Montgomery Serves Awards 2021
Watch the virtual awards ceremony for the 10th annual Montgomery Serves Awards!
Neal Potter Path of Achievement Award Honorees
Honoring lifetime service by those age 60 and up
Nancy Aldous
Nancy Aldous of Laytonsville has volunteered in Montgomery County for over 50 years. She has advocated for libraries, drunk-driving laws, community planning, land use, environmental protection, and assistance for low-income families and individuals. Nancy’s volunteer portfolio includes the League of Women Voters, Damascus Help, the Library Advisory Board, The Dwelling Place, Red Wiggler Farm, the Sandy Spring Museum, and Community Reach of Montgomery County, among others. Read more about Nancy Aldous.
Delores Cole
For more than five decades, Delores Cole of Rockville has been making a difference through her church, sorority, citizen advocacy efforts, and educational outreach. Delores has taken a leadership role at Clinton AME Zion Church in the historic African American neighborhood of Lincoln Park, served on the county Board of Elections, was a founding member of the George B. Thomas Saturday School tutoring program, and tutored elementary school students. Read more about Delores Cole.
Volunteer of the Year Awards
Recognizing outstanding volunteer service performed the previous calendar year
Theresa Testoni
Volunteer of the Year
Theresa Testoni, a Silver Spring resident, began volunteering at Rainbow Community Development as the pandemic hit. She helped the organization address food insecurity by preparing and delivering groceries, training volunteers, managing a pilot program, serving as a Spanish translator, organizing fundraisers, writing grants, and connecting Rainbow with community resources. Not only a valued volunteer, Theresa is a leader who inspires others to get involved. Read more.
Brigitte Bonsu
Youth Volunteer of the Year
In 2020, Takoma Park resident Brigitte Bonsu demonstrated how small acts of kindness can make a big impact. As the pandemic hit, Brigitte sprang into action with volunteer activities at two organizations, Small Things Matter and Community Bridges. The Montgomery Blair High School senior distributed food and books to needy families, organized a racial equity town hall, and created a “Books for Bedtime” program. Read more about Brigitte Bonsu.
Montgomery County Muslim Foundation
Volunteer Group of the Year
As the impact of COVID-19 changed life, the Montgomery County Muslim Foundation—powered by more than 400 volunteers—intensified its efforts and adopted new and innovative ways to assist neighbors affected by the pandemic and subsequent economic downturn. The group's projects—including feeding the hungry and homeless, assisting refugees, and providing programming for seniors and youth—served neighbors in need, regardless of faith, race, or gender. Read more.
M Luis Construction
Business Volunteer of the Year
M Luis Construction, based in Silver Spring, is a woman- and minority-owned business that is one of the region’s leading asphalt manufacturing and construction services companies. In service to Warrior Canine Connection, a Boyds nonprofit that helps active-duty service members and veterans, M Luis laid asphalt and millings at the nonprofit's Healing Quarters. This donation has provided improved access for hundreds of veterans and their families. Read more about M Luis Construction.
Congratulations and Thank You to All
Choosing our winners was not at all easy. We are grateful for the many impressive nominations and appreciate those who volunteer to make Montgomery County an even better place to live, work, play, raise a family and retire!
2021 Montgomery Serves Awards Nominees
480 Club LLC, AARP Tax-Aide Program, Komlan Adzeh, Lisa Agogliati, Isabella Ahn, Andrew Ahn, Ann "Nancy" Aldous, Anna Anand, Rochelle Andrews, Ann Jackman , ANS Garden Stewards, Juan Arango Millan, Fernanda Arber, Sarah Bagheri, Deena Barlev, Kathleen Bartels, Be Ready 2020, Jessica Berrellez, Shruti Bhatnagar, Johann Bograd Dretchen, Brigitte Bonsu, Rita Booth, Mimi Brodsky Kress, Muhammed Bryant, Elle Butterfield Empey, Vera Chaudhry, Lucy Chen, Lisa Cline, Jane Meleney Coe, Delores Cole, Kristen Coten, Katelyn Daniel, Kim Deserio, Johann Dretchen, Jonina Duker, Sharon Dunda, Stephen Durako, Sandra Egan, Sister Lubna Ejaz, Mark Fine, Hettie Fleming, Gaithersburg Help, Paul Gebecki, Girl Scout Troop 1890, GO Church Volunteers, Minnedore Green, Dr. Michael Greenberg, Habitat for Humanity Metro MD, Healthy V Girls, Kathy Healy, William "Bill" Hicks, Erica Hsu, Hughes United Methodist Church, Nani Jackson, Samantha Jayasundera, Bob Kane, Matt Kane, Janet Kisler, Kingdom Cares, Knine Rescue Inc, Debra Lang, Charles Lee, M Luis Construction, Terrie Manchester, Ann Marie McCormack, Cynthia McKee, Simoni Mishra, Mayur Mody, Montgomery County Muslim Foundation, Montgomery County SHIP, Allison Moon, Evan Nicholas, Nourishing Bethesda, Arjun Oberoi, Laura-Lei Palmer, Michelle Perera, Gianiree Camila Pinares Garcia, Lauren Poteat, Sadiq Qureshi, RAISE (Christ Episcopal School Committee), Rohan Rajesh, Timothy Reynolds, Grace Rivera-Oven, Rotary Club of Downtown Silver Spring, Dylan Safai, Hope Safai, Deborah Scheuerman, Kaniera Scott, Elizabeth Scott, Faadil Abdullah Shaikh, Adileh Sharieff, Aman Shergil, Max Shevitz, Cathleen Shi, Joyce & Terry Seamens, Bill Snyder, Veronica Sulima, Teens Helping Seniors, Theresa Testoni, The Morning After Care Center for Hope and Healing Inc., The Vaccine Hunters of Montgomery County, Think Delta Inc., Unity Christian Fellowship Math Tutoring/ Mentoring Club, Upper Montgomery Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, Karen and James Warner, John Warshawsky, Washington Metro Oasis Online Class Moderators, Henry Woodward, Walt Whitman High School Inspirators, Xi Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Joseph S.D. Yao, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.-Gamma Alpha Eta Zeta Chapter, Elisa Zoltick
2021 Montgomery Serves Awards Nominators
Zainab Abbas, Doris Abraham, Tufail Ahmad, Susan Ahn, Abi Akintounde, Mark Anders, Sarah Bagheri, Mary Baldeon, Dr. Arla J. Bentley, Linda Berns, Terry Blumer, Danielle Bograd, Robert Borochoff, Michelle Bowen-Ziecheck, Myrtis Brame, Odile Brunetto, Andrea Cameron, Lysander Canlas, Marie Cavill, Samantha Cheakalos, Stephanie Clark, Jessenia Clary, Lisa Cline, Julia Cosentino-Tich, Amy Creel, Beulah Daniel, Monica De Bolle, Jane DeAngeli, Janet Dence, Sangita Desai, Indira Dingledine, Patricia Drumming, Audrey Dumentat, Julia Elam, Diana Emerson, Marion Entwisle, Gina Esipila, Sarwar Faraz, Kimberlyn Faulkner, Melanie Folstad, John Frizzell, J Michael Galway, Charlotte Garvey, Aranzasu Gasca Chable, Juan T Gascue, Mike Grant, Rebecca Grant, Mitch Greene, Paul Gunther, Fresia Guzman, Greg Hand, Genevieve Hannan, Laurel Hollingsworth, Sandy Hu, Gillian Huebner, Jeff Hunt, Bita Izad, Mindi Jacobson, Dawn Johnson, Pimmie Juntranggur, Andrea Kempner-Wink, Jacqueline Koh, Cheryl Kollin, Emma Kunda, Alif Laila, Kathryn Larin, Crystal Lee, Jane Li, Alan D. Lichtman, Sandra Limjuco, Cindy Majane, Jewel Martin, Kim Mayo, Sooky McFadden, Jyoti Mehta, Marcy Merti, Sherry Moitoza, Joo Moon, Evelyn Nicholas, Micky O'Neill, Sarah Olson, Marli Pasternak, Andrew Penn, Justine Pfeiffer, Daniella Prieshoff, Anu Raghunathan, Daisjha Ramey, Lucinda Ramsey, Raghuveer Rao, Michael Redmond, Zach Routon, Rev. Russ, Leah Russi, Vira Safai, Romi Kaur Sawhney, Aleks Schiff, Kathleen Schulz, Nancy Scull, Michaella Sevalie, Phyllis Solomon, Rev. Russ St. Bernard, Jessie Stern, Pawel Sulima, Theresa Testoni, Bill Thomas, Jessica Ting, Pat Tyser, Patricia Tyson, Rupal Udeshi, Rhonda Vann, Muhammad Yaqub, Ellen Zavian
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