Awards created as a way to spotlight people and organizations that give
Published in the Oct. 1-14, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
The 2014 Community Spirit Awards will be presented by Gavilan College Board of Trustees members at the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast 7:30 a.m. Oct. 2 at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.
This year’s three recipients for Morgan Hill are Dan Sullivan, an organizer of the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, The Edward “Boss” Prado Foundation, and the America Taekwondo Center, said Jan Bernstein-Chargin, public information officer at Gavilan and a member of the awards selection committee.
“We’ve got in a really diverse and interesting selection of nominations from the community this year,” she said. “The criteria that was used includes things like scope, the impact on the community, whether or not we have recognized an individual or group that has not been recognized before, or bring attention to a group that hasn’t been done before, or to look at a part of the community that we haven’t recognized before.”
Dan Sullivan
Sullivan has been a board member of the Mushroom Mardi Gras for more than 20 years and has served as president of the nonprofit organization’s board of directors for 10 years. Under his leadership as president, the Mardi Gras has raised more than $360,000 in scholarships for high school seniors who reside in the Morgan Hill Unified School District, as well as started a new min-grant program for special projects at elementary and middle schools. Since its inception six years ago, more than $40,000 in mini-grants have been awarded.
America Taekwondo Center is led by master Chae Sun Mun, a sixth degree black belt. This school produces world-class martial artists, including dozens of national champion and teaches positive moral values to students from age 4 to adult.
Cecelia Ponzini in Cecelia’s Closet, where the needy can get clothes. Photo by Marty Cheek
The Edward “Boss” Prado Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was started in 2004 and came under the umbrella of the Morgan Hill Community Foundation in 2013.
American Taekwondo of Morgan Hill, are this year’s recipients of the Gavilan College Community Spirit Awards.
www.atcmorganhill.com.
Founder Cecelia Ponzini established the foundation in memory of her son, who at the age of 29 suffered heart failure. He left a legacy of generosity, sensitivity and service to others. It provides Morgan Hill students with services such as the “No Child Goes Unfed” program and the “Ceceila’s Closet” which helps provide clothing for young people who need them for jobs.
“The Edward ‘Boss’ Prado Foundation does some things that are really valuable to the community that a lot of people are not aware about such as the lunch program and Cecelia’s Closet,” Bernstein-Chargin said. “It’s has many really creative ways to help the community and really reaching in to meet specific, unmet needs.”
Gavilan College geographically is a large district with really distinct communities in it, so the Community Spirit Awards was created as a way to spotlight people and organizations that give each community its unique character and are partners with Gavilan in building the community and making life better for everyone who lives and works there, she said.
“We accept nominations all year,” she said. “Anyone in the community can present a nomination and are encouraged to do so.”
