Spirit of Folsom awards announced by council

The Folsom City Council presented the 2025 Spirit of Folsom awards to local citizens last week for outstanding dedication to the community. Launched last year, the award program annually recognizes Folsom folks who have made significant contributions to the community above and beyond most. Each of the five City Council members chooses a candidate from their district. In the second annual presentation, five people were honored Sept. 9 at the regular City Council meeting, including: · Beth Graybill, nominated by Mayor Sarah Aquino. · Tom Handy, named by Vice Mayor Justin Raithel. · Kathy Cole, by Councilmember Mike Kozlowski. · Michael Raffetto, by Councilmember Barbara Leary. · Joanne Brausch, by Councilmember Anna Rohrbough. Aquino praised the library work of District 3 resident Beth Graybill, saying, "Beth has been volunteering at the library every Wednesday since 2017." "The Folsom City Council proudly recognizes Tom (Handy) and Michael (Raffetto) for their outstanding service and dedication to our community," the Folsom Athletic Association announced online. "They truly embody the spirit of Folsom through their positive impact and leadership – both in the city and as board members of the Folsom Athletic Association. Thank you for all you do." "Joanne's to our city spans decades," Folsom Kids Play said of Brausch. "She was there for the original community build of Castle Park in 1996, and nearly 30 years later, she's once again leading the way, spearheading the current rebuild so it can inspire and delight for generations to come." Cole serves as Folsom Historic District Commission chair, as a Historic District Association board member, volunteer coordinator, on the Folsom Historic Hometown Parade Committee and the Folsom Water Vision Advisory Committee, among other causes. "This list of things she has done is extraordinary," said Kozlowski. The inaugural 2024 award winners were Jeff Ferreira-Pro, Brian Smith, Jeff Moore, Sandy Zaboukos, DeAnn Wren and Steve Heard. "I think this is quickly becoming one of our favorite nights of the year," Aquino said.