F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E
CASA PACIFICA CENTERS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
A California Non-profit 501(C)(3)
Contact: Carrie Hughes
Phone: 805-366-4011
Email: chughes@casapacifica.org
For: Assignment Editor
Camarillo, CA – In honor of National Volunteer Appreciation Week, Casa Pacifica dedicated its quarterly employee town hall luncheon to their beloved volunteers. All volunteers were invited to attend the luncheon, including the Board of Directors, the Angels and Amigos volunteer auxiliary groups, and regular community group volunteers. In addition to thanking all of their volunteers, Casa Pacifica honored four special volunteers: Kevin Nunn, Volunteer of the Year; Mamba Sports Academy, Community Volunteer of the Year; Susan Bauer, Angel of the Year; and Julia Brankovic, Amigo of the Year.
After a welcome by Casa Pacifica’s Chief Operating Officer, Vicki Murphy, the Casa Pacifica Nonpublic School choir performed two songs before handing out the four special awards. To add to the special moments, the awards were presented by different youth from the Nonpublic School. Another memorable moment came when a youth performed a solo piece they had been working on with regular volunteer Steve Wiley, from Musicians on a Mission who was also in attendance.
Kevin Nunn, Volunteer of the Year – Longtime and active member of the Camarillo Noontime Rotary, currently serves as co-chair of the Care for Kids Golf Tournament, one of the longest running local charity golf tournaments which benefits Casa Pacifica among other local charities. The golf tournament has raised much needed funds for Casa Pacifica throughout its 26-year run. The real kicker is that Kevin doesn’t even golf! His passion and love for Casa Pacifica and its mission to provide hope and help to some of the most vulnerable youth and their families is apparent through his steadfast support.
Mamba Sports Academy, Community Volunteer of the Year – Over the last few years, Mamba Sports Academy has developed and implemented a weekly program for the youth of Casa Pacifica. Sports training, both at their facility and on Casa Pacifica’s campus, has offered the youth a unique opportunity to work on not only physical fitness, but develop important life skills like teamwork, patience, mindfulness, communication, and more. Mamba Sports Academy has also hosted Casa Pacifica youth in their Full Circle Athlete Development Program – giving youth the opportunity for individual training sessions, coaching, and mindset development. Their programs have given Casa Pacifica youth incredible opportunities they might not have otherwise had.
Susan Bauer, Angel of the Year – Actively involved with Casa Pacifica for more than twelve years, Susan has been on the Angel’s Board, hosted Casa Pacifica’s Spotlight on Style fundraising event, served on planning committees, and hosted retreats. In addition to being longtime supporters of Casa Pacifica, Susan and her husband Ken were major contributors to Casa Pacifica’s recent capital campaign for a new training institute and co-occurring cottages. The Bauer Teaching Kitchen in the new Training Institute now offers youth the opportunity to learn important life skills.
Julia Brankovic, Amigo of the Year – Julia currently serves as the Amigos Membership Chair but is deeply involved in all aspects of the auxiliary group. She can be seen at almost all of the Amigos events on campus – from carnival day to soccer day. In her time as Amigos Membership Chair, she spearheaded the revival of the Amigos newsletter, an important part of keeping the Amigos connected as a group. Julia is also always happy to connect Casa Pacifica to her contacts in the community, spreading the word about their programs and services.
Carrie Hughes, Director of Development and Public Relations at Casa Pacifica commented, “I only wish we could honor each of our volunteers with a special award – it’s always hard to choose because we have so many great ones. But we celebrate all of our volunteers and are grateful for their continued generosity and support.”
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Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families is a crisis-care and residential treatment facility for foster or at-risk children in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. The agency is the largest non-profit provider of children’s mental health services in both counties and administers a number of community-based programs designed to strengthen families and keep children in their homes and communities. Casa Pacifica is also a foster family agency, which recruits and trains families for potential placement with a foster youth. For more information about Casa Pacifica visit its website www.casapacifica.org or call the Development & Public Relations Department at (805) 445-7800.