This year’s Civitan of the Year, Judy Lopez, was long overdue for this award. Why did it take so long? It’s probably because she did so many things for the Club – silently and without fanfare – that most of us just thought ”that’s what Judy does” – thoroughly, efficiently, and always with love and caring.
A talented cook, baker, sewer, quilter, knitter and crocheter, Judy uses all these skills in some way in many Civitan projects. For example, she cooks meals for the RCS Shelter Dinner often – baking Christmas cookies and fall pumpkin rolls for the residents. For the Shelter’s Christmas party, she coordinates the personal toiletry items for the residents and sews the bags to put them in.
She donates and shops for the Summer Pre-K program. She coordinates the DSS Christmas Angel Program. She is an elf at Santa Land. She has been a Board member. She sells peanuts, works on the tree lot, cooks for the Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser, volunteers for Special Olympics, rubs and sells ribs, and the list goes on and on.
Judy is a 24-hour-a day Civitan. She is there with a meal, a dessert, a ride if someone needs one, a smile, a shoulder to cry on, or an arm to lean on. Selflessness is a word that best fits her.
Outside of her “Civitan” family, she is a devoted mother to her children, Bernie and Michelle; proud grandma to AJ and Calvin; and proud great grandma to Trynyty, Roman, and Devaurye.
Yes, fellow Civitans, she is the complete package. Thank you, Judy, for all the work, effort and passion you put into everything you do for the Club.
Yes, this award is LONG OVERDUE, but all of us knew you were “the wind beneath our wings,” and NOW we have made it official.