Thanks to West St. Paul Chiropractic and Fraidy Cats for their support.
This week the West St. Paul City Council recognized four residents with the first-ever Good Neighbor Awards. Recipients included a helpful handyman, a local journalist, and two renters who beautify their building’s common areas.
Why: Recognizing those who go above and beyond, making their community a better place to live.
- How’s it work: The city asked for nominations earlier this year. The recipients were each nominated by two separate people. Nine others received an honorable mention for being nominated once.
- Award: Each recipient was given a framed certificate and a gift card to a local business of their choice.
- Expanded: Previously the city recognized beautiful yards and homes with a property recognition program, but this year they expanded the program to look at contributions beyond aesthetics.
“We did receive quite a few nominations this year, more than we had for outstanding property awards,” said Community Development Director Ben Boike.
2025 Good Neighbors
Chris Kelly
- Why: Recognized for being a welcoming neighbor who always helps with home repair projects:
- Nomination highlights:
- “Chris is the neighbor you want to have.”
- “Chris represents everything a good neighbor embodies and more.”
- Chris’s comments: “I don’t do what I do for awards, I do it because I enjoy doing it. I like working with my neighbors. I like sharing my skills and teaching them things they can carry on to use for themselves.”
Donna Ludeking and Mary Heath
- Why: These two were recognized together for their work decorating the community room at their apartment building all year round.
- Nominating highlights:
- “I greatly appreciate Donna for her sweet smiles and good spirit to all!”
- “Mary Heath is a lovely lady that goes above and beyond in spite of her disability.”
- Donna’s comments: “I enjoy what I do. Having people realize it and recognize it, it’s good to me.”
- Mary’s comments: “I think it’s one of the most wonderful things that I can do is get out with Donna, change everything, and make it look beautiful. She plants flowers, I deadhead flowers, and we keep them going.”
Kevin D. Hendricks
- Why: Recognized for his work on the local news site, the West St. Paul Reader.
- Nomination highlights:
- ”He’s built a vital, community-centered platform that keeps residents informed and engaged.”
- “His work not only preserves our community’s story but also fosters a deeper sense of pride and belonging among residents.”
- Kevin’s comments: “I just want to say this is not a solo achievement. Local news is a group effort, and the West St. Paul Reader is supported by more than 350 neighbors like you who make local news possible. So a big thank you to them.”
(Editor’s note: Yes, it is awkward reporting about yourself. But what are you gonna do? We’re incredibly honored to be recognized by the community. Thank you.)
Next Year
“There’s a lot more out there—next year we’d like to get more,” said Mayor Dave Napier. “Your stories do kind of warm the heart about the City of West St. Paul.”
We love seeing fellow good neighbors. If you want to join the group effort of local news, join now and help us keep West St. Paul informed.
(Photos by Dan Nowicki, courtesy of the City of West St. Paul.)