 |
|
|
|
|
Citizens to be honored at upcoming event
By Kelly Wilkinson
Mayor Manuel Valerio will present the 1999 Sunnyvale awards for community and citizen achievement on April 21 during the annual State of the City event at the Palace on Murphy Ave.
"As always, it was a difficult challenge for the awards selection committee to make its choices from an impressive list of nominees for the city's annual awards," Valerio said. "It is a measure of strength of our community when so many outstanding people contribute so much of their time and talent to make Sunnyvale a great community."
Valerio appointed an awards selection committee comprising Sunnyvale citizens and business representatives, which then selected the recipients from a range of nominations.
Following is a list of the awards and recipients:
Distinguished Citizens of the Year--Gordon and Willa Markley. Dressed and trained as clowns, the Markleys regularly visit hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers for hundreds of hours each year. In addition, Willa is a regular volunteer for Sunnyvale Community Services, and Gordon has served on the Arts Commission. Both are also trained as grief counselors for the Center for Living with Dying, a service for people who have experienced loss in their lives.
Mayor's Award of Excellence--Charles Olson and Family, Olson's Orchards. The Olsons have owned and operated cherry and fruit orchards in the center of Sunnyvale, providing a direct link to Sunnyvale's agricultural heritage.
Outstanding Business Person of the Year--Suzi Blackman. As president and CEO of the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce, Blackman has supported local businesses, provided leadership and energy to the business community and served as spokesperson for civic, community, and regional venues.
Outstanding High School Senior of the Year--Monica Blankenship, Fremont High School. Blankenship has worked to create a dialog within the school community to address racism by creating an atmosphere of trust and respect.
Public Safety Awards of Valor and Merit--Leonid Vera, Gary Ford, Keegan McLoskey and Lauren Christina with the employees of the Bean Scene Coffee House. Vera was a passenger in a car when the brakes failed and the car plunged into a swimming pool. Vera assisted the driver, who couldn't swim, to safety.
Ford detected a fire in an apartment complex on his way to work, alerted residents and helped evacuate five people.
McLoskey noticed a burning vehicle in a garage, woke the residents, sent a neighbor to call 911, and searched the house for other occupants.
Christina, manager of the Bean Scene, and her employees provided free coffee and a safe location for witnesses to talk to public safety officers after a crime on Murphy Avenue.
The event is free, open to the public, and will begin at 5 p.m.
|
|
|
|
Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
