Sylvan Township honors its 2023 Citizen of the Year

Sylvan Township’s Citizen of the Year is described as a person who has spent many years volunteering and collaborating with others to uplift the community.

The township board took some time out of its March 5 meeting to honor Carol Strahler as its 2023 Citizen of the Year.

The nomination said “Carol Strahler has spent many years volunteering and collaborating with others to uplift our community. The list of organizations she has volunteered with is long, and the list of those that have benefited from her efforts even longer. Be it simply a neighbor in need or volunteering as a founding member of the Waterloo Natural History Association, planting and maintaining Chelsea's flower beds for the Chelsea Area Garden Club, or being a school program docent for the Waterloo Farm Museum, Carol has given a significant portion of her time and energy to improve the quality of life for those around her."

Sylvan Township Supervisor Kathleen Kennedy said of Strahler, “When I was Township Clerk I worked with Carol when she was an election inspector. I know she can be focused and serious when she needs to be, but also light hearted and fun to work alongside.”

Friends, family and many supporters were in-person at the meeting and over Zoom to show Strahler their support. Kennedy said there were many supporters at the meeting and her two sons attended remotely via Zoom with one son joined by his wife and children; “the grandkids were cheering for grandma and filling their screen with heart emojis.”