The Defeat of Jesse James Days Committee is pleased to announce that the 2022 Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award Recipient is Gerald (Jerry) Anderson.
Jerry Anderson was notified of the award on Saturday, April 30th at his home by members of the DJJD board of directors, and the chairperson of the Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award Banquet.
Jerry is the 39th recipient of this prestigious award. Jerry will be honored on Wednesday, September 7th, 2022 during the Defeat of Jesse James Days at the Northfield Ballroom.
In part, Jerry’s nomination reads, “Jerry is a very worthy candidate to receive the Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award. He has volunteered countless hours to many wonderful local organizations…He is a man who leads by example and gives with his whole heart and soul in making a better place for us to live and work!”
The list of organizations that Jerry has worked with over the last several decades, and the number of leadership roles he has held within the community is impressive, below are just a few examples:
● Led the “save the pool“ efforts group to raise private funds to revitalize the Northfield outdoor pool
● Served as chairman of the Board of Directors for Epic Enterprises for 15+ years ● Served on the Northfield Relief Fire Association for 35+ years
● Served as a volunteer firefighter for 19 years
● Senior Center board of directors in the mid to late 1990’s as they were raising private funds to build their new building.
● And more!
“We are thrilled to celebrate Jerry’s contributions to our community during this year’s DJJD festivities,” said Galen Malecha, current DJJD General Chairperson. “This award is given to a Northfield citizen who exemplifies a commitment to public service. We are fortunate that Northfield has such a wealth of people that hold those attributes, and we are excited to recognize Jerry’s contribution as this year’s recipient.”
The Defeat of Jesse James Days Heywood Selection Committee is always looking for new nominations. Please send your name and phone number with a description of the person you’d like to nominate (must be a Northfield MN area resident) and their community service history to: DJJD, Attn: Jessica Irwin, PO Box 23, Northfield, MN 55057.
Mission Statement of the Heywood Committee: To honor a Northfield citizen who we feel exemplifies the commitment to public service, which Heywood lived. It is an award that reminds us of our past and our promise to improve ourselves and our community for the future. An award that each of us would someday hope to be considered worthy of receiving.