Middle Township Honors Longtime Employee

COURT HOUSE – Middle Township Mayor Dan Lockwood announced that the township has created a new award program that will recognize an exceptional township employee. The program is named after Darius Graham, a township employee who overcame personal challenges to become a vital member of the Middle Township Clean Communities Program. Mayor Lockwood made the announcement during the recent Whitesboro Reunion Festival.
“It was a great honor to discuss the new Darius Graham Employee of the Year Award during this year’s reunion festival”, Mayor Lockwood said. “This new recognition program will always carry the name of Darius Graham, a man who truly set the standard for professionalism and courtesy to which all township employees strive to achieve”.
The annual Darius Graham Employee of the Year Award in Middle Township carries four specific criteria for potential nominees. These are key attributes that Darius was always known for and include: 1) The individual loves to come to work, loves to work, and enjoys what they do; 2) They perform their duties in a happy and caring manner; 3) They enjoy those that they work with and the community where they work; and 4) They use their work ethic and passion to elevate their work environment and their community.
All nominees will be recommended by department heads, and will be nominated and selected by the Township’s governing body. The annual recipient of the award will receive a compensatory day, designated parking space, recognition on a plaque, and an official proclamation from the governing body.
The Middle Township Committee named the award after Darius Graham who was first employed by Middle Township in 1988 and quickly became an active participant in the Township’s successful Clean Communities Program. Graham was also well-known in the Township for being an ambassador for Middle Township, speaking lovingly about the community in which he served. During his remarks at the Whitesboro Reunion Festival, Mayor Lockwood commented that many Middle Township employees consider Graham to be their favorite Township employee during their tenure.
Julius Graham, Darius’s brother, once wrote about Darius “You’ve taught me about compassion, caring, humility, kindness, and sincerity. In fact, you were the most sincere person I’ve ever met….I thank you for teaching me how to be a better human being. My greatest strengths are a result from my life experiences of having grown up with you. Thank you”.
“The great football coach Vince Lombardi once said ‘The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have’”, Mayor Lockwood said. “Darius Graham’s exemplary performance as an employee of Middle Township will forever set the standard of excellence for the township employee awards program that bears his name and legacy”.
For more information, please visit www.middletownship.com