Deserving Individuals Recognized for Their Impacts to the Union City Community

From Union City:

Last night, the Human Relations Commission hosted the annual Make a Difference in the Community (MADIC) Award ceremony. The awards program recognizes those in the community who make a positive difference in the lives of others through their volunteer and/or vocational efforts. More importantly, these individuals make an impact on the quality of life in Union City for all residents and visitors.

Commissioners presented each honoree with an engraved plaque to commemorate their contributions to the community. There was quite a range of contributions being recognized this year, to include:

• Chairman Patino honored Myrla Raymundo for her hard work with the Union City Historical Museum, which has allowed the community to maintain a strong link to its rich and cultural past.

• Vice Chair Subru Bhat honored Robert Garfinkle for his years of dedicated public service to Union City as a City Councilmember and for his political activism on a number of issues to environmental causes. Robert is also a world-renowned scholar of astronomy.
• Commissioner Jerico Abanico honored Craig Harper, a local science and chemistry teacher at James Logan High School. Craig has received many commendations from students and parents over the past twenty years he has spent teaching, and the impact he has had through imparting crucial STEM knowledge to his students is invaluable.
• Commissioner Melanie Taplin honored a Union Square Marketplace Security Guard Benny Medin. A post that he has staffed for three decades, Benny is described as committed, dependable, helpful and vigilant, even putting his own safety at risk to prevent criminal activity at the shopping center and keep people safe.
• Commissioner Demetria Summers honored Mark and Mahea Gaskins, founders of The Village Method, for their work in assisting African American students in the community reach their full potential by developing a pipeline for them that gets them into college, careers, and community activism.
• Commissioner Richardson honored Maria Spagle for her nineteen years of service as a teacher at Searles Elementary School. Her model of teaching that emphasizes a blend of empathy, open-mindedness and respect for others has helped her to tap into the unique exponential of each student.

Congratulations to the honorees and thank you for your impacts and influence in our community!

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