Volunteers Receive Golden Rule Awards

Three volunteers and a nonprofit organization received awards recognizing their efforts to improve the quality of life in their communities at the 1998 Golden Rule Awards luncheon on Friday.

Nearly 100 people attended the ninth annual awards ceremony, held at Airtel Plaza Hotel in Van Nuys and presented by JCPenney and the Volunteer Center Assistance League of Southern California.

“All of the groups and individuals are so deserving, it’s difficult to choose the winners,” said Stephanie Contreras, event coordinator for JCPenney.

The awards recognized volunteers in four categories: adult, education, youth and group.

Winners in adult, education and group categories received a $1,000 donation for their organization.

The youth-award winner received a $500 donation for her organization and a $500 scholarship. Finalists in each category received a $250 donation for their organization.

The winners were: Verna Porter of North Valley Caring Ministries of Sepulveda, in the adult category; Linda Carruthers of the Pacoima Youth Culture Center, education; Astkhik Ayvatyan of Glendale Healthy Kids, youth; and the North Los Angeles Volunteers of Project Angel Food, group.

Finalists included: Rebecca Dmytryk of the Wildlife Emergency Response Center of Malibu, and Verdelle Gibson of the Northeast Valley Multipurpose Senior Center, adult; Hollie Day of AmeriCorps’ Tell Me a Story program in Los Angeles and Glendale, and LaVerne Simon of the San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center, education.

Also, Henry Stern of Habitat for Humanity, and Ellen Tsai of the San Fernando Valley Youth Council, youth; and the Special Equestrian Riding Therapy’s Connie Gilly and Vickie Gilly of Thousand Oaks, and the Stephen S. Wise Temple for work in North Hollywood, group.