Countywide : Volunteers Honored for Their Services

Orange County volunteers were honored for their community service on Wednesday at The Times Orange County Volunteers of Distinction award ceremony.

The honors, the first of their kind to be given out by The Times, recognized individual volunteer efforts in five categories--youth, health, the arts, community service and services for children. The ceremony in Newport Beach included presentation of $30,000 in contributions to the winners’ charities.

Josh Goldstein, 17, of Santa Ana was given the award for youth services for his efforts as vice president of the Red Cross Youth Council. The council oversees Red Cross clubs countywide. Goldstein also works with a homeless shelter as a mentor to disadvantaged students.

Eleanor Colditz, 65, of Huntington Beach received the Volunteers of Distinction award in the health category for her work with Mission Successful, an organization that tries to enrich the lives of multiple sclerosis victims.

Colditz, who suffers from multiple sclerosis herself, was cited by judges for her efforts to boost the self-esteem of those with the disease.

Elizabeth Hoegh, 83, of Huntington Beach was honored in the arts category for her 12 years of volunteer work at the Discovery Museum of Orange County. Hoegh, co-workers said, has proven to be a “one-in-a-million” volunteer for donating her secretarial talents to the Santa Ana museum, which focuses on life in turn-of-the-century Orange County.

Adele Faulkner Quinn, 81, of Sunset Beach took top honors in the community service category. Her efforts included 15-hour workdays at the Interval House Crisis Shelters for Battered Women and Children. Despite suffering from Parkinson’s disease, the award-winning designer continues to renovate crisis facilities.

Rose Espinoza, 41, of La Habra was presented the award for her services to children. She has a 3-year-old free tutoring service that she runs out of her garage. Besides assisting neighborhood children with their schoolwork, Espinoza also helps adults learn to speak English and Spanish.

The Times Orange County presented $5,000 to each recipient’s organization, and $500 to the 10 finalists who were also honored.