RB Hats Off volunteer recognition ceremony is Saturday

Rancho Bernardo will be thanking its hard-working — and often unsung — volunteers on Saturday during its annual Hats Off to Volunteers recognition ceremony.

The accolades will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 16 in the Rancho Bernardo High School Performing Arts Center, 13010 Paseo Lucido. Admission is free.

There will be 64 volunteers honored. (See list of honorees below.) They were nominated by their organizations for recognition during the hour-long ceremony and have been divided into eight groups. They are: school organizations; civic and business organizations; community associations; safety, health and human services; organizations serving seniors and veterans; organizations serving youth; service clubs and organizations; and the arts, education and faith communities.

The award presenters will be Rancho Bernardo High School Principal Dave LeMaster, City Councilman Mark Kersey, Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, City of San Diego Deputy Fire Chief Steve Wright, Channel 10 News Journalist Alison Ash, retired NFL Quarterback Brian Sipe, County Supervisor Dave Roberts and KyXy radio personality Tommy Sablan.

The Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation, Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame and Rancho Bernardo High School Foundation are the event’s contributing sponsors, said Jeff Shea, one of its organizers.

“So many people work so hard and are never recognized,” he said. “It’s about time they get recognition. We want to say ‘thank you so much for helping our neighborhoods.’”

Each honoree will receive a hat and certificate.

Shea said community members should attend to support their neighbors, friends and relatives; to give them accolades for a job well done.

“Each year there is one person (in each organization) that stands out for going above and beyond,” he said, adding these are usually not the leaders, but those doing the hard, behind-the-scenes work. This event praises these unsung volunteers for their efforts.

Community members will also be able to learn how they can get involved with their community by visiting organization booths before and after the ceremony, he said.

Shea added that this year’s event should go much smoother parking-wise since organizers have access to the entire upper lot near the performing arts center.

The following will be honored during the Rancho Bernardo Hats Off to Volunteers ceremony that starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 16 in the Rancho Bernardo High School Performing Arts Center. The honorees’ nominating organizations are in parenthesis.

Rancho Bernardo High School Principal Dave LeMaster, will honor the following school organization volunteers: Rene Carmichael (Bernardo Heights Middle School), Tim Chen (Highland Ranch Elementary School), Gretchen Christensen (Rancho Bernardo High School Foundation), Sharon Ellison (Rancho Bernardo High School Friends of the Library), Catherine Hunt (Rancho Bernardo High School PTSA), Joelle Kohn (Chaparral Elementary School), Winnie Lee (Westwood Elementary School) and Nancy Myles (Turtleback Elementary School).

City Councilman Mark Kersey will honor the following civic and business organization volunteers: Mary Baker (Rancho Bernardo Republican Women Federated), Kelly Batten (Rancho Bernardo Recreation Council), Myrna de la Peña (Spirit of the Fourth), Don Gragg (Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board), Robin Kaufman (Rancho Bernardo Community Council), Shirley Napierala (Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation), Lynn Ann Reagan (Conservative Order for Good Government), Hilda Teel (Rancho Bernardo Business Association) and Donna Zimmer (Bernardo Gardeners Club).

Assemblyman Brian Maienshein will honor the following community association volunteers: Ken Baumann (Rancho Bernardo Swim & Tennis Club), Larry Evans (Westwood Club), Erik Johnson (Community Association of Bernardo Heights), Deanna Manley (Seven Oaks Community Center), Jeannine McCullagh (Casa de las Campanas), Roberta Mikles (Oaks North Community Center), Denise Mooradian (High Country West Property Owners Association) and Vicki Owen (Eastview Community Center).

City of San Diego Deputy Fire Chief Steve Wright will honor the following safety, health and human services volunteers: Sally Bencangey (Seven Oaks Emergency Radio Team), Barbara Cecelski (Assistance League of Inland North County), Kathleen DeGraffenreid (Gently Hugged), Joann Kling (Fired Up Sisters of Southern California), Shelby Long (Rancho Bernardo Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol), Jane Radatz (Palomar Health), Julie Sanders (Rancho Bernardo Neighborhood Watch), Danica Taylor (Ride Above Disability Therapeutic Riding Center) and Fritz Woeller (Rancho Bernardo Emergency Radio Service).

Channel 10 News Journalist Alison Ash will honor the following volunteers from organizations that serve seniors and veterans: Lily Birmingham (Ed Brown Center for Active Adults), John Cantor (Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7766), Betty Jean Dye (Rancho Bernardo Senior Services), Jen Fridolfs (Team Red, White and Blue), Nancy Sheffler (Jewish Family Service - On the Go), Cookie Siegel (Quilts of Valor), Carl Swepston (Military Order of the World Wars) and Earl Wentworth (Rancho Bernardo Veterans Memorial Association).

Retired NFL Quarterback Brian Sipe will honor the following youth organization volunteers: George Brashear (Glassman Brown Recreational Leadership Award), Virginia Gray (Seniors Helping Our Kids), Nancy Henroid (Rancho Bernardo Youth Basketball League), Ron Lewis (San Diego Soccer Club), William Oxidine (Rancho Bernardo Pop Warner Football and Cheer), Lora Starry (Rancho Bernardo Girls Softball League), Brian Underhill (Rancho Bernardo Little League), Nancy Vogel (Boy Scouts Black Mountain District) and Stephanie Weisenfarth (Girl Scouts of Rancho Bernardo and 4S Ranch).

County Supervisor Dave Roberts will honor the following service clubs and organizations volunteers: Bill Bailey (Rancho Bernardo Toastmasters), Greg Cody (Rancho Bernardo Lions Club), Barbara T. Harkins (Rancho Bernardo Woman’s Club), Karen Mortimer (Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club), Lynn Ross (Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club), Randy Tenzer (Kiwanis Club of Los Rancheros), Richard Van Overmeiren (Shrine Club of Rancho Bernardo) and Pam Warnock (Soroptimist International of Rancho Bernardo).

KyXy radio personality Tommy Sablan will honor the following arts, education and faith community volunteers: Bob Carroll (RB Chorale), Susan Chamberlain (Friends of the Rancho Bernardo Library), Carol Hassett (Incarnation Lutheran Church), Lauren Shapiro-Milana (Temple Adat Shalom) and Richard Thorpe (Rancho Bernardo Historical Society).