Saturday, April 26 marks the return of the Azalea Awards to Azalea City!

But this is no flower show!

The Azalea Awards showcases hardy perennials of the human variety. It's a celebration of the people who put the "Takoma" in Takoma Park. ("Takoma" being the term—from a long lost language—meaning, "high up near heaven," "exalted being," or "awesome dude." The exact translation is unclear.)

In short, these awards, sponsored by the Takoma Voice and the Takoma Foundation, honor a group of neighbors who make our hometown great.

This will be the 4th Azalea Awards ceremony. The first was held in 1997. The ceremony was reprised in 2006 and has since become an annual event—the Takoma Park party of the year.

The 2008 Azalea Awards will be held from 6 - 8:30 at the Takoma Park Community Center (7600 Maple Avenue). Click here to download the Azalea Awards 2008 poster.

The Azalea Awards are based on nominations made by citizens like you. You can help choose this year's winners by completing the electronic ballot below. Please note that winners are retired from nomination for ten years. Winners from 2006 and 2007 are listed below each category as they apply.

After pressing SUBMIT, your vote in each category will be sent to the awards committee and recorded.

The names in the pull-down list reflect nominations made prior to March 30.

Don't see the name you want to vote for? Don't despair! Just write it in. Last year several of the award winners were write-in candidates. We will update the pulldown menu as often as possible.

You may skip any category.

Please do not fill out your ballot more than one time.

If your browser has difficulty with the form below, send an e-mail message with your votes to azalea @ takoma.com (the e-mail address is not linked for security reasons—you'll need to type it into your e-mail browser. Remember to eliminate any spaces).

Questions? Problems? Call 301-891-6744 and ask for Eric Bond.

Thank you for participating

Takoma Spirit

Individual, organization or event that best reflects the spirit of Takoma Park

Choose one from this list: Tebabu Assefa Mairi Breen Rothman Chopteeth Takoma Fire Historic Takoma Linda Stern Norkin Takoma Park Farmer's Market Takoma Park Film Festival Takoma Park JazzFest Takoma Park Neighborhood Youth Soccer Takoma Park Street Festival Takoma Zone Thunderbolts TPSS Co-op Earth Day Celebration Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Previous winners:

Arts

Organization or individual that helps art to flourish in Takoma

Choose one from this list: A. Salon Art for the People Azalea City Recordings Anne Becker Don Berger Tom Block John Guernsey Art Isaacs Liz Lerman Dance Exchange Gabrielle Morcate (art teacher, SSIMS) Mary Sue Twohy Charlie Pilzer Chuck Redd James Houck Takoma Park JazzFest Takoma Park Artists Guild Takoma Park Arts & Humanities Commission Takoma Park Street Festival Washington Opera Alice Sims Bobbi Kittner Joan Samworth Annette (Gallant) Wasilik Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Previous winners:

Business Leader

Local business owner or business organizer who promotes the progressive spirit of Takoma through local commerce

Choose one from this list: Dr. Amen/Wisdom Path Healing Center Fair Day's Play Jude Garrett/Now & Then Roz Grigsby/Main Street Takoma John Hume/Sligo Creek Tile Robbi Kimball/ Long and Foster Pennye Jones-Napier/Big Bad Woof Bobbi Kittner/Kittner Design Erwin Mack John McQuillan/Salon Jam John Urciolo Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Previous winners:

Coach

A person with a role in the local sports leagues who has made a significant contribution to our children through years of service

Choose one from this list: George Askew Roy Austin Bob Bingaman Bill Blattner Bob Patten Monica Ettinger Chris Fairhall Joe Felperin Greg Gorman Benita Griffis Gail Gugel Bruce Guthrie James Houck Rich Houston Sue Immerman Eamon Javers Tony Langley Alphonse MacDonald Ron McClain Denis McDonough Peter O'Driscoll Andrew Partan Rick Salzman Andrew Strongin Sean Tipton David Uhlmann Bill Valdez Parry Wilson Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Previous winner:

Educator

Individual who has made a significant contribution to students in Takoma Park

Choose one from this list: Mr. Allen (PBES) Leila Campbell (PBES) Mr. Edwards (TPMS) Bryan Goehring Abby Golden (TPES) Tran Hue (TPMS) Dan Hutton (TPES) Nalini Jeevaraj Sra. Jimenez Peggy Kennedy (TPES) Bissy Leighton Rolling Terrace Kemi Mosadomi Vicky Parcan (SSIMS) Rachna Rikhye (PBES) Priti Sarin (TPES) Melissa Sigley (SSIMS) David Stein (MBHS) Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Previous winner:

Green Takoma

Local individual, group, or project making an extraordinary difference regarding the environment

Choose one from this list: Erika Castillo (Science Teacher, SSIMS) Center for a New American Dream Susan Harris (Wild Wild Takoma) Bill Hutchins Sat-Jiwan Khalsa Sandra Nitchie (Monarch Effect Foundation) Greg Smith; TP Committee on the Environment Takoma Park Farmer's Market TPSS Food Co-op Betsy Taylor (1Sky) Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Previous winners:

NEW CATEGORY!

School Activist

Volunteer who effectively assists other parents, students, and/or teachers toward successful public education

Choose one from this list: Nora Cartland Sue Katz Miller Diana Kohn Pam Loprest Ray Moreno Dave Ottalini Linda Tipton Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

NEW CATEGORY!

Mentor

Community member unaffiliated with the schools or with sports who has made a significant difference in the life of a younger community member

Choose one from this list: Anne Becker Colleen Clay & Karen Vernon Chris Colvin David Eisner Carl Elefante Debra Haiduven Sue Immerman Elizabeth Johnson Dave Lanar Karen McPherson Ron McClain Lori Potts-Dupre Terry Seamens Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Takoma Activist*

The "Taktivist" Award goes to the individual who exemplifies civic leadership within our city limits. Neighbor and Tenant Association leaders are eligible as are persons working across neighborhood boundaries.

* Previously called "Neighborhood Leader"

Choose one from this list: Tebabu Assefa Sabrina Baron Kay Daniels-Cohen Jim Evans Scott Gilkeson MaryBeth Hastings Sue Immerman Andy Keleman Wolfgang Mergner Lorraine Pearsall Megan Scribner Betsy Taylor Young Activist Club at PBES Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Previous winners:

Volunteer superhero

Community member who walks the walk, talks the talk, and leaps small buildings with a single bound

Choose one from this list: Tebabu Assefa Steve Davies Mairi Breen Rothman Jill Feasley John Hume Diana Kohn Lisa Moscatiello Barbara Shuttleworth and Frank Demarais Dave Lanar Catherine Tunis Write-in other

If you select "write-in other," please complete the text field below with your nominee for this category.

Previous winners: