Haze Saliture of Cypress and John Alvis of La Palma were honored as 2013 Americana Award recipients.
Haze Saliture of Cypress and John Alvis of La Palma were honored as 2013 Americana Award recipients.
One day before Hollywood celebrated its Oscar Awards on Sunday, Orange County’s Cypress College held its annual “Cypress Americana Awards” Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Disneyland Hotel honoring local citizens for their individual spirit of giving.
Once again, it was a cast of well-deserving people who reached beyond themselves to give to others in a way that touched the hearts of those who heard their individual stories. They watched as Cypress College President Dr. Robert Simpson presented each of the recipients with a ceremonial clock inscribed with the college’s name, 2013 Americana, “Citizen of the Year” and their individual city and name.
The Citizen’s of the Year are people devoted to others, in areas that are meaningful to them and thereby, make a brighter future by leading exemplary lives and inspire others along the way to excel as well.
Receiving the Cypress American Award from the City of Cypress was Haze Saliture and from La Palma was John Alvis.
Saliture has the distinction of being a tireless volunteer, spreading the word about the consequences of drinking and driving, since her 16-year-old twin daughter was killed by a drunk driver in 1994.
“My main involvement in the community centers around keeping my daughter’s memory alive and helping in any way I can to prevent this tragedy from happening to another child and family,” Saliture said.
John Alvis is a retired teacher for 38 years in Cypress elementary schools.
“Once retired, I began looking for new ways to contribute to my community…,” Alvis said. “I participate in the selection process for awarding scholarships to Kennedy High School seniors through the Scholarship Foundation at Kennedy High School.”
Alvis has lived in La Palma for 35 years and was a Centralia School District Trustee for 17 years, a member of the Greater Anaheim Special Education Local Planning Area Board for 14 years and served as president four times.
Between 1984 and 1994, he was PTA auditor and treasurer at Luther Elementary School, Walker Junior High and JFK High School. He also was Cypress Teachers’ Association president in 1975 and 1980.
“My participation in the La Palma Volunteers in Policing and Traffic Safety Committee is based on the same premise that these activities are additional opportunities to be an active volunteer in my community,” Alvis said.
In 1970, Alvis received the PTA Honorary Service Award and also received the, “We Honor Ours” award from the Cypress Teachers’ Association in 1982. He was Teacher of the Year at King Elementary School in 2002 and 2003.
