Society

Joyce Rudolph

Giving freely of time and talents without thinking of the return is

how Florence Nos believes volunteers should approach their work.

Nos was named Woman of the Year on Nov. 13 at a tea by The Zonta Club

of Burbank Area at the First United Methodist Church of Burbank.

After receiving the honor, Nos said the volunteer spirit came to her

after watching her grandmother, mother and father.

The rewards of one’s endeavors, she said, will come someday but should

not be the motivation behind them.

“You will be rewarded and today is the day (for me) and thank you very

much,” Nos said.

Zonta President Julie Modglin told the 180 people in attendance that

Zonta recognizes leaders and projects providing service to humanity

through cooperative efforts. Zonta has served the Burbank area for more

than 63 years. “For We Believe that true leadership is vision expanded

into Action,” Modglin said.

The club’s motto, Vision Expanded Into Action, was created by leaders

of the now disbanded Women’s Council of Burbank, which founded in 1949

and ran the awards program until Zonta picked up the project four years

ago, according to Lee Bellis, chairwoman.

Nos showed outstanding leadership in all five possible categories,

Civic Achievement, Cultural Awareness, Educational Advancement, Religious

Activity and Society Welfare. She also received one of the five

categorical awards, the Civic Achievement honor.

Some of her volunteer responsibilities are serving as a board member

of the Burbank Leadership organization, a community development program

that includes education, business and economic development. She helps

people from the Hispanic and Vietnamese communities of St. Finbar Church

integrate into American life. She also is involved in the Time to Read

Program, tutoring sixth-grade students once a week to improve their

reading skills.

Other award winners were Gwen Flynn for Cultural Awareness; Lynda

Willner and Wendy Vecchiarelli, who tied for Educational Advancement;

Brenda Lantieri, Religious Activity; and Vilma Barron for Social Welfare.

Vecchiarelli told the group she learned volunteerism by example from

her mother. Lynda Willner felt the same, saying her mom and dad had

instilled volunteering early in their family’s life, her dad donating

skin to a burn victim.

Vilma Barron thanked her whole family for supporting her volunteer

endeavors.

Gwen Flynn served as president of the Human Relations Council for the

1997-98 year. She is founding chair of the Burbank Neighbors in Dialogue

project, which addresses the impact of the diverse cultural and ethnic

population changes in Burbank. Through her work as a facilitator of the

Dialogue Circle, two active community task forces were formed, Community

Diversity and Education and Youth.

Willner was appointed to the Burbank Civic Pride Committee by the city

and has acted as a liaison to the Public Service Department, assisting

with its 85th anniversary celebration. She came up with the Celebrate the

Millennium proposal, which resulted in the City Council’s decision to

create a Millennium Committee.

Vecchiarelli serves on the finance committee of St. Robert Bellarmine

Church’s Ministry Center Capital Campaign Subcommittee, whose goal is to

raise $1 million to remodel older buildings on the church property. She

also coordinates the efforts of volunteers for the church’s annual

festival.

Lantieri has visited and presented gifts to patients at Beverly Manor

for the last eight years as a member of the Burbank Noon Lions Club. At

Christmas time, she has raised funds to purchase food and gifts for large

families in Burbank.

Barron has been a member of the Burbank Emblem Club #86 for 47 years,

serving as rummage sale chairwoman, organizer of fund-raising nights at

local restaurants and prize chairwoman for the annual fashion show.

Nominees who received special recognition were Midge Centro, Ethel

McGee and Ricki Stambaugh.

From local government presenting commendations were Burbank Mayor

Stacey Murphy, Sen. Adam Schiff, Tanya Rosario representing Assemblyman

Scott Wildman and Lena Kamian representing Congressman Jim Rogan.

Councilman David Laurell also attended with his wife, Max.

Past women of the year attending were Tomme Lenz, Elaine Paonessa,

Florence Hill, Pat Gunn, Connie Dent, Marsha Jackson, Janet Diel, Patty

Reardon and Marcia Ramos.

JOYCE RUDOLPH is features editor. Her society column runs every

Saturday. To have an event covered, call her at 637-3241 or fax her at

241-1975.