To see a list of other award winners visit NDC's Awards and Hall of Fame page.
Volunteer Spotlight: 2009 Volunteer Awards for NDC Prince George's County
This year, the Neighborhood Design Center is proud to honor two volunteers who have made an extra effort in both the quality and quantity of the pro-bono services they provided for our Prince George's County office. They are Volunteers of the Year Sarah Hedlund and Courtney Galiber.
Sarah and Courtney were chosen as our Volunteers of the Year because of their commitment, vision, and follow-through on a three-year project: the Hamilton Streetscape and Artwalk Project in Hyattsville (right). The project began with the design of an Artwalk along Hamilton Street that would highlight sculptures created by local artists. The City then asked if the design could be extended to improve the edge of Magruder Park adjacent to Hamilton Street. Finally, the volunteers convinced Hyattsville to expand their vision and create a comprehensive streetscape plan for Hamilton Avenue that included new bus shelters, traffic calming, and improved pedestrian crossings. As a result of the work by Sarah and Courtney, Hyattsville was able to secure nearly $300,000 to implement the improvements. To see a plan and drawings of the project, click HERE.
Sarah graduated from the Pennsylvania State University Landscape Architecture program in 2005. She has worked for Morris & Ritchie Associates for four years in the land planning department, and is a Registered Landscape Architect in Maryland. In addition to volunteering with Neighborhood Design Center she is also involved with the Washington Chapter of the Urban Land Institute. “I joined NDC to get more involved in my community and projects in need of design assistance. I’ve gotten a chance to learn more about the public design process and work alongside other passionate volunteers in a collaborative environment. Volunteering for NDC has been a challenging and rewarding experience.”
Courtney is a graduate of the University of Maryland Landscape Architecture program. She has spent the past five years working for Morris & Ritchie Associates in Laurel, MD and is a Registered Landscape Architect in Maryland. While in school she spent a year as an intern at the Neighborhood Design Center and has had the pleasure of working on multiple projects as a volunteer since then. In addition to volunteering with NDC, Courtney volunteers her time as Treasurer of the Maryland Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. “I decided to volunteer with NDC because I wanted to help communities realize the possibilities of their public spaces. It’s a worthwhile experience to work with people who appreciate what you are doing for them, not because of any potential monetary gain, but because it enhances and enriches their community. The biggest reward is seeing a community’s reaction when their visions are carried out and you’ve helped them create something they can rally behind and feel proud of.”