Church, civic organizations honor those who serve
This past week saw the St. Finbar Parish and the Zonta Club of Burbank honor five men and women who have dedicated themselves to serving their community and beyond.
The Calamigos Equestrian Center served as the venue for St. Finbar’s presentation of the eighth annual Harvester of Faith Awards to Burbank Fire Chief Ray Krakowski and longtime parish supporter Vince Carnegie on Friday evening.
“Inspiration, motivation, discipline, compassion and dedication have been just some of the special gifts (Ray and Vince) have shared with so many of us,” the event’s chairman, former Mayor Michael Hastings told the assemblage gathered for the event that benefits the St. Finbar Parish School.
Among the special guests in attendance included St. Finbar’s pastor, Father Albert Bahhuth, the school’s principal, Michael Marasco, Chief Krakowski’s wife, Tricia, and daughter, Michelle, Carnegie’s wife, Kristy, his sister-in-law, former Mayor Marsha Ramos with her husband, David, and his mother and father-in-law, Richard and Lila Ramirez. Other notables included Mayor Anja Reinke, Vice Mayor Jess Talamantes, Councilman Gary Bric, City Manager Mike Flad and City Atty. Dennis Barlow.
Along with his praise for the evening’s honorees, Hastings, who said the evening’s turnout was the largest since the establishment of the Harvest Ball, also lauded the “incredible dedication and hard work” of his committee comprising Mary Adney, Nicki Bogart, Maria Brenes, Eloise Catalano, Stephanie Jonke, Allison Knowles, Erica Menke, Luck Platner, Mary Greer, Katie Roth and Joanna Samija.
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The following afternoon saw members and supporters of the Zonta Club of Burbank convene at the Castaway Restaurant for the annual Woman of the Year Award. This year, an unprecedented decision was made to forgo honoring just one woman and laud three women who represent the past, present and future of military service.
Presided over by Zonta President Brenda Lantieri, this event that honors exemplary women who have made an outstanding contribution to the community, honored Doris Vick, who served as a pharmacist mate 2nd class in the U.S. Navy during World War II; Staff Sgt. Tiana Yonan, a Burbank High School graduate who went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and Cadet Sabrina Baylor, who served as a sergeant in the National Guard and following her 2011 graduation from UCLA will have earned the bar of second lieutenant and be commissioned into the California Army National Guard as an intelligence officer.
“These women embody all the qualities Zonta evokes — strong, independent, caring, empathetic and nontraditional,” Lantieri said.
Along with a strong presence of city officials, the event was also attended by local Zontians including City Clerk Margarita Campos, City Treasurer Donna Anderson, Library Services Director Sharon Cohen and Information Technologies Director Jennifer Wyatt. Also in attendance were four of the now 56 women who have been named Burbank’s Woman of The Year — Marsha Ramos, Elaine Paonessa, Barbara Howell and Lucy Burghdorf.
