The Mike Tobia Award for Community Leadership recognizes an outstanding Community Leader, dedicated to serving residents' needs with compassion and dignity, while fostering a sense of belonging for all.
It is named for Mike Tobia who, through the collective efforts of hundreds of volunteers, sponsors and donors of the Mt. Calvary Church Community Supper, served 40,000 meals since its inception in 2012. Mike was an inspired leader, organizer, collaborator, and innovator -- and a close friend of Acton-Boxborough United Way. Mike intentionally extended the table to everyone who wanted to be part of the supper and treated every guest with compassion and dignity, while fostering a sense of belonging for all. We honor his dedication to our community by recognizing others who are carrying on his level of service.
Sam Gould is a long-time friend of ABUW. She is the volunteer President and Executive Producer of Open Door Theater, where she has been over 23 years. Open Door Theater, based right here in Acton, is an all volunteer, non-profit, multi-generational community theater with a social justice mission of access, inclusion and diversity. Sam is an attorney, mother, the driving force behind Open Door’s inclusion programming, and a nationally recognized speaker and expert on arts access. With Open Door, she initiated the Ask Me Fairs, partnering with Danny's Place and the Sargent Memorial Library, where intersectional speakers were invited and kids could ask them questions safe format and learn about differences.
As the community member who nominated Sam for this award wrote: “Sam is a dynamic force for universal access to community life/spaces and acceptance of/dignity for all humans. ”
Congratulations, Sam!