Awards & Recognitions

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Senior Citizen Service Award

Senior Commission

The City of Encinitas Senior Citizen Commission, in partnership with the Encinitas Rotary Club, is pleased to announce the award recipient for the 2024 Senior Citizen Service Award. This award program is designed to identify and celebrate people who have demonstrated outstanding volunteerism, leadership, helping, teaching, mentoring, and/or advocating for others in the City of Encinitas.

Congratulations to Pastor Bill Harman for being selected for the Senior Citizen Service Award. His extensive volunteer work includes efforts with Sisters of Mercy Housing, Carlitas Development Corp, Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club, Encinitas Chamber of Commerce and Encinitas Eco Fest, to name a few. He maintains a steadfast commitment to the Golden Rule, the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated. This has been the guiding principle throughout his life and has led to his remarkable contributions that have touched the lives of numerous individuals. He is a civil rights advocate, spiritual leader, and promoter of unity among diverse religions, partially through the establishment of the City of Encinitas Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. Pastor Bill Harman served as a teacher of peace studies and world religion at the Grauer School. He addressed social issues by serving on various committees and boards such as the City of Encinitas Migrant Workers Task Force, the Encinitas Community Resource Center Board, and the City of Encinitas Affordable Housing Task Force. Pastor Bill Harman’s devotion to volunteer service has benefitted many.

Pastor Bill Harman will be honored at the Encinitas City Council meeting on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. where he will receive a personal award, and his name will be listed on a perpetual plaque housed at the Encinitas Senior Center. Additionally, he will be recognized at an Encinitas Rotary Luncheon and invited to participate in the Encinitas Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 7, 2024, as a special guest of the Senior Citizen Commission.

For more information regarding this award, please contact Christie Goodsell, City of Encinitas Recreation Center Manager at (760) 943-2251 or cgoodsell@encinitasca.gov.

Encinitas Environmental Award Program

EAP Logo The Environmental Commission recognizes deserving individuals, businesses, and non-profits for their commitment to environmental stewardship and outstanding environmental achievements in the City of Encinitas. Two Excellence in Environmental Stewardship awards have been historically granted to a for-profit business and a non-profit business each year since the program's founding in 2014 and inauguration in 2015 by Environmental Commissioners Jim Wang and Joy Lyndes. In 2019, under the leadership of Environmental Commissioners Inge Bisconer and Christian Adams, a new Environmental Hero category was added to recognize both an adult and a youth who are not necessarily affiliated with a business. Candidates are peer-nominated and must be Encinitas residents or located in Encinitas. Winners are selected by an independent jury of recognized environmental leaders. The Encinitas’ Environmental Award Program is the first award of its kind in San Diego County and is one of only a few in the United States.

2023 Environmental Award Winners

The City of Encinitas Environmental Commission is proud to announce winners of its prestigious Environmental Award Program (EAP), now in its ninth year. The EAP seeks to recognize deserving individuals, businesses, and non-profits for their commitment to environmental stewardship and outstanding environmental achievements. The City of Encinitas recognizes two Excellence in Environmental Stewardship awards that have been historically granted to a for-profit business and a non-profit organization each year, and an Environmental Hero to recognize an adult that is not necessarily affiliated with a business or non-profit organization.

The Environmental Awards were presented at the April 17, 2024 City Council Meeting.

The 2023 winner of the Excellence in Environmental Stewardship in the Non-profit Organization category was the Encinitas Community Garden. The Encinitas Community Garden was established in 2008 as a non-profit that helps its members grow environmentally and sustainably produced food. Requirements for the 120 plots in the garden include the use of organic soil, the prohibition of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, and conservation of water with irrigation timers and rainwater that is captured on-site. A greenhouse is provided to start plants from seed until they are hardy enough to grow in the ground. The Encinitas Community Garden collects any harvested surplus vegetables for the non-profit Healthy Day Partners which distributes the produce to food insecure populations. The garden also creates a supportive community where neighbors can share tools, skills, and inspiration. As the participating gardeners connect with the land, this not only helps them economically, but they also become hopeful, confident, and healthy. These efforts are a great example of how to be environmentally friendly in Encinitas.

The 2023 winner of the Excellence in Environmental Stewardship in the For-profit Business category was Hansen's Surfboards. Hansen Surfboards has demonstrated excellence in environmental stewardship by their utilization of the Plastic Beach recycling program which facilitates the responsible recycling of plastic wrap waste. Participation in this program showcases Hansen’s dedication to sustainable practices and commitment to reducing plastic waste in Southern California. In addition, Hansen Surfboards has taken actions to help the City of Encinitas achieve its climate action goals with the installation of solar panels in its parking lot. By incorporating these eco-friendly initiatives into their business, Hansen is an inspiring example for the community, making them a deserving candidate for this award.

The 2023 winner of the Environmental Hero in the Adult category was Dr. Nancy North. A member of the Encinitas Rotary, Dr. North took the initiative to create a sustainability committee within her club called "Econitas". To date, with Dr. North’s guidance, Rotary Club has organized two tours per year of the San Elijo Lagoon by the Nature Collective for kids and adults, and supported zero waste events like Encinitas Food and Wine Festival, Heritage Holiday Tree Lighting and EcoFest. Dr. North inspired her club with a reusable plastic bag drive which gathered over 200 bags and donated them to the Community Resource Center for their food distribution program. Dr. North also spearheaded an second drive for metal water bottles, collecting over 100 bottles for the local non-profit organization Los Angelitos which supports youth soccer. These efforts to promote environmental initiatives in Encinitas make Dr. North deserving of the Adult Hero Award.

The 2023 winner of the Environmental Hero in the Youth category was Sofia Gonzalez. At Ocean Knoll Elementary School, Ms. Gonzalez participated in her school’s Green Team helping to support sustainability efforts like composting, recycling, water conservation and energy conservation. In fifth, sixth and seventh grades, she participated in the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Internship Program, where students study water quality and develop solutions to reduce polluted runoff. As an intern, Ms. Gonzalez presented to the State Water Resources Control Board in Sacramento about solutions to improve stormwater quality. In addition, she was an invited speaker at a major water quality conference in Las Vegas on the same topic. As a member of Swamis Surfing Association, Ms. Gonzalez regularly participates in beach cleanups. Ms. Gonzalez is finishing up her fourth year on the Encinitas Youth Commission. For the commission, she served on the Environmental Committee all four years and the Zero Waste Committee for one year. Sofia Gonzalez truly exemplifies what it means to be an environmental hero.

2023 EAP Winners