ANDOVER — The Rotary Club of Andover celebrated on Thursday citizens in the community who have made a difference through volunteerism and various contributions to the town.
The Rotary Club’s Citizens Who Care and Educator Of the Year gala drew more than 325 people at the DoubleTree by Hilton as unsung heroes who embody the club’s motto of “service above self” were recognized at the annual event.
It also honored a local educator and student each year who are role models in their schools, inspiring and motivating others both inside and outside of the classroom.
The gala is one of the Rotary Club’s main fundraisers of the year to raise money for the causes it supports.
The 11 honorees shared stories about themselves and their work in the community in video presentations during the evening as family, friends, local and state officials, rotary members and past honorees listened to their accomplishments and selfless acts.
This year’s Educator of the Year was Andover Public Schools music educator Jeffrey Kuchan who leads the high school and middle school bands. He also expanded the jazz band program, introduced new curriculum programs and reintroduced the winter pep band.
Kuchan said in his band room, he encourages risk taking and sees it as a critical element of being human.
Andover High School student Vincent Aguirre was named student of the year.
Aguirre volunteers with Saint Augustine Parish and its Thanksgiving donation drive and other church events during the year. He has also pursued an independent study in Spanish and has put his skill to use volunteering at Lawrence General Hospital.
Aguirre spends four hours on Saturdays at the hospital where he volunteers and helps with various patient and visitor needs.
Citizens Who Care honorees included Andover High School teacher Ralph Cornelius Bledsoe who also delivers the address at the annual Juneteenth celebrations for the town and Andover Baptist Church.
“I do whatever I can to help out this community because it’s worth it,” he said.
Lifelong Andover resident Jan Holden received the award for her dedication to the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club as a nutritionist and a registered behavior technician at West Elementary School. Holden is also a founding member of the social justice coalition at South Church and works to address food insecurity.
The Caring Closet founder Alyssa Kelly was recognized for her volunteer-run organization to support low-income families with babies and young children and help meet their specific needs.
The Caring Closet assisted 2,500 children in 2025. Kelly said meeting people is the best part of the work she does.
The Rotary Club honored Kimberly Solt for volunteering in Andover’s schools with PTO committees. Solt is an instructional assistant at the Shawsheen Preschool. She has also supported Andover’s youth through the Andona Society and The Mother Connection.
Krista Brumberg Stevens’s Good Samaritan acts of picking up trash downtown and volunteering her time at places like the Robb Center and Memorial Hall Library were highlighted.
She can be spotted picking up trash on her routine walks. Stevens said kids shouldn’t have to go by trash on their way to and from school.
“We all have a vision of what we want the world to be and have the capacity to do that,” she said.
Honoree Jim Sutton served as the director of Memorial Hall Library for 16 years. After he retired, he continued to serve the community through volunteer efforts, including mentoring Andover High School students in an environmental science and sustainability class.
Community member David Trachtenberg was commended for his volunteer work at Temple Emanuel, helping to welcome a shuttered Haverhill congregation to the Andover temple. He also volunteers with Project Home Again to help furnish homes for people in need.
Andover’s town counsel of 32 years Tom Urbelis accepted the honor for being an integral part to the town’s fabric. Urbelis has served as the president of the Andover Home for Aged People for the past 35 years.
Sandis Wright, a former School Committee member, rounded out the honorees.
He has served as chair of pride employee resource groups and helps coordinate Community Impact Day. Wright has also been involved in different parent and teacher groups, Parent-to-Parent Andover and Destination Imagination.
He said volunteering is a way to give back and find ways to unite people who may otherwise have differences.