All citizens are invited to the City of Carrollton’s 13th annual Citizens’ Evening on Wednesday, March 4 to hear Carrollton Mayor Kevin Falconer’s State of the City Address and the presentation of the Carrollton Volunteer Awards. The free event will take place at the Carrollton Senior Center (1720 Keller Springs Road) in the Texas Ballroom from 6-8:30 p.m. 

Attendees will have an opportunity to mingle with City officials and meet members of the Neighborhood Advisory Commission. Information booths will be set up so attendees can learn about City services, as well as volunteer opportunities within the community. 

Mayor Falconer’s State of the City Address will focus on new developments, programs, and events within the community. Because the City of Carrollton is “Where Connections Happen,” the organization works hard to connect residents with information about all that is occurring within city limits. 

“The City’s vision for Carrollton is to be the community that families and businesses want to call home,” Falconer said. “I invite all citizens to join us as I share some of the exciting things happening in our great City as we continue to progress toward that vision.”

The event agenda also includes the presentation of the Carrollton Volunteer Awards, including the Volunteer of the Year, Youth Volunteer of the Year, Neighborhood Leadership, and Outstanding Community Organization Awards facilitated by the City’s Neighborhood Partnership Office, as well as the Jimmy Porter Award facilitated by the Parks & Recreation Department. These awards are designed to recognize individuals, organizations, and leaders who have gone above and beyond to deliver exceptional community service to the City of Carrollton and its residents in 2019.

“The City is excited to recognize volunteers who have contributed their time, ideas, and efforts in making our community such a great place,” Environmental Services Director Cory Heiple said. “Carrollton is grateful for the many volunteers whose service enhances the lives of its residents and visitors.”

The nominees for the Volunteer of the Year Award are: 
• Mary Arronte, who has worked with the Friends of the Carrollton Public Library for the past 15 years training new volunteers, supervising teen/youth volunteers, and assisting with Library events.
• Tim Herrel, who was nominated for his work with the Carrollton VFW Post 8923, Carrollton Legion Post 597, and Carrollton Veterans Memorial Plaza Sub-Committee. 
• Judy Holleman, a volunteer for Operation Kindness who worked 920 hours in 2019 doing various tasks such as training, front desk duties, and working with fearful dogs.
• Donna Hudson, who volunteers at the Carrollton Animal Services & Adoption Center cleaning dog kennels and providing socialization, mental stimulation, and affection to the animals.
• Marla Moody, who volunteers at the Carrollton Animal Services & Adoption Center providing mental and physical stimulation for the cats, as well as fostering young or under-socialized kittens until they are ready for adoption. 
• Sonny Sunquest, who serves as a volunteer for the Carrollton Police and Fire departments and has spent numerous hours instructing CPR, AED, and Stop the Bleed classes.

The nominees for the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award are: 
• Stephen Adcox, who completed his Eagle Scout Service Project by organizing and building an outdoor classroom pavilion at Rosemeade Elementary School. 
• Hima Tummalapalli, who serves as a volunteer for the Carrollton Public Library assisting with crafts, die-cutting, cleaning toys, marking books, stamping, and working at various Library events. 

The nominee for the Neighborhood Leadership Award is: 
• Tre Williams, who goes above and beyond in his work at Sandy Lake RV Resort to make the residents feel at home. 

The nominees for the Jimmy Porter Award are:
• Jason Benavidez, who has volunteered for the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Youth Soccer Association for eight years, coaching various teams. 
• Matt Gould, who has been active in Carrollton youth sports for 13 years and has served as the president of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Baseball Association since 2016.
• Scott Larkin, who has volunteered as a coach and board member for Carrollton-Farmers Branch Girls Softball League for more than nine years and is currently the president of the league. 
• Eric Long, who has volunteered for the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Baseball Association since 2015 and has been coaching the same group of boys since they were in the 1st grade.
• Rob Mehnert, who is a volunteer for the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Cyclones, a Special Olympics Texas team, and currently serves as a board member for the team. 
• Marcus Melton, Sr., who is a volunteer for the Carrollton Youth Football League and coached the Carrollton Eagles team for over 12 years. 
• Doug Mueller, who has volunteered for the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Baseball Association for the past two years coaching a boy’s baseball team. 

The nominees for the Outstanding Community Organization Award are:
• Carrollton Farmers-Branch Soccer Association, which provides and promotes opportunities for youth recreational soccer in the community. 
• Carrollton Host Lions Club, which assists victims of abuse with home repairs and medical bills, as well as provides rides for senior citizens and disabled individuals to and from their medical appointments. 
• The Civic League, which was nominated for its educational, charitable, and cultural work in the Carrollton community and has helped hundreds of students achieve their goals through scholarships and education grants.
• Friends of Furneaux Creek, which inspires individuals and groups to participate in nature projects along the Furneaux Creek Blue Trail. 
• Friendship House, which has been providing food, clothing, and financial assistance to those in need in Carrollton for more than 30 years.
• Highlands Neighborhood Association, which was nominated for its work on the beautification of the neighborhood’s entryway completed in 2019 through the Neighborhood Enhancement Matching Grant Program. 
• I-CERV, which has hosted numerous events around the Carrollton community and partnered with Feeding Children Everywhere to package more than 160,000 healthy meals.
• Operation Kindness, which aids animals in need of medical care, companionship, and most of all, a home. 

Parking for Citizens’ Evening will be available at the Carrollton Senior Center, as well as Carrollton City Hall (1945 E. Jackson Road). Shuttles will run between City Hall and the Senior Center continuously from 5:30 to 9 p.m., picking up on the west side of City Hall near the flag poles. 

For more details or to RSVP to this free, public event, visit cityofcarrollton.com/citizensevening or call 972-466-4299. 

Agenda:

6 p.m.	City Information Booths Open
7 p.m.	Welcome – Community Services Manager Brian Passwaters
7:05 p.m.	Carrollton Volunteer Awards Ceremony – Scott Windrow, Neighborhood Advisory Commission Chair
7:30 p.m.	State of The City Address – Mayor Kevin Falconer
8:25 p.m.	Closing – Scott Windrow, Neighborhood Advisory Commission Chair