Congratulations to Greenbelt 2012 blogger Eric Zhang on being voted our Outstanding Citizen for 2013!  Naturally I love it when bloggers are recognized for their (usually) unpaid hard work, but Eric’s 300+ posts documenting life in Greenbelt in our 75th year sure deserve it.

(L) Eric with Outstanding Citizen Award Committee chair Robert Zugby.  (R) Eric’s wife Grace and children.

About Eric
From the various dignitaries speaking at the award ceremony we learned that Eric was born in China and moved to Old Greenbelt in 2010.  He’s a computer engineer by day, father of two (with a third on the way soon) by night. In accepting the award he said “I’ve been here only three years and I feel I don’t deserve it,” and “I thought this was another job,” explaining why he was there, with his usual monstrous camera, clicking away.

A County Council member praised the selection of Eric as forward-looking (a blogger!), and a selection that reflects Greenbelt’s diversity and openness to newcomers.  Hear, hear!

About the Award
Eric is Greenbelt’s 41st Outstanding Citizen, and the award’s sponsor is the Greenbelt Rotary Club.  Winners receive all sorts of plaques and commendations and a whole lotta of gift certificates from area businesses, and have a place of honor in Greenbelt’s Labor Day Parade.  Committee chair Bob Zugby told us that many award-winners had been nominated many years before chosen, so we should keep on nominating.