The 41st annual event to raise money for scholarships on May
7
The Mexican American Committee on Education (MACE) will
celebrate 41 years of scholarship fundraising at its annual Cinco
de Mayo Scholarship Banquet on May 7.
At the event, for which the keynote speaker will be UCLA
professor Dr. David Hayes-Bautista, MACE will present its annual
Man and Woman of the Year awards to Jose and Carrie Alvarez and
recognize Encarnacion
”
Chon
”
and Ramona Garcia with the organization’s Honorary Award.
The 41st annual event to raise money for scholarships on May 7
The Mexican American Committee on Education (MACE) will celebrate 41 years of scholarship fundraising at its annual Cinco de Mayo Scholarship Banquet on May 7.
At the event, for which the keynote speaker will be UCLA professor Dr. David Hayes-Bautista, MACE will present its annual Man and Woman of the Year awards to Jose and Carrie Alvarez and recognize Encarnacion “Chon” and Ramona Garcia with the organization’s Honorary Award.
The banquet, which helps raise money for scholarships presented to local high school graduates, will feature dinner and music from 6 to 11 p.m. at San Juan Oaks. Tickets are only available as pre-sale – no sales at the door – and will be sold for $50 per person.
Dr. Hayes-Bautista is a professor of medicine and director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at UCLA’s School of Medicine. His research focuses on the dynamics and processes of the health of the Latino population.
“We are extremely honored to have such a distinguished and respected member of the medical profession in San Benito County,” said MACE President Veronica Lezama.
Man of the Year honoree Jose Alvarez, a graduate of Sacred Heart and San Benito High School, is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He met his future wife, and fellow honoree, Carrie Martinez, in 1959, with their relationship beginning as a long-distance one while he attended Cerritos Community College. He returned to Hollister to complete his apprenticeship training in machine shop technology at Hartnell College in Salinas and was hired as a machinist at McCormick-Selph Industries in 1961. He worked there for the next 42 years, retiring in 2003.
His community involvement includes stints on the Hollister City Council and Planning Commission, Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation and the Community Action Board. He and Carrie have four children and nine grandchildren.
Mrs. Alvarez has lived in Hollister most of her life, working at the local cannery and other businesses. After beginning as a volunteer at Fremont School, she was offered a job as a teacher’s assistant and worked with the Hollister School District until her retirement in 1999.
She said working with children in the bilingual program was the most rewarding part of her hob.
Her community work includes assisting with the Small Steps program and the Friends of the Library, volunteering for the local homeless shelter and supporting MACE and the United Farm Workers.
The 2011 MACE Humanitarian Award, which organizers say is given to people “who at times go beyond their normal duties to volunteer and involve themselves in support of others,” is being given to Encarnacion “Chon” and Ramona Garcia.
They are being acknowledged for their work in the grandparents’ clubs at various schools.
“We sincerely thank them for taking the time to assure schoolchildren of the support an adult members or a school-adopted grandparent can give to encourage children to learn and appreciate the education provided to them,” a MACE statement said.
Mr. Garcia has been a member of local bands and has played Santa Claus for numerous local organizations. Mrs. Garcia has spent time in the kitchen at community holiday dinners.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call Mickie Luna at 673-2009 or George Munoz at 623-4429.
