John Smith ’11 and leaders of Promise Neighborhood accept the Rock-On Award.
Alumnus John Delante Smith ’11 and the Promise Neighborhood organization he leads and Carolyn Garven ’85 were among the honorees at the at the Granite City Days opening ceremony June 23.
St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis ’89 presented the Rock-On Awards at the Granite City Days opening ceremony during the Lemonade Concert and Art Fair.
He opened the ceremony with a lemonade toast to the memory of St. Cloud State University President Earl H. Potter III.
“Having this toast here without my friend Earl Potter the president of the university is big hole in our hearts and a big hole in our community,” Kleis said. “To Earl Potter, to St. Cloud State University and to Granite City Days — toast.”
Mayor Dave Kleis ’89, Interim President Ashish Vaidya and Granite City Days organizers toast the late President Earl H. Potter III at the Granite City Days opening.
Promise Neighborhood encourages children to achieve academically and their families to enjoy economic success. The organization engages Talahi families and helps them to achieve their goals for themselves and their communities.
“He is a remarkable individual who has a tremendous heart and this commitment for what he does and all the organization of Promise Neighborhood,” Kleis said. “Congratulations on being a Rock-On Award winner.”
Partner for Student Success, another organization with St. Cloud State connections, earned its own Rock-On Award.
The organization, made up of a partnership of 21 organizations, is aimed at the collective pursuit of student success.
The third Rock-On award went to the Central Minnesota Woodcarvers Association.
Carolyn Garven ’85 was honored with the St. Cloud Art Award, an award she usually hands out.
“Carolyn is dedicated — advocate, volunteer, patron, donor — to the arts in the St. Cloud Community. She’s been instrumental in raising the profile of public art in our community overtime. … She has generously given her time and resources to many of the local arts organizations,” Kleis said.
Carolyn Garven ’85 accepts the St. Cloud Art Award.
