Volunteers : Helping hands : COUNTYWIDE : Individuals, Groups Honored for Service

Individuals, businesses and organizations were honored Tuesday by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives for their charitable work.

John and Connie Chestnut of Orange were the year’s Outstanding Volunteers for contributing 43,888 hours at the Orange Senior Center since 1979 and helping to raise nearly $40,000 a year for the center.

Others honored were:

* Janet and Jack Massimino, Laguna Hills, Outstanding New Volunteers for their work with a local art institute.

* Walter B. Gordon, Corona del Mar, Outstanding Volunteer Leader for heading the Hoag Hospital Foundation Cancer Center campaign, which raised $22 million.

* The Havesters, Outstanding Support Group for raising $200,000 for the Food Distribution Center in Orange.

* Christina Gonzales, Santa Ana, Outstanding Youth for organizing a symposium inter-ethnic understanding among students.

* United Way of Orange County, Outstanding Philanthropic Support Group for raising $19 million in pledges.

* Richard Bertea, Newport Beach, Spirit of Philanthropy Award for volunteer work at Chapman University since 1968 and donating $1 million to the school.

* Irvine Co., Western Digital Corp. and Air Touch Cellular, Outstanding Business Concerns for contributions to shelters and support services for abused women and other charities.

* Pralle Family Foundation, Outstanding Foundation for contributions to the Boys and Girls Club of Stanton, Chapman University and Providence Speech and Hearing Center.

* Sister Jane Frances Powers, Orange, Outstanding Nonprofit Executive for being the “guiding force” at St. Jude Medical Center since 1957.

* William J. Gillespie, Laguna Beach, Outstanding Philanthropist for service to AIDS victims since 1989 and $75,000 in donations to the AIDS Service Foundation.

At its annual awards banquet Tuesday, the Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County recognized 13 people for their contributions.

The youngest award winner, 11-year-old Allison Heim, has been volunteering at the Fran Joswick Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano since she was 8.

Others honored were:

* Elizabeth Hoegh for volunteering 100 hours a month for the past 13 years at the Discovery Museum in Santa Ana.

* Jeanne Eslinger, a family therapist, for a tree-planting campaign in Fullerton.

* Students for Homeless Outreach United, UCI, for finding volunteers to help the homeless.

* Sal Torres for helping with Spanish-to-English translations for a Newport Beach group that serves the homeless.

* Lois Monroe for founding a program of 300 elementary school tutors at the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District.

* Joan Levine for 20 years of service to the Learning Disabilities Assn.

* The Orange County Assn. for Retarded Citizens Parent Council for organizing social events for developmentally disabled adults.