‘Hats Off’ to Rancho Bernardo volunteers on April 26

By Elizabeth Marie Himchak

Rancho Bernardo will be recognizing 67 individuals during the fifth annual Hats Off to Volunteers on Saturday, April 26.

The festivities will begin at 9 a.m. in Webb Park near the Courtyard by Marriott. All in the community are welcome to attend the free event.

“It’s a nice way to say thank you to all the volunteers in different organizations whose representatives are receiving recognition,” said Scott Lawn, the event’s co-chairman with Nick Anastasopoulos. “It’s one of my favorite things that we do ... saying thank you to those who make Rancho Bernardo a wonderful place to live ... (and) so nice.”

For its first four years the event was put on by the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation. This year, Lawn said the foundation accepted an offer from the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame to be its cosponsor.

He called the partnership “a good fit” since the RB Hall of Fame recognizes long-time volunteers whose leadership has made a significant difference in the community.

Hats Off will begin and end with an opportunity for attendees to learn more about some of the nominating organizations when they peruse the group’s booths. As of Friday, Lawn said a couple dozen groups had requested a space. The tables will be staffed from 9 to 9:30 a.m. and from around 10:30 to 11 a.m.

The official recognition ceremony, during which the honorees will receive a certificate and commemorative hat, will begin at 9:30 a.m. It will last about an hour.

Various politicians and well-known individuals will participate in the ceremony, which has honorees grouped according to type of organization. See below for a list of the 2014 Hats Off honorees.

Lawn said each organization was allowed to set its own honoree criteria for selecting its “outstanding volunteers,” who might not be the one in a leadership position but a long-time dedicated, behind-the-scenes type of person or who helped the group in a significant way.

In addition to honoring 63 people as Hats Off award recipients, the 2013 Glassman-Brown Recreational Leadership Award will be presented to Dennis Yeatman by the Rancho Bernardo Recreation Council and the three 2013 RB Hall of Fame inductees — Pat Bean, Marla Cruz and Richard Mason — will be recognized.

* * * * * * * * * *‘Hats Off’ to these dedicated Rancho Bernardo volunteersCBS News 8 Reporter Larry Himmel will present awards to the following volunteers in organizations serving youth:Connie Etheridge(Assistance League of Inland North County),Sam Farrow(Seniors Helping Our Kids),Anne Gatlin(Chelsea’s Light Foundation),Jane McGuire(Girl Scouts of Rancho Bernardo and 4S Ranch) andDr. Bryon Solberg(Boy Scouts Black Mountain District).San Diego Fire-Rescue Chief Javier Maniar will present awards to the following health and safety volunteers:Garry Butterfield(Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol),Sue Harman(Pomerado Hospital Volunteer Services),Patrick Horgan(Rancho Bernardo Emergency Radio Service),NoemiMora (Fired-Up Sisters),David Piontek(Rancho Bernardo Community Emergency Response Team),Roger Wolfe(Rancho Bernardo Neighborhood Watch) andDr. Susan Writer(Palomar Health Community Action Council).Retired Air Force Col. Steve Pisanos will present awards to the following volunteers in organizations serving seniors and veterans:David Epstein(Military Order of the World Wars),Jo Ann Harvey(Ed Brown Senior Center),Barbara Manson(Jewish Family Services On the Go),Sandra McCullough(Quilts of Valor),Beverly Rambo(Rancho Bernardo Senior Services),Don Schmidt(Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7766) andEarl Wentworth(Rancho Bernardo Veterans Memorial Association).Youth sports volunteers who will receive awards are:Sandy Buccat(San Diego Soccer Club),Matt Farmer(Rancho Bernardo Youth Basketball League),Kim Holmes(Rancho Bernardo Pop Warner Football and Cheer),Jeff Neyhouse(Rancho Bernardo Girls Softball League),Tom “Frog” Roehrig(Rancho Bernardo Little League). Also recognized will be 2013 Glassman-Brown Recreational Leadership Award recipientDennis Yeatman.City Councilman Mark Kersey will present awards to the following members of service clubs and organizations:Nancy Brokaw(Soroptimist International of Rancho Bernardo),Dave Brooks(Rancho Bernardo “Noon” Rotary Club),Jim Crawford(Shrine Club of Rancho Bernardo),Gordy Erickson(Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club),Michael Farrell(Kiwanis Club of Los Rancheros),Joy Klein(Rancho Bernardo Woman’s Club),Karen Scoggins(San Diego Love on a Leash) andRandy Swenson(Rancho Bernardo Lions Club).County Supervisor Dave Roberts will present awards to the following civic and business organization members:Marla Cruz(Rancho Bernardo Community Council),Patti Hall(Rancho Bernardo Business Association),Pastor Jeff Keck(Spirit of the Fourth),Mike Lutz(Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board),Karen Rott(Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation),Gary Small(Rancho Bernardo Recreation Council) andBob Widerkehr(Conservative Order for Good Government).CBS News 8 Anchor Carlo Cecchetto will present awards to the following volunteers in the arts, education and faith communities:Sally Edwards(Rancho Bernardo Historical Society),Helen Harte(Friends of the Rancho Bernardo Library),Jeff and Julie Rodriguez(The Church at Rancho Bernardo),Helen Sabo(Temple Adat Shalom),Leisl Sanchez(RB Chorale) andJohn Wiehe(Incarnation Lutheran Church).Poway Unified School District Board Member Kimberly Beatty will present awards to the following school organization volunteers:Fredeline Engelbrecht(Rancho Bernardo High School Friends of the Library),Karen Cardno(Turtleback Elementary School),Mara Gardner(Westwood Elementary School),Kim Gimlin(Bernardo Heights Middle School),Lisa Knecht(Chaparral Elementary School),Ed Muna(Rancho Bernardo High School Foundation),Kristie Schneider(Highland Ranch Elementary School) andLaurie Tajima(Rancho Bernardo High School Parent Teacher Student Association).Assemblyman Brian Maienschein will present awards to the following community association volunteers:Laura Benz(Community Association of Bernardo Heights),Evelyn Dobson(High Country West Property Owners Association),Janet Hinds(Oaks North Community Center),Priscilla “Sue” Johnson(Casa de las Campanas),Dick Katz(Westwood Club),Jack Lewis(Seven Oaks Community Center),Russ and Grace McCalley(Eastview Community Center) andBeau Stewart(RB Swim & Tennis Club).Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame President Robin Kaufman will recognize 2013 Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame inducteesPat Bean,Marla CruzandRichard Mason.