Annual award to recognize those who give of their time for
others
Four locals are nominated for the annual Hollister Youth
Alliance Community Hero Award, which annually recognizes people
that give of their time to improve the lives of others.
Annual award to recognize those who give of their time for others
Four locals are nominated for the annual Hollister Youth Alliance Community Hero Award, which annually recognizes people that give of their time to improve the lives of others.
San Benito County Superintendent of Schools Mike Sanchez; San Benito High School senior Juan Castro Cruz III; Mary Anne Hughes, executive director of the Community Food Bank; and Anita Wilson of Community Solutions will be honored during the Dec. 3 awards dinner at Cedar House Restaurant on Pacheco Pass Highway.
“The dinner allows us to recognize those individuals who have committed themselves to focusing on the betterment of the community, either by reaching out to youth, helping folks in crisis, educating kids or feeding the needy,” said Diane Ortiz, executive director of the Hollister Youth Alliance. “We’re happy to be able to provide an opportunity to recognize those who give so much of their time.”
The dinner, which begins at 5:30 p.m., is the primary fundraiser for the nonprofit alliance, formed in 1995. The organization offers after-school and summer programs for youth and also partners with local social services agencies to encourage and assist youth in becoming productive members of society.
The Community Hero Awards are an extension of that work, Ortiz said, noting that “creating a healthier, better, more-educated community doesn’t happen by one organization or one person. It’s definitely a community effort.”
Sanchez, the former longtime principal of San Andreas Continuation High School in Hollister as well as public address announcer for San Benito High School home football games, was praised by Dolores Villalon, who nominated him for the hero award.
“He changed [the] lives of many and took the time to encourage them to attend college and graduate,” while at San Andreas, she wrote. “They, in turn, continued [as] a positive role model in their endeavors. I think of Mike as a true hero in our community.”
Cruz, who received multiple nominations for the youth alliance’s Inspiration Award, has been an active community volunteer – particularly during his high school career. In addition to volunteering at events such as the Hollister Fireman’s Ball and the Kiwanis Club Spaghetti Feed, he has worked for the Hollister Police Department’s records department, volunteered at the county library, worked with the Hollister Youth Alliance’s Drop Zone and raised money for the American Cancer Society during the Relay for Life.
One nomination said Cruz “is always willing to help out others and is a very positive role model to everyone around him.”
Eva Quinones said Cruz “enjoys sharing his time and giving of himself to service others in our community,” while Eva Foster noted Cruz’s flawless high school attendance record while noting his volunteer spirit.
“Juan has taken [his parents’] guidance and advice and has shared it with his friends, the kids at the Drop Zone, the community he serves by volunteering, and his extended family,” she wrote.
Hughes, who coordinates the efforts of the local food bank, was called “a hero to a lot of different people in a lot of different ways” on her nomination form, submitted by Larry Smith.
“I know that she’s my personal hero because her confidence in me at a time when I really needed someone to have confidence in me really made the difference in who I am today,” Smith said.
Hughes, he continued, “really knows and genuinely cares about the hunger problem in San Benito County and is taking every step necessary to solve the problem.”
Wilson’s nomination, submitted by Perla Flores, cited Wilson’s more than 20 years of advocating for victims of abuse.
“Despite the challenges inherent in advocacy and nonprofit work,” Flores noted that Wilson has a “consistently compassionate, non-judgmental and empowering nature” that puts victims of abuse at ease.
“By remaining a passionate, professional advocate and solid source of support and empathy for victims, Anita embodies the best kind of strength; the kind that is freely given to others during their time of need,” Flores said.
All nominees and those who nominated them will be featured in short films that will be shown at the awards dinner. Tickets for the event are available online at www.hollisteryouthalliance.org or by calling 636-2853. Admission is $50 per person.
