2007 Henderson Award Winner:
Juanita Kaufman, Southwest Area Commission
Juanita Kaufman is exceptionally well qualified for the Henderson Award. In fact, she shares many similarities with Anna Mildred Henderson. Ms. Kaufman has been a neighborhood activist for nearly two decades. She founded the Westbrook/Eastfield Neighborhood Association and a local block watch program and is a member of the Southwest Area Commission. She also chairs the local “National Night Out” program, which brings neighbors together for a parade, music games, food, and other activities at Finland Elementary School.
Ms Kaufman is an advocate for local residents with the Franklin Township Trustees on zoning, code enforcement, public safety, and other issues important to the quality of life in local neighborhoods. She has helped to build strong ties between local residents and the Franklin Township Police and Fire Departments, and organizes fire safety and crime prevention programs.
At the age of 84 years old, Ms. Kaufman is an exceptional example of a neighborhood leader. Ms. Kaufman received separate nominations for her from the Southwest Area Commission, the Franklin Township Board of Trustees, the Franklin Township Chief of Police, and the Franklin Township Fire Chief.
2006 Henderson Award Winner
Pam Weaver, Hilltop
Pam Weaver is the recipient of the 2006 Henderson Award for her dedication to Hilltop neighborhoods over three decades. Weaver, a naturalized citizen who came to the United States from England, is widely known as “the person to call” if there is problem on the Hilltop. There is almost no area of the Hilltop her concern and leadership have not touched.
Since 1976, Weaver has devoted thousands of volunteer hours to improving the Hilltop – she has erected playground equipment at many schools and playgrounds; participated in Block Watch; helped repair and clean up the property of disabled neighbors; raised funds for a myriad of neighborhood groups; collected books for needy children; helped coordinate the “Up Town on the Hilltop Parade”; assisted with code enforcement; helped find Christmas presents for needy families; participated in neighborhood beautification (litter removal and flower planting); and worked to improve police/community relations.
“Pam Weaver exemplifies the kind of civic entrepreneurship that Anna Mildred Henderson championed. Her compassion and efforts have made a real difference in the lives of thousands of Hilltop residents. Northwest Civic Association is pleased to recognize these accomplishments,” said NWCA president Bill Schuck.
2005 Henderson Award Winner
John W. Best, Far Northwest Coalition
The 2005 recipient of the Henderson award is John W. Best of northwest Columbus. He became an advocate for neighborhoods in the late 1980s when he perceived that inadequate infrastructure was impeding economic development and lowering the quality of life for local residents. His letters about the need to widen Interstate 270 were published numerous times in local newspapers. He worked for five years with federal, state, and local officials on a task force to obtain funding for the widening; and participated with the Governor in ceremonies when the renovated northwest outer-belt opened in 2000.
Mr. Best continues to support transportation improvements in northwest Franklin County. He helped convince the City to widen Hard Road. He served on MORPC’s Citizen Advisory Committee for three years and COTA’s Consumer Advisory Committee for two years. He is leading an effort to obtain improvements in State Route 161 between Dublin and Linworth Road.
Mr. Best has served for ten years as president of the Far Northwest Coalition, an umbrella organization for homeowner associations and local civic groups in the area bounded by State Route 161 on the south, the Delaware County line on the north, Sawmill Road on the west, and the Olentangy River on the east.
