Middle-schooler walks the walk
When the San Benito County Homeless Shelter opened for the first
time last winter, it was due in large part to an unlikely ally
– a middle school student.
Middle-schooler walks the walk
When the San Benito County Homeless Shelter opened for the first time last winter, it was due in large part to an unlikely ally – a middle school student.
Theresa Copeland, now a freshman at San Benito High School, will be back working as a volunteer when the Southside Road shelter re-opens for the winter on Nov. 27.
The 14-year-old Hollister girl will be honored on Saturday, Oct. 21, as San Benito Youth Services “Youth of the Year” during a first-of-its-kind fund-raising event at Ridgemark.
As Theresa recalls, she became aware of the effort to open a local shelter while watching television news. She learned that there was an effort to move the homeless out of San Benito County, because there were not services to help them. She launched a petition drive, and talked with her teachers, other students and members of her church, and quickly collected 365 signatures. An article about her efforts in The Pinnacle added momentum.
Theresa’s grandmother contacted the late Marley Holte, who was working on the shelter effort, and the youth was appointed as a member of the Homeless Task Force. She went on to collect supplies for the shelter, and stepped in as a volunteer when it opened.
It’s not been without recognition. She has received the Jefferson Award for service, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors presented her with a certificate of recognition and the League of United Latin American Citizens nominated her as chairperson for its Cinco de Mayo celebration.
When the shelter opens, “I will be there to help out in every way I can,” she said. “It’s still only a winter shelter but with donations and other help maybe we can have a year-round shelter. … Together we can put smiles on faces.”
Theresa will be honored during the “Ridgemark Rumble,” a benefit for San Benito Youth Services.
The event begins at 5 p.m., and at 5:15, volunteers will begin rolling golf balls down a hill. Each ball has an owner who has purchased a chance in the contest, and the owner of the ball closest to the pin wins a prize. Prizes include a trip to Mexico and a cruise.
Dinner follows at 6 p.m. Tickets to the dinner are $65 each, or $600 for a table of 10, and every admission includes one rumble ticket. Additional balls are available for $10 each.
The rumble is followed by dinner in the Ridgemark dining room and a silent auction.
In addition to Theresa’s award, Rep. Sam Farr and retired Judge Tom Breen will recognize Holte with a posthumous “Lifetime Commitment to Youth Award.” Holte’s son, Dan, has agreed to accept the award. In addition to her award, Theresa will receive a $500 scholarship from Farr and Breen. Holte, who died recently, was active in the community, and particularly, for youth services.
San Benito Youth Services (SBYS) was founded in 1995 to help local youth achieve their potential through education, after-school support and extracurricular activities. In the last year, SBYS helped support the county library, Moms ‘n’ Kids, and the Literature Club at Rancho San Justo School, as well as local after-school programs. The organization also funds local scholarships.
For further information on the Ridgemark Rumble, or to purchase tickets, call Doug Emerson at 637-8399 or the SBYS office at 784-4412.
