Category: Make a Difference Monday

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

Steve has been helping build and maintain the City’s trails for the past few years, including a trail in Elsmere Canyon, the Highland Trail in Wildwood Canyon, and the Elder Trail in Rivendale/Taylor Open Space.  Steve is very dedicated, and puts together and oversees other volunteers on a regular basis for these trail projects so the public can access and enjoy the City’s Open Space properties.  Steve is also an active member of the Santa Clarita Emergency Communications Team.

Dan Young has officiated over 400 basketball games as a volunteer coach over the past eight years and continues to donate his time to the Youth Sports Program.  His outgoing attitude, selflessness, and love of sports have made an impact on those around him.  He is a true team player and has helped participants learn the game and practice good sportsmanship, while also sharing his knowledge of officiating with the younger, newer officials in the program.

Dru has been volunteering as an instructor for the Child Development classes at the Canyon Country Community Center.  She has helped the program grow, and has demonstrated her passion and commitment by volunteering two to three days a week.  She always has a positive and caring attitude, and encourages children to grow and learn.  Dru also helps with special events, and is an exemplary volunteer at the Center.

Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) have been consistently volunteering for various City projects and events.  Earlier this year, they dug tree wells, cleared trails, and removed metal fences in the Quigley Canyon Open Space.  They have been involved in beautification and clean-up projects, and have also volunteered for events, including the Cowboy Festival, Amgen Tour of California, Earth Arbor Day, and the Youth Sports & Healthy Families Festival.  The City enjoys this win-win partnership with LDS whose missionaries are truly making a difference in the community.