Monday, May 2, 2022

Altadena Residents Receive US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards

STAFF REPORT

Four Altadena residents — Silvera Grant, Tony Ward, Maureen Ward, and Mary Landau — have received U.S. Presidential “Lifetime Achievement Awards” in recognition of their thousands of hours of volunteer service to others and to their community.

Grant is the longtime president of the Altadena Community Garden, Ward is the past “Lane Foreman” of the Christmas Tree Lane Association (CTLA), Ward is a past president of CTLA, and Landau is a longtime volunteer with several local, county, and statewide organizations.

“While volunteerism rates have declined such that California is now 47th in the nation overall, Silvera, Tony, Maureen, and Mary stand as shining examples for others to emulate. The organizations they serve should be very proud, indeed,” said Amy, who himself received a Presidential Volunteer Service Award in 2020 for his volunteer efforts on behalf of humanitarian-aid organization ShelterBox USA.

A letter from President Joe Biden accompanied each award, thanking each awardee for their service.

“By sharing your time and passion, you are helping discover and deliver solutions to the challenges we face – solutions we need more than ever. We are living in a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for the future, light to see our way forward, and love for one another. Through your service, you are providing all three,” the President wrote.

While their volunteer paths have differed, they share two things in common: Each has donated over 4,000 hours of their time as volunteers, and each is passionate about volunteering.

“Part of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award program, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes those with exceptional commitment and generosity,” said Altadena resident René Amy, who arranged for the awards. “Totaled up, these four amazing individuals have given, between them, more than eight full work years of their time to help others. They are among the outstanding citizens of Altadena who help to make our community, our region, and our nation a better place to live – and we should all be thankful for them.”

The Altadena Community Garden, where Silvera Grant volunteers is a non-profit organization that provides gardening space, information and education to Garden members and the local community. From its mission statement, “(w)e believe that growing nutritional food and working outdoors in a group setting promotes healthy minds, spirits, and bodies. The Garden honors and appreciates the diversity, unique qualities, and cultural ideals of our gardeners and the community. By growing fresh food and tending the Garden together, we support harmony, cooperation, and healthy life choices for residents of Los Angeles County.”

Christmas Tree Lane is a state Historic Landmark, known worldwide for the towering Deodar cedars that are strung with colorful holiday lights each year – all by CTLA volunteers. First lit over 100 years ago, the Lane attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. The Wards (husband and wife) have long been an integral part of it all, spending vast amounts of time each year to ensure the Lane is lit to create a dazzling wonderland for all to enjoy.

Landau has decades of volunteering to her credit – and awards to show for it. California Women for Agriculture, the Altadena Historical Society, the Girls Scouts of America, the Pasadena Unified School District, CTLA, and the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association (LACBA) are among the organizations that have benefited from her volunteerism. Indicative of her passion for volunteering, Landau was awarded LACBA’s “Golden Hive Tool” award in 2019 – even though she is not, herself, a beekeeper.

“April is National Volunteer Month and it’s noteworthy that each of these recipients cares little about the award for themselves – but rather, each sees it as a chance to encourage others to step up and help out,” said Amy. “The bottom line is that while awards are great, the real reward of volunteering is knowing that doing so makes a difference for others in need.”