Huntington Beach residents Hector, Carolina and Matias...

Huntington Beach residents Hector, Carolina and Matias Madariaga

participated in the April 23 beach cleanup at Huntington state beach.

In recognition of Earth Day, the Gas Company sponsored the cleanup,

which drew an estimated 100 volunteers who collected more than 50

bags of trash. Hector Madariaga is the director of Environmental

Solutions for the Southern California Gas Company.

The Orange County League of Conservation Voters is honoring the

Orange County Conservation Corps with the Environmental Education

Program of the Year for its work at the Shipley Nature Center in

Huntington Beach. The award will be presented at a dinner tonight at

the University Club at UC Irvine. The Orange County Conservation

Corps was helpful in restoring and reopening the nature center.

Several Huntington Beach residents are among those who have been

nominated for the Bravo for Bravery awards from the Orange County

chapter of the American Red Cross. Phil Burtis, Richard Fosmire,

Pedro Polidano, Joseph Mishica and Herbert Siegmund have been

nominated for the awards, which honor extraordinary acts of courage.

The Bravo for Bravery awards ceremony will be held at the Irvine

Hilton in July. The committee will continue to accept nominations to

honor local heroes through Friday. Contact Kelly Sischka at (714)

481-5371 or by e-mail at ksischka@oc-redcross.org for a nomination

form.

* NEIGHBORS is news about Huntington Beach people achieving and

doing good in the community. To submit information, please send it to

the Independent, Attn.: Neighbors, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa,

CA, 92626; fax it to (714) 966-4667; or e-mail it to

hbindependent@latimes.com.