Innovative, Sustainable Green Practices Recognized with Awards

Appreciation Award

Benjamin Gaither Center Nature Club

The Benjamin Gaither Center was nominated for the Gaithersburg Environmental Appreciation Award for its outstanding commitment to community engagement, environmental education, and promotion of healthy living. This unique initiative within the senior community has provided members with opportunities to connect, learn, and explore nature while fostering important social connections. In 2025, the Club continued to host many activities and opportunities, including local park Walk and Talks, touring State and National parks, and continuing their collaboration with the Gaithersburg Youth Services Team on their joint Community Gardening Plot.

Achievement Awards

Asbury Methodist Village

Asbury Methodist Village continues to demonstrate exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship as it reaches its Centennial this year, through resuming its electronic recycling program, completing the NexTrex challenge, and continuing its composting efforts throughout the facility.

Asbury is recognized for the conversion of one-sixth of an acre of traditional turf grass into thriving native meadows, creating a vibrant habitat that supports pollinators, wildlife, and ecological health in the Gaithersburg community. By selecting native plants and enhancing areas near existing stream restoration, this initiative improves biodiversity and serves as a visible and lasting investment in sustainability.

Habitat Action Committee of Asbury Methodist Village

The Habitat Action Committee at Asbury Methodist Village continues to move forward with a strong dedication and vision in environmental stewardship. In 2025, its efforts included establishing a nearly 2,000 square foot native garden along Summit Avenue, creating a diverse native fern garden, and supplying Asbury's Level One Arboretum with new educational materials for residents and visitors. These initiatives enhance Asbury's role as a living classroom and invite residents and visitors alike to connect more deeply with the natural world.

Gateway Commons HOA

In 2025, the Gateway Commons HOA successfully established a 550-square-foot pollinator garden using native plants, creating a thriving habitat that supports butterflies and other essential pollinators while helping to reduce water runoff. Beyond the garden itself, the installation of educational signage has transformed the space into a learning opportunity, which helps to raise awareness and encourage environmental stewardship throughout the community.

Girl Scout Troop 32040

Girl Scout Troop 32040 has demonstrated outstanding initiative and creativity in promoting environmental education within our community. From October 2024 to August 2025, Valentina, Deborah, and Arianna collaborated with the City of Gaithersburg to create Environmental Storyboards along the Victory Farm Trail and Kelley Park Trail. These signs feature practical tips on recycling, pollution prevention, and more, and engage community members of all ages both on-site and digitally through QR codes. Their efforts concluded with a ribbon cutting and litter clean-up event, directly improving the park and inspiring ongoing environmental responsibility.

AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca Gaithersburg continues to lead in environmental sustainability through ongoing education, outreach, and employee engagement initiatives that foster a culture of environmental responsibility. In 2025, the site introduced several impactful new initiatives. Their biodiversity program expanded with the installation of 12 bird boxes, all of which showed active use in their first year.

They also commissioned an innovative water reuse system, reclaiming approximately 1.5 million gallons of water and significantly reducing their environmental footprint. Additionally, the launch of their employee-led Sustainability Champions program highlights a commitment to sustainability through everyday efforts.

Seneca Creek Watershed Partners

Seneca Creek Watershed Partners continues to play a vital role in protecting and improving Gaithersburg's natural environment through ongoing efforts like water quality monitoring, community clean-ups, and hands-on stewardship.

In 2025, their impact grew even stronger through advocacy. Their assessment of Seneca Creek, combined with dedicated testimony helped influence the Montgomery County Council's decision to remove the M83 northern section from the master plan, which protects critical natural areas within the watershed. In addition, their participation in regional watershed planning efforts further demonstrates their commitment to long-term environmental protection.

Muddy Branch Alliance

The Muddy Branch Alliance continues its dedication to natural spaces, through maintaining programs such as its annual native plant sale, regular litter pickups, and Weed Warrior events that help keep local parks and waterways healthy and clean.

In 2025, the Alliance expanded its impact through several innovative initiatives. They released two new maps, geographic and artistic, which highlight points of interest surrounding the Muddy Branch Trail in a more accessible and engaging manner for the community. They also supported the City's watershed planning efforts and developed new educational resources, including a video and brochure, to help HOAs transition to more sustainable landscaping practices.

Project Green Sweep

Project Green Sweep is an inspiring example of youth leadership in action, demonstrating how passion and initiative can drive meaningful environmental change. Since 2025, this student-led nonprofit has organized large-scale cleanups across Gaithersburg, engaging more than 275 youth volunteers per event and removing more than 1,000 pounds of litter from public spaces. Their efforts have not only improved local parks and neighborhoods but have also helped to protect nearby waterways and foster a culture of environmental responsibility amongst the younger generation.

Kepler Offenbacher

Kepler Offenbacher has shown remarkable initiative and leadership in his commitment to environmental improvement. In 2025, he led a self-directed project to replace a bridge on the Muddy Branch Trail, an important two-mile trail that serves hikers and mountain bikers and connects to the larger County trail extending to the Potomac area. His work not only improved safety and accessibility for trail users, but also ensures the trail remains a valued community resource for years to come. In addition to the bridge project, Kepler has been actively monitoring salt levels and tracking invasive species in the Muddy Branch Watershed, further demonstrating his dedication to protecting and enhancing his local environment.

Janette Rosenbaum

Through 2025, Janette's efforts have been spread across education, policy, and community engagement. She has been instrumental in advocating for sustainability initiatives - from presenting at the Gaithersburg HOA Summit to leading campaigns that contributed to the adoption of the Building Energy Performance Standards in Montgomery County.

Her advocacy also played a key role in the removal of the M83 Northern section from the Master Plan, protecting critical natural areas like Blohm Park and segments of the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail. As she transitioned to new leadership roles, Janette has maintained her involvement with the Muddy Branch Alliance as Communications Chair. Her commitment to education, policy advocacy, and long-term sustainability demonstrates the powerful impact one individual can have in shaping and protecting our environment.

Maryellen Culotta

Regularly walking the Muddy Branch Trail and her neighborhood, Maryellen routinely collects litter and demonstrates a personal commitment to keeping her parks and waterways clean and healthy. Her consistent efforts have inspired a deeper interest in the local environment, and she has taken the next step by planning local nature walks and litter removal events in collaboration with the Muddy Branch Alliance. Through these activities, she connects community members with the plants, animals, and habitats that make the trail special, and helps to foster a culture of personal environmental responsibility and care.