BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER
RSVP Recognition Brunch Honors Senior Volunteers
By Jim Evans

More than 700 people packed the Atlas Ballroom of the Town & Country Hotel recently to celebrate the 11th annual RSVP Sunshine Recognition Brunch to recognize the volunteer efforts of the more than 2,600 senior volunteers in San Diego County under the auspices of the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

RSVP Advisory Board Chairman Jim Evans of Ramona and RSVP Assistant Manager Bob Maass served as masters of ceremony, and Pam Smith, director of Aging & Independent Services for San Diego County provided the opening remarks. RSVP Manager Sandy Lawrensen presented the keynote address.

Among this year's top award winners were: Leadership Awards: Georganne Woodward, Senior Services supervisor for the City of San Marcos; and Millie Acasio, supervising recreation specialist for the City of San Diego Senior Citizen Services. Al Striecher, El Cajon Police Department RSVP won the Public Safety Award; and Barbara Allsteter of the Imperial Beach Sheriff's Station was named Volunteer of the Year.

Ambassador Award winners were: Marcie Hanna, Roger Challberg, Vickie Velasco, Lt. Sylvester Washington, Barbara Wallace, Marie Brown Mercadel, and Assemblyman Jay LaSuer. Mary Canilao-Woodruff was the recipient of this year's RSVP Advisory Council Award.

RSVP volunteers in San Diego County served more than 524,294 hours - an average of 245 hours per volunteer - in 2005. For the second consecutive year, Aurora Ortiz received the award for contributing the most volunteer hours reporting 5,106 hours of service at the Blind Community Center in San Diego.

Senior Volunteer Patrol members from Ramona who attended the brunch included Charles Davis, Bill Hicks, Charles Kelley, Ken Korhonen, Bill Lawler, John Leap, Bob Runyon, Lew Soper and Sam Telleson. Telleson received The Presidents Volunteer Service Award.

Ramona's own Sam Frazier aka "Grandpa Doubtfire" the clown greeted the volunteers with a big smile as they entered the ballroom. Entertainment for the event was provided by the Moonlight Serenade Orchestra, vocalist Bob Spencer, and a group of young actors representing the Christian Community Theater in an abbreviated rendition of the Wizard of Oz.

For information about volunteer opportunities with RSVP, call 858-505-6448.