WASHINGTON, DC – At its Annual Membership and Awards Luncheon, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) presented Greenbelt Mayor Judith “J” Davis with the organization’s highest honor, the Elizabeth and David Scull Metropolitan Public Service Award. The award is presented annually to an elected official for outstanding service to the metropolitan Washington region.
Davis was honored for being a collaborative, catalytic force behind many of COG’s recent initiatives, including her role as a key member of the Greater Washington 2050 Coalition that developed Region Forward. Davis is a perpetual spokesman for COG and for the effectiveness of regionalism. She has also worked at the local and regional level to promote environmental and sustainability issues, such as COG’s recent residential energy efficiency campaign, “We Can.”
“In addition to her direct work with COG, Mayor Davis has been a strong advocate for the region and our environmental concerns before the state legislatures in Annapolis and Richmond and the Council of the District of Columbia,” said Andrea Harrison, COG Board Chairman and Prince George’s County Council Chair. “Mayor Davis skillfully leads a small community that always has understood the importance of working within a big metropolitan region and we honor her today for all of her work.”
Joan Brady Photography, the volunteer photographer for COG, NBC 4, and the Freddie Mac Foundation’s Wednesday’s Child program, was honored with the 2011 Regional Partnership Award. Brady’s role is extremely vital to the success of the Wednesday’s Child program. The photographs she takes are used to recruit permanent loving families for children in the program.
Having served as a Wednesday’s Child volunteer photographer for almost a decade, Brady has demonstrated a gift for making children feel relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera. Brady recently volunteered her time to take photos at COG’s “Kids Need Families Like Yours” Foster Parent Appreciation event at National Park on April 30, 2011. Several of these photos can be seen on the Kids Need Families Like Yours Facebook page.
The COG membership also elected its Corporate Officers for 2012. District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray will serve as the organization’s President, while Gaithersburg Council Member Cathy Drzyzgula and Manassas Council Member Sheryl Bass will serve as COG Vice Presidents. Charles County Board President Candice Quinn Kelly will serve as Secretary-Treasurer.