09/28/2026
Cunningham-Limp was proud to bring the Community Builder Award to Washtenaw County for the first time in partnership with Ann Arbor SPARK , recognizing this year’s finalists at the 2026 FastTrack Awards! 🏆
This year, we had the opportunity to recognize five individuals who each represent a different way the spaces around us can be used to strengthen a community:
Julius Buzzard of Growing Hope
Joe Halsch of the Jim Toy Community Center
Christy Howden of Wolverine Pickleball
Ashley Schafer of the Main Street Area Association
Mark Smith of Mi-HQ (Ypsi)
Congratulations to all five of our finalists! We’re proud to recognize the impact each of you is making throughout Washtenaw County.
And a special congratulations to our 2026 Community Builder Award recipient, Julius Buzzard of Growing Hope!
Through Growing Hope, Julius has helped create spaces and opportunities that support local entrepreneurs, connect residents with local food, and bring the Ypsilanti community together.
In recognition of his impact, Cunningham-Limp was honored to present a $2,500 contribution to Growing Hope.
Congratulations, Julius, and thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate the people building stronger communities across Washtenaw County!
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