October 2016 Spotlight: Santa Clarita Runners Club – Marathon

The Santa Clarita Runners Club has been a prolific partner of the City of Santa Clarita for the Santa Clarita Marathon from the beginning.  A dedicated group of Runners Club members organized the first Santa Clarita Marathon in 1995, and many of those volunteers are still active with the event.  Club members serve as advisors and advocates for the Marathon, help promote the event, handle runner registration, coordinate with Race Central, set up pace groups to help other runners, and provide information at the Volunteer Orientation, among others.  They are an integral part of the Marathon and are instrumental in the event’s success every year.

September 2016 Spotlight: Barbara Dinius, Maryann Germek, Marion Ostrom – Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) Program

In recognition of National Preparedness Month, the City spotlights Barbara, Maryann and Marion, active CERT volunteers who provide preparedness information to the public at the annual Emergency Expo, participate at business employee safety fairs, and help with the City’s quarterly disaster simulations.  They are very dedicated volunteers who inspire others with their enthusiasm, professionalism, and commitment to helping the community be better prepared for disasters, evidenced in their active participation in their neighborhood emergency preparedness group.

August 2016 Spotlight: Katie Cummings, Gilda Cruz-Manglapus, Sarah Stoddard – Community Court Diversion Program

Katie, Gilda, and Sarah, trauma nurses from Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, have been volunteering for the City’s Community Court Diversion Program for several years.  They teach teen participants about the consequences of reckless driving, help them understand why teens have a higher risk of being involved in traffic-related incidents, and share important tips on how to avoid collisions.  These nurses go above and beyond to help Santa Clarita teens be safe while on the road.

July 2016 Spotlight: Shannon Celaya – Park Sierra Homework Help, Jakes Way and Granada Villa Neighborhood Committees

Shannon has been volunteering with the City’s Neighborhood Committees for the past five years.  She is proactive, passionate, and committed to the well-being of the community.  Shannon is a positive role model for youth and teens in the Park Sierra Apartments in the Jakes Way neighborhood, and is a dedicated volunteer for the Homework Help Program.  She takes the initiative to take care of the site and assists with reporting graffiti to keep the neighborhood graffiti-free.

June 2016 Spotlight: Brian Kunkel – Santa Clarita Emergency Communications Team (SCECT), Events

Brian is the volunteer City Radio Officer for the Santa Clarita Emergency Communications Team (SCECT), the team of amateur radio operators who stand ready for emergencies and special events for the City.   He coordinates the team’s communication assignments for events such the Amgen Tour of California, Marathon, Cowboy Festival, Concerts in the Park, CERT disaster simulations, and City exercises, such as the Point of Dispensing for Seasonal Flu Vaccinations.  Brian is a dedicated volunteer, with a strong commitment to public service, and the City is very fortunate to have him on our City Team.

May 2016 Spotlight: Trinity Aberin, Jenny Guerrero, Jake Gonzalez, Vanessa Hernandez, Amy Hwang – Canyon Country Jo Ann Darcy Library

These teens are officers of three service groups at Canyon High School and serve as liaisons between a network of teen volunteers and the public library.  They recruit volunteers from their respective service groups on-campus and on social media and, in the process, also promote and help create awareness about library programs and services.  These teens truly make a difference and are excellent ambassadors for their school, their clubs, the Santa Clarita Public Library, and the City!

April 2016 Spotlight: Ginny Murray – Events

Ginny is one of the City’s most prolific event volunteers.  She and her husband Omer have been volunteering for the City for years.  In 2015 alone, Ginny has given more than 60 hours to help in almost all of the City’s events, including the Cowboy Festival, Earth Arbor Day, Amgen Tour of California, River Rally, Youth Sports & Healthy Families Festival, and the Thanksgiving Community Dinner.  Ginny is always helpful, dependable, and can be counted on to lend a hand where needed.  Thank you, Ginny, for being a part of the City’s events and contributing to their success!

March 2016 Spotlight: Tom & Alice Renolds – Every 15 Minutes, Traffic Court, Youth Grove, Blue Ribbon Task Force

Tom and Alice have been volunteering with the City to promote safe teen driving for over a decade now.  They were a driving force for the creation of the Youth Grove in Central Park, speak regularly at the Every 15 Minutes Program in local high schools, and meet with teens at the Youth Grove as part of the City’s Traffic Court Program.  They continue to share their moving, personal story of losing two sons to reckless driving, and urge teens to always make good choices.  Thank you, Tom and Alice, for your dedication and your genuine concern for the youth in our community.

February 2016 Spotlight: Joe Miele – Youth Sports

Joe has been volunteering as a coach for the City’s Youth Basketball League for more than two years.  He promotes hard work, responsibility, teamwork, and having a positive outlook both on and off the court.  He is very involved with the youth he coaches, and always advocates for his players to better themselves and those around them.  There are very few volunteer coaches as engaged and passionate about the youth than Joe.  Thanks for all you do, Coach Joe!

January 2016 Spotlight: Bob Norman – Canyon Country Community Center, Events

Bob has been volunteering with the 50+ programs and events at the Canyon Country Community Center for the past three years.  He has shown initiative and commitment in leading some of the Center’s senior programs, particularly the Big Band Dance.  He is also a big advocate of the Center, sharing news of programs and events with others in the community.  Bob is a reliable volunteer and, in addition to helping at the Canyon Country Community Center, volunteers with most of the City’s special events.