Casa Pacifica Celebrates National Volunteer Appreciation Week with Special Deliveries

Camarillo, CA – Casa Pacifica celebrated National Volunteer Appreciation Week with special deliveries to their 2020 volunteer award winners. These annual awards are usually presented at a special employee town hall luncheon, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the in-person luncheon was cancelled. Four special people received deliveries from Casa Pacifica staff: Laurie Bennett, Vice President of Fence Factory, Community Volunteer of the Year; Patty Turnage, Angel of the Year; and Jewell Gerald Powell, On Campus Volunteer of the Year. Also honored was recently retired Lizanne Nanez of Procter & Gamble who was recognized for her 42 years of service to the community. “We are thrilled to be able to honor these incredible individuals. They enable us to provide much more for our youth than would be possible on our own. Because of them we are able to stretch the boundaries of possibilities,” commented Carrie L. Hughes, Casa Pacifica’s Chief Development Officer.

Laurie Bennett of Fence Factory, Community Volunteer of the Year – Fence Factory’s ongoing support and sponsorship of the Casa Pacifica Angels Wine, Food & Brew Festival and the Care for Kids Golf Classic are just one ways they support Casa Pacifica. Their fencing is a major operational component of Casa Pacifica’s annual Festival and Fence Factory’s team also provides critical support during event set up. In addition, Laurie is a member of the Camarillo Rotary and regularly advocates for Casa Pacifica and other local charities. She also connects the nonprofits to her many community contacts.

Jewell Gerald Powell & Dancing With Our Future Stars, On Campus Volunteers of the Year – Jewell has been a longtime Angel member and in the last few years began to bring her nonprofit, Dancing With Our Future Stars, to Casa Pacifica’s campus for Latin dance classes. When the pandemic hit, Jewell and her team kept the kids of Casa Pacifica active and engaged through virtual classes. She and her late husband, Bill have always supported Casa Pacifica through generous gifts and event sponsorship but her passion and love for Casa Pacifica is most evident through the donation of her personal time and talents, smiling and laughing with the kids.

Patty Turnage, Angel of the Year – Longtime Casa Pacifica Angel and Angels Treasurer, Patty Turnage has been instrumental in many of Casa Pacifica’s fundraising events, bringing in sponsors as well as volunteering her own time. She contributes to the Casa Pacifica Angels Wine, Food & Brew Festival by serving on the silent auction committee, as well as puts her financial skills to work helping balance vendor books during the Angels Spotlight on Style Fashion Show. She also participates in many of Casa Pacifica’s children’s events on campus – decorating her “witches trunk” for the trunk or treat or helping decorate the gym for the holidays.

Lizanne Nanez of Procter & Gamble – Casa Pacifica honored Lizanne for her 42 years of service through Procter & Gamble. Procter & Gamble has been a major supporter of Casa Pacifica for many years through event sponsorship, program support, and P&G product donations. In addition, they have helped many other nonprofits thanks in part to the work of Lizanne. Procter & Gamble, aided by Lizanne’s support, has done a lot of generous work for the entire community.

Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families is a crisis-care and residential treatment facility for foster or at-risk children in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. It’s mission is to restore hope, enhance resilience, and strengthen community connections for children, young adults and families at the most challenging times of their lives. The agency is the largest non-profit provider of children’s mental health services in both counties and administers a number of community-based programs designed to strengthen families and keep children in their homes and communities. Casa Pacifica is also a foster family agency, which recruits and trains families for potential placement with a foster youth. For more information about Casa Pacifica visit its website www.casapacifica.org or call the Development & Public Relations Department at (805) 445-7800.