|
|
 |
| | | | | |
|
|
Law Enforcement Chaplains in Sonoma County receive the Jefferson Award
|
|
JEFFERSON AWARDS DEBUT IN COUNTY
|
Published on February 28, 2007
Byline: Rayne Wolfe, The Press Democrat
|
FIVE AGENCIES HONORED FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Five Sonoma County nonprofit groups were honored Tuesday for leadership in community involvement
The American Red Cross, Burbank Housing, Law Enforcement Chaplaincy, Valley of the Moon Foundation and the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County were singled out as part of the debut of the local presentation of the Jefferson Awards.
"This is the kind of award that truly inspires. It renews our commitment to the community, in a way," said Eunice Valentine, executive director of the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County.
Her agency has served as a community clearinghouse for 35 years, matching volunteers with the nonprofit groups and civic projects that need them.
The event, held in a packed Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meeting room, was the first in what will be an annual local tribute to public service and volunteering.
The Jefferson Awards are sponsored by the the American Institute for Public Service, which was founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, then-U.S. Sen. Robert Taft Jr. and Sam Beard. National recipients have included former Secretary of State George Shultz, astronaut John Glenn, news anchor Walter Cronkite, media magnate Oprah Winfrey, farmworker organizer Cesar Chavez and computer whiz Steven Jobs.
At the local level, Jefferson Awards recognize ordinary volunteers who do extraordinary things for their communities.
Dawn Matheny of the Sonoma County Human Resources Department organized the Santa Rosa event. The five honorees were selected from 44 nominees.
The awards:
* The American Red Cross, Sonoma County chapter, for its more than 100 years of humanitarian efforts to alleviate human suffering.
* Burbank Housing for its dedication to increasing the supply of housing in Sonoma County to low-income people of all ages, backgrounds and special needs.
* The Law Enforcement Chaplaincy for providing interfaith volunteer chaplains to serve side-by-side with police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel when supporting the victims of crime and accidents in Sonoma County.
* Valley of the Moon Children's Foundation for its efforts to create a new Children's Home for Sonoma County's abused, abandoned and neglected children.
"This acknowledges what the fabric of this community is," said Sonoma County Supervisor Tim Smith. "It humbles me to be in the presence of people doing things that need to be done."
Supervisor Paul Kelley concurred. "In my mind, it's charity of the soul. These nonprofits really reach out and touch people," he said.
You can reach Staff Writer Rayne Wolfe at 521-5240 or rayne.wolfe@pressdemocrat.com.
|
|
|
|
