By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club was filled with community members, local elected officials, and members of the Los Angeles Fire and Los Angeles Police departments on Thursday evening, December 12, to celebrate Pacific Palisades Community Council’s annual Awards Celebration and Holiday Meeting.
This year’s gala honored a Pride of the Palisades, a Citizen of the Year and three Golden Sparkplugs for their work in the community.
The first award, Pride of the Palisades, was given to PPCC Chair George Wolfberg, who, through several different organizations, has served the community for more than four decades.
“It’s been a pleasure and honor to work at your side over the last several years at PPCC,” Secretary Chris Spitz shared at the ceremony. “Your knowledge, insight, enthusiasm and ability to get right to the heart of the issues at hand are second to none. You’re a terrific friend and mentor not only to me, but to many Palisadians and other community leaders throughout Los Angeles, some of whom are here tonight.”
Wolfberg, who, even while battling a medical issue, is now into his fourth term as PPCC chair, has also served for “many years” as the Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association’s president, ongoing chair of the Potrero Canyon Community Advisory Committee, was an active participant in the No Oil! Campaign and more.
Congressman Ted Lieu’s District Representative Janet Turner was on hand to honor Wolfberg—and deliver news that his achievements were read into the U.S. Congressional Record on December 5.
“Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate Mr. George Wolfberg, a longtime community leader in California’s 33rd Congressional District who will receive the Pride of the Palisades award from the Pacific Palisades Community Council,” the Congressional Record reads. “George worked for the City of Los Angeles for 37 years and played a hand in its bid for the 1984 Summer Olympics, divestment from South African over apartheid, and rewriting of the city charter.”
Next up were the Golden Sparkplug awards, which, this year, went to Don Camacho, Lisa Glantz and Mike Lanning.
Camacho was introduced by Bob Benton, who applauded his efforts to raise nearly $250,000 and coordinate the installation of five new solar-powered scoreboards at the Field of Dreams at Palisades Recreation Center.
“Tonight, as I look around this room, there are so many talented people who have given their time, treasure and talents to this community,” Camacho shared while accepting the award. “You really inspire me, and it’s truly a remarkable place to live.”
Glantz was recognized for her efforts to effectively save the 61-year-old Holiday Ho! Ho! Ho! tradition (in 2018, known as the Holiday Hullabaloo) in just two weeks when she learned that it was in jeopardy of not happening.
“When Lisa discovered that the Ho! Ho! Ho! holiday event was in danger of not happening last year, she stepped up the same way that each of the people who have been accepting these awards have stepped up respectively to what they did,” PPCC’s David Kaplan shared while introducing Glantz.
Glantz took the stage to say that she was “delighted” to carry on the tradition, which is the “heart of the Palisades.” She shared that in 2018, she put the word out that anyone who was interested in helping her with the event could meet her at Starbucks to plan—this year, she had more than 100 volunteers.
The third Golden Sparkplug award was given to Scoutmaster Mike Lanning of Troop 223, who “enthusiastically led the effort to recruit girls for the new Girls Group in Troop 223 when Boy Scouts of America expanded their program to include girls,” representatives from PPCC shared in a statement.
There are now 30 girls in the troop, with 12 Second Class Scouts and 18 Tenderfoot Scouts, which have earned a combined 200 merit badges with 12 participants on track to earn the rank of Eagle Scout in May 2021.
Lanning said that he discovered the troop—which, at the time, was four or five boys who needed some help—while living in the Palisades and attending UCLA in the early 1950s. He shared that he went to a Tuesday night meeting and has been there ever since.
The final award, Citizen of the Year, was given to Kevin Niles, the “driving force behind two successful American Legion youth programs: the National Oratorical Contest and Boys State.” Niles is also a longtime supporter of Palisades youth and veterans, as well as a community leader.
“While I do spend a bit of time volunteering, my efforts are not as great as so many other people that are in this room also,” Niles humbly shared, before thanking his family and friends for their support.
The evening concluded with a special recognition of first responders, who expressed their gratitude to Palisadians who worked together in recent fires and evacuations.
“We thank the entire Palisades community for its support and participation, and we again acknowledge and express our appreciation for the service of the 2019 PPCC awards honorees as well as our wonderful first responders, who served so admirably during the recent fires and protect us every day,” PPCC shared in a statement following the event.
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