City Honors 23 Teens for Volunteer Work

The Fullerton City Council honored 23 Fullerton teen volunteers for their work at nine summer recreation sites in the city as well as at special events at the citywide swim meet at Independence Park.

Each received $300 to $400 grants depending on the number of hours they volunteered.

They are Francisco Arevalo, Shannon Armstrong, Kristin Atkinson, Sarah Bice, Gary Brown, Jeremy Campbell, Damion DeWitte, Shannon Eldridge, Moira Evans, Dinah Gallegos, Billy Harper, Brie Taylor Johnson, Sarah Lee, Jennifer Leight, Carlos Loverde, Ben Lowsen, Bryan MacFarland, Sergio Luis Martinez, Jennifer Matson, Jason Tu, Caesar Vallez, Max Walker and Dave Wallace.

The Orange County Chapter has been named Chapter of the Year by the Public Relational Society of America for outstanding achievement in 10 categories, including work in public service, professional development and member accreditation.

A delegation of Orange County members will accept the award Nov. 3 at the society’s national conference in New York City.

Santa Ana resident Pete Bloom and Ginny Chester of Villa Park, both members of the Sea and Sage Audubon Society, were honored for helping in the planning of East Orange General Plan.

The California Chapter of the American Planning Assn. presented them with Distinguished Leadership Awards for the volunteer hours they put in negotiating the environmental commitments in the plan.

One-time marathon runner Susan Carreon, a Yorba Linda resident, has been named associate dean of vocational and occupational education at Golden West College in Huntington Beach.

Previously, she was director of health sciences, registered nursing and vocational programs at Santa Monica College.

Sarah Catz, a Santa Ana attorney and political consultant, has been appointed to the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Orange County Transportation Commission.

Earlier, Catz was named president of the Orange County Chapter of the California Elected Women’s Assn. for Education and Research, a group of political women who gather to share ideas, issues and experiences.

Catz, a Santa Ana resident, serves on the Santa Ana Personnel Board and is a director of the Jewish Federation of Orange County.

John Dare, 31, was presented a special resolution by the Fullerton City Council for his heroism in preventing a sexual assault on a Fullerton woman who was screaming while trapped in a suspect’s van.

The resolution commended Dare, a glazier and Fullerton resident, for “his willingness to get involved and make a difference in the lives of others.”

Dare rescued the woman and gave police the van’s license number, which they traced to the suspect who was arrested and charged with kidnaping and attempted rape.

Evelyn and Steven Balgrosky, a Fullerton couple married for 47 years, have been named Volunteers of the Year by Cal State Fullerton and join a select group of individuals recognized since 1983 for their involvement with the university.

The Balgroskys have been active in the 600-member Continuing Learning Experience university group since 1981. They will receive the award Friday during the college’s seventh annual Concert Under the Stars.

Diana Kelly, Fullerton College radio instructor, has been awarded a $5,000 classroom research grant by the National Center on Adult Learning at Empire State College, State University of New York.

The grant proposal on the “Effects of Classroom Research by Part-Time Faculty Upon the Retention of Adult Learners” was one of only six funded and is the only one awarded to a community college.