The awardees include:
Andrew Lee – Biomedical Achievement
Thanks to Lee’s recruitment skills and effort in the youth community, a Veteran’s Day blood drive program exceeded its goal by 121%. Andrew also volunteered during the drive, leading by example to ensure the event's overwhelming success.
Barbara Colwell – Clara Barton Honor Award for Meritorious Volunteer Leadership
Colwell is invaluable to mental health services during any, and all disaster relief operations. Experiencing a natural disaster or other emergency can be intensely stressful and Colwell helps mobilize and supervise multiple teams of volunteers that help support people as they take those first steps toward recovery.
Craig Renetzky – Volunteer Leadership
Celebrating his 36th year of Red Cross Service, Renetzky provided mega-level leadership across the Region’s 2020 disaster response calendar. Renetzky took on prolonged Operation Management responsibilities for three major disasters spanning over 165 days of service.
Kevin Austin – Disaster Preparedness & Response
As Recovery Manager for the August 2020 Northern California Wildfires, Austin simultaneously managed four Local Assistance Centers, while he and his team enrolled nearly 550 households for financial disaster relief. Austin also works with the Integrated Care and Condolence team who assists families when a disaster related death occurs.
Paula Pruner – Special Citation for Exceptional Volunteer Service
As Shelter Readiness Account Manager, Pruner has worked hard to expand the shelter survey readiness initiative. Pruner’s dedication assures when disasters happen, the Red Cross has established facilities to quickly open for shelters and evacuation sites.
Rhonda Sparks – Service to the Armed Forces
When COVID-19 initially threatened the safety of veterans, service members and their families, Sparks reached out to her Red Cross network, friends and family to make and distribute face masks to the West Los Angeles and Long Beach veteran communities.
Vrezh (Victor) Grigoryan – International Services
Grigoryan’s dedicated work as a Restoring Family Links caseworker demonstrated his innovative and extraordinary efforts to successfully locate and reconnect a family seeking a missing member and beneficiary.
Wendy Wang – Outstanding Youth
Wang’s determination and leadership overcame limitations presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Arcadia Chapter’s E-Board President, Wang and her team recruited nearly 300 Red Cross volunteers to attend the chapter’s virtual events, maintaining a closeness of community through innovative activities that while distanced, kept hundreds of volunteers informed and engaged.