Eight Duarte Citizens Honored With Community Service Recognition Awards by Duarte Chamber of Commerce

Recipients of the 2009 Community Service Recognition Awards are (starting in back row from left): Elizabeth Bagwell (City of Hope), Outstanding Business Person Service Award; Erica Christianson, Outstanding Youth Award; Francisco Contreras, Outstanding Youth Award; (front row, left) Neil Earle, Outstanding Civic Service Award; Carie Osburn, Outstanding Humanitarian Award; Dorothy Smith, Outstanding Service to Senior Citizens/Disabled Award; and Aida Torres, Outstanding Service to Youth Award.

The Duarte Chamber of Commerce honored eight outstanding community service volunteers at the annual City of Duarte Mayor’s Thanksgiving Prayer Breakfast held at City of Hope Cooper Auditorium. More than 150 attended the event.

“The Mayor’s Thanksgiving Prayer Breakfast and Community Service Recognition Awards is always such a wonderful way to launch the holidays. Honoring those who give of themselves to help make Duarte the great and caring community that it is sets the tone for the season,” said Duarte Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Kirchner.

Recognized for their outstanding contribution to Civic Service were Neil Earle and Irwin Margiloff, authors of the newly published “Images of America: Duarte,” a 127 page account of Duarte’s history from the time of Andres Duarte to the present. Margiloff is the longtime curator of the Duarte Historical Museum. Earle is a pastor, journalist, and produces and hosts a current events program on Duarte Public Access, DCTV.

Elizabeth Bagwell, Community Relations Manager at City of Hope, was honored with the Outstanding Business Person Service Award. Bagwell is responsible for the many outreach activities that the City of Hope hosts on its campus. A past Chairman of the Duarte Chamber of Commerce, she is deeply involved in participating and lending her support to local community groups.

Dorothy Smith was the recipient of the Outstanding Service to Senior Citizens/Disabled Award. Smith has been volunteering her heart, time and talents to the Duarte Community since she arrived in Duarte 50 years ago. She assisted with youth summer lunch programs and worked with a local organization to help needy families with housing, furniture, food, school supplies and referrals. She also worked with Spanish-speaking women, helping them study for their citizenship test. She joined the Duarte Community Service Council in 1990 and became President of the organization in 2000, a position she still holds. The Service Council provides summer camp sponsorships, glasses and dental care for children, and emergency food to families throughout the year, as well as food and gifts during the holidays. Smith also volunteers at the Duarte Senior Center assisting with the L.A. Food Bank distributions, among other acts of selflessness.

Carie Osburn received the Outstanding Humanitarian Award for her volunteer service to several local organizations, including the Duarte Historical Museum where she serves as a docent, the Duarte Mesa Association Board, Friends of the Duarte Library and Neighborhood Watch. Her work over the years for the Rose Float Concessions included over 300 task items as she organized the volunteers and helped organize a myriad of details for the event.

Aida Torres, recipient of the Outstanding Service to Youth Award, has served Duarte’s most at-risk youth – probationers for the past six years in her work with the Duarte Public Safety Department. While helping youth is part of her job description, she goes above and beyond through her encouragement, advice and giving of her time. She motivates Duarte’s youth to participate in scores of community service projects each year that offer teens valuable work experience and develops ownership of their community.

Erica Christianson and Francisco Contreras, Duarte High School seniors, received the Outstanding Youth Awards for their leadership, public service and scholastic achievements. Christianson, a member of the basketball, track, soccer and volleyball teams was named scholar athlete for all seasons of the 2008-2009 school year. She has been involved with the Interact, Key Club, Youth to Youth, CSF, Journalism, Leadership, Debate and Mock Trial. She has volunteered for Foothill Unity Center and Immaculate Conception Church. She is a Girl Scout working on her Gold Award, has been honored as a Girls State Delegate, AP Scholar, and maintains a 4.6 UC/CSU G.P.A.

Contreras is vice president of Interact, Treasurer of Youth of Youth, plays on the Duarte High School Basketball team and is also actively involved in CSF and Journalism. While keeping busy and contributing to his community, Contreras has maintained a 3.73 UC/CSU G.P.A.

The Mayor’s Thanksgiving Prayer Breakfast and Community Service Recognition Awards are sponsored by the Duarte Chamber of Commerce, Duarte Church and Clergy Association, Duarte Kiwanis Club, Duarte’s Promise: The Alliance for Youth, and Royal Oaks Manor in partnership with the City of Duarte.