The Como Community Council has selected Jonah Fields, Laura Flockencier, and Maggie Zimmerman as District 10’s 2019 additions to the Saint Paul Neighborhood Honor Roll. The annual, citywide award recognizes members of our community who make a sustained and lasting impact on the quality of life in Como and the city – in other words, neighbors who make this a better place to live, work, and play.
Nominees from District 10 and the city’s 16 other planning districts will be celebrated at a ceremony on Jan. 25 at the University of St. Thomas. Ultimately, they will be immortalized with their names on a plaque at City Hall.
District 10’s honorees were among those nominated by neighborhood residents. A little bit about them, according to those who nominated them:
Jonah Fields is the boys soccer coach at Como Senior High School. Members of his team speak 8 languages, and many are refugees from Thailand or boys who have never played before – “but they all seem to play well together.” Fields also runs a children’s soccer clinic at Northwest Como Recreation Center, and coaches a summer team of U12 girls, most of whom are from the neighborhood. Plus, he’s an “all-around good guy.”
Laura Flockencier leads Girl Scout Troop 55229 at Chelsea Heights, which draws mostly from within District 10. Laura started the troop when her first daughter was in Daisies, and continues to lead even as her own girls have aged out. She offers as many as 14 hours of activities per month (and gives even more time than that to families) and leads camping and service projects such as the Como Park clean-up, leaf-raking for neighbors, and food and winter clothing drives.
As Land Use chair, Maggie Zimmerman continues to navigate the divisive issues around the Twin Cities German Immersion School expansion and the campaign to gain historic designation for the former St. Andrew’s church building. “Observing Maggie maneuver through this potential land mine with grace and humor and incredible mediation skills has made it obvious that District 10 is very fortunate to have Maggie working on our behalf.“ Zimmerman also helps moderate the Como Park Neighborhs group on Facebook, and delivers Meals on Wheels in the neighborhood.
Previous Honor Roll Recipients from District 10
Elaine Allen, David Arbeit, Jeanne Baumann, Roger Bergerson, Ted Blank, Pete Bolstad, Janna Caywood, Susan Jane Cheney, Churchill Gardens stewards, Sehoya Cotner, Valerie Cunningham, Marylyn Deneen, Frank Dolejsi, Cate Smith Edlund, Ronald J. Edlund
Also, Sharon Frisell, Chris Harkness, Theresa “Teri” Heyer, Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps Center, Mike Ireland, Panoud Klongtruatroke, Jon Knox, Jerry Krieger, Dan Krivit, Luke Kuhl, Josh Leonard, Jillian Lerien, William Lipkin, Frank P. Liu, Mike MacDonald, Anne McInerney,
Also, Chris Martineau, Marcy Micek, Chet Mirocha, Quentin “Q” Nguyen, Dennis O’Rourke, Debra Pursley, Janice Rettman, Deb Robinson, Tony Schaps, Matt Schmidt, Paul Seeba, Sharon Shinomiya, Roberta Sladky, Brian Tucker, Nathan Volz, Jerome Wagner, Sally Worku