By Loreen Berlin
Volunteers come in all categories and walks of life, and they volunteer because they love doing for others. Charles Williams from Cypress is one of those individuals.
It’s easy to see why his Cypress chose Williams as the 2019 Citizen of the Year, just as they chose Greg Goodyear in La Palma and Emile Jorge of Los Alamitos.
“The way I get to volunteer and mentor young people is through coaching sports,” he said. “I teach them how to shake hands. To say Yes and not ‘ya’. To tuck in their shirts. I push good grades. I share my values.”
He’s also known for taking his large barbecue to different locations, cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids, especially during the closing Champion Baseball for the Special Needs Kids, where they seat approximately 600 people at the end of the season. This year it will be held in May.
And why does he mentor, volunteer and barbeque for, and with the kids? “Because it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “I also organize and run fundraiser golf tournaments to help organizations fund their needs and I’ve done the Chili Cook-off for Cypress Football every year since 2004.”
Charles also volunteers to barbeque for the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress 4 to 5 times a year. And his volunteering doesn’t stop there. Someone needs to take care of the athletic fields, so Charles, over the years since beginning coaching the kids in 1989, has acquired thousands of dollars worth of equipment just for that purpose – to volunteer to take care of the fields – by watering them, adding sod and mowing them. “I enjoy taking care of the fields,” he enthuses.
Charles, is a semi-retired software engineer who has worked locally during his career. He gives his dad credit for steering him toward IBM and so that’s how he got involved in computers; then in 1983, a man hired him and the rest is how he spent his gratifying years in the software business, learning to code along the way. “I love it,” he says with such pride and happiness.
Charles’ values? God, Country, Family and his community of Cypress.
Photos by Loreen Berlin
Cypress Americana honored Emil Jorge of Los Alamitos as Citizen of the Year duringthe 44th Annual Americana Awards at the Disneyland Hotel Saturday evening, Feb. 23. “I may not be able to change the world but I can make my part of the world a little better and perhaps turn the corner and make the whole world a little better.” he said. Pictured with Jorge is Los Alamitos Mayor Warren Kusumoto.
Greg Goodyear (second from the right) from La Palma is honored as the 2019 recipient of the Cypress Americana Awards that were held at the Disneyland Hotel Saturday, Feb. 23. Picture with him from left are Cypress College Foundation President and Stanton Mayor David Shawver, Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.; Goodyear and Mayor Marshall Goodman. The Kiwanis Club members helped me get involved in the community, along with my wife and many other people, helping me to be involved in good causes,” said Goodyear. “I’m extremely humbled by this honor.”
