Longtime local arts patron Jon Blinder has been selected as recipient of the 32nd Annual Col. William H. “Bill” Lambert Award, which is presented each year as part of Nevada City’s Constitution Day Celebration.
The prestigious Lambert Award is presented by the Famous Marching Presidents of Nevada City to recognize outstanding contributions to our community. The award is named in honor of the late Col. William H. Lambert, founder of Nevada City’s annual Constitution Day Parade.
“As much as anyone, Jon Blinder has devoted himself to the Nevada County arts community,” said Marching Presidents founder and former Nevada City mayor David Parker. ”We are very proud to recognize him with our annual community service award.”
Blinder is a Nevada City resident and managing director of Coldwell Banker Grass Roots Realty Commercial Division. He is an ardent supporter of the Nevada County Arts Council, having served as president of the council since 2011 and is the only remaining founding member from 2009. He is perhaps best known for his purchase and donation of the Grass Valley property that is the Center for The Arts. He is a former Board President and 12-year member of the Center’s Board of Directors.
He also serves on the advisory board of Hospice of The Foothills and represents the arts community on the Nevada County Economic Resource Council. He spearheaded, along with commercial real estate partner Tyson Tucker, the commercial real estate transactions that have resulted in today’s newly renovated National Hotel, Holbrooke Hotel and The Stonehouse.
Blinder said he was pleased to receive the award. “I’m very honored and surprised to be in the company of so many people that I know and respect,” he said. “This is truly an honor.”
The Famous Marching Presidents announce the Lambert Award each year on the eve of the annual Constitution Day Parade, in which they have participated since 1988. With this year’s parade cancelled due to COVID-19, the group eagerly anticipates returning to Broad Street in 2022.
Past Lambert Award recipients are retired city manager Beryl P. Robinson Jr., former mayor and city clerk Cathy Wilcox-Barnes, longtime parade organizers George and Pat Harper, former mayor Pat Dyer, the late real estate broker Jim Mackey, local writer Dave Carter, former Chamber of Commerce executive manager Cathy Whittlesey, former mayor Steve Cottrell, businessman Bob Buhlis, retired Nevada County general services director Dennis Cassella, John Christensen, a leader of community efforts to establish the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum; cartoonist R.L. “Crabman” Crabb, business owners Lee and Susan Thurston, retired Nevada City public works director Verne Taylor, the late historian Edwin Tyson, the late folksinger/activist U Utah Phillips, former city engineer Bill Falconi, Marching Presidents organizer Patti Foster, retired school administrator Karen Chizek, musician Mikail Graham, the late county librarian Madelyn Helling, local builder Gary Tintle, former mayors Paul Matson and Reinette Senum, Nevada City Film Festival Director Jesse Locks, Nevada City musician and producer Paul Emery, homeless advocates Joanna Robinson and Cindy Maple, former Grass Valley mayor Howard Levine, real estate broker Charlie Brock and local attorney Fran Cole. Marching Presidents founder David Parker was honored with the group’s 20th anniversary award.
The Marching Presidents is a fun-loving and educational group that portrays all 46 U.S. Presidents with reverence, good humor and varying degrees of historical accuracy. For reliable information on U.S. Presidents, see www.americanpresident.org.