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Laurie Hardwick named 2019 Citizen of the Year
Described as committed, dedicated and passionate about her community, Laurie Robertson Hardwick was named 2019 Citizen of the Year Saturday night at the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce annual dinner.
Hardwick, who has served as city attorney under three Greencastle mayors (Nancy Michael, Sue Murray and Bill Dory), was instrumental in securing and implementing the city’s $19 million Stellar Grant that has changed the face of the downtown.
“I’m so proud of our community,” Hardwick said. “It’s a really special place.”
She talked about the Stellar Grant and how its implementation was “quite a miserable experience,” quickly adding, “but we’re so proud of the outcome. It’s going to preserve our community for a long, long time.”
As city attorney since she came on part-time under Mayor Michael in 1999, Hardwick has been at the center of most city projects but she says there is one big thing left to do -- the community center.
She told the story of how while her son Eli (now a sophomore in high school) was still in his pumpkin seat, she was dispatched by Mayor Michael to Indianapolis to huddle with the firm Ice Miller to see how to best go about building a community center/YMCA.
“I swore then we’d have it done by the time he (Eli) graduates from high school,” she told the Banner Graphic after the dinner. “Well, we’ve got two years left.”
In introducing Hardwick, Chamber Executive Director Brian Cox recalled how after her son Eli, who was hit by a car at Big Walnut Sports Park, recovered at Riley Hospital at Indianapolis, Hardwick “organized a caravan of eight SUVs filled with 30 children and 15 adults from our community.” They arrived at the Ronald McDonald House “with a U-Haul trailer loaded with 1.2 million pop tabs collected with the help of Putnam County kids, showing them the importance of giving back,” Cox added.
That was easy for the passionate Hardwick.
“I love Greencastle and hope we are all grateful to live in such a special place,” Hardwick said, recalling the story of how on one New Year’s Eve she and husband James (“Figgy”) got a call from another Northwood neighbor, who announced, “Snowball fight in 10 minutes on the Boulevard.”
Neighbors young and old responded for one furious snowball fight. The cops even drove by and marveled at the scene, Hardwick smiled.
She explained that she grew up in Greencastle and moved away for a while. “I thought I’d be the last person to move back,” Hardwick said.
Since she returned, Hardwick has been involved in the Indiana municipal Lawyers Association and its board of directors, Chamber of Commerce board, The Castle board member, Putnam County Community Foundation advisory board member, member and former president of the Putnam County Bar Association, Mental Health Association and former vice president, GMS Music Boosters, former Castlemakers board member and former Kiwanis board member, Civic League and Main Street Greencastle among others.
“Of course, the Citizen of the Year talks about infrastructure during her acceptance speech,” Cox commented, noting that items mentioned were “just a short list” of what Hardwick has done for the community.
Hardwick was one of seven nominees for Citizen of the Year “who all truly deserved to win it,” Cox said, noting that they all work “to make our community a better community.”
Hardwick joins previous winners: Hazel Day Longden, the inaugural recipient in 1982; Hubert Clodfelter, 1983; Howard Williams, 1984; Bessie Rector, 1985; Mace Aker, 1986; Bobby G. Albright, 1987; Gerald E. Warren, 1988; David Barr, 1989; Jim Harris, 1990; Dr. James Johnson, 1991; Charles Chandler, 1992; Bob Evans, 1993; Julia “Judy” Johnson, 1994; Jerald D. Calbert, 1995; Harold Spicer, 1996; Jinsie Bingham, 1997; Dave Young, 1998; Barbara Lane, 1999; Ellen Sedlack, 2000; the trio of Lynn Wilson, Denise Sigworth and Rachel Seipel in 2001; Mike Rokicki, 2002; Joy Marley, 2003; Charles Miles, 2004; Judge Sally Gray, 2005; Dr. Donald “Doc” Brattain, 2006; Charles “Chuck” Schroeder, 2007; Lynn Bohmer, 2008; Ken Heeke, 2009; Becky Brothers, 2010; Judge Diana LaViolette, 2011; Judy Miller, 2012; Dr. Perry Wainman, 2013; Emily Knuth and Suzanne Masten, 2014; Sue Murray, 2015; Eric Bernsee, 2016; Ginger Scott, 2017; and Ken Eitel, 2018.