Petaluma honors outstanding citizens

The Community Awards of Excellence is a chance to celebrate those who give.|

Petaluma celebrated the community members who have dedicated their lives to helping improve the city through charitable causes at an awards ceremony last week that was tinged with political undertones.

Abraham Solar, a leader in the St. Vincent de Paul church, was honored as the Citizen of the Year at the 2017 Community Awards of Excellence. His outreach work with Petaluma’s Hispanic community has been even more vital at a time of rising fears due to the changing immigration policies at the federal level.

Solar, who is a part of the Petaluma Community Relations Council, praised others in the community, who helped push the city to take a stand against federal immigration policy.

“For all the people participating in social justice groups, they are willing to do whatever it takes to protect families who are vulnerable from the bad decisions made by our government,” he said. “All the different cultures are the community of Petaluma. Together we stand strong.”

Elece Hempel, executive director of Petaluma People Services Center, presented the Service to Seniors award to Steve and Barbara Cohn, longtime Meals on Wheels volunteers. Hempel said their 672 hours of service helps the program survive, especially at a time when Meals on Wheels and other social programs face federal funding cuts.

“The Cohns are amazing people,” Hempel said. “When you look at the federal budget, it’s volunteers that are going to have to come to the table and make it happen.”

Local politics also made an appearance at the awards show presented by the Argus-Courier and the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce. Donna Davison, who won the Service Person of the Year award, recently found herself out of a job. Davison was the front desk manager at Petaluma Valley Athletic Club, which closed last month after the city council denied a zoning change that would have facilitated its sale to a local church.

“I’m very honored for this great opportunity,” Davison said.

The public safety awards went to Jay Galas, the Firefighter of the Year, and Art Farinha, the Police Officer of the Year. Galas risked his life in an attempt to rescue two young girls trapped in a submerged vehicle last year, Fire Chief Leonard Thompson said.

“Jay is part of a unique breed of people who take risks for others’ lives,” he said.

Police Chief Ken Savano said Farinha, a Petaluma native, works with young potential officers in the Explorer program, and also covered some high-profile and risky events, including a standoff with an armed man.

“He remained courageous and calm in the face of danger,” he said. “It is impossible to note all of Officer Farinha’s accomplishments this year.”

The Excellence in Education award went to Matthew Harris, the principal at McKinley Elementary School, who joked that his strategy for increasing enrollment at the school - it has more than doubled in his five years - has been to send his own kids to McKinley.

In accepting the award for Excellence in Agriculture, Mary Sanchez, a long time Sonoma-Marin Fair coordinator and youth ag program leader, spoke about the importance of teaching young people about agriculture.

“From the food on the table to the clothes on your back, ag is everywhere you look,” she said. “I will always advocate for ag education in and out of the classroom.”

The Large Business of the Year was presented to Rooster Run Golf and Events Center, which donates its spaces for charity events, and the Small Business of the Year went to O’Brien Painting, which has participated in many pro bono community projects.

Cliff Eveland, director of the Petaluma Music Festival, presented the Service to Youth award to Mark Mooney, the president of the festival that benefits Petaluma school music programs. Eveland said Mooney spends countless hours promoting the festival each year.

“Without Mark, there wouldn’t be a Petaluma Music Festival,” he said.

Maureen Highland, executive director of the Petaluma Educational Foundation, introduced Volunteer of the Year Carol Isaak, who works with several organization, and volunteers with the nonprofit Alphabet Soup thrift store, which benefits Petaluma schools.

“Education is her passion,” Highland said. “In Petaluma, volunteering is the norm, not the exception.”

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com.)

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