The Channel Islands YMCA hosted its 137th Annual Meeting and Awards June 10 paying tribute to its outstanding volunteers with the YMCA Golden Triangle of Distinguished Service Awards.

Presented by board member James Armstrong, the awards recognized volunteers for their exceptional service across the eight branches of the Channel Islands YMCA.

Talley Farms of San Luis Obispo County received the Community Excellence Award for their donation of healthy produce to YMCA childcare sites during the pandemic.

The 2023 Golden Triangle of Distinguished Service Award honorees included:

  • Lisa Gonzalez: A San Luis Obispo YMCA board member and community supporter for some 30 years.
  • Tom Nevins: A Ventura Family YMCA board member with 24 years of service. Along with his wife Colleen, Nevins has been a generous, yet humble donor.
  • Marsha Roberson: A dedicated leader and volunteer for the Youth & Family Services YMCA (YFS). She led the largest fundraising effort for YFS, Reaching for Stars Gala, which raises more than $100,000 for at-risk youth annually.
  • Marcus Kocmur: A committed volunteer and former board chair for the Channel Islands YMCA Association. His leadership was pivotal during the pandemic and the recent merger of the San Luis Obispo YMCA into the Channel Islands YMCA Association.

Some 80 people attended the event at the Santa Barbara University Club, including members, board trustees, staff, and community members from Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.

“In the past year, our Ys have made significant impacts, such as teaching over 450 children to swim through our Third Grade Learn-to-Swim program, providing more than 5,000 scholarships to increase accessibility, serving over 270 youth at Noah’s Anchorage, and supporting over 100 cancer survivors through our Livestrong program,” said Margo Byrne, president/CEO.

“These achievements are just a fraction of what we’ve accomplished with the support of our community and volunteers,” she said.