This local news is possible thanks to our members, which makes them good neighbors. Join now to support local news.
At this week’s West St. Paul City Council meeting, three residents were honored with the second annual Good Neighbor Award. 16 other residents were also nominated and received honorable mentions, as interest in the award grows.
“Really great to see all the people out there doing good things,” said Community Development Director Ben Boike.
Why: Recognizing those who go above and beyond, making their community a better place to live.
- How’s it work: The city asks for nominations and then a panel of staff select the award winners.
- Award: Each recipient was given a framed certificate and a gift card to a local business of their choice.
- Background: Last year was the inaugural year for the Good Neighbor Award, which replaced the city’s previous outstanding property award.
“I love that we changed to the Good Neighbor Awards to recognize not only the outside, but the inside and the way that people work together,” said Council Member John Justen. “The people we saw in front of us tonight exemplify that, particularly because it’s not just about how everything looks. It’s about knowing the people around you, keeping everybody safe, and keeping everybody connected.”
2026 Good Neighbors
Here are this year’s winners:
John Armour
Why: Making neighbors feel welcome and supporting local businesses.
Nomination highlights: “The neighborhood just feels safer with John watching out for all of us. The neighborhood feels friendlier because he works to foster connections with his neighbors.”
John’s comments: “A neighbor came by when mom was at home with a petition, and that petition said a Jewish guy wants to move in next door and we don’t want him in the neighborhood. If you knew my mother, that was the wrong thing to say. And so she told him to ‘amscray,’ as they used to say. But then she said, ‘I’ve never met the guy, he may be the greatest guy on the face of the earth.’ His name was Sam Goldman, and he was the greatest guy on the face of the earth. We called him Uncle Sam. It was a first lesson for me in not judging a book by its cover. … I was taught from early on to welcome new neighbors.”
Gary Trowbridge
Why: Exemplifying kindness and community spirit, whether it’s shoveling snow, sharing eggs, or organizing Night to Unite.
Nomination highlights: “Gary is the backbone of our neighborhood. He is the first to help anyone with anything. … Gary is the kind of neighbor who enriches a community simply by being a part of it, and he is deeply deserving of this recognition.”
Gary’s comments: “We do have a strong, strong neighborhood. Lots of young, young families moving in and out, and it’s just nice to show them the old values that my mother and father taught me.”
Tara Wright
Why: The first business owner recipient, Tara was honored for making Amore Coffee into a real community gathering space.
Nomination highlights: “At Amore, you might see students studying, adults on computers, families playing games, people interviewing for a job or people solving the world’s problems. The walls are a gallery for local artists.”
Tara’s comments: “This award, even though I’m receiving it, really belongs to the community. Because Amore is all of you guys.”
Honorable Mentions
This year there were 16 additional people who received an honorable mention:
- Katie Dohman
- Alison Gravalin
- Abigail Hendricks
- Xiomara Medina-Calderon
- Richard & Nancy Michaelsen
- Frances Mudek
- Jackie Olson
- Travis Olson
- Ken Paulman
- Patrick & Jessica Ryan
- Mike & Deb Schaefer
- Morgan Steele
- Carolyn Swiszcz
“[This year] doubled the number of nominations,” said Boike. “We had a lot of great candidates and it was tough for the panel to select the three award winners.” For those honorable mentions, Boike encouraged the people who nominated them to nominate them again in the future if they continue to do great work.
Neighborhood news is supported by good neighbors. Be a good neighbor and support local news.
