Redlands’ Unforgettable Hearts Shine

On Friday, Feb. 13, the unforgettable giving hearts of Redlands were honored. Six Redlands individuals, families and organizations were honored during the fourth annual Unforgettable Hearts award ceremony, held at the historic Fox Event Center in downtown Redlands the day before Valentine’s Day, as The Unforgettables Foundation recognized the heartfelt services these awardees – who were among 53 total individuals, businesses and organizations from the Inland Empire honored in four separate groups – provide for their community. Dr. Anne Viricel, the Proctor family, the Kiwanis Club of Redlands-Noon, the Family Service Association of Redlands, Abbey Umali and Dr. Roy C. Smith were this year’s Redlands awardees, honored alongside others from the cities of Highland, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda and the High Desert. The event opened with a welcome from The Unforgettables Foundation Founder Tim Evans and recognition of sponsors by TUF Chairwoman Eileen Hards. This year’s special guest speaker was Sen. Mike Morrell, who helped Evans start the annual Unforgettable Hearts awards four years ago. “Mike and I created this event four years ago to thank people. That was the simple goal,” Evans told the crowd. “This is an opportunity to thank the people in our community. There are so many people who do so much for others.” Over four years, Evans shared, the annual event has now honored over 200 individuals, companies, organizations, charities and families who have helped their communities through their service, whether financial or otherwise. Sen. Morrell touched on the importance of service in his special guest speech. He quoted a 1630 speech given by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts colony, saying it was man’s duty to “do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our god, for this end we must be knit together in this work as one. We must entertain each other in brotherly affection… we must delight in each other, make others’ conditions our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor together and suffer together. That is a lot of what you do for our community,” Morrell said. Redlands Mayor Pro Tem Jon Harrison welcomed the full house of attendees to the city of Redlands, saying, “Welcome to Redlands. It’s my pleasure to welcome you all here to this fantastic event for The Unforgettables. I met Tim many years ago when he was part of a very small group of caring hearts getting this organization started… seeing this large group here today is really heartwarming for me to see the vision and the caring that he brought forth.” Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren led the invocation; Highland Mayor Pro Tem Penny Lilburn led the Pledge of Allegiance; Abbey Umali, a 2015 Hearts award recipient, performed the National Anthem; and Brenda Lorenzi and Stan Morrison were this year’s masters of ceremonies. Dr. Anne Viricel, the executive director of the San Bernardino Symphony and an award-winning professor at the University of Redlands’ School of Business. An active community volunteer, Viricel serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations and has put forth extensive efforts toward enhancing music education and enrichment programs to dramatically increase the number of people positively affected by exposure to the arts. The Proctor family – Craig, Terri, Keely, Luke and Cami – have been active in several community organizations, including Redlands Town and Gown, Barton House playschool, the Redlands Bowl Associations, the Kimberly PTA and AYSO. They became ski and snowboard safety advocates in support of consumer groups and the California Ski Industry Association after a skiing accident involving daughter Keely in 2010. Grateful for blood donors’ assistance in Keely’s recovery after the accident, the Proctor family spearheads several blood drives, educational promotions and appeals on behalf of local blood bank LifeStream. The Kiwanis Club of Redlands-Noon is one part of the global volunteer organization, Kiwanis International. Dedicated to changing the world one community and one child at a time, the Redlands-based chapter performs many community services in Redlands to help serve children, including the Run through Redlands, the Redlands Christmas Parade and the Redlands Kiwanis Scholarship Foundation. The Family Service Association of Redlands has implemented programming with the overall mission to alleviate poverty, encouraging self-sufficiency and promoting the dignity of all. Services include rental and emergency food assistance, clothing and educational programming and support to serve homeless, at-risk and low-income families through homework help, housing stabilization and holiday support. Abbey Umali, a volunteer with the Muscular Dystrophy Association since age 4, at 16 she served as the California Goodwill Ambassador and served as the National Goodwill Ambassador for an unprecedented four years. She has traveled the country raising awareness, fundraising and sharing MDA’s mission of hope. Dr. Roy C. Smith, a beloved pediatrician who worked with Beaver Medical Group in Redlands since 1995, was honored posthumously after his death on Christmas Eve, 2014. His award was accepted by his widow, Mirna. Graduating from Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Dr. Smith was known for his outstanding care for young pediatric patients and “his vast knowledge of princesses,” emcee Stan Smith said. The Unforgettables also presented its annual Summer Austin award, presented by Judy and John Austin, parents of Summer Austin who died in an accident 18 years ago at 20 years old, to Tom Pernice Jr. Charities, for donating over $100,000 to TUF over the years. At Friday’s event, Tom Pernice Jr. Charities donated another $35,000 to TUF with a special check presentation. Pacific Life Foundation was also presented with the Unforgettable Summer Austin Award this year, which has contributed over $20,000 in grants to TUF and over $84 million to community and national nonprofit organizations since 1984. The Orange Belt Funeral Directors, Cemetery and Crematory Association was the third honoree with this award, partnering with TUF in several events through the years including golf tournaments and other community awareness events, while also working to benefit low income families and aiding other charity care cases every day. Additionally, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians was the inaugural recipient of the Unforgettable WeCare award, presented by TUF and Wescom Credit Union. WeCare is the charity arm of Wescom Credit Union, helping give $10,000 to TUF over the last 10 years. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians was recognized for their outstanding contributions to TUF over its 15 year history, giving over $100,000 in total to the organization. Other special recognitions included Joanie Morrell, wife of Sen. Mike Morrell, for her support of her husband and the communities he represents; the presentation of TUF’s Volunteer of the Year award to TUF board member Stan Morrison, a retired basketball coach, former UC Riverside athletic director, life coach and current senior vice president at Security Bank in Riverside; and the awarding of the Doctor of the Year award to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital forensic pediatrician Dr. Amy Young, who received this title at TUF’s 2014 Lights for Little Lives event.