Grieder, Kotalac Named Nantucket Senior Citizens Of The Year

Bill Grieder and Barbara Kotalac have been named the 2022 Nantucket Senior Man and Senior Woman of the Year by the Nantucket Council on Aging.

The awards recognize volunteerism by seniors who are active and involved in the community at large.

Since 2004, one man and one woman have been recognized. Prior to that year, the award recognized just one individual one individual.

Bill Grieder grew up on Nantucket and spent his adulthood off-island where he was a volunteer and community leader. Since returning to Nantucket in retirement, he remains an active volunteer, currently serving as the president of the Madaket Conservation Association, vice chair of the Town’s Roads and Right of Way Committee, and board member of the Nantucket Civic League and the Nantucket Center for Elder Affairs.

Nonagenarian Barbara Kotalac has been a volunteer on Town committees and nonprofits for 50 years, including serving on the boards of The Homestead and Landmark House for more than 30 years. She has been an election volunteer and member of the Board of Registrars of the Town’s Annual Street Listing. An avid supporter of Whaler sports, she has been a Booster Club member for more than 50 years.

A total of 18 nominations were received this year for 10 women and 8 men.

A celebration honoring the Seniors of the Year, along with all of our senior volunteers, is being planned at the Faregrounds Restaurant, although a date has not been set.

The past winners of the Senior Citizens of the Year award include:

• 1988 Faith Oldham
• 1989 Paul Whitten
• 1990 Sylvia Maltby
• 1991 Beatrice Santos
• 1992 Anna McLean
• 1993 Fredrick Cook
• 1994 Joseph Souza
• 1995 Gertrude Bernard
• 1996 John Maury
• 1997 Alcon Chadwick
• 1998 K Anne diCurcio
• 1999 Rev. Ted Anderson
• 2000 Jane Harter
• 2001 Jareaseh St. Jean
• 2002 James King
• 2003 Peggy & Keith Krewson
• 2004 Christine P. Santos and Reginald T. Reed
• 2005 Eileen McGrath and Rev. Warren Gritzke
• 2006 C. Jean Egan and Eldridge “Nick” Norton
• 2007 Mary Glowacki and John McLaughlin
• 2008 Joan Ottinger and Robert F. Mooney
• 2009 Louise G. McGarvey and Joseph Aguiar
• 2010 Louise Benoit and Manny Dias
• 2011 Jackie Seidel and Phil Reed
• 2012 Randy Wight and Paul Connors
• 2013 Sara Johnsen and Francis Pease
• 2014 Emma Rusch and Michael Varbalow
• 2015 Maureen Beck and August Ramos
• 2016 Helene Blair and Maurice Gibbs
• 2017 Fran Karttunen and Ned Wight
• 2018 Peggy Kaufman and Allen Reinhard
• 2019 Jeanette Topham and Peter Richards
• 2020 No recipients due to COVID-19 pandemic
• 2021 Joanne Polster and Ritch Leone