Mayor honors litter-cleanup volunteers and lists Chamber of Commerce awardees

The mayor thanked volunteers who took part in the 10th annual citywide Keep Gardener Beautiful litter cleanup and announced Diane “Neon” Leblanc as the recipient of this year’s Greater Gardener Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award. “I really can't say thank you enough to all of the volunteers,” the mayor said, praising Leblanc’s years of work leading the cleanup effort.

He read the Chamber’s 2026 awards and honorees: Citizen of the Year — Dr. John Harrington; Business of the Year — Gardener Outlet Furniture; Community Service Award — Diane Leblanc; Lifetime Achievement (posthumous) — Attorney John Flick; Community Improvement — Firefighter Benjamin Tucker and DPW Foreman Gilbert Gravel for the new Bailey Brook Park disc golf course; Michael Gary Unsung Hero — Kathleen Brennan; Legacy of Service (posthumous) — Ernest Dao of Dao Shoeto; Rising Star — Christian Gonzalez.

The mayor said the Chamber presents these awards each spring to recognize residents, businesses and volunteers who “have made a difference in the city.” The announcement serves primarily as recognition; no city action or funding change was reported during the update.