2013 Senior Volunteer Awards
Celebrating senior volunteers who provided services to the community.
September 23, 2013
2013 Senior Volunteer Award Ceremony
The Culture to Culture Foundation-sponsored Senior Volunteer Awards for outstanding local volunteers was held in the Pleasant Hill Senior Center in September.
More than 250 members of the community attended the event to show their support and appreciation of these volunteers.
The Senior Volunteer Award judges included:
- Alameda County Superior Court Judge Stuart Hing
- Dolores Fox Ciardelli, managing editor of the Danville Express,
- Barbara Smith, retired Superior Court Judge of Contra Costa County
- Joyce Cram, retired Superior Court Judge of Contra Costa County
Award presenters included:
- state Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan,
- Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen,
- Contra Costa County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff,
- San Ramon Mayor Bill Clarkson
- Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich.
Culture to Culture Senior Award sponsors included:
- C.C. Yin, founder of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association;
- Pamela Elkins, senior vice president of Bank of the West;
- Mina Li, associate director of KTSF Channel 26;
- Julie Sheu, president of the Vanton Research Lab;
- Elaine Clark, executive director of Meals on Wheels;
- Sophie Goto;
- Kevin Young, executive director of the Kensington in Walnut Creek;
- Community volunteer Ray Zenoni.
Congratulations and thanks to Senior Volunteer Award winners and their nominators:
- Marlene Mejia, nominated by Vicky Lizarraga and Solomon Belette, CEO of Catholic Charities of the East Bay
- Rudy Fruscella, nominated by Kimi Miyamura, San Ramon Regional Medical Center
- Ingrid Evans, nominated by Tami Blaj, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
- Susan Rosthal, nominated by Kathryn Winogura, Jewish Family and Children's Services of the East Bay
- Karen DeBoer, nominated by Joyce Rosevear, Hospice of the East Bay
- Marjorie Levy, nominated by Debbie Toth, CEO Rehabilitation Services of Northern California
- Bruce Palmer, nominated by Chris Hwang, Meals on Wheels
- Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) volunteers, nominated by Ruth Atkin, HICAP
- Mauna Wagner, nominated by Mary Bruns, Lafayette Community Center
- Elder Court Support Program of Contra Costa County volunteers, nominated by Tina Olton, Elder Court
- Clive Beck, nominated by friends Marilyn Creighton, Shawnee Maxwell and Dee Anderson
- And your Good Neighbors columnist, Faith Barnidge, nominated by Ray Zenoni, community volunteer.
The award ceremony was reported in this Contra Costa Times article. Read the 2013 Senior Volunteer Award Program which includes the nomination summaries of all nominees.
September 9, 2013
2013 Senior Volunteer Award Nominees Announced
The Culture to Culture Foundation is pleased to announce the nominees of 6th annual senior volunteer awards. Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on September 22, 2013 at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center, 233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill.
Individual Nominees
- Kay Aaker- Nominated By: Stellie H. J. Kim, American Cancer Society, Inc.- California Division
- Faith Barnidge- Nominated By: Ray Zenoni, Community Volunteer, Pleasant Hill
- Clive Beck- Nominated By: Marilyn Creighton, Shawnee Maxwell, and Dee Anderson
- Bob and Karen Bush- Nominated By: Pastor Jonathan Gee, Family Worship Center
- Barbara Chavez- Nominated By: Ann Smilanich, President, Danville Women's Club
- Mei-Mei Cheng- Nominated By: Eileen Cheng
- Karen DeBoer- Nominated By: Joyce Rosevear, Volunteer Department, Hospice of the Eastbay
- Cheryl Eiselman- Nominated By: Sharon Fitzgerald, Program Manager, Meals on Wheels & Senior Outreach Svcs
- Shirley Ernest- Nominated By: Joan Ernst, San Ramon Senior Center Advisory Committee Chairman
- Ingrid Evans- Nominated By: Tami Blaj, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
- Rudy Fruscella- Nominated By: Kimi Y Miyamura, Director of Volunteer Services, San Ramon Regional Medical Center
- Robin Gordon- Nominated By: Linda Groobin, Caring Hands Volunteer Caregivers Program
- Kathy Hampton- Nominated By: Kermit Sveen, Summerset Volunteer Program, Brentwood
- Jan Harman- Nominated By: Lenora Brown & George Conlow, SHARE Food Pantry
- Richard Knowles- Nominated By: Chris Hwang, Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services
- Marjorie Levy- Nominated By: Debbie Toth, CEO, Rehabilitation Services of Northern California
- Marlene Mejia- Nominated By: Vicky Lizarraga, Case Manager & Solomon Belette, CEO, Catholic Charities of the East Bay
- Patrick O'Leary- Nominated By: Holly Frates & Jessica Wusthoff, Pleasant Hill Senior Center Staff
- Bruce Palmer- Nominated By: Chris Hwang, Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services
- Marialyce Romeo- Nominated By: Jody Bunting, Pleasant Hill
- Susan Rosthal- Nominated By: Kathryn Winogura, Coordinator of Volunteer Services, Jewish Family and Children's Services of the East Bay
- Hanna Sveen, N aminated By: Kermit Sveen, Summerset Volunteer Program, Brentwood
- Pam Talbot- Nominated By: Pastor Laura Gee, Family Worship Center
- Mauna Wagner- Nominated By: Mary Bruns, Lamorinda Spirit Van Program, Lafayette Community Center
Group Nominees
- Contra Costa County - Elder Court Support Program volunteers, Senior Peer Counseling Program - Nominated By: Tina Olton, Elder Court Support Program Coordination
- Contra Costa Regional Medical Center's Auxiliary Executive Board Members - Nominated By: Rhonda R. Smith, MPA, MAED, MAOL, Volunteer Program Coordinator
- Friends of Discovery - Nominated By: Kathy Chiverton, Executive Director, Discovery Counseling Center
- Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) Volunteers - Nominated By: Ruth Atkin, HICAP program manager
- Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Advisory Council Volunteers - Nominated By: Dolores Pita, Program Manager
- Volunteer Center of the East Bay- Office Support Team - Nominated by Jo Loss, Executive Director, Volunteer Center of the East Bay
July 15, 2013
2013 Senior Volunteer Award Now Accepting Nominations
The Senior Volunteer Awards recognize current senior volunteers (55 and older) who have provided extraordinary voluntary service within Contra Costa County. We accept nominations for volunteer teams as well as individual nominations. By spotlighting these seniors, Culture to Culture Foundation hopes to inspire others to share their time and talents.
Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on September 22, 2013 at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center.
The winners will receive $250.00
HOW TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION
Each nominator can only submit one nomination
- The nominee must be nominated by another individual
- Nominator must describe the individual nominee's or team nominee's volunteer activities in 500 words or less
- The write-up must include nominee's age(s), address, telephone, nature of the volunteer work in terms of length, hours, its significance and impact
- Nominator must include his or her contact information
- All nominations must be mailed to: senioraward2013@culturetoculture.org
- NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY SEPTEMBER 1, 2013