Rebekah’s Gets New Director
Rebekah Children’s Services has hired David H. Tollner as the new executive director effective May 15.
Tollner, an attorney who graduated from UC-San Diego and earned his law degree from Santa Clara University, formerly served on the board for the Pacific Autism Center for Education in Sunnyvale for six years and was the executive director for four years.
The nonprofit agency offers services and programs for children who have been abused, neglected or who suffer from mental illness. Services include foster care placement/follow up, no cost adoption, 24-hour residential care, prevention/
education services in 11 Santa Clara County schools, outpatient therapy, an non-public school for severely emotionally disturbed children, therapeutic behavior services, therapeutic recreation and wraparound services for families in their homes and communities.
Tollner succeeded John Wilkinson, the former executive director, who resigned in September, after four years with the non-profit family services organization, to be with his sick son in Montana.
Since Wilkinson’s departure, Villarreal and the organization’s other top three executives have been filling in the gaps.
About 82 percent of Rebekah Children’s Services $12 million annual budget is funded through the Santa Clara County and the state. The 11-member board of directors is elected by the California Rebekah Assembly and the Odd Fellow Grand Lodge.
The Odd Fellow-Rebekah Children’s Home of California was originally founded as an orphanage in 1897. Today, Rebekah’s offers a variety of health and behavioral services to children and their family members. The nonprofit also works with foster care and adoption services.
For more information about Rebekah Children’s Services, visit www.rcskids.org.
Teenagers Arrested For Making Threats
Two teenagers were arrested Sunday night after allegedly threatening a family, according to Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Terrie Booten.
A Morgan Hill family was playing handball on the south side of the Britton Middle School gym on West Central Avenue at approximately 7pm when they were approached by a 14 and 16-years-old. The teens allegedly showed the family a knife as they approached, saying, “You better watch your back,” and, to the father, “Get your daughters under control.”
Family members told police the males were making rude hand gestures as they walked away.
The teens were later located, Booten said, and identified by the family members. They were taken to the Morgan Hill Police station and cited for brandishing a weapon and fighting in public then released to their parents.
