The Center for Great Neighborhoods has announced the winners of the 2022 Heart of the Community, Great Business and Great Neighbor Awards to be presented during the organization’s annual celebration on October 21 at Hellman Creative Center in Covington.
This year, The Center will recognize 12 Covington residents with the Heart of Community award. Each was nominated by their peers for dedication and service to the Covington community. The recipients were nominated for either a large, visible act or the small, meaningful contributions made to the community over the years. Each of the Heart of Community Award winners has used their skills and leadership in a variety of ways to positively impact their neighborhoods and leave the mark on Covington.
2022 Heart of the Community Award Recipients:
• Susan Barnett
• Mae Rice
• April Coffee
• Bill Stone
• Jim Feldhaus
• Melissa Silberstang
• Nancy Finley
• Amanda Wood
• Emmanuel Gray
• Eric Woodard
• Rodney Randolph
• Amanda Young
Great Business award
K&J Market, located at 347 E. 13th St., has been named the recipient of The Great Business Award for its long-term service to Covington’s Eastside neighborhoods.
The Great Business Award recognizes small, local companies that demonstrate immense dedication to the people of Covington and the mission of The Center
K&J market — named after Kamaya Henderson and her father, John Lennings — has served the Eastside for over 20 years. The storefront was originally opened by John’s brother, David Lennings and has served as the backbone of the family with customers seeing not only Kamaya and John but also Kamaya’s mother, Kim Henderson who works in the store most days along with her brother who is now the owner.
The corner store serves as a place to grab snacks or a drink and visit with neighbors and also boasts a deli with a diverse menu of delicious food.
Great Neighbor award
Art therapist Charlotte Reed, founder of Art Equals, has been named the recipient of the 2022 Great Neighbor Award.
Reed was selected for her commitment to arts in Covington, removing barriers to creating art and improving accessibility for the community.
The mission of Art Equals is to “empower everyone to be an artist, providing community-driven accessible opportunities for creative growth and healing.” The organization works to overcome the barriers to being creative, whether mental, physical, cultural, economic, or geographic.
The organization has been located in the Hellmann Creative Center since 2020, although Reed travels throughout Covington to provide services. She regularly volunteers to create unique art projects to a variety of events, such as the Cryptid Block Party and Redden Gardens.
“We want to make creativity accessible to every person, not just those who call themselves artists,” Reed said. “We do this by bringing people together in creative communities and by helping each person in that community realize their unique path to creative healing.”
The Center for Great Neighborhoods Annual Celebration will take place from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Friday, October 21 at the Hellmann Creative Center, located at 321 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Covington. The event is free and open to the community. This year’s event is sponsored by DBL Law, Hub+Weber, and Braxton Brewing Co.
The evening will feature food from Olla Cov, drinks from Braxton Brewing, a silent auction, and a special dedication in honor of outgoing Executive Director, Tom DiBello.
The event will also serve as a chance for the community to hear from CGN’s new Interim Executive Director, Shannon Ratterman about the work The Center has accomplished in the past year and the direction of The Center under her leadership.
The Center for Great Neighborhoods