Sonoma Valley Fund honors Valley volunteers

More than 250 guests helped to celebrate 26 of the Valley’s top volunteers at Sonoma Valley Fun’s seventh annual event on Sunday.

The large and enthusiastic audience cheered as each of the volunteers came up to the stage to receive a beautiful star-shaped award and a Certificate of Appreciation from County Supervisor Susan Gorin.

“I am once again reminded of the powerful tradition of volunteering we have built in our community,” said Joshua Rymer, the SVF president. “The stories of the many and varied contributions made by each of the 26 Sonoma residents who give their time, talent and treasure to one or more of the Valley’s nonprofit organizations is simply inspiring.

Pictured, top row, from left: Moises (Stephanie Stubbs’ mentee), Stephanie Stubbs (Sonoma Mentoring Alliance), Issac Vargas (La Luz Center), Bill Myers (Sonoma Ecology Center), Corin Rasmussen (Sonoma Community Center).

Second row: Thai Hoang (Hanna Boys Center), Eric Peterson (Vintage House), Meg Sokoloski (Sonoma Valley Education Foundation), Luis (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: 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).

Not pictured: Stan Abercrombie (Sonoma Valley Museum of Art), Paul Vieyera (Sonoma Valley Museum of Art), Voit McKarre (Mentoring Alliance), Marcie Waldron (Vintage House).

“These are the unsung heroes who show up and work everyday for thanks, but no pay,” Rymer said. “These are the people who make nonprofits possible in our Valley possible.”

The complete list of this year’s Star Volunteer recipients

Seeds of Learning – Mark Etherington

Teen Services Sonoma – Jerica Tercero and David Wells

Hanna Boys Center – Thai Hoang

Sonoma Valley Community Health Center – Jesus Aguayo- Zuniga

Pets Lifeline – Gayle O’Hara

Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation – Hilda Teran-Franklin

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley – Lisa Carlsson

Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance – Voit McKarre and Stephanie Stubbs

Vintage House – Marcie Waldron, Bill O’Neal, and Eric Peterson

Sonoma Community Center – Corin Rasmussen

Quarryhill Botanical Garden – Steve Corey