BERLIN—On Thursday, Oct. 24 the Berlin Lions Club will honor Jan Quick as Berlin’s Citizen of the Year for 2012 during the 48th Annual Berlin Award celebration. The über multi-tasker was nominated by her husband Jim Quick, who credited his wife with helping to start Berlin’s Commercial District Management Authority, a town-sponsored entity that was the precursor to the merchant-run Chamber of Commerce.

The celebration, which will begin at 6 p.m. at 9039 Worcester Hwy. (Route 113), marks the first time the award recipient, has been notified ahead of time to allow family and friends to attend the event.  Jack Ferry, program director for the Worcester County Development Center, which provides opportunities for adults who live with disabilities, will be the guest speaker.

Quick and her husband Jim have been the proprietors of the Holland House since 1986. The circa 1900 doctor’s residence is now a family-operated bed and breakfast inn on 5 Bay Street. Jim Quick said he nominated his wife because of the many causes she is involved in.

In addition to being an innkeeper, Jan is also a dental hygienist in the West Ocean City office of Dr. Michele Brauning at 9936 Stephen Decatur Hwy. 

Brauning commented that Quick was “a wonderful person who is easy to work with and is always doing for others.”

Quick has just as many civic responsibilities as she has professional roles. She has served as president of the Women’s Evening Guild of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for the past three years—and has been involved at the group in some capacity for the past 10 years and sings on the choir. The organization sponsors the Church Mouse Thrift Store on Main Street. 

For the past few years, Quick has served on the board of directors for the Taylor House Museum and succeeded Edward Hammond as president after he died unexpectedly in a car accident in 2010.

Roxanne Williams, branch manager of the PNC Bank on Main Street, serves as the co-chairperson for the Berlin Award Committee. She said the annual award was presented to an individual who, through selfless effort and dedication, has made an outstanding contribution in community service.

Williams said the community chose to award Quick because of her “many, many hours away from her family to help Berlin become a success.” 

Jim, who is assistant general manager at the Dunes Manor Hotel on 28th Street in Ocean City, said when the couple purchased the inn 29 years ago there was no chamber. “Most of Main Street was boarded up and (stores) sat empty,” he said.

With Tom Patton, Jan Quick was instrumental in getting the fledgling organization off the ground and members signed up, according to Jim Quick. They even served as the caretakers of the organization’s phone line until it was transferred over the building that now houses the chamber’s offices.

Quick showed up for the early morning photo shoot and interview having already finished her bicycle workout, showered, and greeted diners having breakfast. Asked about her ability to squeeze so many activities into an hour or two, she simply said “I have an abundant amount of energy.” Of her work on her many multiple causes, Quick said “I always did things because I could.”

Quick said she felt honored to be included in the list of past honorees for the award in the small town she and her husband moved to from Ohio nearly 29 years ago. Her goal at the time, she said, was to “to find a ‘village’ where people lived regular lives.” 

The couple found that village in the town of Berlin, according to Jan. “Berlin is a wonderful little town,” she said.