2 Reston Residents Recognized With Lake Anne Good Neighbor Awards

A Lake Anne Plaza business owner launched the award, with the first honors going to a 5-year-old and a weekly crafts organizer.

By Michael O'Connell, Patch Staff

Apr 20, 2026 8:54 am EDT

Elianna Malesic, 5, was recognized as a 2026 Good Neighbor Awards recipient for picking up litter every week around Lake Anne Plaza and in nearby woods. (Radhika Murari)

RESTON, VA — Lake Anne Plaza in Reston presented its first Good Neighbor Awards on Saturday, recognizing a child and an adult for contributions to the community. The award was launched by Lake Anne Plaza business owner Radhika Murari, according to a press release .

Murari created the Lake Anne Good Neighbor Award to recognize people who reflect what the release describes as Reston’s community spirit. The idea was inspired by Reston founder Bob Simon’s vision of a connected community and is meant to honor neighbors whose actions support life around Lake Anne Plaza, she said.

“Lake Anne has always been about people coming together,” Murari said. “This award shines a light on those who carry forward the belief that our community thrives when neighbors show up for one another-with kindness, care, and connection.”

The inaugural awards were presented by Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra (D-Reston) and Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill), as part of a community effort to highlight neighbors whose actions support others, the release said.

In the kids category, the 2026 honoree was Elianna Malesic, 5. Elianna and her father go to Lake Anne Plaza on weekends with a bucket and trash picker to collect litter around the plaza and in nearby woods, accoring to the release. In one week, Elianna picked up 35 pounds of trash.

Elianna’s cleanup work is intended to help care for the environment and keep the neighborhood clean and safe. When asked why she does it, Elianna said, “Because we’re saving the Earth- and because we’re Malesics.”

Pat McIntyre (center) was recognized with a 2026 Good Neighbor Award for hosting a crafts table on Saturdays at Lake Anne where children can gather and make seasonal projects. (Radhika Murari)

In the adult category, the 2026 honoree was Pat McIntyre, who hosts a crafts table on Saturdays at Lake Anne where children can gather and make seasonal projects, according to the release. She plans the activities and buys the supplies herself.

The weekly crafts table is free and open to all, becoming something families anticipate. McIntyre’s work was recognized for helping to create a place where neighbors can connect.

The Good Neighbor Award will expand in 2027 to include a wider geographic area around Lake Anne Plaza.

Also See ...