Maple Leaf Award Nominees Wanted

The Maple Leaf Awards selection committee is seeking nominees for the 2011 Maple Leaf Awards. The committee will be accepting nominations through the first week of January 2011. The awards dinner date is not yet set, but is planned for April.

The Maple Leaf Award recognizes residents new and long-term who have provided outstanding volunteer work the Maplewood community. It is very important to note that nominees for the Maple Leaf Award must be recognized for unpaid volunteer work and the work should be performed primarily for Maplewood. In addition, volunteer work is what is considered, not financial contributions to an organization or cause. The award program is run by the Maplewood Civic Association.
 
Work performed for an organization, however worthy, for which there is compensation received in return for the work, is not eligible for consideration for the Maple Leaf Award. In addition, political work or contributions of money and time to the campaigns of those who are running for office are not considered for the Maple Leaf Award.   
 
The following examples are provided as guidelines for the kind of volunteer work that is considered for the Maple Leaf Award (a copy of the nomination form is attached):

• Elementary school PTA officer, member, helper, etc.
• Boy/Girl Scout Troop leader, helper
• Service on Maplewood Planning Board
• CBAC subcommittee member, chair
• Fourth of July volunteers (contests, tickets, races, etc.)
• Church or service organization volunteer to provide housing and food to needy
• Literacy or reading volunteer in schools
• Volunteer work in recycling efforts
• Local American Red Cross volunteer
• Maplewood Service Men and Women Committee
• Service work for Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, etc. service organizations
• First Aid Squad Volunteer
• League of Women Voters non-partisan voter registration, candidates' forums, etc. 
• Unpaid assistant in after school programs

Last year's winners were Dr. Elizabeth Jones Crandall, Dr. Charles Crandall, Bruce Mandel of the Maplewood Volunteer First Aid Squad and Nancy S. Sobieski.

Connie Cosgrove is the chair of the Maple Leaf Award selection committee and Mary Devon O'Brien is the overall chair of the event. Forms should be mailed to the Maplewood Civic Association, MAPLE LEAF AWARDS, P.O Box 3, Maplewood, N.J. 07040 or emailed to Connie Cosgrove.