San Ramon Rotary Club Announces 2013 Unsung Heroes

From the San Ramon Rotary Club

The Rotary Club of San Ramon has selected four individuals as the recipients of its 2013 Unsung Heroes Award. These four local community members will be recognized for their service at the Club's regular meeting on April 4th, noon at the Crow Canyon Country Club. This year's "Heroes" are:

• Kim Tarman, Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF)
• Judi Caruthers, Assistance League of Diablo Valley
• Elaine Maier, Friends of Discover/The Thrift Station
• Yaeko Kennelly, City of San Ramon Parks and Community Services Senior Services

Each year, the Rotary Club of San Ramon recognizes several volunteers, either San Ramon citizens or residents from other communities who serve the citizens of San Ramon, who have distinguished themselves in their service.

"These four individuals all represent what is good about our community," said Hermann Welm, Awards Coordinator for the Club. "They truly take Rotary's motto of 'Service Above Self' and incorporate it into the everyday lives. They deserve to be recognized."

The criteria for selection are that they (1) be unpaid volunteers; (2) have given many hours to their respective organization; (3) have made positive contributions; (4) might be, but are not necessarily, in leadership positions; (5) are NOT generally known to the community at large; and (6) are NOT Rotarians.

The “Unsung Hero” Awards will be presented to the winners at the club’s luncheon meeting on April 4.  The organizations they represent will be presented with a $250 grant from the San Ramon Rotary Foundation at the meeting.

More on the Heroes:

Kim Tarman

She has been a volunteer with Animal Rescue Foundation since 2002. She is the Volunteer Coordinator of the FoodShare program. Kim screens and interfaces with clients who will receive cat or dog food donated by Safeway. She ensure the clients meet requirements of residency, income and required spay/ neuter of pets. Kim supervises several volunteers who help with monthly scheduling and yearly recertification of clients. She recruits, trains, schedules and manages volunteers to distribute pet food to low income pet owners in contra costa. In addition, Kim works with ARF's partners at Salvation Army and Safeway coordinating both delivery of food and distribution.

Judi Caruthers

Caruthers helps to generate revenue for the Assistance League of Diablo Valley through her work at the Way Side In Thrift Shop in Lafayette. She supervises the sorting of donations, pricing of donations, merchandising and display of goods. She has worked on and refurbished items that are tattered donations and turned them into gems. She knows the value of unique pieces and researches an item so that it sells at its true value. The thrift shop generates over $500,000 a year in revenue. Without that funding the Assistance League would not be able to carry out its mission of commitment to community.

Elaine Maier

Maier has been an active member of the Friends of Discovery/Thrift Station for over 25 years. For more than 15 years, she headed up the baby clothes department. She took a personal interested in the clothes and nothing went out on the floor unless it met Elaine’s high standard. Over the years Elaine also served on the board as Vice President. In addition, she was a membership chair and helped out in dressing the shop window displays. For 15 years, Elaine also served as a store manager once a month.

Yaeko Kennelly

Kennelly has volunteered with the City of San Ramon since 2001, and has accumulated over 3,000 hours during that time. She has several roles within the San Ramon Senior Center including front desk volunteer, special event volunteer and member of the San Ramon Senior Foundation. Yaeko spends each Friday morning as the Center’s front desk volunteer where she provides invaluable help to Center staff and seniors. Yaeko answers the phone, does computer work, files, sells tickets and program cards and greets the many visitors who enter the Center.  Yaeko is a member of the Senior Center Foundation.