Soroptimists name Live Your Dream Award recipients
Soroptimist International of Capitola-by-the-Sea has selected three Santa Cruz women as recipients of the 2021 Live Your Dream Awards, according to a release from the organization.
The women will be honored at a virtual ceremony on March 23 and each will be presented with a $2,000 cash award.
The Live Your Dream awards are presented to women who are enrolled in or have been accepted into a bachelor’s program or technical program, are the heads of their households and have demonstrated a financial need.
The honorees are Pia Massaro, Claire
Palazzo and Precious Steeves. The stories of the honorees:
• Massaro enrolled full time at Cabrillo College to pursue a nursing career after her job was eliminated due to a business closure in 2019.
• Palazzo left her small cafe business to pursue a career in nursing that will enable her to financially support herself and her two children.
• After caring for her mother, Steeves made the decision to pursue higher education so that she could fully support herself and her infant son.
Project honored
The City of Santa Cruz River Street and Water Street Overlay Project has been recognized with a 2021 Award of Merit for Transportation Projects Less than $5 Million by the American Public Works Association, Monterey Bay Chapter.
Public Works Department Assistant Director Chris Schneiter and the department’s engineering team were presented with the award at a virtual ceremony.
The River Street and Water Street Overlay Project, constructed from March to May 2020, rehabilitated severely ailing pavement in two active central city commuter locations: River Street from Madrone Street to Water
Street and Water Street from River Street to North Branciforte Avenue. The project has improved commuting and business access along these busy transportation corridors.
Foundation supplies books
The Live Like Coco Foundation is partnering with Diversify Your Stack SC, a local diverse book project, to give kids and families better access to diverse books.
The foundation aims to help kids in the Santa Cruz County area grow up healthy and with opportunities to pursue their dreams,
Live Like Coco will supply Diversify Your Stack SC with new and used children’s books to place in little free libraries, including the 11 little free libraries the foundation has placed throughout the county at places such as Pinto Lake County Park, Leo’s Haven and The Homeless Garden Project. At a little free library, anyone in the community can take or leave a book.
Valentines for teachers
Members of the Delta Kappa Gamma teacher organization, local Theta chapter, got together on a recent Zoom call to show its working teachers love and appreciation by crafting valentines in readiness to send Feb. 14.
Members attending virtually were Gail Mabrouk, Cynthia Messer, Jan Dunn, Joan Love, Elnora Lewis, Vickie L. Rutan, Linda Murphy and Hazel Powell. Mabrouk will distribute the valentines.
Prior to the Christmas Holiday, the Theta chapter also selected three families from the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County…Adopt-a-Family. Theta members donated requested items and $900 to purchase additional gifts. This event was organized by Terri Fette and her committee.