Valley Patriot Announces Nominees for the 12th Anniversary BASH Scholarship and Award Night

The Valley Patriot newspaper has announced the nominees for the 2016 Valley Patriot BASH Awards. Winners will be announced at the Valley Patriot’s 12th Anniversary BASH ceremony on March 25th at the Firefighter’s Relief In, 1 Market St in Lawrence at 7PM. (Get Tickets HERE)

OFFICER TOM DUGGAN SR. LAW ENFORCEMENT AWARD

KookenOn March 16, 1990, Lawrence Police Officer Tom Duggan Sr. lost his life in the line of duty. He was a man who loved being a police officer and lived his life responding to cries for help in the community. Each year we honor his service and sacrifice with “The Valley Patriot, Officer Tom Duggan Sr., Law Enforcement Award.” The award is given to members of public safety (police or fire) and/or a civilians who honors the service and personal sacrifice police officers and firefighters make every day. Officer Duggan believed that those little extra things we do in life to help others … make the biggest differences in people’s lives at the end of the day and makes the world around us a better place.

2016 NOMINEES:
Lawrence Police Officer, Mike Laliberte,
North Andover Police Sgt., Dan Lanen 
Lawrence Firefighter Jim Driscol

PRIOR OFFICER TOM DUGGAN AWARD WINNERS:
(2013): Scott Emerson of Wheelabrator Technologies & Methuen Police Officer Dan O’Connell 
(2014) Amesbury Police Officer Jason Kooken & Lawrence Firefighter Manny Gonzalez
(2015) Ret. Woburn Police Officer Robert DiNapoli, Lawrence Dept. Fire Chief Brian Murphy

VALLEY PATRIOT HERO VETERAN AWARD

Because honoring Veterans is so much a part of what we do at The Valley Patriot, we honor two people who are not only veterans but work to honor our hero servicemen and women here at home. Honoring our veterans and recognizing their incredible sacrifices is one of the most important things we do at The Valley Patriot. Whether it is assisting our veterans in public service, volunteering in the community, or helping other veterans get basic services, our award recipients are men who embody what service and sacrifice are all about.

2016 NOMINEES: J.T. Torres, John Ratka, Donald Jarvis

PRIOR HERO VETERAN AWARD WINNERS:
(2013) David Swarbrick, John Lenottee, Helen Mooradkanian

(2014) Francisco Urena, Tom Fallon
(2015) Bruce Arnold, Eric Nelson

 SWEENEY-FLAG

 

*VALLEY PATRIOT 1ST AMENDMENT PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

Each year this award is given to 2 individuals who show with their actions that they value the 1st Amendment to the Constitution. Winner of this award have made a significant difference in holding public officials accountable, fought for transparency in government, the release of public documents and have fought to defend and protect our 1st Amendment right of free speech, a free press, freedom of religion and/or being a whistle-blower. They are or have taken ACTION, bold action, to make sure the public is more informed about what their government leaders and representatives are up to. Without individuals like this on the front lines in the war against a free speech and a free press our freedoms could be lost. 

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2016 NOMINEES:
Dr. Bharany Padmanabhan
State Rep. Diana DiZoglio
Janet Aldrich
State Senator Bruce Tarr

PRIOR 1ST AMENDMENT WINNERS:
(2014) State Auditor Suzanne Bump & State Senator Katy Ives
(2015) State Representative Jim Lyons
               1ST Amendment Lifetime Achievement Award:
Whistleblower Michael R. Sweeney

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORS CHOICE AWARD
KatzAwardEach year The Valley Patriot honors contributors for outstanding writing or creative contribution while taking the high road in public discourse and/or taking very bold stands on some of the most important issues that shape our culture and our community. Columnists, reporters, artists, and even letter writers are eligible for this award. Previous winners of this award have exposed corruption, called out elected officials for bad behavior, provided exceptional information to the public and/or attracted a whole new demographic of readers to the paper.

2016 NOMINEES:
Dave Sullivan
Dr. Frank MacMillan
Ana DeBernardo
Paul Murano

PRIOR EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD WINNERS:
(2013) Joe D’Amore & Lonnie Brennan.
(2014) Paul Murano & Jeff Katz

(2015) John Macdonald, Kathy Runge

VALLEY PATRIOT PRESIDENTS AWARD
Nominees and winners of the Valley Patriot President’s Award were chosen personally by Valley Patriot Publisher Tom Duggan. Nominees are chosen for their unique and/or outstanding contribution in the operations of the paper. Previous winners have helped us get the paper to the printer in emergency situations so that we don’t miss a deadline, gone out in snowstorms to shovel out our street boxes, promoted us to local businesses for advertising, or provided exceptional information to the paper that nobody else could contribute.

TALCOTT22016 NOMINEES:
Janet Aldrich
Maria Fiato
Joe Dunn
Phil DeCologero

PREVIOUS WINNERS:
(2013) Christine Morabito & Dan Selenius
(2014) Dave Sullivan & Dani Langevin
(2015) Alex Talcot, Mike Gagliardi

VALLEY PATRIOT GOOD WILL AMBASSADOR AWARD
Once called the Honorable Mention Award, The Goodwill Ambassador Award is given to people who do not necessarily work for The Valley Patriot but promote the paper as our Good Will Ambassadors in the community, whether through the press, pitching in to volunteer to help one of The Valley Patriot’s many projects, or helping the paper in some outstanding way.

Valley Patriot Good Will Ambassador Award Tracey Zysk flanked by PuppyGirl Kate Whitney (l) and Award Presenter Anabel Gutierrez
Tracey Zysk (middle) recipient of 2013  The Valley Patriot’s Good Will Ambassador Award.

2016 NOMINEES:
Jack Roy
Candy and Mike Colizzi
Joe Dunn
Phil DeCologero

PRIOR GOODWILL AMBASSADOR WINNERS
(2013 ) Mike Grammont & Tracey Zysk

(2014) Rich Russel & Shawn Hansen
(2015) John Bergeron & Joyce & Gracemarie Tomaselli

 

This year’s BASH SPONSORS! 

$1,000 PLATINUM SPONSORS
* Kevin Leach, * Joe Zingales of Team Zingales, * Mike Agricola of Salvatores

$500 GOLD SPONSORS
* Mike & Candy Colizzi of Colizzi Memorials * Joe Dunn * Tim Sheehy * Johnny Tarshi, Centro Latino * Michael Tarshi Jr., Dental Brite

$350 SPONSORS
* Mike Sullivan * Paul Tarshi * Atty. Andrew Lacourse * Lawrence General Hospital

$200-250  BRONZE SPONSORS
* Register Paul Iannucillo * Ron Berthiem of Northern Process Servers * The Methuen Exchange Club * Methuen Councilor Ron Marsan * Methuen Councilor Jen Kannan * Author Kathleen LaPlante * State Rep. Candidate Oscar Camargo * Rt 110 Convenience * Chris Kambouras & Heavn’ly Donut * Linda and Don Campbell * Lawrence Councilor Marc LaPlante * Doctor’s Express * Lightship Liquors * Hue House Salon * J Brians Pub * Pentucket Medical * Haverhill School Committeeman Scott Wood * Karen Montijo, North East Storage * Sam Amari of Kenoza Chiropractic

Associate Sponsors State Rep. Jim Kelcourse, Methuen City Councilor Tom Ciulla, Attys. Broadhurst and Tabit