Citizen's Awards
The Middlebury College Citizen’s Awards program recognizes local residents who have helped to strengthen the Addison County community.
The Middlebury College Citizen’s Awards program began during the College’s bicentennial year in 2000. It recognizes local residents who have helped to strengthen the Addison County community. In 2009 the Citizen’s Awards were renamed in honor of President Emeritus John M. McCardell Jr. and his wife Bonnie, who fostered an ethic of public service in the Middlebury community.
Medals have been presented to residents of Middlebury and surrounding towns for their service in fields including medicine, education, business, philanthropy, government, the arts, and civic contributions. The selection committee particularly seeks to honor those who have contributed through their volunteerism, community service, and engagement of issues facing our community.
Awardees
To date there have been more than 70 recipients of the Citizen’s Award presented by Middlebury College to recognize local residents who have helped strengthen the Addison County community through their public service:
2022
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
| Angelo Lynn | Publisher of the Addison County Independent, Addison County Chamber of Commerce board of directors, Middlebury Business Association, board member of Porter Medical Center, president and longtime executive board member of the Vermont Press Association, president of the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, Middlebury Maple Run, Town Hall Theater, Opera Company of Middlebury, and the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival |
| Sarah Soule | Supervisor of Middlebury College Access Mentors (MiddCAM), a partnership between the high school and College that pairs college students with high schoolers, mostly first-generation college-bound students, as they navigate the college admissions process. |
| David Shaw | Mentor to Middlebury College student firefighting volunteers, coach and director of the Middlebury Youth Football Program, a member of the Vermont State High School Wrestling Officials Association, and as a board member of Addison County Home Health and Hospice. |
| Bethanie Farrell | Founder of Giving Fridge in Middlebury, a nonprofit collaborative that works with local restaurants to supply weekly fresh, high quality meals to anyone in need. |
Middlebury Announces Citizen’s Awards Recipients
Four Addison County residents have been named recipients of the 2022 Bonnie and John McCardell Citizen’s Award, which the College established in 2003 to recognize exceptional service to the community. The 2022 recipients are Angelo Lynn, editor and publisher of the Addison Independent; Sarah Soule, postsecondary planning coordinator at Middlebury Union High School; David Shaw, fire chief for the town of Middlebury and facilities manager for Co-operative Insurance Companies; and Bethanie Farrell, founder of Vermont’s Giving Fridge and Everything Nice.
2021
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
| Laura Asermily | Middlebury Selectboard, Earth Day Fair (now the Middlebury Co-op’s Spring Festival), energy coordinator of Middlebury, Energy Committee, Walk & Roll to School, Alateen, Al-Anon, Turning Point Center of Addison County |
| Kelly Hickey | Bundle, National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow, Reimagine Addison County |
| Tom Scanlon | American Legion Post 27, Middlebury Sports Commission, Addison Regional Planning Commission, Addison County Transportation Advisory Committee, Town of Middlebury Public Safety Committee, Addison County Local Emergency Planning Committee, emergency management director of the town of Salisbury |
Middlebury Names Citizen’s Awards Recipients
Tom Scanlon, adjutant of American Legion Post 27 in Middlebury, collaborated with the Vermont Department of Health and Porter Medical Center to set up COVID-19 vaccination clinics there from January 11 through June 18, 2021.
2020
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
| Glenn Andres | Historic preservation, community planning and the performing arts |
| Sadie Brightman | Middlebury Community Music Center, performing arts |
| Emily Joselson | Community Conversations, youth, family and social services |
| Amy Mason | Supporting services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, Addison County Mutual Aid, early childhood education and community schools |
Middlebury Honors Four Community Members with McCardell Citizen’s Award
Amy Mason, who has served as board chair of WomenSafe since 2014, launched and managed a capital campaign that raised more than $1 million for the nonprofit.
2019
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
| Cleon Bigelow | Addison Fair and Field Days, Lions Volunteer |
| Helen Bigelow | Board of Retired Senior Volunteers, Lions, American Legion Auxiliary |
| Carol Green | After Dark Music Series |
| Harvey Green | After Dark Music Series |
| Barbara Saunders | Mary Johnson Children’s Center |
| Claire Ayer ’92 | Former State Senator for Addison County |
| Mark Perrin | Green Peppers Restaurant, Community Volunteer |
Middlebury Honors Community Members with McCardell Citizen’s Award
Barbara Saunders, who served as director of the Mary Johnson Children’s Center for 33 years, receives a Citizen’s Award from Middlebury President Laurie Patton.
2018
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
| David Donahue | Community Relations |
| Kerri Louray Duquette-Hoffman | WomenSafe |
| Fran Putnam | Teacher and Environmental Activist |
| Harold Strassner | Habitat for Humanity |
| Edmund F. Sullivan | Safety Officer and First Responder |
Middlebury Honors Community Members with McCardell Citizen’s Award
Kerri Louray Duquette-Hoffman, left, the executive director of WomenSafe, in Middlebury, was one of five recipients of the 2018 Bonnie and John McCardell Citizen’s Awards. President Laurie Patton hosted the awards dinner at the President’s House on October 29, 2018.
2017
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Johana Brakeley |
Pediatrician |
|
Barry King |
Environmental Educator |
|
Warren King |
Conservationist |
|
Richard Thodal |
Community TV Producer |
Middlebury Honors Four Citizens for Exemplary Service to the Community
President Patton honored Johana Brakeley, Barry King, Warren King, and Richard Thodal at a ceremony on October 30, 2017.
2016
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Betty Nuovo |
State Representative |
|
David M. Sears |
Cornwall firefighter and local sports announcer |
Middlebury Honors Betty Nuovo and David Sears for Community Service
President Patton presents the Citizen’s Award to State Rep. Betty Nuovo.
2014-2015
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Bruce Byers ’55 |
Town Hall Theater and Community Volunteer |
|
Suzanne H. Byers ’55 |
Porter Hospital Auxiliary and Community Volunteer |
|
Robin Huestis |
Round Robin and Middlebury Community Players |
|
Natalie D. Peters |
Mary Johnson Children’s Center, Addison County Parent/Child Center, and Community Volunteer |
Middlebury Honors Four Residents for Exceptional Service to the Community
Middlebury College President Laurie L. Patton presented the Bonnie and John McCardell Citizen’s Awards for outstanding community service to Addison County residents Bruce and Suzanne Byers, Robin Huestis, and Natalie Peters at a celebratory dinner on January 26, 2016, on the college campus.
2013-2014
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Douglas Anderson |
Town Hall Theater |
|
David Brynn |
Vermont Family Forests Foundation |
College Honors Two Citizens for Public Service
Past Middlebury president Ron Liebowitz with McCardell Citizen’s Award winners David Brynn (center) and Douglas Anderson.
2012-2013
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Joanne Corbett |
Elderly Services, Inc. |
|
Don Keeler |
Public Service and Sheriff’s Department |
College Honors Two Citizens for Public Service
Past president Ronald D. Liebowitz presented the Bonnie and John McCardell Citizen’s Awards for outstanding community service to Addison County residents Joanne Corbett and Donald M. Keeler Jr. on June 4 at a dinner on the college campus.
2011-2012
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Nancy C. Malcolm |
Public and Community Service |
|
Thomas L. Munschauer |
Addison County Humane Society and Arts |
Malcolm, Munschauer receive Citizens’ Awards
Past Middlebury College President Ronald D. Liebowitz presented the Bonnie and John McCardell Citizens’ Awards for outstanding community service to Middlebury residents Nancy Malcolm and Thomas Munschauer on June 11, 2012 on the college campus.
2010-2011
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Liz Cronin |
Face Off Against Breast Cancer Hockey Tournament and Health Educator |
|
Michael G. (Mickey) Heinecken |
United Way of Addison County and Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association |
|
Susan Carpenter Vigne ’83 |
Aurora School and Community Service |
College honors three residents for community service
Past Middlebury College President Ronald D. Liebowitz presented the Bonnie and John McCardell Citizen’s Awards for outstanding community service to three area residents on April 11, 2011, at Kirk Alumni Center on the college campus.
2009-2010
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Margaret M. Carothers |
Habitat for Humanity of Addison County |
|
F. Peter Carothers |
Habitat for Humanity of Addison County |
|
George T. Murdoch II |
Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association and United States Army |
|
J. Douglas Sinclair |
Middlebury Community Care Coalition |
2008-2009
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Margaret Funk Martin |
Middlebury Select Board, Middlebury Day Care Center, and Champlain Valley Community Action Organization |
|
Gordon Kenneth Perine ’49 |
Addison County Chamber of Commerce |
|
Ann McGinley Ross ’53 |
Addison Peace Coalition, Education and the Arts |
2007-2008
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Richard Bullock |
Middlebury Union High School and Public and Community Service |
|
Anne Hoover |
Public and Community Service |
|
Peggy J. Peabody |
Fire District 1 and Middlebury Historical Society |
|
William J. Scott, Jr. |
Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center |
2006-2007
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Lucien Paquette |
Addison County Fair and Field Days |
|
Fletcher Brush |
Co-Operative insurance Companies, Middlebury Community House, and Addison County Chamber of Commerce |
|
Christie and Michael Steier |
Addison County’s Open Door Clinic |
2005-2006
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Al Stiles |
Middlebury Area Land Trust and Wright Park |
|
Reverend Paul B. Bortz |
Spirit of Nature and Middlebury Global Warming Action Coalition |
|
Roth W. “T” Tall ’65 and Cynthia Day Tall |
Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association, Cornwall Historical Society, and United Way of Addison County |
2004-2005
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
John V. Craven |
Addison County Community Action Group |
|
Abbott T. Fenn |
Keewaydin Environmental Education Center, Keewaydin Wilderness Canoe Trips, and the High Pond Audubon Youth Camp |
|
Linda C. Waterman |
Neat Repeats |
2003-2004
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Diana L. Barnard, M.D. |
Community Health Service of Addison County |
|
Patricia A. Boera |
Festival on the Green |
|
Betty Jo Calhoun |
Cornwall Town Government and Community Service |
| Helen G. Haerle ’73 |
Middlebury Union High School Board of Directors and Middlebury Downtown Business Bureau |
|
Henry B. Prickitt |
Middlebury College and Community Service |
|
Lawrence E. Volkert |
Veterans Service Officer and Veterans of Foreign Wars |
|
Gregory Wry |
Greg’s Market and the Middlebury Lions Club |
2002-2003
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Dorothea Nelson |
Addison County Humane Society and Middlebury Union High School |
|
Adèle E. Pierce |
Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History |
|
Frederic D. Powell |
Middlebury Union High School |
| James W. Rubright |
Middlebury Bagel & Deli |
|
Barbara A.B. Wagner |
Porter Hospital and Town Line First Response |
2001-2002
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Richard A. Goodro |
Town of Middlebury |
|
Dorothy B. Neuberger ’58 |
Counseling Service of Addison County |
|
Sonja J. Olson |
Vermont Coalition of Clinics for the Underserved |
|
Marguerite A. Quinn |
State of Vermont and Community Service |
|
James D. Ross ’51 |
Middlebury College and Community Service |
2000-2001
| Name | Public Service |
|---|---|
|
Eugene P. Childers |
Vermont Music Educators’ Association |
|
Ray W. Collins, Jr. |
Porter Hospital |
|
Joseph A. DeGray |
American Legion Post 27 and Community Service |
| George W. Foster, Sr. |
Community Service |
| Roch F. MacIntyre |
Vermont National Guard and Addison County Chamber of Commerce |
| Cheryl W. Mitchell |
Addison County Parent/Child Center and Vermont Agency of Human Resources |
| Alice Neef Perine ’47 |
Middlebury Union High School and Vermont National Education Association |
| Gordon C. Perine ’49 |
Middlebury College and Community Service |
| Thomas J. Plumb ’75 |
Addison County Community Action Group |
| Connie L. Staats |
Mary Johnson Children’s Center |