The Community Agency for Resources Advocacy and Services (CARAS), a South Santa Clara County nonprofit group, held its first ever Community Champions Awards Ceremony Dec. 7 at the Gilroy Veterans Hall.
CARAS honored three local youth leaders.
-Nohelin Josh Hernandez of Gilroy was awarded the Youth Leadership Award for his mentoring role at the City of Gilroy Recreation Department.
-Abigail Sotelo of Morgan Hill was awarded the Youth Leadership Award for her role in community organizing in Morgan Hill.
-Lilianna Ortiz of Gilroy was awarded the Youth Leadership Award for her role in community organizing in Gilroy.
CARAS also honored several of our local community leaders.
-Assemblyman Luis Alejo was awarded the Community Leadership Award for his role in helping to pass Assembly Bill 60.
-Morgan Hill police chief David Swing was awarded the Community Leadership Award for his role in revising the MHPD towing policy.
-Voz De La Gente was awarded the Community Achievement Award for their support of the CARAS Youth Leadership Group.
-Gilroy Unified School District Board of Trustees Jaime Rosso was awarded the Community Leadership Award for his support of the Jovenes Nobles Program at Mt. Madonna High School.
-Chicana activist Augustina Armendariz was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to our community for advocacy rights and social justice.
Finally, Robert “The Ghost” Guererro was awarded the Community Achievement Award for his achievements in and out of the boxing ring.
The sold-out event was attended by several community leaders. Former Morgan Hill Mayor Dennis Kennedy was one of the Morgan Hill leaders who attended the event.
“I thought it was an outstanding event,” Kennedy said. “I strongly believe that successful accomplishments in our community need to get recognized. The process worked. All of the honorees deserved to be recognized for their efforts and hopefully we will continue to build on these successes.”
CARAS plans to hold this annual event for all of those community members who sacrifice their time and energy to create a better South County.
