AARP Maryland, County Executive Marc Elrich, and County Council Honor Austin Heyman as a Community Icon

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Montgomery County resident Austin Heyman was presented with the AARP Maryland J. Joseph Curran Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received separate proclamations from County Executive Marc Elrich and the County Council to celebrate his long record of accomplishments, which benefit County residents.

AARP Maryland’s award is named for the esteemed statesman J. Joseph Curran Jr., former state representative, lieutenant governor, and longtime attorney general. It recognizes exceptional individuals who have exhibited a lifetime of exemplary commitment to volunteerism and civic involvement. Austin Heyman is only the second person to receive this honor from AARP Maryland.

The proclamation, presented on behalf of County Executive Marc Elrich, recognizes Austin Heyman’s extraordinary accomplishments on behalf of the broader community.

“Montgomery County owes a debt of gratitude for all he has done,” said County Executive Marc Elrich in a statement. “He has been a volunteer in our County since the 1970s and has worked with people of all ages to better their lives through advocacy. He and his wife Barbara devoted themselves to every aspect of community involvement from children and educational issues, to intergenerational and cultural understanding, to advocacy for older adults and the disabled. Austin is a community icon, a visionary, and an inspiration to residents of all ages in Montgomery County.”

Austin Heyman’s leadership contributions on behalf of County residents span several decades. They include serving as the first chair of the Montgomery County Commission on Children and Youth; president of the Montgomery County Council of PTAs; member of the Maryland Task Force on Guidance and Counseling; founder of the nonprofit organization "Interages," which builds bridges across generations and cultures; delegate to the White House Conference on Aging; chair of the County's Commission on Aging; originator of Montgomery County’s Vital Living Initiative; promoter of the Senior Leadership component to Leadership Montgomery County; senior fellow in the Office of Community Partnerships; co-chair of the Age-Friendly Montgomery group on Civic and Social Involvement; and, host of the television show, "Seniors Today."

Council President Nancy Navarro and Councilmember Gabe Albornoz recognized and celebrated Austin Heyman as a visionary and integral leader of our community who has demonstrated a life of service, creativity, integrity and purpose.

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Release ID: 19-350
Media Contact: Lorraine Driscoll 240-777-6507