Lions create nonprofit leadership award in Al Glover’s memory
Notification is made to all nonprofit organizations in Bridgton and surrounding communities that the Bridgton Lions Club seeks your nomination of a candidate, either staff member or volunteer, whom your organization believes deserves recognition of their exceptional leadership efforts to your organization for the new Al Glover Nonprofit Leadership Award. Nomination for the annual award shall be made by a letter outlining the reasons for nominating the individual, approved by your board of directors or governing agency and mailed on or before Feb. 20, 2021 to: Bridgton Lions Club, Glover Award Committee, PO Box 103, Bridgton, ME 04009. Please include the name of a contact person, with a phone number and e-mail should the selection committee need additional information. The Glover Award will be presented to the winning candidate at a special dinner in his or her honor (with sincere hope) on May 10, 2021. At which time, the honoree will be presented with a plaque stating the honoree’s accomplishment and your organization will be presented a check of $1,000 to be used at the discretion of your agency. Notification of the winner and details for the award presentation will be sent to you upon the selection of the honoree.
Nearly two years ago, the greater Bridgton community lost a giant citizen.
With the death of Alfred “Al” Glover Jr. on March 12, 2019, the community lost an exceptional leader, worker, supporter and advocate for selfless service in “our neck of the Maine woods.” Al spent his entire adult life, in some fashion, connected to the nonprofit sector. Beginning with his first teaching position in 1958, and throughout his lengthy teaching career, he offered his skillful leadership to no fewer the seven local nonprofit agencies and continued to serve with distinction until he chaired the Bridgton Community Center Board of Directors just two years before his passing.
At the same time, he devoted his considerable energy to the Bridgton Lions Club which he joined in 1958 and maintained 61 years of perfect attendance at a plethora of Lions meetings and activities. He offered his leadership to this organization locally, state wide and internationally; serving as District Governor and multiple other district-wide offices over the years and as the local club president on four different occasions. Al also spent two years as the mentor to the then newly formed Naples Lions Club. He twice received the coveted Melvin Jones Fellowaward.
Al Glover was considered “Mr. Lion” throughout the Lions organization.
It is for this reason that the local Lions club has voted to establish an annual award in honor of Al Glover.
The Al Glover Nonprofit Leadership Award will be presented each May to an individual nominated by a nonprofit agency in which he or she serves; the nominee may be a member of the staff or a volunteer of the agency. A three-member Lion committee chaired by the First Vice President will evaluate the nominations and select a recipient, who will in turn be approved by vote of the club membership.
The award will consist of a suitable plaque presented to the honoree stating the basis of the prize and the organization represented will be presented with a $1,000 check to be used at the discretion of the nonprofit. A special celebration of the event will be held at the first meeting of the club in May.
The club believes that the award will not only honor Al Glover but will serve to celebrate the outstanding efforts of those individuals who make nonprofit agencies work so efficiently to serve the people and causes of our communities.
