El Ojo del Lago

What Would Have Been: 2012 Lakeside Community Awards

By Tod Jonson

In 1987, under the auspices of El Ojo del Lago, an awards show was developed while I was editor of the magazine. Sr. Richard Tingen, publisher of the magazine, thought it was time to honor the Ojo literary contributors. The first four or five years the awards were presented at the Lakeside Little Theatre. 

During the next few years, Chapala Mayor Lic. Raul Robles Puga asked if we would consider doing the awards in collaboration with the city, because it wanted to thank the community in the same way at City Hall.  Sr. Tingen agreed to withdraw and we went another route.   

A standing committee of Lakeside’s concerned people was formed:   Aurora Michel Galindo, Dan McTavish, the late-Richard Vath, Tod Jonson, the late-Ektor Carranza, Joyce Vath, along with one revolving member of the press, and one revolving member from City Hall, drove the Awards forward. 

Annually the local press, i.e., The Guadalajara Reporter, El Ojo Del Lago, Lake Chapala Review, Pagina, and El Charal printed the announcement that nominations for that year were ready to be accepted from the public.  From that list (with supporting bios, stating why one person/organization over another should be recognized), the committee went to work.

Very few times has there ever been any dissention in the nominating and voting system.  Dissention arose this year when a nominee opposed being in the same category with another person, and INTEL (as reported by email to the committee chair) withdrew its sponsorship—thus making it necessary to postpone the March 8, 2012 awards ceremony.

The committee feels that since nominations came in from the public, they would like it to be known whom they felt deserved recognition.  Note: The nominations come from the public, but the Committee chooses the winners, regardless of how many nominations might have come in for a particular person or organization. Following are our nominees, with the names in bold of the 2012 winners:

WOMAN OF THE YEAR: Cristina Flores, Moonyeen King, Lucille Van Straaten, Coralie White

MAN OF THE YEAR:  Father Alfred  Arreola, Hank Shiver

PROJECT OF THE YEAR: Employer’s Services, Lakeside Spay/Neuter Sterilization Center, Lakeside Science Fair Assoc.

COUPLE OF THE YEAR: Herma and Paul Buckanan, Robert and Becky Plinke

PIONEER OF THE YEAR: John Frost, Richard Williams

KEEPER OF THE FLAME: LCS, Richard Williams, Octavio Mendoza Ruiz

HUMANITARIAN OF YEAR:  Paul & Herma Buchanan, Jackie Kullman, Arnie Mogseth, Tom Music

CULTURAL ARTS ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE YEAR:  Octivio Mendoza Ruez

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR: Graciela Estrada

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR:  Tito Baustista

EDUCATION OF THE YEAR: Voted ONLY on scholastic achievement by Jalisco’s Depart. Of Education

TEACHER of THE YEAR: Garcia Ramirez Paulino Cassado, Jocotepec Prepa, electronics, Gersom Preciado Rodriguez. Jocotepec Prepa, Psychology

MALE STUDENT OF THE YEAR: Arif Haider East-Raza Chavez, Chapala, Navarro Lopez Martin, CETAC, O’ Shea Olamedo Emiliano

FEMALE STUDENT OF THE YEAR: Garcia Solano Liliana Cecilia, CETAC Ibarra Ibarra Mariana, Cetac, Paola Albertine East-Raza Chavez, Chapala, Biology

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Alejandro Grattan-Dominguez

There will be no Lakeside Community Service Awards until the selection process is completed. The nominees that remain are subject to further investigation.