Since 1987 the Citizens for Ponce Inlet Organization has selected, honored, and acknowledged a resident of Ponce Inlet or a Ponce Inlet employee for both the Citizen of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The award is to acknowledge those individuals involved in volunteer work who have made an outstanding contribution to our community.
2023 Citizen of the Year and 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations
Each year our Organization reaches out to our membership with Nomination Forms for citizens worthy of receiving the C4Pi “Citizen of the Year Award “as well as the “Lifetime Achievement Awards”.
Since 1987 these Awards acknowledge those individuals involved in volunteer work in Ponce Inlet who have made an outstanding contribution to our community. This year the Citizen of the Year Award may be awarded to either a couple who volunteer together or to one individual. Lifetime Achievement Awards are given to honor over 20 years of volunteer service to our community. Several citizens may receive the Lifetime Award and it is often given to past Citizens of the Year who have continued their volunteer work for over 20 years.
Electronic and Printable Paper Forms are Available:
2023 Lifetime Achievement Form (electronic)
2023 Citizen of the Year Form (electronic)
Printable Paper Forms are Available Here:
2023 Lifetime Achievement Form (paper)
2023 Citizen of the Year Form (paper)
Please return completed forms no later than noon on March 1, 2023 via:
- U.S. mail to Judy DiCarlo, 32 Caribbean Way, Ponce Inlet, Fl. 32127-7319, or dropped off in a sealed envelope.
- Email to judy.dicarlo@c4pi.org
- Hand deliver, in a sealed envelope, to the CFPI Auxiliary Mailbox at the Ponce Inlet Community Center office, 4670 S Peninsula Drive.
Nominees will be judged at a meeting of our Board and past COTY & Lifetime recipients, Saturday March 4th and presented at the Annual Awards Banquet, March 30th. Award recipients will be announced after March 5th and tickets for the Awards Banquet will be on sale in the Community Center Office beginning March 6th, until capacity is reached.
If you have questions or we can be of further assistance ,please email: judy.dicarlo@c4pi.org
2022 Award Winners:
2022 Citizen of the Year – John Mark Oebbecke
Mark joined the Ponce Inlet Lions Club in 2015 where, over the years, he became a Director and Vice President. For the last three years, he has been the director of their annual fundraising golf tournament. This year, along with his wife Pat, the tournament raised over $12,000 and is their largest fund-raising event. Soon after moving to Ponce Inlet, he volunteered at the lighthouse as a lighthouse keeper for about a year and a half. In doing so, Mark enjoyed learning about the history of Ponce Inlet and the impact volunteer citizens have made on this small community over the years.
Mark was a prior director and is now the Vice President of the Ponce Inlet Community Center. Working with the other volunteer board members, significant improvements have been made to the appearance of the center. This includes the installation of new ceiling tiles, new flower beds, and, thanks to the town’s funding, new restrooms and numerous other improvements. He is also currently responsible for securing rentals for the center that generate revenues to assist in covering the center’s operational costs.As a member and current secretary of the Ponce Inlet Veterans Memorial Association, he assists with the annual Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies.
Mark joined the Ponce Inlet Lions Club in 2015 where, over the years, he became a Director and Vice President. For the last three years, he has been the director of their annual fundraising golf tournament. This year, along with his wife Pat, the tournament raised over $12,000 and is their largest fund-raising event. Soon after moving to Ponce Inlet, he volunteered at the lighthouse as a lighthouse keeper for about a year and a half. In doing so, Mark enjoyed learning about the history of Ponce Inlet and the impact volunteer citizens have made on this small community over the years.
Mark was a prior director and is now the Vice President of the Ponce Inlet Community Center. Working with the other volunteer board members, significant improvements have been made to the appearance of the center. This includes the installation of new ceiling tiles, new flower beds, and, thanks to the town’s funding, new restrooms and numerous other improvements. He is also currently responsible for securing rentals for the center that generate revenues to assist in covering the center’s operational costs.As a member and current secretary of the Ponce Inlet Veterans Memorial Association, he assists with the annual Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies.
Most recently, he worked with other association members to transfer day-to-day maintenance of the memorial to the Town. If all that isn’t enough to recognize Mark’s volunteer work, he is currently a member of the Town’s Essential Services Board and serves as the Town’s representative on the Volusia County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The committee reviews all proposals, projects, and regulations related to pedestrian and bicycle activities. Mark is and has always been willing to help other Ponce Inlet organizations with any of their special events, and our town is fortunate to have such an adaptable and capable citizen volunteer.
In addition to his duties in Ponce Inlet, Mark had also found time to work as an editor of voice recordings at the Braille and Talking Book Library in Daytona Beach, which provides audio tapes for the visually impaired—a natural fit with the Lions. Along with his wife, Pat Morris, he is responsible for the food pantry at Longstreet Elementary School, which provides assistance for families struggling with food insecurities and is a 5th grade science teacher’s helper and mentor for 5th grade academically struggling students.Mark doesn’t want his name on the marquee out front of the community center to call attention to himself. He would rather have others acknowledged with the space available. He also knows there is so much more he wants to do to help keep Ponce Inlet the wonderful place he chose to call home.
Mark joined the Ponce Inlet Lions Club in 2015 where, over the years, he became a Director and Vice President. For the last three years, he has been the director of their annual fundraising golf tournament. This year, along with his wife Pat, the tournament raised over $12,000 and is their largest fund-raising event. Soon after moving to Ponce Inlet, he volunteered at the lighthouse as a lighthouse keeper for about a year and a half. In doing so, Mark enjoyed learning about the history of Ponce Inlet and the impact volunteer citizens have made on this small community over the years.
Mark was a prior director and is now the Vice President of the Ponce Inlet Community Center. Working with the other volunteer board members, significant improvements have been made to the appearance of the center. This includes the installation of new ceiling tiles, new flower beds, and, thanks to the town’s funding, new restrooms and numerous other improvements. He is also currently responsible for securing rentals for the center that generate revenues to assist in covering the center’s operational costs.As a member and current secretary of the Ponce Inlet Veterans Memorial Association, he assists with the annual Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies.
Most recently, he worked with other association members to transfer day-to-day maintenance of the memorial to the Town. If all that isn’t enough to recognize Mark’s volunteer work, he is currently a member of the Town’s Essential Services Board and serves as the Town’s representative on the Volusia County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The committee reviews all proposals, projects, and regulations related to pedestrian and bicycle activities. Mark is and has always been willing to help other Ponce Inlet organizations with any of their special events, and our town is fortunate to have such an adaptable and capable citizen volunteer.
In addition to his duties in Ponce Inlet, Mark had also found time to work as an editor of voice recordings at the Braille and Talking Book Library in Daytona Beach, which provides audio tapes for the visually impaired—a natural fit with the Lions. Along with his wife, Pat Morris, he is responsible for the food pantry at Longstreet Elementary School, which provides assistance for families struggling with food insecurities and is a 5th grade science teacher’s helper and mentor for 5th grade academically struggling students.Mark doesn’t want his name on the marquee out front of the community center to call attention to himself. He would rather have others acknowledged with the space available. He also knows there is so much more he wants to do to help keep Ponce Inlet the wonderful place he chose to call home.
2022 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner – Tara Lamb
Tara Lamb has lived in Ponce Inlet since 1996 and has been actively involved in this community since 2001. Below is a list of some of her accomplishments over the years.• 2001 to 2005 – Served on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for the Friends of the Marine Science Center.• 2002 to present – Tara has been on the Executive Board of Directors at our Lighthouse and currently serves as the President a very high honor.
• 2007 – When Tara was Vice President of the Davis House Historic Preservation, Inc. she wrote the Echo Grant totaling $223,000 for the restoration project at 143 Beach Street, our Town Museum.• 2008 – Tara created for the Davis House Historic Preservation the Historic Biking and Walking Brochure for display at the Town Museum, the Lighthouse, the Speedway, and the Daytona Chamber of Commerce.• 2009 to 2010 – Tara implemented the Longstreet Point of Light Garden for 4th grade students at Longstreet Elementary to restore the historic garden used by the light keepers at the Lighthouse.• 2010 – Tara received the “In Recognition of Organizational Achievement” award from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation of the Davis House for Historic Preservation for the restoration of 143 Beach Street.
• 2012 to 2017 – Tara served as the Chairperson of the Accession Committee of Ponce Inlet.• 2014 to 2017 – Tara participated with Longstreet students in the Ponce Inlet Christmas parades.• 2001 to the present – Tara has assisted with many of the Children’s Programs in Town.
In addition to the many volunteer activities above, Tara began teaching at Longstreet Elementary School over 20 years ago and has helped to educate most of the children from Ponce Inlet over those years.Tara comments to her friends “ I don’t know why I am receiving this Lifetime Achievement Award, I believe I still have a lot of years left to volunteer and much more to give to our wonderful town”.
2022 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner – Alan Deke DiCostanzo
Deke moved to Ponce Inlet in 1994 with his wife, Janice. He commuted to Maitland and traveled nationally for his job through March 1999. Deke credits Janice with initiating his volunteer work in Ponce Inlet. He got his start by assisting with her volunteer projects whenever he could. Although reluctant to join various clubs at the time, after retirement, Deke offered his help whenever it was needed.Along with his wife, they both became heavily involved in a variety of activities in town.
Deke has always been seen quite happily working in the kitchen or on the grill for the Lions Club, the Ponce Inlet Veterans Memorial Association, and the Ponce Inlet Community Center fund raisers. Similarly, he has enjoyed selling tickets, especially 50/50 at various events. Deke says, “I am honored by this Citizens for Ponce Inlet Lifetime Achievement but I don’t really understand why I deserve it. I feel like I’ve been doing low-level volunteer work for a long time and have always been enthusiastic about it. I am unlikely to say ‘no’ when asked for help.
CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS:
| Year | Recipient #1 | Recipient #2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | No Awards (Covid) | No Awards (Covid) |
| 2020 | Peter Finch | |
| 2019 | Joe DiCarlo | |
| 2018 | Judy DiCarlo | |
| 2017 | Gary Smith | |
| 2016 | Mary Hoss | |
| 2015 | Liz Finch | |
| 2014 | Wini Irvin | |
| 2013 | Jerry McHugh | Ellen Pagliarulo |
| 2012 | Don Hampton | Judy Huggins |
| 2011 | Bill Dauksis | Diane Smith |
| 2010 | Kristi Drumheller | Alan Redinger |
| 2009 | Faye McHugh | Vic McClellan |
| 2008 | Margi Richard | Jim Irvin |
| 2007 | Tami Lewis | Mary Lou Hinson |
| 2006 | Jim Hinson | Marlene Heiden |
| 2005 | Mary Ann Redinger | Gene Hynds |
| 2004 | Joe Grasso | Tony Raia |
| 2003 | Robert Gregory | Donna Gunn |
| 2002 | Marge Bogert | Charles Spitzfaden |
| 2001 | Al Weedman | Steve Williams |
| 2000 | Susie Hagey | Kathryn Truswell |
| 1999 | Darlene Nichols | Bill Hibbert |
| 1998 | Hazel Dauksis | Walt Bogert |
| 1997 | Shirley Hibbert | James Utter |
| 1996 | Barbara Davis | Ann Caneer |
| 1995 | Gretchen Zale | Tom Kean |
| 1994 | Sherry Utter | Vivian Girolami |
| 1993 | Barbara Lunde | Earl Davis |
| 1992 | Carolyn Diemicke | Edwina Knox |
| 1991 | Ayers Davies | Wilda Hampton |
| 1990 | Ruth Petrov | Carolyn Sprague |
| 1989 | Kay Davies | Tony Girolami |
| 1988 | Wanda Dellacasa | Meyer Sussman |
| 1987 | Constance Hunter | Bob Burns |
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS:
| Year | Recipient #1 | Recipient #2 | Recipient #3 | Recipient # 4 | Recipient #5 | Recipient #6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | No Awards (Covid) | No Awards (Covid) | No Awards (Covid) | No Awards (Covid) | No Awards (Covid) | No Awards (Covid) |
| 2020 | Edson Graham | Sherry Utter | ||||
| 2019 | Robyn Hurd | Mary Hoss | ||||
| 2017 | Jim Hinson | Mary Lou Hinson | Carolyn Diemicke | |||
| 2016 | Ewina Knox | Wilda Hampton | Carolyn Sprague | Hazel Dauksis | Bill Hibbert | Shirley Hibbert |
| 2014 | Gladys Davis | Earl Davis | ||||
| 2010 | Constance Hunter | |||||
| 2004 | Tony Girolami | |||||
| 2002 | Ayers Davies | Kay Davies |