Livermore Volunteers Honored by YMCA of the East Bay

On Thursday, October 22, the YMCA of the East Bay held their 136th annual meeting and volunteer recognition ceremony. The theme of the evening was “Volunteers: Our Guiding Lights to Togetherhood.”

The “DIFFY” (You Are the Difference) Award is the highest honor the YMCA of the East Bay gives to recognize their most impactful volunteers. “DIFFY” award winners demonstrate a selfless commitment to serving our community and creating real, lasting, personal change.

The Y’s “Youth of Character” award recognizes some of their most outstanding youth leaders. These young agents of change stand out amongst their peers as positive, compassionate & dedicated community members.

DIFFY adult honorees & Youth of Character award recipients for the Livermore region include:

Lacey “Shasta” Watson (DIFFY Honoree)

From helping out with building and improvement projects, to leading staff trainings, to just stepping in where needed, Lacey “Shasta” Watson truly embodies the spirit of volunteerism through and through. Her youth development expertise and deep understanding of the impact that camp can make on a young person’s life played a critical role in our training and preparation for summer this year. Lacey is an important part of our team at YMCA Camp Ravencliff. We couldn’t do what we do without her!

Laurie Nowak (DIFFY Honoree)

Laurie gives generously of her time and talent in the Children’s Education Garden at the YMCA at Camp Arroyo. She has dedicated countless hours over the last five years to help create a rich and beautiful hands-on learning environment for the youth of the East Bay. Thanks to contributions from people like Laurie, about 5,000 kids each year get the chance to connect with the great outdoors, learn about science and become stewards of our natural environment.

Hannah Fields (Youth of Character)

Hannah “Nine” Fields played an important role as a Camper in Leadership Training this summer at Camp Ravencliff. Hannah’s strength lies in her ability to form strong interpersonal relationships. Her approach to communication and interaction with younger campers, peers and staff contributed to the establishment of a culture of respect at camp this year. This is a critical foundational element in any strong youth development program. Because of Hannah, hundreds of young campers were able to learn, grow and thrive this summer in a safe and healthy environment.