Outstanding Person

Lester Lewis Receives Energy OutWest 2008 Outstanding Person in Weatherization Award

The Center for Trade and Economic Development Housing Division is pleased to announce that Lester Lewis from MDC has won the Outstanding Person in Weatherization for Washington.

There are seven states involved in Energy OutWest. Only one person per state wins the Outstanding Person in Weatherization award and MDC's Lester Lewis is this years winner for Washington.

Explain why the nominee should be considered for the Outstanding Person in Weatherization Award. Include specific examples of accomplishments or notable contributions by this individual.

After working with Mr. Lewis the sum of five years, I have witnessed professionalism and mastery of his knowledge and skill pertaining to weatherization. However, what most impresses me about Mr. Lewis is the compassion and human element he incorporates into his work.

An example of this would be the time I accompanied him on an audit in the coldest part of winter. What we discovered was that an elderly man lived alone in his home that had not only no insulation, but also no drywall, extensive electrical work needed to be done, and his only heating source was a portable gas stove. It was so cold in the house you could literally see your own breath. The condition of the structure made it impossible to apply any weatherization measures.

The costs involved to bring the home to liveable suitability was beyond what the client could afford. Realizing that our funding sources could not allow the extreme cost of renovation, Mr. Lewis rallied several local businesses to volunteer time, materials and labor to bring this home in a livable condition and prepare it to qualify for weatherization services.

I am pleased to report that the outcome was greeted with an emotional display of gratitude from the home owner and a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from everyone that was involved in this project. This is just one example of Mr. Lewis achievements.

I can site many other examples of his altruism, but even if it were just for this one effort, I highly feel that Mr. Lewis deserves to be recognized for this extraordinary achievement. Mr. Lewis brings great pride to our organization and has earned him well deserved esteem from all of us who work with him on a daily basis.

Please provide as much background information as you can regarding this individual's history with the program (number of years, etc.)

Mr. Lewis has worked for the Metropolitan Development Council for the past nineteen years. He has worked his way up from an associate to a supervisory capacity. He is well versed in all aspects of Weatherization, carpentry, and plumbing. Mr. Lewis is supervising other programs within our organization. Namely: Emergency Minor Home Repair, The ReHarvest Center and Housing Maintenance. He not only excels in his supervisory duties but is also a hands on person leading his crews by example.

More Information

MDC Housing programs bring home improvement opportunities to low-income, senior and disabled residents. See our list of programs that can help you in our program directory.