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‘Good Citizen’ Award Makes For Emotional Presentation


Maine Township Trustee Peter Gialamas (left) poses with Mrs. Angela Brzezinski, daughter Alicia Brzezinski and Lt. Michael Goldsmith of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police after bestowing the township’s Sgt. Karen Lader Memorial Good Citizen’s Award on the late Robert Brzezinski, former Maine Township highway director. Gialamas presented Mrs. Brzezinski with the award at the township’s annual meeting.

In an emotional presentation, Maine Township honored its former highway director, the late Robert Brzezinski, with an award named in memory of another public servant who served township residents until her untimely death.

Brzezinski passed away January 30 at age 51 from a serious illness.

At the township’s recent Annual Meeting, Township Clerk Peter Gialamas presented the Sgt. Karen Lader Memorial Good Citizen’s Award to Brzezinski’s widow, Angela, and daughter, Alicia. The couple also has a son, Michael, who was unable to attend the ceremony.

Reading from the nomination statement, Gialamas said Brzezinski was the first man out assessing the condition of streets in bad weather, day or night, and police would often call him first in the event of a water main break or other emergency situation.

“His knowledge and skills kept numerous residents safe when weather conditions were at their most treacherous,” he said. “Director Brzezinski was a dependable resource for a wide variety of problems that homeowners faced regarding their property.”

Gialamas added his own comment: “If you were at Bob’s wake or funeral, it was easy to see the impact he had on so very many people.”

Like Brzezinski, the award’s namesake Sgt. Lader also passed away long before her time. Before contracting cancer, she served as a 15-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police. She worked closely with Maine Township residents in the Neighborhood Watch program and the National Night Out Against Crime held each August, as well as Special Olympics and animal rescue.

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