John and Mary Garbaciak and Clayton Companies win the 2024 Spirit of Scottsdale Awards

Scottsdale’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission recently named Mary and John Garbaciak and Clayton Companies as the 2024 Spirit of Scottsdale Awards winners.

Since 2019, this annual awards program has recognized the people and places that embody the “Spirit of Scottsdale,” particularly through neighborhood stewardship and the ways in which a person or organization contributes to Scottsdale physically, aesthetically or socially.

The 2024 Individual award went to John and Mary Garbaciak, who were nominated for their dedication to beautifying Scottsdale’s roads. John and Mary volunteer as part of the Scottsdale Adopt-a-Road Program, which asks groups to clean their assigned roadway at least three times a year. John and Mary have been cleaning their roadway – Shea Boulevard from 108th to 116th St. – two-to-three times a month since October 2018.

The 2024 Business/Organization winner is Clayton Companies, a family-owned business that has been renovating and developing real estate in Old Town/South Scottsdale for almost 40 years. In 2024 they finished renovating a retail center located on the east side of Hayden Road just south of Osborn Road. As part of this project, they moved a Polynesian-themed Dairy Queen that was slated for demolition and remodeled the retail center around it. Clayton Companies preserved the building’s unique history, while creating an inviting place for the community.

This year, the Neighborhood Advisory Commission received 12 nomination submissions:

• Joe Previte, founder of Cowork With Friends
• Susan McGarry, HOA president
• Aaron Norwood, LevRose partner
• Joe Prado, president of the Colony Park Homeowners’ Association
• Prevent & Fix
• Cattle Track Arts & Preservation
• Choulet Performance Psychiatry
• Partners for Paiute
• LevRose Commercial Real Estate
• Technical Solutions

The winners were recognized on Tuesday, March 18, with a presentation of the awards during the Scottsdale City Council meeting. The nomination period for 2025 will open in May.

• Jayda McClendon
• Public Affairs Specialist
• Office of Communications
• Published Mar 20, 2025
• Office: 480-3