City Proclamations for Service, Causes, Volunteers Take Center Stage

You could tell by the parking: all street parking spots were taken, and the small city parking lot on the north side of city hall was filling up quickly. A dozen or more people stood hall outside the city council meeting room, because inside the meeting room it was standing room only.

Usually the earliest items on a city council agenda – the announcements and presentations of proclamations - are the least newsworthy, but for some communities it can be the highlight.

The first presentation was announcing the winner of this year’s  Marie Sparks Memorial Volunteer Award, a public service recognition that goes to recognize an outstanding volunteer who serves residents and organizations of Healdsburg, named after an energetic low-income senior who “inspired others to work with her, get to the heart of a problem and find a solution,” according to the proclamation.

Upon her death in 1995, the City of Healdsburg created the annual award to recognize outstanding volunteer service for the previous year.

Last year’s award-winner, Dick Bugarski, presented the award with a litany of public volunteer service that Will Seppi has performed that made him this year’s winner.

With a gaggle of kids at his feet, the youthful current manager of Costeaux French Bakery, thanked the council for scheduling the award early and was quick to share credit for his volunteerism and generosity to the community at large.

Numerous other previous Marie Sparks Award winners, including Mark Decker, Ray Holley, Yvonne Milligan, Bill Domenchelli, Lou Bertoli, and Mary Lou and Jerry Eddinger joined in the heartfelt standing ovation for Seppi, honoring his contribution as much as the spirit of volunteerism and community support that Healdsburg represents.

Among the comments from the City Council, Councilmember woods noted, “This is what I love about Healdsburg, the community – this is probably the largest crowd I’ve ever seen at a council meeting.

“And in a few minutes, it will probably be one of the smallest.”

On any other night, it might have been true. But the several more proclamations the city issued that night were each worthy of applause, and public recommendations.

Among them (follow links to proclamation on city website):

• A proclamation declaring April 14-20 the Week of the Young Child 
• A Proclamation declaring April 26 Children’s Memorial Flag Day, recognizing children who have died by violence.
• A Proclamation declaring April 21-27 as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 
• A Proclamation endorsing 350 Home and Garden Challenge and declaring the weekend of May 18-19 as a weekend challenging the community to take steps to encourage healthy food and eating, energy and water sufficiency, home gardening and other “green” action.
• A   Proclamation recognizing Shiloh Sophia McCloud, local artist, teacher and gallery owner who her artistic talents  to help empower victims of violent crimes to heal and be heard;
• A Proclamation honoring Dave Miller, one of the foundations of the city’s Little League programs over the past 15 years. Miller, incidentally, was honored with a ceremony at the Healdsburg Elementary School season opening last weekend, as a playing field was named in his honor.

In light of the disturbing events in Boston on the same day, when two bombs were set off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon that killed three and injured over 100, the support and warmth Healdsburg shows toward its volunteers and public servants is evidence that all is not wrong with the world.

“Thankfully, there’s Healdsburg,” as McCloud said in her statement, echoing the current city’s slogan. “There’s a feeling here and people who are helping and working to make this a better world. “