Public Safety Committee. He co-chairs that board of the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County and he single-handedly recreated the Philadelphia-Eastern Neighborhood (PEN) newsletter. He's a consummate volunteer."

Susanna Shapiro

"Shortly after moving to Sligo Park Hills, Susanna started volunteering with IMPACT Silver Spring. She organized people to walk the neighborhood, seeking volunteers for MLK Day and beyond, and is taking the lead on organizing Neighborhood Circles to help address the local fallout from the economic crisis. She's got a big heart, and a strong sense of commitment, working locally as a volunteer and internationally in her career. She makes our community, and the world, a better place."

Steve Whitney

"Steve knows how to connect people to other people and events that they've always wanted to be part of! He is a stalwart stage manager at Folk Festival. He was active in making the Alternative Gift Fair a big success in 2008 and helped organize a basketball league for DC kids."

Vote for an Volunteer Superhero!

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