BELLOWS FALLS — Julie Cermola, office manager of Parks Place Community Resource Center, has won the Greater Falls Connections (GFC) 2021 A.C.E. Award, which recognizes inspired, positive action happening every day in the community.
Recipients of this award, according to GFC, “are the unsung heroes within our community who foster positive change and are dedicated to creating safe, healthy, and fun options for youth, families, and the community at large.”
In a news release, GFC said Cermola “exemplifies the best in our community: doing what it takes to help others and treating others with kindness, respect, and humility.”
The award was presented to Cermola during the organization's annual Ice Cream Social in August at the Rockingham Recreation Center.
According to Parks Place Director Megan Applegate, Cermola began as a volunteer at Parks Place “and quickly became a centerpiece at the organization.”
Applegate said that Cermola “is active in the recovery community and works as a community advocate through her work at Parks Place, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. When a family lost all to a fire, Julie volunteered to do all of their laundry in her own home after they reached out for help through Parks Place. She's a shining example of the power of turning your life around, regardless of your past.”
Cermola was nominated by community member Brandon Tenney, who said, “Julie goes above and beyond - not just working at Parks Place but by doing all the extra activities outside of work, always willing to help a fellow person out with whatever the case may be.”
“She's an excellent example of how you should treat others no matter what your past may be,” Cermola said. “She's polite in every sense of communication.”
Cermola joins previous winners, fellow unsung heroes Sam Fletcher, Sam Maskell, Christine Bullard, Barbara Ternes, Ryan Stoodley, Mike Malick, Gina DeCampo, Hailee Galandak-Cochran, Bonnie Anderson, Kiernon Galandak-Cochran, Robert McBride, Jamaican Jewelz, Katrina Bostwick, J.R. Lane, and Our Place Drop-In Center.
The A.C.E. Award is sponsored by Greater Falls Connections, whose vision is “to build a healthy, nurturing, and supportive community.” For more information, visit greaterfallsconnections.org.