La Palma Neighborhood Watch honored its district coordinators and block captains at its 30th Annual Appreciation Banquet on Feb. 5 at the La Palma Recreation Center. Currently there are 36 district coordinators and 164 block captains who help to deliver the La Palma Police Department Community Newsletter, The Source, every month. Of the 200 volunteers who deliver the newspapers door to door on their streets, about 100 people came to the Appreciation Banquet to enjoy a delicious dinner catered by Jay’s Catering and to receive certificates of appreciation.
The city of La Palma is relatively small in size in miles, but is known for its active community. The Appreciation Banquet gathered many people who are active in different groups in the city to jointly honor La Palma’s volunteers.
District Coordinators of the Year Mary Anne and Willie Ortega called the gathering to order. Ortega is also a Board member of the Neighborhood Watch.
Members of La Palma Explorers Color Guard presented state and national colors with solemnity and precision plus led the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Invocation was offered by Block Captain Bill Meil who dressed in his uniform as a Volunteer in Policing (VIP). Meil is the 2015 Americana Award Winner for the city of La Palma.
La Palma’s Mayor Peter Kim introduced his fellow city council members, city staff members and other dignitaries including La Palma Police Department Chief Eric Nunez who was the keynote speaker. He said that there has been an increase in criminal activity in our state and throughout our nation. However, he said that the La Palma Police Department is committed to keeping La Palma a safe and welcoming community. He also said the police department is working hard to stop crime in La Palma. He thanked everyone for being part of Neighborhood Watch, and for alerting the police if they saw anything suspicious. He said that the police would rather check on many false alarms rather than have a burglary or other crimes go unreported in La Palma. Nunez had said previously in The Source in January, “If you see something, say something.”
After Nunez spoke the buffet dinner prepared by members of Kennedy and Whitney High School Key Clubs under the direction of Banquet Committee Chairperson Jan Jensen they served Jay’s Catering. The Key Clubs not only helped to serve food and drinks, but also helped with cleaning up the kitchen.
Following the dinner Board Member Noella Lew thanked Board Member Gail Poan for all her work for Neighborhood Watch. She presented glass plaques to Mary Anne and Willie Ortega for being District Coordinators of the Year. She also presented a glass plaque to Corporal Paul Bracciodieta for being the Most Valuable Police Officer at Neighborhood Watch meetings. Bracciodieta often gave important information and advice on how to recognize and prevent crimes.
District coordinators and block captains then received their certificates of appreciation from District Coordinators and Board Members Gail Poan and Sally Hawkins, and also District Coordinator Gil Suniga.
The highlight of the evening was the drawing of the winners for silent auction prizes that were donated by businesses and community members as well as individuals who were acknowledged in the program for the Appreciation Banquet. The drawings for the donations received for the silent auction, and the 50/50 drawing have been used in the past to defray some of the expenses incurred for Appreciation Banquets or other Neighborhood Watch expenses not funded by the La Palma Police Department and the city of La Palma.
This year the top silent auction prize was a 42 inch television donated by EDCO Waste Management Company. Neighborhood Watch Block Captain Cordell Porter won the television.
The lucky winner of this year’s 50/50 drawing for $215 was Linneta Ruth of La Palma.
As a result of the generous donations and support of the community, the La Palma Neighborhood Watch plans to award a $250 scholarship to a student at Kennedy High School for the first time this year. It will be awarded to a student who volunteered or did community service in the school or in the city. Board members hope to continue to present a scholarship of similar amount each year with successful fundraisers.
La Palma Neighborhood Watch was established in 1983 by residents of La Palma who believed in the slogan, “An Investment in Time for Peace of Mind.” It continues today with residents taking the time to deliver the community newsletter to all residents of La Palma, and to those attending the monthly meetings of the Neighborhood Watch.
The Neighborhood Watch works with the City of La Palma, especially the La Palma Police Department to help prevent crime in La Palma. They work together to keep residents informed about city news as well as other important events such as new laws, emergency health alerts, police department incident reports, and the dates/times of La Palma City Council meetings. The La Palma Police Department sends representatives Captain Jim Engen or Corporal Paul Bracciodieta as liaisons to these meeting to educate residents about police activities in La Palma.
The La Palma Neighborhood Watch Board members invite residents of La Palma to come to their monthly meetings on the second Wednesdays of the month at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers in La Palma City Hall at 7822 Walker Street in La Palma. For more information about La Palma Neighborhood Watch, please contact Board Member Gail Poan at 714-821-8042 or email her at srpoans@gmail.com.