The Carbon County Community Foundation is pleased to accept nominations for the inaugural Elissa M. Garofalo Community Impact Award. Established by friends and family of Elissa Garofalo, this award will be presented in her memory to someone who demonstrates leadership, vision, and community impact in Carbon County.
Elissa Garofalo’s passion and love for the area helped bring many heritage tourism and recreation projects to fruition. During her 21-year tenure with the Delaware & Lehigh (D&L) National Heritage Corridor, with nine years as the Executive Director, she had an enormous positive impact across the entire heritage area, in individual towns, and on the people she worked with. Her continued efforts resulted with a section of the trail being dedicated and appropriately named “Elissa’s Mile” in Jim Thorpe. Prior to coming to the D&L, Elissa co-owned Blue Mountain Sports in Jim Thorpe and was one of America’s first Main Street Managers. She pioneered efforts which led to Jim Thorpe‘s main street (Broadway) being named one of the Great Places of America by the American Planning Association.
Elissa was a force for Carbon County, without whom several projects would not have come to fruition.
This year’s Community Impact Award honoree will receive a stipend of $500, which should be used for professional development to help further the recipient’s career and education. This award is not intended to be a Lifetime Achievement Award, but rather it will recognize someone who is considered in the prime of her or his career; someone who still has work to do.
Nominations will be accepted until September 15th. Candidates can self-nominate, or community members can submit a nomination on behalf of a peer. A committee of Elissa’s friends and family will review the nominations and select an honoree.
Submit a Nomination
Elissa M. Garofalo Community Impact Award criteria:
– demonstrated community leadership and impact
– vision for long-lasting impact in the community
– passion for mentoring others
The Elissa M. Garofalo Community Impact Award will be presented at the Foundation’s 20/20 Circle Annual Meeting & Grants Dinner on October 9th at Blue Mountain Resort. Elissa was an early member of the 20/20 Circle.
The Community Foundation hopes to present this award every year in Elissa’s memory. Wild Elder Wine & Cider in Jim Thorpe is sponsoring the inaugural award and stipend. Businesses and community members can support future awards with a donation to the Elissa M. Garofalo Community Impact Award Fund at the Carbon County Community Foundation.
The Elissa M. Garofalo Community Impact Award will be presented to the 2024 recipient at this year’s 20/20 Circle Annual Meeting & Grants Program on October 9th. Registration for that event will open soon. To be included on the invitation list, please email us at info@cccfoundpa.org.