To the sound of applause from city officials and family members,
more than two dozen Morgan Hill volunteers and philanthropists were
recognized at a luncheon Tuesday at the clubhouse on the Coyote
Creek Golf Course in San Jose.
MORGAN HILL
To the sound of applause from city officials and family members, more than two dozen Morgan Hill volunteers and philanthropists were recognized at a luncheon Tuesday at the clubhouse on the Coyote Creek Golf Course in San Jose.
The event was organized by the the Morgan Hill Community Foundation, itself a nonprofit whose mission is to raise money and dole out grants to local nonprofit groups and programs. The Morgan Hill City Council proclaimed Nov. 13 Morgan Hill Community Philanthropy Day, Mayor Steve Tate told the standing-room only audience.
President Dave Reisenauer praised the 23 honorees in his remarks, saying that “the people we’re going to honor today don’t wait for a disaster to strike. It’s in their DNA.”
Following a keynote speech by Emmett D. Carson, Ph. D., the president and chair of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, KBAY radio personality Jona Hamilton helped introduce the honorees one by one. Among those honored were Isela Banuelos, a 17-year-old Sobrato High School student and Morgan Hill Downtown Association volunteer Margaret Johnson, effectionately known as “the flower lady.”
“I volunteer to give back,” said Banuelos, who volunteers with the Morgan Hill Youth Advisory Committee. “Kids ask me if I have a life … I do, I have fun. I enjoy volunteering. I don’t see it as work at all.”
Other volunteers honored were Marlys Warner, a dog owner and member of the Morgan Hill Dog Owners Group, who was instrumental in getting a off-leash dog park established in the city; Suzanne Perry, who has donated more than 11 years caring for animals at the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center; John Hatakeyama, who formed the Teacher’s Aid Coalition six years ago to raise money so that teachers wouldn’t have to buy classroom supplies out of their pocket; and Mohammed Ghandehari and Howard Gray, who are on the American Red Cross’ disaster action team.
Among the philanthropists recognized were Jaime Rosso of Rosso’s Furniture, who for more than 20 years has loaned furniture for productions staged by the South Valley Civic Theatre; Don and Karen Christopher, who have helped raise $150,000 for the Saint Louise Regional Hospital Foundation; and South Valley National Bank, for its contributions to the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce.
THE HONOR ROLL
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Marlene Amerian, Morgan Hill Community Foundation
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Rebekah Children’s Services
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Sherry Hemingway, Leadership Morgan Hill
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Larry Talbot, Morgan Hill Access TV
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John Hatakeyama, Teacher’s Aid Coalition
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Janet Martinez, Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley
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Chuck and Barbara Smith, Learning and Loving Education Center
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Mohammed Ghanderhari and Howard Gray, American Red Cross
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Suzanne Perry, Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center
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Jaime Rosso (Rosso’s Furniture), South Valley Civic Theatre
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Barbara Palmer, American Association of University Women
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Don and Karen Christopher, St. Louise Regional Hospital Foundation
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John Klusendorf and Delyse Nash, Community Solutions
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Carol O’Hare, Friends of the Morgan Hill Library
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Mike Johnson (Johnson Lumber), Morgan Hill Rotary Club
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Irene and Ken Mort, San Pedro Percolation Ponds
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Steve Tate, El Toro Youth Center
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Isela Banuelos, Morgan Hill Youth Advisory Committee
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Margaret Johnston, Morgan Hill Downtown Association
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South Valley National Bank, Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce
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Marlys Warner, Morgan Hill Dog Owners Group
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Kathy Sullivan, Morgan Hill Historical Society
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Eileen Obata, School Health Clinics
