Montgomery County Volunteer Center Names Volunteer Award Honorees

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Montgomery County has named six individuals and organizations as recipients of the 2021 Montgomery Serves Awards, the County's highest honor for volunteerism. This year's honorees, selected from among hundreds of inspiring nominations, represent some of the key ways volunteers have served the community during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout their lifetimes.

"Volunteers have long played a critical role in Montgomery County, but their efforts were especially important this past year," said Molly Callaway, director of the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, in announcing the award recipients. "The volunteer response to the pandemic has been outstanding. Individuals and groups throughout the county have stepped up to help the community in countless ways—from donating food to assisting at testing sites to helping organizations with day-in and day-out needs. This amazing spirit of service is exemplified by the 2021 Montgomery Serves Awards honorees."

The 2021 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, which go to:

• Nancy Aldous, of Laytonsville, who has served Montgomery County as a volunteer for over 50 years, advocating for libraries, drunk driving laws, community planning, land use, environmental protection, and assistance for low-income individuals.
• Delores Cole, a Rockville resident who has spent more than five decades making a difference in the community through her church, sorority, citizen advocacy efforts, and educational outreach.

The Volunteer of the Year Awards, recognizing outstanding volunteer service performed during the previous calendar year in four categories:

• Volunteer of the Year: Theresa Testoni, of Silver Spring, who helped Rainbow Community Development address food insecurity by providing direct services to clients, engaging in advocacy, grant-writing, fundraising, and connecting organizations with resources.
• Youth Volunteer of the Year: Brigitte Bonsu, a senior at Montgomery Blair High School and Takoma Park resident, who volunteered with Small Things Matter and Community Bridges on a variety of projects, including distributing food and books, organizing a racial equity town hall, and creating the “Books for Bedtime” program.
• Volunteer Group of the Year: Montgomery County Muslim Foundation, which intensified its efforts and adopted new and innovative ways to assist neighbors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with projects for feeding the hungry and homeless, assisting refugees, and providing programming for youth and seniors.
• Business Volunteer of the Year: M Luis Construction, based in Silver Spring, whose partnership with Warrior Canine Connection—a Boyds nonprofit that helps active-duty service members and veterans— included donating and laying asphalt and millings at the nonprofit’s Healing Quarters to provide improved access.

The Montgomery County Volunteer Center, which helps connect individuals and groups with volunteer needs at local nonprofit organizations and government agencies, organizes this prestigious annual awards program. Visit www.montgomeryserves.org to learn more about the Volunteer Center, the awards, and all the honorees.

For more information, contact serviceawards@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-2600.

# # #

 

Release ID: 21-280
Media Contact: Lorna Virgili 240-277-8072
Categories: Volunteer