Coastside Volunteers to be Honored for Service Above Self April 1 at Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay Event April 1

The Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay will confer the sixth annual Service Above Self Award to the Half Moon Bay and Coastside community’s top volunteer on April 1st at the Magic of the Coastside community fundraising dinner event.

Three outstanding Coastside Community individuals and one husband-wife team have been selected as finalists for this year’s award.

Duane Myers is a long-standing dedicated volunteer with the Senior Coastsiders. His dedication and passion for the Senior Coastsiders Thrift Store has a direct impact on its success and contributions to the operating budget of Senior Coastsiders. Duane works almost full-time, on a volunteer basis, managing donations for the Store. He can be found almost anytime the Store is open, “with a huge smile and usually an outrageous hat.” He culls, sorts and repairs donations to ensure the quality of products. The Senior Coastsiders Thrift Store accounts for about 15% of the organization’s budget, and much of its success is due to Duane’s efforts. Senior Coastsiders serves over 1,000 seniors a year through nutrition programs, classes and lectures, transportation, referral services, grocery shopping, social work and home repair programs.

Mike Serdy is one of the key volunteers working on behalf of the Coastside Adult Day Health Center. He served as President of the CADHC Board from 2009 to 2015 and was instrumental in the completion of the Senior Campus. He still serves on the Board but is also the organization’s CFO and volunteers for the Food Court at the Pacific Coast Dream Machines, the CADHC’s biggest fundraiser. The Coastside Adult Day Health Center brings robust services to the Coastside’s frail and elderly population. Mike is dedicated to making the Coastside Community a better place, not only serving the Coastside Adult Day Health Center but also the Boys & Girls Club and Coastside sports programs.

Marc and Pat Strohlein are “Team Toy” for the Adopt a Family Program sponsored by Coastside Hope, the core human services organization on the Coastside providing basic necessities to those in need. Their dedication and care has ensured that over 600 Coastside children receive high quality toys at Christmas. They both work full-time in demanding jobs but dedicate countless hours to bring this mission of joy to children each year. They “think toys” year-round, always looking for quality and new ideas that will spark the creative spirit. Pat comments, “When we shop, we like to spark ideas for creativity and look for toys that also can be shared among siblings.” The couple also volunteers for the Pacific Coast Dream Machines and Marc serves as a volunteer tutor for Project Read, an adult reading program.

Barbara Von Glahn is a dynamic volunteer who has served a number of Coastside organizations. Her key contributions have included the Association of American University Women (AAUW), where she’s served as an officer for 20 years and leading the AARP tax-aide program for the Coastside in partnership with Senior Coastsiders providing free tax preparation for over 100 Coastsiders each year. She has served as chairperson of the Bikeways Committee which was instrumental in bringing the Coastal Trail to life, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve docent, Board member and volunteer at the Johnston House, and Ambassador/Board member for the Half Moon Bay Coastside Sister City Committee, a cultural exchange program between Half Moon Bay and Kariwa-mura, Japan. Von Glahn comments, “I feel a need to ‘give back’ to the community in which I live and enjoy.”

Members of nonprofit organizations who exemplify outstanding volunteer work to benefit the community are eligible for this honor. Past recipients include Ruth Rafello, American Association of American Women volunteer, Judy Macias, Village of the Coastside founder; Dr. Michael Klass, the volunteer Administrative Coordinator of the San Mateo County Coastside Medical Reserve Corps; Judy O’Leary, Director of Coastside Hope; Eric and Alice DeBode, Kelly Avenue Catholic Worker organization; and Sue Heckman, Coastside Adult Day Health Center.

The award will be presented and the four finalists honored at the Magic of the Coastside at the IDES Hall on April 1st. This event is the Rotary Club Foundation’s biggest fundraiser of the year and will feature magicians Tom Ogden and Suzanne!, appetizers, dinner, and a silent auction. The major beneficiary of this year’s event is The HEAL Project and will specifically fund an outdoor classroom focused on agriculture, health and nutrition for children in San Mateo County. A fun and casual event at $75/ticket, money raised also supports other local and global causes. Tickets and more details are available at http://www.rotaryofhalfmoonbay.com/

The Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay is one of 34,000 clubs around the world and is proud to be a supporter of The HEAL Project. Rotary International’s signature cause is the eradication of polio, and the end is in sight with just three countries in the world with endemic cases. The Half Moon Bay Club meets each Thursday for lunch at the Portuguese Center at 724 Kelly Street in downtown Half Moon Bay.

Contact Mary Corcoran, Public Relations Chairperson, at mcorcoranhmb@gmail.com or 650-218-0436.