And Brecksville Patch’s Person of the Year is …

There was no contest when it came to choosing this year’s Brecksville Patch Person of the Year. 

Nancy Apostle received 47 nominations from Brecksville Patch readers for her giving nature, her work to bring her neighborhood together and her efforts to support local charities and Brecksville businesses. Apostle created the charitable and social group Women of Woodlawn, also known as WOW, in the Woodlawn Estates neighborhood after the flood of 2006.

Apostle was touched by the honor and said her neighborhood really deserves the credit. They’re just “giving, caring people” who needed someone to bring them together, she said. 

“It’s just an amazing group,” Apostle added.

The readers who nominated Apostle said the group gets together monthly to share neighborhood news and plan fundraisers for all kinds of charities. The group also encourages members to support area businesses and shop local. 

Here are a few comments from the nominations:

• Donna Seaburn: “Nancy's tireless efforts keep the group organized, energized and focused on the needs of those less fortunate in our community and surrounding cities. She doesn't get paid, she just does all this from the goodness of her heart. Nancy is truly deserving of recognition for all her efforts.”
• Karen Dunn: “Nancy is constantly keeping our neighborhood connected with all that is going on both within our neighborhood and within our city. In addition, she is often reaching out to our neighborhood to assist those in need, whether it be an elderly person needing folks to look after him or her, coordinating a fundraiser for the children of Honduras for a neighbor who attended a missionary trip, to prayers for the sick. In the short time I have known Nancy, she is a role model neighbor, community member and human being. I truly can't think of anyone more deserving of this honor.”
• Leigh Owen: “I've only been a Brecksville resident for 10 weeks, but Nancy was the first person to greet me and welcome my family to the neighborhood (with banana bread, and many Brecksville goodies, too.)”
• Marilyn DeMuth: “She has organized our neighborhood women into a group of friends that help each other and has done a tremendous job organizing various fund raising activities.”
• Kimberlee Namen: “Her generosity is unlimited and her passion for the city unequaled.”

Thanks for being such a great member of the community, Nancy! I’ll be doing a feature on the Women of Woodlawn and Apostle’s work at the beginning of 2013, so be sure to watch for it. And thanks to all the readers who submitted their nominations.