Dublin Presents Volunteer Recognition Awards

DUBLIN, CA — Dublin volunteers and nonprofit organizations received Volunteer Recognition Awards Thursday night at the Shannon Community Center. The awards are designed to “recognize outstanding individuals and groups who have contributed to the quality of life in Dublin this past year.” The Dublin Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year awards are given to Dubliners who exhibit exceptional personal traits, while the Mayor’s Award and Mayor’s Legacy Award are people who the mayor feels has worked to help the Dublin community over the past year, or for many years.

2021 Volunteer Recognition Awards were given to the following:

Citizen Award: Steve Wright, who has worked with the nonprofit Open Heart Kitchen to deliver food, clothing tents, hot meals, and hygiene supplies to unhoused or chronically addicted individuals. During the height of the COVID crisis, Wright worked six days a week to make sure that the unhoused had access to food, services, and shelter. Wright, a 40-year resident of Dublin, works as an investigative journalist, and serves on the Dublin Planning Commission.

Young Citizen Award: Summer Shi, a Dublin High School student who founded the Breaking BEARriers Youth Leadership Club (which won the 2021 Organization of the Year.) During the pandemic, Shi offered free summer classes to more than 40 young students in extracurricular activities like golf and debate. She also participates in the Destination Imagination Club, which provides mentoring in areas like critical thinking, project management, and teamwork to other students. One of the teams she coached won first place in a state-level D1 competition. She also writes for the Dublin Shield student newspaper, and has raised over $500 to collect 1000 books and build a library in Ghana.

Organization of the Year: Breaking BEARriers, a 501-c3 organization founded in 2019 by six high school freshmen from Dublin and Pleasanton. The club has championed numerous projects to help strengthen the community, including Destination Imagination projects, a General Homework Help program providing tutoring to K-8 students, nine free summer classes, and several charity drives. The group collected over 600 books to underprivileged children in the Bay Area, raised $500 to build a library in Africa, and collected batteries, socks, gloves, toys, hygiene items, and more for the underprivileged.

Mayor’s Award: John Samples, the owner of INC82, Dublin’s first microbrewery. During the pandemic, Samples converted his bar into a grocery store with important staples like eggs, bread, and kitchen supplies. He launched an online website where customers could order, and then arrange for contactless pickup, which helped keep his staff employed, and helped overwhelmed delivery services. He has since partnered with the City of Dublin on their 40th anniversary celebrations, and to share about his business successes.

Mayor’s Legacy Award: Eddie Jo Mack, a long-time city volunteer. During incorporation, Mack was the only Black member of the Incorporation Committee, and served as its secretary. She has also served on the Planning Commission, and served several terms on the Dublin Senior Center Advisory Committee, and served as a voice for minorities in the city. Mack could not attend Thursday’s service, her friend Connie Mack (no relation) accepted the award on her behalf.

See here to read more about all of the winners and nominees.

The Organization of the Year was awarded a $500 cash prize, and a $300 donation was given to the Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year’s favorite nonprofit organizations. The winners of the Citizen, Young Citizen, and Organization of the Year will be recognized at the March 15 City Council meeting.