Highlights of the 2008
Silicon Valley Exemplary Community Leadership Awards Gala

Over 400 Silicon Valley business and civic leaders networked, dined, and even prayed together to celebrate the "43rd Annual Silicon Valley Exemplary Community Leadership Awards." 2008 Chairs Tim Guertin (CEO Varian Medical Systems) and Mike Fister (CEO Cadence Design) installed Honorees: Dr. Dick Levy (Board Chairman Varian & United Way of Silicon Valley), Denise DeBartolo York and Dr. John York and the San Francisco 49ers RESPECT Campaign.

It was a real gathering of old and new friends as they came to honor people who built Silicon Valley's economic miracle and the nonprofit organization that represents their investment in the diverse community that anchors their global markets.
Gordon Yamate, Board Chairman, premiered SVCCJ’s brand new name: “Silicon Valley FACES”, and out new motto, “Our faces are different, our needs are the same: equality, respect & justice!”

A 5-faith invocation was given by Silicon Valley FACES Interfaith Dialogue participants: Father Jose Rubio (Diocese of San Jose), Rabbi Daniel Pressman (Cong. Beth David), Venerable Jian Hu (Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale), Amy Reid (Baha’I Center), and Mandeep Dhillon (Logarh Sikh Foundation).

The program featured highlights from SV FACES’ many programs reaching 35,000 people every year. NBC’s dramatic video gave the audience a front row seat into a variety of programs, including the Martin Luther King Student Contest and the jewel in the crown, Camp Everytown.

Grand prize winners in the MLK Contest were displayed. Melissa Marfell read her award winning poem; Randy Tran’s art and Heather Le’s multimedia were shown.

Bob Grover, Assistant Principal of Fremont High in Sunnyvale, explained how 14 years of SV FACES programs have positively transformed his school and community and how it touched his own life; Ashley Novosad, a recent Everytown graduate told about how it changed her life.

The capper was SF 49er lineback Tully Banta-Cain, one of the very first Camp Everytown graduates, choking up with emotion as he told the audience how it has made all the difference in his own life path. Tully was followed by Arnold Melgar, another former Everytown graduate, who went from the gang track to a BA in Business, thanks to the program!

The real highlights of the evening were Dick Levy’s exhortation to get involved and make a real change, and John and Denise York’s heartfelt pride at the accomplishments of their organization in the community. Dr. Levy said, “I’d rather have a community in which 1000 people each donated an hour of time and a dollar, than a community in which only one person donates thethousand dollars and 999 others do nothing.” 

You don’t have to ask if the participants had a ball. Just take a look at the photos!