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Daly City – More than 100 of Daly City’s
“everyday heroes” were in attendance when Mayor
Sal Torres and the City Council
awarded this year’s most outstanding individuals,
event sponsors and service organizations at the
July 26 city council meeting.
“We salute our everyday heroes in Daly City, our
volunteers,” Mayor Torres declared last Monday
night. The council presentation was preceded by
Daly City’s 7th annual Volunteers Awards and Appreciation
reception held at City Hall.
Clean Community Committee’s Rick Crump,
a long-time member of the all-volunteer team that
keeps Daly City neighborhoods well groomed, received
the Most Outstanding Volunteer
of the year award. He logged 333 hours last year,
working in City Hall on Friday mornings.
Sixteen-year-old Emily Sun of
the Volunteers in Daly City program was named
the Most Outstanding Student Volunteer.
The Mercy High School 11th-grader worked 211 hours
last summer in the Kids Kamp at the Parks and
Recreation Department. Her site supervisor described
her as “an excellent model for the campers” and
positively cited “her attitude, her initiative
and her leadership skills.”
Daly City Public Library’s Richenda Briones
earned the Most Outstanding Site Supervisor
award for coordinating and mentoring year-round
volunteers – most of whom are students – assigned
at the four library branches. Briones, the third
library staff to win this recognition, was also
an effective member of the 2003 Make A Difference
Day Event Committee.
Participants
of the annual national service day, Make
A Difference Day, were also recognized.
Among the 200 volunteers, event partners and sponsors
who took part last October 25, 2003, three received
special commendations.
The First National Bank of Northern California
was cited the Most Outstanding Event Sponsor
for donating cases of bottled water for volunteers
since 2001. Executive Vice President Tony Clifford
accepted the award.
For providing dozens of freshly made original
glazed donuts for hundreds of Daly City volunteers
during the last four years, Krispy Kreme
was this year’s Outstanding Corporate
Sponsor. Assistant Manager Floyd Johnson
received the award.
The Council of Homeowners and Residents
Association (COHRA) was named the Most
Outstanding Volunteer Group, for organizing
and completing Make A Difference Day projects,
supervising volunteers, and providing the funds
to purchase pick-up sticks used at various clean-up
sites. A remarkable increase in membership participation
at the annual fall event – from two neighborhood
groups in l999 to nine associations in 2003 –
also earned COHRA the distinction.
Last
year’s Make A Difference Day
marked the fifth year Daly City volunteers joined
millions of Americans in celebrating the nation’s
largest service day.
“Our volunteers do many good things for our community.
They clean our parks, neighborhoods and business
streets. They educate our residents on preventing
kitchen fires. They teach our children how to
be safe. Daly City volunteers do all these and
more, in about four hours or so,” remarked Councilmember
Michael Guingona, who himself has attended
all five Daly City Make A Difference Day events.
In recognition of its five-year continuous participation,
the Daly City Church of Christ (Iglesia
Ni Cristo) garnered the Most
Valuable Volunteer Group in the Special
5th Make A Difference Day category.
Another five-year service award – the Most
Valuable Volunteer – was given to Estelle
Gobrera, a Daly City employee and also
a member of the Church of Christ (Iglesia Ni Cristo).
In 1999, Gobrera helped in the “care and feed”
of nearly 250 volunteers. As a member of the Event
Committee, she continues to take on more responsible
positions each year, and has been “indispensable”
in coordinating the registration of the event’s
largest contingent.
In
addition to receiving an engraved plaque with
a key to the city, the awardees were given a Certificate
of Recognition signed by California Assembly Speaker
pro Tempore Leland Yee.
Three Parks and Recreation Department
volunteers, along with the service groups they
represent, also received similar certificates
from Yee. They are Margaret Boghosian
and the Doelger Senior Center Advisory
and Planning Council, Hedy
Covell and the Lincoln Community
Center Advisory and Planning Council,
as well as Andrew Borja and the
Aquatics Division – Junior Lifeguard Volunteers.
Commendation Certificates from the Daly City –
City Council were also issued to volunteers who
worked 50 hours or more last year.
Sugar Bowl Bakery received a
special mention from Vice Mayor Carol
Klatt for treating the volunteers with
a sample of its baked goods.
To volunteer, or for more information about the
Volunteers in Daly City program,
call the City’s Public Information and Volunteer
Coordinator at (650) 991-8296.
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