Willow Glen Resident
News
Photograph by Vicki Thompson
Time Well Spent: The Junior League of San Jose honored George Curcija for the work he has done at Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley. His volunteer efforts at the nonprofit agency have helped reorganize the warehouse so it operates more efficiently.
George Curcija's volunteerism is recognized by Junior League
By Lisa Neves Woldt
George Curcija may be retired after 34 years at Lockheed Martin, but he finds himself working harder as a volunteer. His time is filled with almost daily duties as the warehouse manager for Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, weekly commitments to Second Harvest Food Bank and annual walkathons for breast cancer.
Curcija was still "shocked" to learn he was one of 16 winners chosen by the Junior League of San Jose for this year's Crystal Bowl award. The award honors individuals who demonstrate exemplary volunteer service.
"All I'm doing is pushing things out the door," he says. But according to Rebuilding Together Executive Director Beverley Jackson, it's a little more than that.
"George certainly deserves this award. It's volunteers like him behind the scenes that allow this work to happen and allow others to do more," she says.
He received his award April 28 at the Junior League's 37th annual volunteer recognition luncheon.
The staff from Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit organization that repairs and retrofits homes of elderly, disabled and low-income families, nominated Curcija.
Curcija's efforts transformed Rebuilding Together's distribution and storage facility into an efficient operation. He did so by organizing its roughly 2,000-square-foot warehouse. As a result, the organization reduced expenses and had better inventory controls.
Before Curcija took charge, it took hours to gather the necessary materials for each home project. Curcija spent hours reorganizing, labeling and inventorying supplies and equipment for the necessary home kits.
"It used to take several days to prepare 35 kits; now it takes about four hours," he says.
Rebuilding Together's program director Deanne Everton submitted Curcija's nomination.
"I think the thing that makes George extraordinary," she says, "is that he takes so much initiative and is always looking ahead to see how he can make things better."
For example, Curcija found a Central Valley creamery willing to donate 900 5-gallon buckets, saving potentially thousands of dollars for the organization.
Curcija, who has lived in Willow Glen since 1982, worked as a supervisor for Lockheed Martin's Mission Control Group at the Onizuka Air Force station (the "Blue Cube") before retiring in 1990. Now he has the time "to do the stuff I enjoy," he says, especially his warehouse duties at Rebuilding Together.
"I'm having fun doing this," Curcija says.
Curcija also puts his energy into another cause that holds personal meaning--raising funds for cancer research. His wife, Marilyn, died of breast cancer in 1995.
For the past six years he has participated in the Avon/Susan B. Komen breast cancer walkathons, volunteering on the motorcycle safety crew. His job is to keep walkers safe from traffic. He has attended walks this year in San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas/Ft. Worth and San Diego.
These days Curcija takes all his volunteering efforts in stride.
"I've been blessed with financial resources," he says, "and I've found ways to give back to those who haven't been as fortunate as me."
