San Leandro Officials Present Awards to Local Community Leaders

Mayor Stephen Cassidy and members of the San Leandro City Council presented District Leadership Awards and Mayor's Awards of Excellence at the City Council meeting on Monday.  The awards were presented to eight community members who have made outstanding contributions to San Leandro.  

In addition, on behalf of the City Council, Mayor Cassidy declared today, Dec. 17, as Miguel Alvarez Day in San Leandro. Mr. Alvarez was honored for his selfless actions and service to the seniors at Valley Springs Manor, an assisted-living facility in Castro Valley, California.  

On Oct. 24, all employees except for Mr. Alvarez, the facility janitor, and Maurice Rowland, the facility cook, left Valley Springs Manor after the state suspended the facility's operating license. Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Rowland cared for 14 seniors who had been abandoned at the facility, feeding, bathing, changing and providing medication to the residents of the facility continuously until Oct. 26, when Alameda County Sheriff's Department and firefighters arrived to rescue the remaining residents. 

"Mr. Alvarez is a true hero.  We are deeply grateful to him and the district leaders we honored for their generosity, community service, and dedication to improving San Leandro" stated Mayor Cassidy.  "I thank everyone who is providing service to others during the holiday season and throughout the year." 

The following persons were honored with awards:  

Nancy Fong - Mayor Stephen Cassidy's Award of Excellence Recipient

• Nancy worked for the City of San Leandro for 31 years, and retired from City service as a Library Services Manager in 2012.  Viewed as the "go to" person for grant writing, Nancy assisted the library in receiving over $300,000 in grant funding since 2009, including a substantial California Civil Liberties Public Education Program grant, and was instrumental in crafting a winning formula for the National Education Association's Big Read grant. Nancy is an active member and leader of the Asian Business Council, Alta Mira Club, San Leandro Scholarship Foundation, and serves as the staff liaison for the Friends of the San Leandro Library.  A champion for literacy, Nancy founded and organized for nearly 20 years the Annual Trivia Bee fundraiser, which has generated on average $13,000 per year for Project Literacy to promote adult literacy.  Nancy also can be credited with bringing multi-cultural programs to the San Leandro library, including the annual Lunar New Year Celebration and Heritage Fair. 

Steve Song - Mayor Stephen Cassidy's Award of Excellence in Business

• Since acquiring the local F.H. Daily Chevrolet dealership several years ago, Steve has been an active member of the San Leandro community and contributed positively to many local organizations and community events.  Steve serves on the Leadership San Leandro Steering Committee, the Local Inclusion working group, and is an active sponsor of San Leandro Chamber of Commerce events.  In 2012, Steve also organized a large local 4th of July celebration.  F.H. Daily Chevrolet was the first local business to connect to the Lit San Leandro high speed fiber optic network.     

Jerry and Jeni Engler - District 1 Leadership Award Recipient Selected by Council Member Michael Gregory

• Jerry Engler is the current president of the San Leandro Sports Foundation and serves on the board of the San Leandro Education Foundation (SLED).  Jerry has contributed his time to a number of other community organizations and efforts, including serving as the chair of the Measure M Campaign, President of various local Fathers Clubs, President of the San Leandro Swim Team and East Bay Swim League (EBSL), Meet Director for the EBSL swim championships, and past President of the San Leandro High School Boosters.  When not volunteering his time to the community, Jerry serves the people of California as a Senior Assistant Attorney General in San Francisco with the California Department of Justice.

• For the past 20 years, Jeni Engler has served the community as a teacher with the San Leandro Unified School District, and currently is the volunteer coordinator for the San Leandro High School Theater. Jeni successfully resurrected musical theater productions at the high school and went on to shepherd their survival for many years.  She also serves on the boards of the San Leandro Education Foundation and Friends of the San Leandro Library.  Jeni previously served as President of various local organizations including the Roosevelt School PTA, Bancroft PTA, and United Parents, as well as teaching Sunday school for many years at Creekside Community Church. 

Vince Rosato - District 2 Leadership Award Recipient Selected by Councilmember Ursula Reed

• Vince has been a teacher for over 15 years, and presently teaches 5th grade in the New Haven Unified School District in Union City. Vince served as a local neighborhood watch captain for 10 years, and graduated from the Community Emergency Response Training program, as well as the Citizen's Police Academy. Vince also served as a board member of the Halcyon/Foothill Neighborhood Association and helped coordinate over 28 San Leandro Associations to enhance participation in the Neighborhood Night Out program. Vince also sits on the California Teachers Association State Council of Education, previously served on the local Redevelopment Advisory Committee, and has served in various leadership capacities with the Catholic Church. 

Caryl Ann Symons Lee - District 3 Leadership Award Recipient Selected by Councilmember Diana Souza

• Caryl Ann has served San Leandro in many capacities over the years, including service on various Parent Teacher Associations, and was a Den Mother with the Cub Scouts. Caryl Ann previously served on the Human Relations Commission and has been a member of the Library-Historical Commission since 1993. A consummate advocate for education, libraries, and literacy, Caryl Ann actively supported the California Library Bond Act of 2000, which ultimately provided $3.8 million towards construction of the Manor Branch Library.  For over 15 years, she also helped organize the annual Trivia Bee. Caryl Ann also has served on the Washington Manor Homeowners Association Board, the Shoreline Citizen Advisory Committee and the Shoreline Advisory Group. 

Gary and Gregg Valenziano - District 4 Leadership Award Recipient Selected by Councilmember Benny Lee

• Gary and Gregg Valenziano are the owners and operators of Porky's Pizza Palace in San Leandro, which their family acquired in 1983 after relocating from Chicago in 1983. This local institution has faithfully served quality food to several generations of San Leandro residents including families, local sports teams, Boy Scout troops, and local elected officials and supporters.  Gary and Gregg also support the Washington Manor Junior League opening day parade, sponsor numerous sports teams, and hold fund raisers for local schools and organizations by giving back 20% of sales. 

Rick and Pam Richards - District 5 Leadership Award Recipient Selected by Councilmember Pauline Cutter

• T.W. "Rick" & Pam Richards have been actively involved in the community for many years, including co-chairing and bringing to San Leandro for two years the Alzheimer's Memory Walk.  The Richards also were founding members of the Best Manor Homeowners Association, where Rick served as its first Treasurer. Rick also served on the former Human Resources Commission for nine years, and the Board of Education for eight years. The Richards were founding members of the Friends of San Leandro Creek and Rick served as its president for over 15 years.  They also were founding members of the Keep Music Rockin' Foundation, where Rick serves as the CEO of the non-profit Foundation. During their time of involvement, the Foundation has raised over $375,000 towards various school music programs.   

Bella Comelo - District 6 Leadership Award Recipient Selected by Councilmember Jim Prola

• For the past 24 years, Bella has actively contributed to positive social change through her writings and community leadership. Before being promoted into management, Bella held various leadership positions with the local chapter of the SEIU labor union and served as a Board member for over 16 years. Bella also has been active in numerous community organizations, including three terms on the board of the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, membership on the Inter-faith Committee for Workers' Justice, and serving on the San Leandro Commission on Aging. In 2007, she walked the precincts of San Leandro to inform residents about the Living Wage Ordinance and collected signatures from riders and advocated for the continuation of the LINKS shuttle in San Leandro.  Since 2003, she has represented Asian Indians on the Ethnic Pastoral Council of the Diocese of Oakland and has mobilized Indian Catholics in various Diocese events such as the annual ethnic festival Chautauqua ("gathering of all people"). For over 15 years, she has been a Lector at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church and has volunteered at the church festivals.  Being an avid reader and writer, she has contributed numerous articles to local news publications and is the author of a children's book, titled "Raju and the Snake Charmer".