Five Acres Presents Community Awards and Welcomes New Board Members

ALTADENA, Calif., March 12, 2020—Five Acres, a foster/adoption, residential and community-based mental/behavioral health charity, announced its community awards and board celebration yesterday. Taking precautions against the coronavirus, Five Acres canceled its in-person annual meeting and instead are personally delivering the awards to the recipients. The charity honored community members and volunteers who have supported their mission in serving more than 10,000 children and families annually.

Awards presented were:

  • Chrstianne Kerns, Dorothy Cook Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Rustin Mork, Volunteer of the Year Award
  • Susan McGuirl, Person of the Year Award
  • Rotary Club of Pasadena, Special Service to Children
  • Kathryne Beynon Foundation, The Five Acres Award
  • Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Kathryn Barger, The Children’s Thanks
  • Rita and Armen Baranian, Special Awards

Five Acres also bid farewell to Kelley Bannon Lashley and Scott Street, board members who served their tenure and made a mark on the agency’s mission. From leaving a legacy and chairing the Planned Giving committee to chairing the annual golf tournament and galvanizing additional support for Five Acres, Lashley and Street’s contribution is appreciated and recognized.

The charity also welcomed four new board members: Chantal Bennett, Mimi Carter, Jason Melillo, and John Reitnouer. In addition, the 2020-2021 Five Acres Executive Committee was introduced: Board Chair Susan McGuirl, Former Board Chair Christianne Kearns, Board Secretary Shoshana Puccia, Vice Chair Finance/Investment Grace Russak, Vice Chair Advancement Chris Selak, Vice Chairs Nominating Rustin Mork and Nicole Rodger, Vice Chair Audit Rustin Mork, and Vice Chair Administration Don Boline.

“We celebrate those who have ben an asset to the impact and growth of Five Acres,” said Chanel Boutakidis, Five Acres chief executive officer, in a statement to the staff, board and volunteers. “We prepared a presentation to recognize and celebrate all of our wonderful awardees, departing board members, new board members and new executive committee in addition to our tremendous funding partners who made the renovation of our auditorium possible.

The agency also unveiled before and after photos of the auditorium remodel and the teen room transformation. Auditorium funders included Helen and Will Webster Foundation, The Ahmanson Foundation, Kathryne Beynon Foundation, Andrew and Keri Crowell, Tsutayo Ichioka & Satsuki Nakao Charitable Foundation – Dr. Doug and Jane Krech, Mericos Foundation, Beth Uffner and Robert Goldfarb, The Anderson Family, Rita and Armen Baranian, Christine and Jay Davis, and Mariann and Tom Nolan.

To learn more about Five Acres, visit www.5acres.org.

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For more information, contact pr@5acres.org