Every year, the Concord Grange #322 holds a big to-do to honor many members of the local community – and that includes us.
Unfortunately, we were unable to make the annual Community Recognition Night, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t add a shiny new plaque to our collection that now totals eight over the last two-plus years. That’s a pretty impressive haul if you ask us.
The Concord Grange is a big fan of the work we do at the Insider, and subsequently we were recognized with yet another Grange Media Award for Newspapers.
But enough about us. This, after all, was a celebration of the community and not just Concord’s premier weekly publication.
Joining us in the media award category was none other than Monitor scribe Nick Reid. Reid is a top-notch reporter, so it only seems appropriate that he earned the Grange Media Reporting Award.
Jerry Madden was named Grange Citizen of the year, while Concord Police Detective Chris DeAngelis was named Outstanding Police Officer, and Concord Fire’s Matt Fallon took home the award for Outstanding Firefighter.
Jim McCollum Jr., principal at Rundlett Middle School, was awarded as Educator of the Year, and Ben Greene was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Apple Hill Farm owners Chuck and Diane Souther were given the Agriculture Recognition Award, while Bartlett Dairy Farm was named Agriculture Farm of the Year.
Other awards included: State Trooper in the Concord area: TFC Jeffery Ardini, Troop D; Legislative Award: Paul Smith, Clerk of the Legislature; and Grange Community Spirit Award: Jim Murphy.
The Grange also gave out appreciation awards to the Concord Cemetery Division and General Services.
The Grange membership honors were presented to Beverly Edwards (25 years); Robert Hardy (55 years); and Beverly Greeley and Edward Sawyer (both 70 years).
The next meeting for the Concord Grange will be May 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 48 Airport Road. Call Grange Master Dick Patten at 496-2917 for more information.
Insider staff
