One week before Hollywood celebrates its 86th Academy Awards, Orange County’s Cypress College held its 39th annual “Cypress Americana Awards” Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Disneyland Hotel honoring local citizens – including those from Garden Grove – for their spirit of giving.
One week before Hollywood celebrates its 86th Academy Awards, Orange County’s Cypress College held its 39th annual “Cypress Americana Awards” Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Disneyland Hotel honoring local citizens – including those from Garden Grove – for their 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 their hearts and in turn touched the hearts of those who heard their individual stories on large screens at the front of the ballroom, and then watched as Cypress College President Dr. Robert Simpson presented each of the recipients a ceremonial clock while on stage inscribed with the college’s name, "2014 Americana Citizen of the Year,” and their individual city and name.
Event co-chairs David Shawver (A Stanton city councilman) and Jenelle Godges began the evening by welcoming and thanking people for attending the Americana Awards banquet and fundraiser, which is Cypress College’s signature event that has been supported by thousands of generous people over the years.
The evening is for recognizing remarkable people as Citizens of the Year. The men and women who through their service to others, leave life a little better than they found it in a way that exemplifies the best America has to offer.
The Citizens 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 that reflect their own inner qualities and inspire others along the way, to excel as well.
Receiving the Cypress Americana Award from Garden Grove were Bill and Sue Catlin
The duo give 100 percent of their effort to whatever they are involved in, some of which includes the Garden Grove Elks Lodge and annual Strawberry Festival.
Bill loves surfing and Sue likes to play the banjo and tap dance.
"Helping others is rewarding and it's giving back to the community that we have enjoyed for 55 years," said Bill Catlin.
Bill Catlin gave back to his country by joining the military at age 19, serving from 1957 to 1962. After the couple married, he returned to the service and was stationed in Bamburg, Germany, where he rose to the rank of sergeant.
Sponsors on all levels make the Cypress Americana possible, from those who simply attend the awards dinner, to those who generously bid on silent and live auction items throughout the evening.
The title sponsor was Union Bank, with patriots including Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks, Disneyland Resort and Yamaha Motor Corp, USA.
There were 12 founders-level sponsors and many benefactors and star sponsors, too numerous to mention here, but equally appreciated.
Two men were chosen as “Man of the Year.” One was Swen Nater, 6-feet-9 inches tall and a retired NBA basketball player. He is the only player to have led both the NBA and ABA in rebounding.
He is a former Cypress College student, who shared his touching and emotional rise to the top from a very difficult past with his stepfather not allowing him to play sports, until one day, Nater packed his bags and never returned home.
"It was the 'Spirit of Cypress College' that helped me," said Nater.
Also honored as "Man of the Year" was basketball great Mark Eaton, 7-feet-4 inches tall.
He related his incredible journey from being an auto mechanic to one of the most prolific shot-blockers in NBA history. After Cypress College, Eaton attended UCLA, where he caught the eye of NBA scouts, because he stood so tall. The Utah Jazz chose Eaton in the fourth round of the 1982 draft and over the next 11 seasons he anchored the team as it transitioned to become a championship contender.
The message from the men of the year was, "If you do enough to help your team look and become good, it will come back to you."
Irv Pickler and Mary Bouas were acknowledged with "Distinguished Service Awards."
Picker is characterized by a deep love for community. He has an infectious personality, an uncanny belief that you can make things better and an unquenchable duty to help others, with an extraordinary knack for getting things done.
Bouas was honored during the 14th annual Americana Awards and later as Anaheim's Citizen of the Year for her 30 years of community service.
