Community Hero in the Running

Each day when she wakes up, Priscilla Partridge de Garcia tells herself that it is the last day of her life--her last chance to do something for the community.

“I look at how I’m going to make a difference that day,” she said.

For the Camarillo woman, the motivational routine has paid off.

Garcia on Thursday was named Community Hero for Ventura County by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

And as part of the award, she will have the honor of carrying the Olympic torch during a portion of its 84-day, 15,000-mile trek from Los Angeles to Atlanta.

“I’m very honored,” Garcia said. “I see myself only as a symbol representing all the heroes in Ventura County.”

Garcia serves on the board of directors of the Ventura County United Way, which publicized and coordinated the Community Hero program. But officials for the organization said they were not involved in reviewing the nominations.

“We are delighted somebody on our board was selected,” said Debbie Giles, communications manager for United Way. “She is being recognized as a community hero for her impact on the community. We had nothing to do with the selection process.”

Garcia, who was nominated for the award by a student she had sponsored for a university scholarship, will be one of 5,500 Community Hero torchbearers selected by 147 judging panels across the country.

Reviewing nominations from an area ranging from Ventura in the south to San Jose in the north and Ridgecrest in the east, the San Luis Obispo-based panel picked 14 community heroes. Only one, Garcia, is from Ventura County.

It turns out, however, that Ventura County will have another Olympic torchbearer this summer--selected by yet another review panel in Los Angeles.

Ryan Duston, an 18-year-old Ventura runner who is a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, had his nomination mistakenly sent to the Los Angeles group.

“I think he’d rather run through here,” said Jon Mack, who was Duston’s running coach at St. Bonaventure High School. “But he’s happy he’s running.”

Garcia, a clinical psychologist, is coordinator of the Women’s Re-Entry Program at Oxnard College, where she provides academic, career and personal counseling to many women on public assistance.

*

“Many are single mothers coming back to school and turning to vocational training,” Garcia said. “We set up a support system so they can become better parents and better students. In 2 1/2 years or so, these people have jobs and careers.”

Garcia also runs her own consulting company, providing training for businesses in the areas of self-help and counseling. She is founder of the Cultural Diversity Board of American Express Financial Advisors.

Garcia serves on the Cal Lutheran University Board of Regents and the board of directors of Casa Pacifica. She is also president of the Ventura County Leadership Academy and chairwoman of the Women of Distinction Luncheon for Tres Condados Girl Scouts Council.

*

Community awards are nothing new for Garcia. She was named Conejo Valley Woman of the Year in 1969 and Oxnard Citizen of the Year in 1992. Last year, she was Camarillo Woman of the Year and grand marshal of the Camarillo Christmas parade.

She received her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at USC.

The 3 1/2-pound Olympic torch will be flown from Athens to Los Angeles on April 27 and begin its journey to Atlanta, where it will arrive for the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games on July 19.

“I started working out this morning,” said Garcia, 53, who will carry the torch for half a mile near San Luis Obispo on May 2.

Garcia said she plans to buy a replica of the torch and donate it to United Way.