“Vintage garden party” gala will recognize people, nonprofits and businesses who serve the community

 

Photo by Marty Cheek Jeff Dixon, who ran the Outdoor Sports Center for years, is the 2022 Man of the Year.

By Marty Cheek

It’s time to applaud the people who make South Valley a wonderful place to live. The 2022 Celebrate Morgan Hill gala will honor local residents, nonprofits, and businesses that have provided great benefit to the region.

Photo by Marty Cheek Felicia Gaudin, a Sobrato English teacher, is the 2022 Educator of the Year.

From 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday April 3 at Guglielmo Winery, the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce will put a spotlight on the various honorees for their outstanding contributions.

This year’s recipients are Jeff Dixon as Man of the Year, Leslie Miles as Woman of the Year, Peggy Martin as Volunteer of the Year, the Morgan Hill Community Foundation as Nonprofit of the Year, Felicia Gaudin as Educator of the Year, Gelasia Tiwana as Student of the Year, Shoe Palace as Large Business of the Year, and the Morgan Hill Library as Small Business of the Year. Vietnam War veteran Eddie Bowers will receive a Special Merit Award.

The ”Sip and Celebrate” event is described as a “vintage garden party” where guests are encouraged to dress in formal attire as if attending an afternoon tea at an English manor. Instead of the usual sit-down dinner, appetizers and wine will be served in the winery’s outside setting, which was chosen because of county requirements for public gatherings.

“Ultimately, it really came down to ensuring that we have a safe and comfortable environment for all, not only the honorees but also the participants,” said Nick Gaich, CEO of the chamber. “We needed to make an adjustment based on the current COVID-19 requirements and thought that an outdoor setting would be appropriate without losing sight of the celebratory event.”

The 2022 Celebrate award recipients were chosen by a committee made up of past recipients. The criteria they used to select the honorees was based on the value each individual, nonprofit or business give the community: impact, sustainability and innovation.

2022 Man of the Year — Jeff Dixon

Dixon has dedicated himself to serving the community in many capacities. He has been especially involved with young people. By leading the Morgan Hill Youth Sports Alliance, he has worked tirelessly for more than 15 years on building the Outdoor Sports Center as a facility to enjoy sports and entertainment events. He has also been very involved volunteering his time as the president of the Freedom Fest nonprofit organization, which puts on the Independence Day programs. Dixon has been very involved in promoting Morgan Hill as a tourism destination through the Tourism Alliance.

Morgan Hill Police Chief Shane Palsgrove said of Dixon’s work: “Jeff increased the opportunity for children to participate in sports who might otherwise find it difficult to join. The Community Sports Mentor Program brought students together with Morgan Hill police officers to play sports such as flag football, basketball, soccer, and inner tube water polo. These activities provided a fun, positive experience for all of us.”

2022 Woman of the Year — Lesley Miles

At age 22, Miles worked for two years as a volunteer with the Direct Relief Foundation in Centro Uno, Ixcam, Guatemala, teaching Mayan villagers how to grow organic gardens. She is involved in organizing the annual Veterans Run in November with her husband, Charles Weston, raising funds for various organizations including Operation Freedom Paws, DreamPower Horses for Warriors, Freedom Fest, South Bay Blue Star Moms, and Project Hired. She also created an array of mini-libraries around the town to provide books for young people.

“With her legacy of work, Leslie has really taken an approach as really a satellite runner of contributions,” Gaich said. “She doesn’t take the spotlight in being in front of the crowd as far as her involvement, but she does a lot of work underneath that waterline.”

2022 Volunteer of the Year — Peggy Martin

An investment advisor, Martin is extremely involved volunteering her time and talent with a number of nonprofits in South Valley. She has worked with the Morgan Hill Community Foundation, served as a treasurer and past president with the Morgan Hill branch of the American Association of University Women, the South Valley Science and Engineering Fair, and the Sue’s Story Project, which involves bringing attention to Lewy Body dementia.

“Peggy’s passion to serve is unquestionable. I think it’s truly a part of her DNA,” Gaich said. “You have an individual who is not one who looks for the limelight. She’s a very hard worker, her passion to serve is her main thrust in life. She volunteers so much for so many groups that it’s great to recognize her at a community level so that individuals can understand her time, energy and dedication that she has put in.”

2022 Nonprofit of the Year — Community Foundation

The Morgan Hill Community Foundation supports the region by raising money for local nonprofit organizations, providing grants to local schools and acting as a 501c3 partner organization to help new nonprofits grow. Among its activities, in 2020 it started a COVID-19 pandemic disaster relief program, providing more than $100,000 in 21 awarded grants supporting 14 South Valley nonprofits. The grant recipients received disaster relief funds ranging from $2,000 to $25,000. The groups used the funding for essential resources and services to individuals and families in need during the health crisis.

“Look at the results that have been gained in the number of grants that have been delivered, both for the nonprofits as well as small businesses,” Gaich said. “I think that the past 19 months was a huge step forward in terms of what the Community Foundation can serve our community as a whole.”

2022 Educator of the Year – Felicia Gaudin

A Sobrato High School teacher provides her students with lessons that are creative and engaging. She prioritizes keeping student interests, passions and background knowledge at the front of the curriculum. She is dedicated to working toward equity in her own classes and the school community.

“Students are successful because she sees the value in providing options in where, how and when students practice skills and demonstrate their knowledge,” wrote Sobrato Principal Theresa Sage in the nomination letter for Gaudin. “It is clear that she thinks carefully about what supports students might need in order to meet the high expectations she holds for them, as well as about when it is appropriate to take supports away and empower students to do the work independently.”

2022 Student of the Year — Gelasia Tiwana

A Sobrato senior, Tiwana loves exploring and broadening her exposure to the sciences, math and society. Her GPA is 4.41 and she is the recipient of multiple Superintendent’s Awards. She has been a member of the AAUW since eighth grade. She is also a college-level neuroscience student with the International Youth Neuroscience Association, and an AP Scholar in chemistry, biology, calculus, and physics. She now serves as the Ann Sobrato Red Cross club president and has organized the school’s blood drives for her time on campus.

“Gelasia has exceptional focus and background to achieve her goals, no matter how extensive,” Sage said in her nomination letter for Tiwana. “During her high school career she has undertaken an aggressive and varied course of study to explore and broaden her exposure to the sciences, math, and society. It speaks to her brilliance and energy.”

2022 Large Business of the Year — Shoe Palace

Shoe Palace is very active and engaged in representing the community where they established their headquarters, Gaich said. They made sure to keep their employees working through the pandemic, not laying off any workers. They also donated hundreds of brand-new shoes to the Boys and Girls Club as well as shoes for 300 families to the Edward Boss Prado Foundation’s Cecelia’s Closet and Food Pantry.

“They really on many levels have brought to bear on their whole team to provide support to the Boys and Girls Club and certainly for the Edward Boss Prado Foundation,” Gaich said. “I think a lot of the Celebrate honor comes down to Shoe Palace truly becoming engaged in offering their services and resources in benefiting the community of Morgan Hill.”

2022 Small Business of the Year – Morgan Hill Steve Tate Library

The local library was established in July 1912 and has had various locations. The staff of nearly 20 men and women treat the patrons in a friendly and professional manner that encourages them to come back.

“Let us put a spotlight on our wonderful Morgan Hill Library branch with the 2022 Celebrate Morgan Hill Small Business of the Year Award and encourage our residents to appreciate even more the many and diverse benefits its staff and shelves provide those who make their home in our community,” wrote Morgan Hill Life publisher Marty Cheek in the nomination letter for the award.

2022 Special Merit Award — Eddie Bowers

Years after his discharge from the Army in 1970, Bowers sought a way to honor veterans. The idea of a downtown memorial came to him. The project was paid for by donors and installed by volunteers. Bowers, a previous Man of the Year honoree, has officiated over dozens of Memorial and Veterans day celebrations at the site.

“It was certainly our honor to be able to not only recognize but to elevate to the community the amount of passion and commitment that Eddie has brought forward in serving the veteran community year after year,” Gaich said.