San Bernardino’s Unforgettable Hearts Shine

On Friday, Feb. 13, the unforgettable giving hearts of San Bernardino were honored. Four San Bernardino individuals, families and organizations were honored during the fourth annual Unforgettable Hearts award ceremony, held at the historic Fox Event Center in downtown Redlands the day before Valentine’s Day, as The Unforgettables Foundation recognized the heartfelt services these awardees – who were among 53 total individuals, businesses and organizations from the Inland Empire honored in four separate groups – provide for their community. The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation, Stephani Congdon, Vanir Development and the Safety Employees Benefit Association were this year’s San Bernardino awardees, honored alongside others from the cities of Banning, Beaumont, Big Bear, Calimesa, the Rim/Mountain/Lake Arrowhead area and Yucaipa. The event opened with a welcome from The Unforgettables Foundation Founder Tim Evans and recognition of sponsors by TUF Chairwoman Eileen Hards. This year’s special guest speaker was Sen. Mike Morrell, who helped Evans start the annual Unforgettable Hearts awards four years ago. “Mike and I created this event four years ago to thank people. That was the simple goal,” Evans told the crowd. “This is an opportunity to thank the people in our community. There are so many people who do so much for others.” Over four years, Evans shared, the annual event has now honored over 200 individuals, companies, organizations, charities and families who have helped their communities through their service, whether financial or otherwise. Sen. Morrell touched on the importance of service in his special guest speech. He quoted a 1630 speech given by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts colony, saying it was man’s duty to “do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our god, for this end we must be knit together in this work as one. We must entertain each other in brotherly affection… we must delight in each other, make others’ conditions our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor together and suffer together. That is a lot of what you do for our community,” Morrell said. Redlands Mayor Pro Tem Jon Harrison welcomed the full house of attendees to the city of Redlands, saying, “Welcome to Redlands. It’s my pleasure to welcome you all here to this fantastic event for The Unforgettables. I met Tim many years ago when he was part of a very small group of caring hearts getting this organization started… seeing this large group here today is really heartwarming for me to see the vision and the caring that he brought forth.” Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren led the invocation; Highland Mayor Pro Tem Penny Lilburn led the Pledge of Allegiance; Abbey Umali, a 2015 Hearts award recipient, performed the National Anthem; and Brenda Lorenzi and Stan Morrison were this year’s masters of ceremonies. The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation is run solely by volunteers and for over 40 years has provided scholarships to community youth to offset college expenses. Culturally diverse and committed to the development and understanding of African American culture, the nonprofit strives to provide meaningful socio-economic and educational programs to benefit the community, sponsoring the annual Black History parade until 2012, sponsoring the Miss Black San Bernardino Pageant, the Black Rose Awards and recognizing and crowning a Senior King and Queen. Stephani Congdon makes children – her own and others – her priority. She is a volunteer at the San Bernardino City Unified School District, San Bernardino County schools and various nonprofit agencies for over 30 years, helping improve the lives of children and families in the area. Working with Children’s Network in teen pregnancy, working as a member of the Childhood Abuse Prevention Committee and a current board member of the Autism Society of the Inland Empire, she continues to ensure children and their families lead lives of quality. Vanir Development’s Dorene Dominguez, whose award was accepted by former Hearts award recipient Laura Morales, was honored as the CEO and chairwoman of the organization that oversees 24 offices throughout the country, Dubai and Saudi Arabia and employing over 360 talented executives, architects, engineers, construction managers, developers, contractors and support staff. Dominguez is an active member of several community improvement projects and boards with a particular interest in aiding the Hispanic community and helping others. The Safety Employees Benefit Association has been a bargaining unit for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and district attorney investigators. With over 3,100 members including coroner investigators, welfare fraud investigators, probation corrections officers and specialized fire services, the organization is dedicated to promoting and protecting the wellbeing image of its members in the areas of collective bargaining, protection of members’ rights and political action to promote services of benefit to the members and community. Also San Bernardino-based but honored alongside recipients from Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Redlands and the High Desert were Ian Franklin, founder of FIGHTS and Project Fighting Chance, a mentoring and life skills program helping at-risk youth into an integrated amateur boxing program providing athletics, healthy eating, vocational training, education and counseling services to assist youth in becoming positive contributing members of the community. San Bernardino Symphony Executive Director and award-winning University of Redlands professor Dr. Anne Viricel was also honored for her community service and efforts to expand and enhance music education in the region. The Unforgettables also presented its annual Summer Austin award, presented by Judy and John Austin, parents of Summer Austin who died in an accident 18 years ago at 20 years old, to Tom Pernice Jr. Charities, for donating over $100,000 to TUF over the years. At Friday’s event, Tom Pernice Jr. Charities donated another $35,000 to TUF with a special check presentation. Pacific Life Foundation was also presented with the Unforgettable Summer Austin Award this year, which has contributed over $20,000 in grants to TUF and over $84 million to community and national nonprofit organizations since 1984. The Orange Belt Funeral Directors, Cemetery and Crematory Association was the third honoree with this award, partnering with TUF in several events through the years including golf tournaments and other community awareness events, while also working to benefit low income families and aiding other charity care cases every day. Additionally, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians was the inaugural recipient of the Unforgettable WeCare award, presented by TUF and Wescom Credit Union. WeCare is the charity arm of Wescom Credit Union, helping give $10,000 to TUF over the last 10 years. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians was recognized for their outstanding contributions to TUF over its 15 year history, giving over $100,000 in total to the organization. Other special recognitions included Joanie Morrell, wife of Sen. Mike Morrell, for her support of her husband and the communities he represents; the presentation of TUF’s Volunteer of the Year award to TUF board member Stan Morrison, a retired basketball coach, former UC Riverside athletic director, life coach and current senior vice president at Security Bank in Riverside; and the awarding of the Doctor of the Year award to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital forensic pediatrician Dr. Amy Young, who received this title at TUF’s 2014 Lights for Little Lives event.