Meet the Nonprofits and Honorees: Celebration of Leaders & ATHENA Awards next Week!
By: Leslie King, Marketing and Events Manager for the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce
The 26th Annual Celebration of Leaders & ATHENA Awards will take place virtually on Thursday, June 17 from 5-7pm. Each year, the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce recognizes exceptional contributions and service to the Mountain View community by businesses, organizations, and individuals. This year, the ATHENA Awards is being added to the festivities. Noting that it has been an exceptionally hard year all along - more awards have been added for this year to recognize those who were particularly exemplary in helping others during the pandemic.
The Mountain View Chamber does something that many other cities don’t. They allow local nonprofits to be part of the event, and to celebrate one of their own volunteers. This gives the opportunity for local nonprofits to honor their volunteers without having to host their own event.
One of the great things about including nonprofits is that everyone in attendance gets to learn about the mission of all the nonprofits participating. The nonprofits get to more exposure, more access to potential sponsors and supporters, and the Chamber of Commerce is truly connecting business, to nonprofits, to community members.
Here’s a spotlight of the nonprofits are (the ones that were part of Celebration of Leaders this year) and what each of them does for our community:
Community Services Agency: They’re the social services safety net for our community, because hardship can come at any time and knows no age limit. CSA honors Jolee Crosson as their volunteer of the year this year.
Quadre: The Voice of Four Horns is a local non-profit chamber music organization based in Mountain View. With over two decades of experience performing throughout the United States, the organization has artistic programming tied to social justice issues. Quadre honors Danielle Makler as their volunteer of the year.
Mountain View Public Safety Foundation: They support the Mountain View Police and Fire Departments, as well as the Mountain View Police Activities League (MVPAL) with the ultimate goal of making the City of Mountain View a better and safer place in which to live and work. MVPSF is honoring Amber Wilson as their volunteer of the year.
Business Circle LatinX powered by Prosperity Lab is a collective of experts in different aspects of business that together facilitate business training and individual assistance in benefit of LatinX, business owners and Micro Businesses. Services are free, confidential, and culturally competent to ensure positive outcomes. Business Circle LatinX is a program of Prosperity Lab, a non-profit organization founded in the spring of 2020 in the heart of innovation, Silicon Valley. Business Circle LatinX is taking this opportunity to honor all of their volunteers from the last year.
A huge shoutout to KMVT 15 Silicon Valley Media and Television, who has created all of the special videos for the event. They are our local television station and they provide training in video production, media literacy, and a voice for hundreds of thousands of San Francisco Bay area residents.
Here is a list of the honorees winning the various Chamber awards during the event. Make sure you tune in to share in the special moment!
2021 HONOREES
Outstanding Business (large or small) - Trader Joe's
Outstanding Organizations - Day Worker Center and Community Health Awareness Council – CHAC
Outstanding Business Person - Jeff Weinberg, JW Catering
Outstanding Contribution to Remote Learning - Superintendent Dr. Nellie Meyer and Superintendent Dr. Ayinde Rudolph
Outstanding Community Builder - IdaRose Sylvester, Appetite for Good
Outstanding Contribution to Food Access - Community Services Agency of Mountain View, Los Altos & Los Altos Hills
ATHENA Award - Eonis Cibrian Pelayo, Community Services Agency
There will be an exciting raffle at the event. Raffle tickets are available for $10 each or 3 tickets for $25. Visit the Eventbrite page to buy raffle tickets. You can still buy tickets even if you have already registered for the event. Thank you to our generous donors.
Dinner delivery can be arrange by JW Catering. They are providing some delicious meals available for delivery the day of the event. Be sure to place your order and join in the festivities. When you are registering for the event, you will have the opportunity during check out to select an "add-on" where you can order dinner delivery. We must receive your dinner order by end of day on Tuesday, June 15th. Even if you have already registered, you can still order dinner on the Eventbrite page by clicking the "register" button and then selecting the dinner "add-on."
The event is free and open to all, but registration is required
