GARDEN GROVE : Homes, Streets Win Awards for Beauty

The City Council this week presented its 18th annual Pride Awards in recognition of residents and neighborhoods helping the city maintain its character and property values.

The awards were handed out by Mayor W.E. (Walt) Donovan at a special ceremony at the Garden Grove Community Meeting Center attended by about 650 people.

A volunteer judging panel divided the city into 18 zones and gave beautification awards to 20 homes in each zone. From among those, the panel selected one overall winner from each zone to receive a Home of the Year award.

“This wasn’t the kind of contest you could enter,” said Deputy City Manager Michael D. Fenderson. “We looked at every single-family home throughout the city. We wanted to recognize and thank people who take pride in their homes.”

Home of the Year winners were Maria McGinty, Harrel and Suzanne Resnick, Mike and Socorro Duarte, Robert and Marce Pistey, Bich Lan Nguyen, Kakuchi Araki, Anthony and Joyce Papez, James Russell, Mr. and Mrs. James Parsons and Cong N. Duong, Leo and Lupe Reyes, Carmie Jacot, Joan Todisco, Craig Allan, Bill and Sue Catlin, B.J. McAdam, Beth K. Okazaki, Bernard Sullivan, and Sharon Patton.

In addition to recognition of single-family homes, the city gave out 11 Neighborhood Pride Awards for efforts in maintaining their areas.

Neighborhood Pride Award winners were Amy Avenue, Chase Street, Diamond Street, Dewey Drive, Emerald Street, Flagstone Avenue, Lenore Drive, Marchard Avenue, Ora Drive, Roselee Drive and Vanguard Avenue.

“The neighborhood awards really give everyone an incentive to get involved,” Fenderson said.

The city gave 150 awards to residents who use drought-resistant landscaping in their yards.