Tempe honors 17 neighbors at celebration

More than 300 community members bonded April 6 over games, live music and fun in Kiwanis Park as part of the third annual Neighborhood Celebration.

Seventeen neighbors, community members and local businesses were awarded for being great neighbors, impacting Tempe’s arts and culture, contributing to sustainability and resilience, conserving water and more, a city release explained.

Tempe officials congratulated award winners for their  contributions to their community and thanked the Neighborhood Advisory Commission for another successful neighborhood party, the release stated.

2024 Neighborhood Awards winners and honorable mentions are:

• Neighborhood Awards winners: Broadmor Bike Bus, Cranksgiving, Oasis Lake, Elie Merheb, Lane Carraway, Jeff Caslake, Sid Frede and Tempe Preparatory Academy National Honor Society club;
• Arts and Culture Award winners: Tony Duncan, Darlene Justus, Tempe Artists Guild, Farmer Wilson and Kim DeMeritt;
• Sustainability Achievement of the Year: Ana Aguilar;
• Water Wise Landscape of the Year: Steve Bannochie;
• Historic Preservation award: Tempe Historic Preservation Foundation; and
• The Dolores Huerta Scholarship was presented to Emma Ellexson.

The morning was spent drinking Brick Road Coffee, eating breakfast tacos from Rusty Taco, listening to live music by local band Bohemian Insurgence, donating to local nonprofit Threadz, playing yard games and more.

“The Tempe Neighborhood Celebration embodies what we should try and accomplish in our individual neighborhood,” Neighborhood Advisory Commission Chair Joel Stern stated in the release. “When we come together to celebrate our neighbors in harmony accompanied by food, music, and friendship, neighborhoods can create a strong and thriving community.”

The awards ceremony is available to view on Tempe’s Facebook page .

City officials thanks Salt River Project for its ongoing event partnership and contributions to the community event, the release stated.

See details and stay up to date on the event at tempe.gov/NeighborhoodCelebration . Learn more about Tempe’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission here .