This year's CAC Holland Awards Dinner will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel, 10207 Wincopin Circle, Columbia.

2008 Award Recipients

Humanitarian Award - Delegate Elizabeth Bobo

Community Action Service Awards - Atholton High School and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Tau Pi Chapter

Contact Information About Dinner

Sponsorship - Deepak Chadha - dchadha@howardcountymd.gov

Silent Auction Items and Ads for Souvenir Program Booklet - Jerome Jackson - BJAC531@msn.com

Reservations - Connie Ballenger - cballenger@howardcountymd.gov

The Reverend John W. Holland

The Reverend John W. Holland Humanitarian Award is presented annually to an individual who demonstrates extraordinary commitment and dedication to service to the disadvantaged community in Howard County. The award is named in honor of the late Reverend John W. Holland, whose life of tireless services was an example and inspiration for all. Born February 3, 1910, in Cooksville, Reverend Holland was a lifelong resident of Howard County. Through his ministry and civic leadership, he was a force in shaping the quality of life in the County.

Reverend Holland became president of the local branch of the NAACP in the late 1950s, a post he retained for ten years. During his tenure, he provided exemplary leadership to a community that openly and aggressively protested discriminatory practices of businesses and government in Howard County. He was inspired by the late Lille Jackson and traveled throughout the state and country with her, trying to ensure human rights for all people. In the late 1970s, Reverend Holland joined the Community Action Council (CAC) Board of Directors. During his 17 years of services on the Board, Reverend Holland was faithful, dedicated and always sought solutions to problems and obstacles confronting the disadvantaged. Reverend Holland worked closely with the CAC staff and led his congregation to offer its facilities to be used as a Senior Citizen Satellite Center, the first senior center in Western Howard County.

Reverend Holland was a founding member of the Lillie Carroll Jackson Museum, vice president of the Maryland State Conference of NAACP Branches, member of the Human Relations Council of Howard County, Black Family Life, the Ministerial Alliance, Howard County Commission on Aging and the Howard County Association for Retarded Citizens. On November 25, 1987, Reverend Holland's journey through this life ended. Having won the respect of friends and foes, he left a legacy and a lifetime of memories of a gallant man, committed to his family, his community, and his God.

Reverend John W. Holland Humanitarian Award Criteria For Selection of Awardee

1. Howard County resident.

2. Long-time community and county-wide service.

3. Dedicated to equal rights, human rights, and civil rights for all.

4. Good standing and respect within community.

5. Hands-on involvement.

6. Advocate for educational improvement for young people.

7. Living by the "Golden Rule."

8. Community and organizational leader.

9. Spokesperson for rights and justice.

10. Inspirational.

11. Ability to lift people to higher goals.

12. Encouraging others to work towards the achievement of those goals.

13. Unselfish motivation.

These criteria were developed in 2002 by a "Criteria Committee" chaired by Dr. E. Marie Johnson. The committee chose to model the selection criteria after the strengths and contributions of Rev. John Holland.

Previous Recipients of The CAC Holland Awards Dinner Humanitarian Award

1992 Rev. John W. Holland

1994 Dr. Silas Craft, Sr.

1995 Dr. Morris Woodson

1996 Mr. James W. Rouse

1997 Mrs. May Ruth Seidel

1998 Dr. Benjamin Carson, Sr.

1999 Mrs. Jean W. Toomer

2000 Mrs. Leola Dorsey

2001 Mrs. Celonia Walden

2003 Dr. C. Vernon Gray

2004 Senator Robert H. Kittleman

2006 Mr. Victor Broccolino

2007 Ms. Barbara Lawson

Community Action Service Awards

CAC has not formalized the criteria for the Community Action Service Awards. In 2007, CAC honored the Howard County Muslim Council primarily for its Food Drives and the Baltimore Ravens primarily for funding food baskets at Thanksgiving time to help the needy in Howard County. In 2006, CAC gave one Community Action Service Award to the Sunrise Rotary Club of Ellicott City for starting Head Start's Summer Enrichment Program and supporting Grassroots, CAC and the Howard County Public School System. The other 2006 Community Service Award was given to One Month's Rent Initiative for launching the One Month's Rent Initiative, which assists working families meet their housing costs. The group continues to secure funds for this project.