Volunteers keep things going: Simi Valley Community Council honors 17 from area nonprofits
Volunteers from the Simi Valley area will get their chance to shine at a breakfast Saturday when the Simi Valley Community Council recognizes their hard work.
A collection of 17 organizations based primarily in Simi Valley nominated a person who has gone above and beyond this year with community dedication, according to Kathryn Shepherd, president of the 53-year-old community council.
The honorees will be given a community service award as well as certificates of appreciation from various local benefactors and politicians, including Simi Valley Mayor Fred Thomas.
“It’s wonderful to see. These volunteers give so much of their time … they certainly don’t do it for the money,” Shepherd said.
Members of the community council range in age from 20 to 87, though the majority of them are older than 50.
The Samaritan Center of Simi Valley, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of the city’s homeless, nominated April Budak as its own hardest worker.
“She’s an absolute star. To be honest, I don’t know what I’d do without her,” said Annika Sumby, the Samaritan Center’s executive director and Budak’s nominator.
Budak has been volunteering at the center for the past 15 years. She cooks warm breakfasts daily and helps with any other miscellaneous tasks she can, Sumby said. The support is much appreciated by the center, who relies on their 60 volunteers to perform work that their seven staffers could never do on their own.
Budak’s presence brings everyone happiness, Sumby said. She knows each of the center’s clients by name and helps them feel like they’re part of a loving community – a feeling hard to come by for Simi’s homeless.
Pat Lewis, community council vice president of programming, also praised Budak.
“She’s like a second mom to my son who has struggled and received services from The Samaritan Center,” Lewis said. “She’s very loving, very kind.”
Lewis has overseen five of these annual breakfasts, and she looks forward to each one. The cheering and hollering that fills the room after each nominee’s name is called never gets old, she said.
“Everyone likes being recognized. They say they don’t, but they do,” Lewis said. “Simi is this wonderful city that feels like a small town. The volunteers in this city really keep things going.”
Volunteers of the year
- Jeri and Neale Basil, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Simi Valley Stake
- John Baxter, The Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise
- Susan Brecht, Simi Valley Interfaith Council
- April Budak, Samaritan Center of Simi Valley
- Peter Carrube, Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce
- Karen Cunningham, American Association of University Women, Simi Valley branch
- Teresa DeGagne, Simi Valley Friends of the Library
- Marlene Dorn, Rancho Simi Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
- Jennifer Frank, Simi Valley Public Library
- Dee Larkin-Tingstrom, Sarah’s House
- Nancy Martin, Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley
- Joel Mueller, Rancho Simi Parks and Recreation
- Debbie Samel, Soroptimist Simi Valley
- Stephanie Sanchez, ARC of Ventura County
- Karen Schemm, Simi Valley Historical Society
- Shirley Scott, Simi Valley Women’s Club
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the group for which ages was given.
Claire Boeck is an intern for the Ventura County Star and can be reached at claire.boeck@vcstar.com.