Several hundred celebrants attended the 7th annual Parks Awards dinner at the L.A. River Center. Honored at the Oct. 14 event were Joe Edmiston (at right) of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Assemblyman Kevin de León, Korean American Coalition Executive Director Grace Yoo, L.A. City Rec and Parks’ Traci Goldberg, and 15 teen and adult Park Heroes.
PFP President Jack Foley welcomed hundreds of celebrants to the L.A. River Center, which hosted the Parks Awards for the second year in a row.
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass honored Kevin de León as Legislator of the Year, and L.A. City Council members Wendy Gruel and Tom LaBonge presented the Organization of the Year award to the Korean American Coalition’s Grace Yoo.
Foley recognized Traci Goldberg, seen with veteran parks advocate Eldon Hughes, for her leadership in selecting Park Heroes annually, and PFP founder Carlyle Hall Jr. congratulated Man of the Year Joe Edmiston of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
Gregory Thomas described the positive impact of People for Parks’ South L.A. Initiative on residents of Nickerson Gardens, and auctioneer Greg Johnson, Director of Community Services for the city of Westminster, helped raise funds to sustain PFP’s ongoing work.
Russ Guiney, Director of the L.A. County Parks and Recreation Dept., and Judith Kieffer, Executive Director of the L.A. Parks Foundation, introduced this year’s teen and adult Park Heroes, seen in the following five photos.
