On March 7, Hamilton gathered not simply to celebrate awards, but to reaffirm something deeper about the city’s identity.
The annual Hamilton Neighborhoods Summit brought together residents, business owners, nonprofit leaders, educators, volunteers, church members, and city staff under this year’s theme: “Connecting on Purpose.” The event served as both a reflection on the past year and a renewed commitment to the kind of city Hamilton continues to become: one built not on spectatorship, but participation.
According to Sara Silva, Neighborhoods Engagement Specialist for the City of Hamilton’s Department of Neighborhoods, the Summit reflects Hamilton “at its best.”
“Last year’s theme was ‘You Are Welcome,’” Silva said. “That was about belonging. It was about making sure every person in Hamilton felt seen, valued, and invited into the work of shaping this city.”
The city established that foundation first and then built upon it, challenging residents to take the next step.
“Once you know you belong in Hamilton,” Silva explained, “the next step is choosing to engage. Choosing to build relationships across neighborhoods. Choosing to collaborate across roles and backgrounds. Choosing to invest in Hamilton’s future, intentionally.”
The Summit created space for that choice. It brought CEOs and small business owners into the same room as neighborhood champions and student leaders. It made clear that whether someone runs a company or hosts a neighborhood cleanup, growth begins with the next intentional step.
“What matters most,” Silva said, “is that everyone leaves feeling equally responsible for what happens next. That shared ownership is part of Hamilton’s identity.”
Shaping Culture Through Celebration
One reason the Summit continues year after year is simple: culture is shaped by what a community chooses to celebrate.
“If we only celebrate big wins or large projects, we miss the quiet leaders who are changing lives every day,” Silva said. “The Summit exists to shine a light on neighbors who are serving without recognition, leading without titles, and building bridges in ways that don’t always make headlines.”
By recognizing consistent service and intentional connection, Hamilton reinforces the values it hopes to see flourish.
“Continuing the Summit year after year creates consistency,” Silva added. “It sends a message that service, compassion, and initiative are not one-time moments. They are part of who we are becoming as a city.”
That consistency is essential to what Hamilton is building. It transforms recognition from a one-night celebration into a community-wide expectation.
Honoring a Legacy: The Greg Bisdorf Volunteer of the Year Award
One of the most meaningful moments of this year’s Summit was the renaming of the Volunteer of the Year Award to honor Greg Bisdorf.
For many in attendance, the change felt less like a decision and more like an inevitability.
As Board Chair of 17STRONG, Bisdorf was woven into the fabric of Hamilton’s daily life. A Lindenwald resident who worked locally, he devoted his time, energy, and heart to strengthening the city’s neighborhoods. In 2023, he was named Volunteer of the Year; a
recognition that affirmed what many in the community already understood about his commitment.
“Greg Bisdorf was the blueprint for community service in Hamilton through his actions and his attitude,” said Hamiltonian and close friend to Greg, Christy Land.
Following his sudden passing, the phrase “Be Like Greg” began circulating organically throughout the community.
“It’s not just a slogan,” Silva said. “It is a reminder. A reminder to show up. To serve without needing credit. To lead with kindness and humility. To connect on purpose.”
17STRONG Communications Committee Chair Sarah Trau said the renaming reflected the profound example Bisdorf set and the legacy he continues to leave in Hamilton.
“The renaming of the award shines a light on the kind of leadership that strengthens Hamilton,” said Trau. “He was the ultimate volunteer leader. And, this recognition helps affirm that quiet, consistent work is seen, valued, and worth continuing.”
Patrick Wright, 17STRONG Outreach Committee Chair, described Bisdorf in similarly personal terms.
“Greg had a way of making everything feel possible in his actions and his words,” Wright said. “So much of what Greg did was off the grid and no recognition needed or wanted. People that share his social standing and personality are what makes our community.”
Wright had worked alongside Bisdorf at events like the Corn Stand Jam, where they helped create safe environments for those struggling with mental health challenges.
“The phrase ‘Be Like Greg’ happened immediately and was 100% organic,” Wright said. “Everyone can be a little more like Greg.”
By naming the award in his honor, the Summit ensured that Bisdorf’s spirit would continue to shape Hamilton’s future. Each year, when the Greg Bisdorf Volunteer of the Year Award is presented, it will serve as a reminder of the kind of steady, humble leadership that builds a city from the ground up.
This year’s Greg Bisdorf Volunteer of the Year Award was presented by Greg’s mom and dad, Kathy and Mark Bisdorf, to Dayton Lane resident, Corrie Griffin. She can be seen walking to each neighborhood cleanup, Love Your Block work days, and neighborhood events, just to name a few, never waiting to be asked–her volunteering just happens with a smile on her face and a readiness to work hard.
Pride in Place
The newest award being showcased at the Summit this year is the Pride in Place Award. This award recognizes businesses, churches, nonprofits, and organizations that stretch beyond their core missions to actively strengthen the blocks around them, Silva explained. At its heart, she added, the award “is about presence.”
“In Hamilton, organizations are not just located in neighborhoods,” Silva said. “They are part of neighborhoods.”
This award “For example, a church may already serve meals as part of its ministry. But if it also organizes a neighborhood cleanup or adopts a park, that reflects Pride in Place,” noted Silva. “A bank may provide financial services as its core business, but if it creates volunteer days for staff to serve local projects, that reflects Pride in Place.”
Recognition for the award is not based on size, popularity, or financial scale. A large employer and a small business stand on equal footing when it comes to neighborhood impact. Equally important, Pride in Place is renewable.
Meyer Brothers & Sons did just that as they’re the recipients of the 2025 Pride in Place award. Located in the Jefferson neighborhood in the former Hamilton Depot on Maple Avenue, Meyer Brothers & Sons continues to show a strong commitment not only to their own neighborhood but to the broader Hamilton community. In 2025, they supported local public art initiatives, volunteered consistently with the City’s Green Team cleanups, and donated their expertise to improve safety and accessibility through the 17STRONG Love Your Block Grant program, making a meaningful impact across multiple neighborhoods.
“It’s not a lifetime status,” Silva explained. “It reflects ongoing commitment. That matters because it keeps the culture dynamic.”
Encouraging Ownership Across Generations
The Summit also emphasizes that leadership is not reserved for those with formal titles.
“We hope to encourage ownership,” said Silva. “Hamilton does not need spectators. Hamilton needs participants.”
The Rising Youth Leader Award underscored that message. It honored a student who is already using their voice, energy, and ideas to strengthen their school or neighborhood.
“For young leaders in Hamilton, the message is clear: Your voice matters now, not someday,” Silva explained. “You are not just preparing to shape Hamilton’s future. You are shaping it today.”
Leadership, in this context, might look like organizing classmates, making someone feel included, or stepping forward to solve a small but meaningful problem. The award recognized initiative and heart rather than position.
“Recognizing youth leadership alongside long-standing service sends a powerful message: leadership isn’t about age or title, it’s about action,” said Trau. “Our young people are already contributing ideas, energy, and unique perspectives. Honoring that work shows them they belong in shaping Hamilton’s future because they are our future.”
And this year’s Rising Youth Leader Award went to Sofia Rivera, a student at Garfield. She’s described as an exceptional volunteer for the ESL Ambassador Program and is instrumental in welcoming new students to her school. But her dedication extends beyond the ESL program; she has volunteered on multiple occasions for younger students, serving as a reading buddy for our kindergarten classes.
For Wright, public recognition plays an important role in sustaining the energy needed to continue to help Hamilton not only grow, but thrive.
“In the past, I felt like recognition was self-serving,” he admitted. “However, I’ve come to realize that people should be identified for good-doing. It has proven to be a catalyst for engagement.”
In essence, public recognition doesn’t erode humility. Instead, it reinforces a culture of participation.
A Keystone Event for the Year Ahead
For 17STRONG, the Summit functions as more than a ceremony.
“The Summit can be viewed as a showcase, for lack of a better word, of what 17STRONG is about and can accomplish,” Wright said. “We share past activities as well as future opportunities all in one event. We refer to the Summit as a keystone event, giving us a foundation that everyone can count on year after year.”
As a resident-led initiative, 17STRONG depends on community creativity.
“We want all of the residents to open their minds and explore the possibilities of what can be done,” Wright said. “The City staff gives us the guard rails to keep initiative on track without legal or political repercussions while still allowing our creative influence.”
The Summit reinforced that collaboration. City leadership and grassroots volunteers operated not in opposition, but in partnership.
Invitation Beyond the Room
For those who were unable to attend this year, Silva hopes the message of the Summit extends beyond the walls of the venue.
“I hope they feel invited to connect,” she said. “Even if they were not in the room, I hope they see that the Summit reflects something real about Hamilton.”
The Summit, she emphasized, is one day. But what it represents is much larger.
“It reflects neighbors choosing to connect with one another,” noted Silva. “It reflects organizations choosing to connect beyond their walls and young leaders finding the courage to connect their ideas and energy to something bigger than themselves.”
Ultimately, the event represents a city becoming stronger through its people. People who are willing to step beyond neighborhood lines and generational divides to connect on purpose.
“If someone reads about the Summit and thinks, ‘I want to connect like that,’ or ‘I want to be part of that,’ then that is a win,” Silva said.
Trau reinforced that idea.
“Sometimes we all need a reminder that every idea starts somewhere,” she said. “The Summit is here to lower boundaries that create friction between the idea and the execution of that idea. It's the perfect place to connect on purpose.”
That connection might begin with volunteering, attending a neighborhood meeting, or simply introducing oneself to a neighbor; essentially, choosing to participate rather than observe.
Hamilton’s growth, as the Summit demonstrated, does not hinge on a single event or a handful of award recipients. It depends on thousands of small, steady decisions made by residents who choose to care.
It proves that when people connect on purpose, Hamilton grows not only stronger, but kinder and more united.
