Waltham Democratic City Committee’s 2024 Heroes Awards

The Waltham Democratic City Committee (WDCC) presented its 2024 Heroes Awards on March 30 in a ceremony at the American Legion Post 156. Individual awards were presented to Thomas Stanley and Cornelia Cassidy Koutoujian. Organizational awards were given to Waltham Inclusive Neighborhoods (WIN) and the Marcou Charitable Foundation.

“Each year, the WDCC honors heroes who distinguish themselves by serving our community, promoting democratic values and making Waltham a great city in which to live,” the WDCC stated in a press release. 

This year’s awardees

Thomas Stanley has served Watham in the State Legislature for over 20 years. During this time, the WDCC stated “he’s earned the reputation as one of the hardest-working legislators on Beacon Hill, gaining respect from his constituents and legislative peers, and generating noteworthy legislative accomplishments. Tom has pushed a variety of progressive and common sense legislative initiatives, and has fought for fiscal resources for local Waltham projects. As Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, he has advocated for better housing, improvements in assisted living. Tom has also served intermittently on the Waltham City Council since 1997, and ran a high-profile challenge for Waltham’s mayoral seat in 2015.”

Cornelia Cassidy Koutoujian “has dedicated herself to the wellbeing of our community,” the WDCC stated. “She is the distinguished wife of the former City Clerk Peter Koutoujian Sr, and the mother of current Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian Jr. It might be naturally expected that she’d be overshadowed by these high-caliber political forces, but that has not been the case with this sharp activist.” Koutoujian has been involved with Charles River Community Health and the Waltham Partnership for Youth, among other organizations.

The WDCC recognized WIN for its advocacy for better housing initiatives. “WIN has become a presence in its advocacy for better housing initiatives,” the WDCC stated. “In particular the organization has lent staunch support for the MBTA Communities Act, presenting informational sessions and materials, holding public forums on the topic and leading the charge to advance local and state policies that will benefit housing development.”

The second organizational Hero Award is going to the Marcou Charitable Foundation, cited as “a powerful cornerstone of so many Waltham institutions.” The WDCC stated, “There is hardly a donor or sponsor list in the city that doesn’t include the Marcou Charitable Foundation as a prominent donor. It is a major benefactor for important institutions, including the Waltham YMCA, Waltham Education Beyond Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club, Waltham Day Center, among others. And it provides sponsorship for a variety of local progressive endeavors such as planting trees at Chesterbrook Gardens, food drives and community blood drives.”

Disclosure: WIN co-founder and policy coordinator Tom Benavides is among a group of Waltham residents who helped start The Waltham Times.