Mayor Rawlings-Blake Honors “Baltimore’s Top Neighborhood Moms"

BALTIMORE, Md. (May 6, 2014)—Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake hosted her eighth annual Baltimore’s Top Neighborhood Moms luncheon at the Baltimore Rowing and Resource Center. Twenty-five winners were selected from among the nominees for the positive impact they have had on their communities. The Baltimore’s Top Neighborhood Moms contest honors strong and dedicated Baltimore women for their efforts to make their communities better, safer, and stronger.

“We cannot quantify the value of strong women in our communities,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “I want to thank Baltimore’s Top Neighborhood Moms—and others like them throughout Baltimore—who make a year-round commitment to building a thriving city of wonderful neighborhoods.”

Nominations were submitted by community associations across Baltimore City. Nominees were not necessarily mothers themselves; rather, nominees must have demonstrated a motherly love for their neighborhoods by giving back to where they live and being caretakers of their communities.

ABC2 News anchor Kelly Swoope served as mistress of ceremonies for the event. Personal fitness trainer and competitive body builder Ernestine Shepherd delivered the keynote address. In 2010 and 2011, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized Ms. Shepherd as the world’s oldest competitive female body builder.

At the luncheon, winners were presented with a citation from Mayor Rawlings-Blake and a charm bracelet provided by PANDORA. A complete list of women honored as Baltimore’s Top Neighborhood Moms, and the communities that nominated them, is below.

Mayor Rawlings-Blake is currently accepting nominations for her Baltimore’s Top Neighborhood Dads contest. Baltimore’s Top Neighborhood Dads will be honored in June. For information on Baltimore’s Top Neighborhoods Dads, or to download the nomination form, visit moncs.baltimorecity.gov.

Baltimore's Top Neighborhood Moms 2014 Winners:

• Leslie Armstrong-Davis, Druid Heights Community Development Corporation
• Ella M. Broadway, O’Donnell Heights Resident Council
• Jane Bucherri, Hollins Roundhouse Association
• Carolyn Carey, Greater Mondawmin Coordinating Council (GMCC)
• Lillie Cutler-Ziegler, Resident Advisory Board of HABC, Inc.
• Gladys Dirton, Govans
• Angela Epps, New South Clifton Park Community Association
• Rose Ella Fleming, Belair-Edison
• Cheryl Harrison-Jackson, Resident Advisory Board of HABC, Inc.
• Seema Iyer, Roland Park Civic League
• Johanna Van Kirk, St. Paul's Community
• Bertha McCormick, Perkins Homes Community Tenant’s Council
• Caroline McKeldin-Wayner, Wyndhurst Improvement Association
• Sonja Merchant-Jones, Better Waverly Community Association
• Katie Norwood, Hillen Road Improvement Association
• Catherine Orange, Seton Hill
• Hattie Rhames, Dukeland Development
• Sarah Sette, Arcadia Improvement Association
• Cynthia Shaw, Edmondson Village/Lyndhurst
• Tamara Stinnett, The Mt. Washington School PTO
• Lulu Terry, Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello
• Jeanette Watkins, Cherry Hill
• Shirley West, Fayette Street Outreach Organization
• Violet Wise, Better Waverly Community Association
• Cookie Wright, Carrollton Ridge Community Association