Third Annual Elegance with an Edge Gala & Awards (2025 Award Winners & Photo Gallery)

Robert Woolley
Mar 10
5 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

Congratulations to this year's award winners; Melinda Ray, Andrew DePaola, and Bobby Masters.

Win The Day award

The Win the Day award is presented to someone who's passion drives them to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Never backing down from a challenge, they use their "Win The Day" mentality to make a change!

About our Win The Day Award recipient

Melinda Ray

“I’ve been married for almost 30 years and raised three incredible children. I worked as a stay-at-home mom for most of their childhood and decided to become a teacher when my youngest was in 5th grade. I loved being a mom and felt that teaching was a lot like being a mommy. Because I hadn’t attended college this meant I needed to get a degree! I received my (4 year) Bachelor’s Degree in education in 18 months while being a mom and working full-time as a substitute teacher. I attended a school that was fully online. I began my career with QACPS in 2014, teaching 5th grade at Matapeake Elementary School and immediately started my Master’s Degree program. I obtained my Masters in Educational Leadership and STEM in 2016.

I loved teaching and loved the Character Counts coaches who had visited my classroom. The students were always excited for the visits, and I was able to see firsthand the impact it made. When the opportunity to lead this initiative presented itself, I felt it was a role I was meant for.

So many wonderful women have filled the role of Character Counts Coordinator before me, but having been on the other side in the classroom I felt there was still room to grow. In the two years I have had the pleasure of managing this initiative we’ve partnered a coach with 100% of the K-5 classrooms in QACPS. We are also a presence in all four middle schools and at the Wye River Upper School. This summer, Character Counts will be a part of the Horizons summer program and the QAC Parks & Recreation camps! Our business partners continue to grow through our Business of Character program and these relationships help us extend our reach in the county. We started the Character Counts Commissioner’s Spotlight program to remind residents that our Six Pillars are evident in Queen Anne’s County everyday by recognizing incredible businesses, non-profits, and individuals who are out there doing good. I am also blessed to be able to serve on several county committees including the Queen Anne’s County Council for Children and Youth and Safety Net.”

*Giving the Edge Foundation's 2025 Win The Day Award recipient Melinda Ray*

Hall of Fame Award

Since 2013, The Edge has helped athletes reach their full potential physically and mentally. This award goes to the athlete who has gone above and beyond expectations and has excelled to the highest level of their sports.

About our Hall of Fame Award recipient

Andrew DePaola

NFL (2014-Present)

Long Snapper for Minnesota Vikings (2020-Present), Oakland Raiders (2018), Chicago Bears (2017), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014-2016)
NFL Pro Bowl Starter for the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons
Associated Press First-Team All-Pro Special Teams (2022) & Associated Press Second-Team All-Pro Special Teams (2023)
First long snapper to earn the honor two years or more in a row

Rutgers University (2005-2009)

Appeared in 39 total games, including every game his final three seasons
Rutgers went 36-16 during his tenure, winning four straight bowl games

Hereford High - Parkton, MD (2001-2005)

Three-year starting quarterback
Helped the team achieve the 2-A State title his sophomore year, and runner-up finish his senior year
Earned County Offensive Player of the Year by the Baltimore Sun as a junior, All-Metro and All-State honors as a senior, and All-County twice during his high school career. Additionally earned All-Metro Honors as a baseball player

*Giving the Edge Foundation's 2025 Hall of Fame Award recipient Andrew DePaola*

Community Neighbor award

The Community Neighbor award is presented to someone who goes out of their way to help another, make connections, and to give back in any way possible. They are the neighbor with the biggest heart who makes a community feel like a family!

About our Community Neighbor Award recipient

Bobby Masters

“I’ve been married for 40 years to my highschool sweetheart, raised 4 children (3 sons, 1 daughter), have 8 grandchildren, and hundreds of soccer sons and daughters, as well as ‘adopted’ sons in the landscape and home building trades.

I’ve worked as a ‘landscapist’ and home builder since 1980. I can count on my hands the number of times I missed dinner with my wife and kids during my professional life. This same comittment applied to my attendance to all their high school, club, and college games.

I grew up with my Dad, Mom, and two younger brothers on the banks of Winchester Creek and the Chester River; a Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer life. I worked for Farmer John Selby in the fields and produce stand during highschool. After graduating from QA high school, I attended a small Christian college in Arkansas for Business. I went back to school at University of MD for Landscape Design. I learned Professional Management Development with mentors who were giants in the Design/Build landscape world. I have worked from the banks of the Chesapeake Bay to the banks of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary.

My servant leadership work ethic is embossed in my DNA from those men who dared to love me through the stormy waters in my life. I know there is still room to grow. Here are just a few of the quotes these men lived out before me:

‘Be someone who makes life simple, not complex’

‘Take care of people and the money will follow’

‘People are one of a kind works of art, treat them that way’

‘If you solve problems, you’ll always have a job’

‘If you think correctly about God, others, and yourself, expect lasting joy’

I love my current God-given roles as son, brother, husband, dad, pastor, business owner, and coach. I have been called “Coach Bobby” for 30 years by middle school, high school, college, and semi-pro boys & men. Being on the pitch together for countless hours of trainings and matches has forged a bond with each of them for decades. They accomplished feats that greater talent could not because they played selflessly for their brotherhood. Some are now realizing they were being trained to play offense and defense in life. I am pouring into the lives of my QAC families. Coaching boys Varsity soccer at KIHS is like having twenty-two soccer sons.

Here in my home town, I pray God grants me to worship, work, and walk on the athletic fields till the day I die. The key to life is not working to make your dreams come true, but making someone else’s come true.”