Forsyth County employee nominated for 2023 Custodian of the Year award

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Kelly Mill Elementary School Head Custodian

Richard Toomey has been selected as the Georgia finalist in the Cintas Corporation’s 10th annual Custodian of the Year Contest.

The winner of the competition receives $10,000. Kelly Mill Elementary School will receive $5,000 in cleaning products if Toomey wins, as well as enrollment in the Global Biorisk Advisory Council Fundamentals Online Course and a free facility assessment and consulting package from ISSA — the worldwide cleaning industry association.

FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED

Former Forsyth County Commissioner Molly Cooper died from pancreatic cancer March 22. Cooper served on the Board of Commissioners from 2019-2022.

Memorial.

Donations in Cooper’s name can be made at http://cummingcivitan.com/ and http://jewishforsyth.org.

The top three winners also receive an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas for the ISSA Show North America in November to celebrate their accomplishments.

“School custodians are beacons of light in their communities, and students look up to them as positive role models who lead by example,” ISSA Executive Director John Barrett said.

Toomey started at Kelly Mill Elementary School in 2015, and he has held the role of head custodian for four years.

He said it is an honor to be nominated, and the appreciation from students makes him proud to do what he does every day.

“It’s just been an amazing experience,” Toomey said.

Kelly Mill Elementary School Principal Tracey Smith said Toomey created a group huddle among custodians every day to bring them closer.

“It’s those little things like that that make him deserving of this award,” Smith said. “And so, you know, we’re just excited that he is getting recognition for something that he is so deserving of.”

The Forsyth County Board of Education also recognized Toomey for his nomination at its March 21 meeting.

Voting for Toomey is open through April 14 at custodianoftheyear.com.