By Lisa Carolin
Thanks to the City of Chelsea, Real Estate Agent Rick Taylor, and many friends and work colleagues, Lisa Allmendinger was celebrated on May 29, at a gathering held at the Chelsea fairgrounds.
People came to the fairgrounds for dinner, drinks, and to pay tribute to Allmendinger for her 14 years of running Chelsea Update. Attendees included current and former Chelsea City workers and friends and colleagues from the community.
Scenes from the May 29 celebration honoring Lisa Allmendinger. Photos by Alan Ashley.
Chelsea Mayor Kate Henson and Chelsea City Manager Elle Cole were among the representatives from the city who honored Allmendinger that evening.
“A local news source is more than a place to get news,” said Henson. “It’s a way to connect neighbors, celebrate successes, provide support in hard times; it’s a place to collect the stories of our town that might otherwise go unnoticed. Lisa Allmendinger did all that with Chelsea Update. She captured in words the life of an entire town and preserved our stories for generations to come.”
Cole called Chelsea Update “a gift”.
“What made Lisa’s work so meaningful is that she understood Chelsea as more than a place on a map,” said Cole. “She understood it as people, relationships, service, traditions, concerns, celebrations, and shared responsibility. Through Chelsea Update, she gave residents an unbiased, reliable way to stay informed and gave community members a way to see themselves reflected in the life of the city.”
Real Estate Agent Rick Taylor, a sponsor of the event, praised Allmendinger for focusing on “positive stories”.
“Lisa provided great information and a positive attitude,” said Taylor. “I can't thank her enough, and I know I speak for thousands of other people as well.”
Allmendinger acknowledged the accolades and plaques presented to her at the celebration event and said she was grateful to Taylor and the City and thanked the Chelsea Community Fair Board for the location and Rachel Kapolka and Lyn Sebestyen for transforming the Service Center into a gathering spot.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend, including family, friends and neighbors,” said Allmendinger, “and thank you to the entire Chelsea Community who trusted me for so many years to bring them all the news that's fit to post about Chelsea.”
“During a time when there is so much division due to politics, this Chelsea Community put it all aside to eat, drink and enjoy each other's company for an evening,” said Allmendinger. “This meant more to me than all the words I wrote and edited for this community. It gave me hope that we can all come together again as one.”
