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Special Presentation 02.22.10 Thank you all for being here on this joyous occasion as we celebrate neighborhood volunteers. My name is Erin Scott and I have the privilege of working as the Neighborhood Liaison for the City of Missoula. This position allows me to meet diverse community members across the city including tonight's nominees. Tonight we are celebrating individuals nominated for The Outstanding Neighborhood Volunteer of the Year award. This recognition has been awarded since 2004 by Community Forum and the Office of Neighborhoods. Community members were encouraged to nominate individuals who benefited their neighborhoods through their volunteerism. These neighborhood volunteers are members of our community who have gone above and beyond an everyday commitment to Missoula community and work tirelessly in their neighborhoods to inspire others. Our nominees this year include Lane Reul, Hans Christiansen, Mary Louise Zapp Knapp, Brian Walter, and Jeremy Flesch. I'd like to take few minutes to tell you about some of the work of our outstanding neighbors. Lane Reul has been involved with the Missoula Police Anti-Graffiti Task Force for over 10 years. Lane quickly responds to graffiti with paint and a roller without complaint. His work has even gained recognition from the vandals themselves, who started leaving messages for "The Gray Man" because it was Lane's gray paint that covered their graffiti. Hans Christiansen has been living in the Southgate Triangle neighborhood for over twenty years. In his time there, he has consistently committed himself to making the area a better place. He is a stalwart advocate for his neighborhood, considering the health and safety of children walking to school and senior citizens who might need a new sidewalk or help shoveling the walk. Next we find Mary Louise Zapp Knapp who has been nominated for her dedication to bringing people together in the Upper Rattlesnake. Mary Louise is a forceful figure, yet carries herself with grace. She has organized presentations for members of her neighborhood about current issues bringing diverse groups from the neighborhood together. Her latest mission is to find a way to build a trail from Rattlesnake Drive up to the recreation area in the Lolo National Forest. A trail like this would provide safety and security for many individuals as they seek to enjoy recreation in the Rattlesnake. Brian Walter, our fourth nominee, brought his problem-solving expertise as a graduate of MSU's engineering program to his neighborhood in Grant Creek. Brian was able to increase the number of fire hydrants there from 12 to 15, increase the area's water capacity by heading up efforts to install a large storage tower and a 3rd well, and attained a $1,500,000 grant through the Forest Service to thin trees to curb fire damage. This is Brian's second nomination. Lastly, we have Jeremy Flesch, this year's Outstanding Neighborhood Volunteer of the Year. I am going to let Mayor Engen speak to Jeremy's service to his community in a minute when he reads the Proclamation honoring him today. I will speak briefly about my personal interactions after meeting Jeremy last summer. I have found Jeremy to be an approachable and consistent leader in his neighborhood. He is thoughtful, intelligent, well-spoken and kind and sees answers to problems that come his way instead of being defeated by resistance. He is supported and lauded by City staff, his leadership team and his family who cheer him on in his visions to find possibilities where there seemed to be none. It has truly been a pleasure working with Jeremy and the rest of our nominees for Outstanding Neighborhood Volunteer of the Year. I would like to invite Jeremy Flesch up to the podium at this point so that we can listen while Mayor Engen reads a Proclamation announcing today as a very special day.