From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — The Gatekeeper Award winners were announced on Tuesday, February 1, at Trussville Chamber of Commerce’s “Toast of the Town: Celebrating Trussville’s Best.” The event took place at Amari Curb Market/Wildgoose Gardens on Glenn Avenue.
Two 2021 Ned & Goldie Paine Memorial Gatekeeper Awards will be presented for outstanding community service, one to an individual and one to a group.
Group winner – Free Lawn Care (FLC)
FLC was formed by eight teenage boys in Spring 2020 when Covid-19 had shut down the schools and many of the local businesses. Instead of complaining or playing video games all day, they decided to use their time to help the elderly and disabled with their lawn care needs. Their entire summer was spent cutting grass, trimming shrubs, cutting down bamboo, clearing out underbrush, hauling away debris, and more. If there were elderly residents in the area that needed help, they were always ready and willing to lend a hand. The impact on the community was so great they returned this past summer to volunteer again, and there are plans for a third year.
“This group has put their hearts and souls into this organization for the past two years,” Rhonda Antkowiak, mother of Matthew Antkowiak, said. “It’s hard to describe the impact these boys have had on the community and even harder to describe the impact the community has had on them.”
In an essay at school, Matthew Antkowiak stated that this Facebook post, “Free lawn care for the elderly and disabled,” changed his life.
“We called ourselves FLC (Free Lawn Care), and immediately we were in over our heads,” Matthew said. “Within hours of that Facebook post, we had a lot of jobs and an uproar of community support. I was taken by surprise and felt I was playing catch up to my own idea. I was having to teach myself how to run a lawn care business on the fly.”
Matthew stated that he would never have it through that first summer if it weren’t for his crew. He stated he would not trade that summer for anything because he met many amazing people and the impact that lawn care can have on a person is something he will never forget.
“Even on the days when everything went wrong, and there were many, they continued to come back,” Matthew said. “Then I realized they came back every day because they truly believed in what we were doing. They believed in FLC. With Covid 19, politics, and racial issues heating up, it was sometimes hard to see the good in people. But seeing these guys work to the point of exhaustion every day to help the most vulnerable among us restored my faith in people.”
Individual winner – Jeremy Tuggle
Tuggle was nominated by two of his employees at Bryant Bank and is described as an intelligent and kind individual, not to mention a well-deserving candidate for a Gatekeeper award. In addition, the two nominators consider him an understanding and helpful boss and a natural leader who creates order yet cares enough about the members of his workplace team to offer patience and encouragement when they need it.
“He enjoys leading people as they work toward a common goal,” Bryant Bank employee, Natalie Spott, said. “That attitude also applies to how he feels about community service. Though Jeremy has lived and worked in Trussville only since 2015, the mark he has made on the community suggests he’s been around a lot longer than that. During that short time, he has served two terms as Board President of the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce; currently serves as Past-President of the Trussville City Schools Foundation; serves as Treasurer of the Trussville Daybreak Rotary Club; was recently appointed to the Trussville Utilities Board; and coaches youth football and basketball. All that in addition to being a busy father of four, which goes a long way in explaining his easy rapport with the younger generation.”
Another Bryant Bank employee, Deanna Schrecongost, also spoke highly of Tuggle and how he positively impacts the community.
“Jeremy is always proud to be the face of Bryant Bank Trussville, but especially when our local kindergarten classes come to visit, “Schrecongost said. “The children love him.”
Jeremy and his wife, Lauren, have been married for 16 years. They are members of First Baptist Church Trussville.