Sonoma Valley Stars

Photo by Melania Mahoney

The Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund hosted the annual Sonoma Valley Star Volunteer Awards at the Hanna Center on Sunday, Sunday, April 28th. Forty-three nonprofit organizations honored forty-four of Sonoma Valley’s most active and valuable community volunteers during the awards ceremony.

Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund presented each Star Volunteer with a special trophy and certificates of recognition from Sonoma County District 1 Supervisor Susan Gorin and Congressman Mike Thompson. Nonprofit organizations who serve Sonoma Valley nominate their Star Volunteers in recognition for going above and beyond during the year.

This year’s Star Volunteer Awards ceremony was made possible through grants from co-sponsors Community Foundation Sonoma County, Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley, CarePartners Initiative, and donations from several local nonprofits and businesses.

The heartwarming event was attended by nonprofit leaders and friends and family members of the awardees.

October 9, 2022

Photo by Melania Mahoney

The Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund hosted the annual Sonoma Valley Star Volunteer Awards at the Hanna Boys Center on Sunday, October 9, 2022. Thirty-seven nonprofit organizations honored thirty-nine of Sonoma Valley’s most active and valuable community volunteers during the awards ceremony. Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund presented each Star Volunteer with a special trophy and certificates of recognition from Sonoma County District 1 Supervisor Susan Gorin and Congressman Mike Thompson. Nonprofit organizations who serve Sonoma Valley nominate their Star Volunteers in recognition for going above and beyond during the year.

This year’s Star Volunteer Awards ceremony was made possible through grants from co-sponsors Community Foundation Sonoma County and the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley. We received donations from Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley Teen Services, Hanna Boys Center, KSVY/SonomaTV, Melania Mahoney, Claudia Mendoa-Carruth, and Molly Spencer. We’d like to make a special thank you to Sonoma Community Center for designing and donating Trashion-Fashion inspired ribbons for each of the Star Volunteers to wear. We’d also like to thank all of the volunteers who helped make this event possible.

The heartwarming event was attended by nonprofit leaders and friends and family members of the awardees. The event was recorded and live-streamed by SonomaTV.

October 10, 2021

Photo by Melania Mahoney

2021 Sonoma Valley STAR Volunteer Awards Returns. On Sunday, October 10, 2021, we held the Star Volunteer Awards celebration at Hanna Boys Center. This annual event is an opportunity for nonprofits who serve the Valley to honor a Star Volunteer. This year we were pleased to honor 42 individuals from 39 nonprofit organizations. This year, the Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund awarded a special Catalyst Award to 9 organizations that have courageously and persistently responded to the ever-changing needs of those in our community most impacted by the pandemic. These nine nonprofits reimagined and extended their services, working together in new ways to help Sonoma Valley persevere through the worst of the pandemic.

Along with a trophy, each awardee received a special certificate from Supervisor Susan Gorin and Congressman Mike Thompson. For a complete list of all awardees, please see below for a downloadable list. Thank you to Community Foundation Sonoma County for their sponsorship of this incredible event. The event was recorded by KSVY /SonomaTV.

We’d also like to thank the following for their donations, volunteering, and support:

• Community Foundation Sonoma County

• Cline Landscapes & Maintenance Services

• Hanna Boys Center

• KSVY SonomaTV

• Melania Mahoney, Photographer

• Simply the Best Entertainment / Northern Lights Studio

• Sonoma Community Center

• Sonoma Speaker Series

• Sonoma Valley Fund Board Members

• Swiss Hotel

• Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley

Photo by Melania Mahoney

Top Row, Left to Right: David Freeman and Ginny Freeman, Susan Heeringa-Piper, Jennifer Blesius, Hunt & Carol Sharp, Anthony Bingham, Christina Hirsch, Ms. Treasure Hinchman, Judith Walsh, Alice Melillo, Karen Roche, Frankie Ortiz

Second Row: Armando Calderon, Lynne Strohm, Ben Boyce, Kathleen Aspenns, Sheila Fanucchi, Dominic Tommasi, Lynn Martin, Nancy Evers Kirwan, Kim Enzensperger, Joanna Kemper

Third Row: Nikki Parr, Lourdes (Lulu) Perez, Marty Herrick, Carol Page, Peter Hohorst (not pictured), Nancy Dome, Bob Smith, Claudia Sims, Kathleen Watson, Ligia Booker

Bottom Row: Tom Young, Mark Jackson, Judy Scotchmoor, Peter Fallon, Terry McKelvey, Loren Stokes, Mary Ellen Grimes, Penney Magrane

Sonoma Valley Fund’s 11th annual STAR Volunteer Awards celebrating volunteerism in the Sonoma Valley was held Sunday, October 6, 2019 from 2-4 pm at Hanna Boys Center. In support of volunteerism, Karen Collins agreed to be our event committee’s Honorary Chair. Karen is the City of Sonoma’s 2019 Alcaldessa, a title she was given for her volunteerism in the preservation and protection of the natural environment in and around the City of Sonoma. The Sonoma Valley Fund’s STAR Awards is a chance for non-profit organizations who serve Sonoma Valley to recognize a volunteer who has made a significant contribution to their organization over the past year. Each STAR Volunteer received a trophy from the Sonoma Valley Fund, and was presented a certificate from Supervisor Susan Gorin and from Congressman Mike Thompson congratulating and thanking them for their service. Congratulations to the 2019 STAR Volunteers!

April 29, 2018

Photo by Melania Mahoney

Due to the October 2017 fires that ravaged Sonoma Valley, the Star Volunteer Awards were postponed until the following spring. Sonoma Valley Fund’s Annual Event celebrating Volunteerism in the Valley was held on April 29, 2018. More than 300 guests joined Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and 1st District Supervisor Susan Gorin on April 19 to celebrate Sonoma Valley’s most generous, passionate and effective volunteers at Sonoma Valley Fund’s 10th annual Star Award party. For the second year running, the event was held at the Barn at Tyge William Cellars at Cornerstone Sonoma.

The 2017-18 Star Award Winners were Sandra Ormerod of 10,000 Degrees; Amdrea McGinty and Connie Sangiacomo of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley; Nancy Dome of Hanna Boys Center; Bern Lefson of Jack London Park Partners; Siga Wise of KidsScoop Foundation; Suzie Radillo of La Luz Center; Taj Hittenberg of LandPath; Ellen Beck of Pets Lifeline; Julie Jones of Praxis Peace Institute; Gay Collins of Quarryhill Botanical Garden; Bob Smith of Seeds of Learning; Linda Stevens of Sonoma Arts Live; Cathy Salomon of Sonoma Community Center; Bob Long of Sonoma Ecology Center; Patricia Frates of Sonoma International Film Festival; Tracy Reynes of Sonoma League for Historic Preservation; Mary Nesbitt, Sonoma Overlook Trail; Cindy Vrooman, Sonoma Overnight Support; Megan Kaplan and Laura Stanfield of Sonoma Valley Education Foundation; Kevin Salas De la Riva of Sonoma Valley Community Health Center; Susan Murray of Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation; Sally and Paul Chiriboga of Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance; Nancy Lang of Sonoma Valley Museum of Art; Juanita Padilla of Sonoma Valley Parent University Program; Kenneth Juhasz of Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance; Maureen Fuentes of Special Olympics Sonoma Valley; Robert Young of Sweetwater Spectrum; Russ Johnson and Pat Meier-Johnson of Teen Services Sonoma; Helene Waxman of Transcendence Theater Company; Louise Gilbert of Valley of the Moon Music Festival; and Helen Herbaugh of Vintage House Senior Center.

October 3, 2016

Sonoma Valley Fund’s 8th Annual Event celebrating Volunteerism in the Valley was held on Sunday, October 3rd from 2-4pm in the Barn at the Cornerstone. Almost two dozen nonprofits in the Sonoma Valley gathered together to celebrate their "Star volunteers" of 2016. The honorees in attendance were, front row above: Windee Smith, Jan Erickson, Nancy King, Carol Morphy, Patsy Wallace, Julia Wilkinson, Ina Welker, Kymm Falls and Jenah Smith. Back row: Susan Gorin, Hank Martinson, Rosie Palacio, Tony Ghisla, David Morell, Philip Wilkinson, Marc Schwager, Jorge Antonio and Guillermo Aquino. Sonoma Valley Fund's 8th Annual Event celebrating Volunteerism in the Valley was held in the Barn at the Cornerstone. The celebration was a grand success with over 250 people in attendance saluting the 23 Star volunteers.

October 4, 2015

Sonoma Valley Fund’s Annual Event celebrating Volunteerism in the Valley was held on Sunday, October 4th from 3-5pm at the Sonoma Ecology Center’s Garden Park. The celebration was a grand success with over 250 people in attendance saluting the 26 Star Volunteers.

Top row (left to right): Moises Farias (Stephanie Stubbs’ mentee), Stephanie Stubbs (Sonoma Mentoring Alliance), Issac Vargas (La Luz Center), Bill Myers (Sonoma Ecology Center), Corin Rasmussen (Sonoma Community Center) 2nd row (left to right): Thai Hoang (Hanna Boys Center), Eric Peterson (Vintage House), Meg Sokoloski (Sonoma Valley Education Foundation), Luis Rivera (Voit McKarre’s mentee), Lulu Carlsson (Lisa Carlsson’s daughter), Lisa Carlsson, Steve Corey (Quarryhill), Fred Cohen (Sweetwater Spectrum), Carolyn Klebanoff Cohen (Sweetwater Spectrum), Mark Etherington (Seeds of Learning), Eric Gullotta (Becoming Independent), Bill O’Neal (Vintage House) Front row (left to right): Hilda Teran-Franklin (Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation), Linda Alwitt (FISH), Linda Pavlak (Sonoma Ecology Center), Ginny Richardson (Sonoma League of Historic Preservation), Jerica Tercero (Teen Services Sonoma), David Wells (Teen Services Sonoma), Gayle O’Hara (Pets Lifeline), Jesus Aguayo- Zuniga (Sonoma Valley Community Health Center)

Star Winners not able to attend and not pictured: Stan Abercrombie & Paul Vieyera (Sonoma Valley Museum of Art), Voit McKarre (Mentoring Alliance), Marcie Waldron (Vintage House).

September 14, 2014

Sonoma Valley Fund’s Annual Event celebrating Volunteerism in the Valley was held on Sunday, September 14th from 4-6pm at the brand new Sonoma Valley Community Health Center. More than 200 guests packed the new Sonoma Valley Community Health Center on Sunday to support the top volunteers in the Valley as they were named “Star Volunteers.” Every Star Award recipient’s story was “unique and powerful,” said Joshua Rhymer, President of Sonoma Valley Fund’s Board. “These volunteers represent the heart and soul of Sonoma Valley,” he said. “They make the very existence of our nonprofit community possible and we owe them a great deal of thanks.” This is the sixth year that Sonoma Valley Fund has recognized volunteers in the Valley, and all 26 Star Volunteer recipients received a star statue engraved with their names and the organizations each serves.

The complete list of this year’s Star Volunteer recipients (pictured) includes: Molly Fedorchak (Becoming Independent); Lynne Joiner (Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley); Ann Strom (Community Foundation Sonoma County); Faye Eraldi (FISH); Leyla Carreon (Friends of Sonoma Valley Library); Marcia and Jim Mickelson (Hanna Boys Center); Andy Radolf (La Luz Center); Al and Judy Bayless (Pets Lifeline); Thora Graves (Quarryhill Botanical); Laurie Dinwiddie (Seeds of Learning); Cathy Williamson (Sonoma Community Center); Steve Carara (Sonoma Ecology Center); Barbara White Perry (Sonoma League for Historic Preservation); Maribelle Leavitt (Sonoma Valley Community Health Center); Holly & Steve Kyle (Sonoma Valley Education Foundation); Madolyn Agrimonti (Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation); Ruth Bennett and Tim Boeve (Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance); Karin Skooglund (Sonoma Valley Museum of Art); Jenah Smith (Sonoma Valley Teen Services); Debbie Levy (Sweetwater Spectrum); Manfred Theilig-Speer (Vintage House); and Judy McCracken (WillMar Family Grief & Healing Center).

October 6, 2013

Location: Sonoma Valley Hospital/New Emergency Department and Surgical Unit

(bottom row – left to right): Nancy Kivelson, Patty Jackson, Maria Biasetto, Deb Carlin, Marty Haidet, Jefra Parlett, Chuck Young (middle row – left to right): Oscar Lopez, Ron Gaiz, Ronald Arnold, Vicki Schnurpfeil, Rose Mary Schmidt, Cathy Gellepis, Jim Lynch, David Cook, Gary Germano (top row – left to right): Kathy Arnold, Wayne Gordon, Pat Edelstein, Norman Wray, Lori Ross, Jerry Klenow, Simon Blattner, David Goodison, Keith Murray

• Jim Lynch, former co-owner and CFO of this newspaper, was among the better known names, honored for his long tenure on the Sonoma Valley Advisory Board of Becoming Independent.

• Ron Gaiz was recognized for bringing his experience as a college professor to the College Bound Program at Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley.

• Vicki Schnurpfeil received a volunteer star for her 17 years at FISH where she is now coordinator and oversees the $80,000 rental assistance budget.

• Kathy and Robert Arnold were honored for their longstanding support of Hanna Boys Center, of which their son is an alumnus.

• Keith Murray was recognized for his eclectic support at La Luz Center.

• Gary Germano, a longtime volunteer at Pets Lifeline, was celebrated for his ability to fix anything on a nonprofit budget.

• Pat Edelstein, Lori Ross and Jefra Parlett were honored for the wide range of volunteer support they give Quarryhill Botanical Garden.

• Rose Mary Schmidt was lauded for years of coordination and fundraising for Seeds of Learning.

• Sonoma Planning Director David Goodison, who moonlights on the Sonoma Community Center board, was honored for his 18 years of service and the millions of dollars he has helped bring the center.

• Marty Haidet was recognized for being the volunteer, volunteer coordinator at the Sonoma Ecology Center.

• Maria Biasetto received a star for her 20 years of service to the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation.

• The Sonoma Valley Community Health Center honored Nancy Kivelson for her help in finding a new home.

• The Sonoma Valley Education Foundation honored former UCLA chancellor Chuck Young for his weighty support.

• The Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation bestowed stars on David Good and Simon Blattner.

• The Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance honored Cathy Gellepsis and Jerry Klenow through the grateful words of the mentees they have inspired and helped.

• The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art thanked David Cole, founder of the museum’s docent program.

• Deb Carlen was honored by Sonoma Valley Teen Services for her “Skills for Life” workshops, and Oscar Lopez starred for his painting, repairs and fundraising.

• Patty Jackson was honored by Sweetwater Spectrum for her advocacy, fundraising and strategic thinking.

• Vintage House honored Wayne Gordon for 15 years of roasted turkeys served with 7,000 Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

• And Norman Wray was honored by the WillMar Center for a decade of volunteer counseling and assorted construction projects.

Our thanks and gratitude to all those honored, and to all those yet to receive the recognition they deserve for all they do to make this Valley such a uniquely special place.

2012

Location: New Pavilion at Hanna Boys Center 

Sonoma 2012 Star Award Winners
Dan Pierce, Suzie Davis, Suzie’s mentee Angelica, Allen Robinson, Andy Gray, Molly Detwiler, Bob Nicholas, Ann Wiklund, Teresa Alampur, Jenifer Hartwell, Lynn Woodward, Carole Nicholas, Jeanette Evans, Alice Brigaerts, Leyla Gunduz, Tom Angstadt, Kathy Gatanby, Rosemary McCreary, Rose Mary Schmidt, Suzanne Brangham, Richard Hicks

2011

Location: Hanna Boys Center

Sonoma 2011 Star Award Winners 
Marcelo De Freitas, Dick Drew, Mark Nilsson, Sandi Wilson, Jack Lungren, Jason Bell, Steven Hightower, Elfriede Whitcher, Julie Shoffner-McGee, Karen Adelson, Squire Fridell, Lucy Hamlyn, Sam Morphy, Carol Brown, Tracy Byrnes, Megan Moll, Tony Moll, Joyce Miller, Barbara Cullen, Dave Dobbins, Mike Benziger, unidentified guest, Morris Purvins, Jolie Jacobs.  Absent were: Julie Atwood, Kathy Benziger, Annie Falandes, Carol Morphy and Paula Moulton.