Many things make a good neighborhood: sidewalks, shady trees, and manageable car traffic come to mind. But most of all, it’s the people who take time to know each other, who care about the health, safety, and rights of their neighbors, who help and look out for children, elders, and others in need.
These are the neighbors who show they care by maintaining their homes, gardens and public spaces, who participate and are connected to organizations that focus on neighborhoods.
And these are the extraordinary people the City of Asheville wants to honor as the Neighborhood Advisory Committee seeks submissions to recognize individuals or groups who have made a difference in their neighborhood during 2019. The recipient or recipients will be recognized at an Asheville City Council meeting and be featured in the neighborhood news throughout the year.
So help us find that outstanding person or group and nominate them for Asheville’s Neighborhood Hero Award!
Past recipients have included:
Sophie Dixon, President of the Shiloh Community Association, 2019
Renee’ White, President of the East End/Valley Street Neighborhood Association, 2018
Steve Mitchell, known as Mr. Malvern Hills, 2017
Asheville’s neighborhoods have unique identities, their own history, culture and values that they treasure. Each is a social experiment about living together, and each has successes and noble failures that we can all learn from.
Successes can be as complicated as organizing an entire neighborhood, or as simple as clearing a sidewalk of vegetation. We want to hear about any project that helped your neighborhood, and the people behind it.
Share with the city the good work going on in your neighborhood! Nominate a deserving recipient. The deadline is Jan. 31, 2020. Fill out the nomination form to give your input.
For more information, contact Neighborhood & Community Engagement Manager Brenda Mills at [email protected] or 828-259-5506.
Photograph: Sophie Dixon, past winner of the Neighborhood Hero Award.