For the past 10 years, the 95-year-old hills resident has been a vocal advocate for the preservation of open space in the hills. Every Earth Day, she participates in the cleanup in Piedmont Pines.

For her dedication in preserving her neck of the woods, Saunders was recognized as a District 4 "local hero" by City Councilwoman Jean Quan on Saturday.

Saunders was one of 27 residents and neighborhood groups based in the hills and the Laurel district honored for their work at the event.

The recipients of Quan's local hero awards ranged from Saunders to 9-year-old Cesar San Miguel, who spends his weekends cleaning up his neighborhood on High Street.

"We work with so many unsung heroes who literally give hundreds of hour each year to change our city," Quan said. "We wanted to find a way to recognize and thank them ...."

Saunders was one of seven recipients to receive an individual award of $500 from capital improvement funds to be used in a community project of their choice.

The other six recipients of the $500 award are:

• Ben Chavis, principal at the American Indian Public Charter School, where, under his leadership, the school has improved its tests scores and enrollment
• Carolyn Vallerga and the Champion Street neighbors, who helped resolve noise issues caused by scooters on their street
• The Courtland Creek and High Hopes Neighbors who work to restore Courtland Creek
• Jill Eulate and the Shepherd Canyon Homeowners Association, who developed a long-term plan for Shepherd Canyon
• The Maybelle Avenue neighbors, who discourage drug dealing and crime on their street
• Wendy Jones, who has worked on improving Joaquin Miller Park
• Bobby Bond of the Laurel/Redwood Heights Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council, an advocate for the elderly who works to reduce crime and blight in the Laurel district.

Quan's office also gave five $1,000 awards to the following groups and residents:

• The Boston Street neighbors who worked to prevent crime and blight around the now closed Hillcrest Motel
• Jan Heatherington and the Maxwell Park Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council, who adopted a Caltrans entrance to the I-580, and also cleaned and landscaped the area
• The Montclair Safety and Improvement Council, whose members worked on preventing mail theft in the hills
• Sally Kilburg and the Friends of Sausal Creek for their weekend work in cleaning up the creek and restoring native vegetation
• Karl Osterloh, a 30-year volunteer at Children's Fairyland.

Quan said originally she and her staff were going to honor only five local heroes, but were impressed by the large list of nominees.

Other residents and neighborhood groups who were not given a monetary award but received Oakland A's tickets were:

• Carol Bernau, president of the Friends of the Last Wild Canyon Neighborhood Association
• Jill Broadhurst of the Montclair Safety and Improvement Council
• Paul Dimon, organizer of the Redwood Heights Crime Forum
• Dennis Evanosky of the Oakland Heritage Alliance
• Chuck Harrison, who worked to have a drive-by mail drop-off box installed in Montclair
• David and Kathy Kahn, volunteers at Skyline High School Performing Arts Academy
• Virginia Lew and the Oakmore Neighborhood Association
• Toni Locke, founder of the MacArthur Metro publication
• Sue Piper, Oakland Technical High School PTA president
• Penny Seator, immigration attorney and volunteer at the International Institute
• Charles Selk, a longtime Brown Street resident who has helped clean up the front of Laurel Elementary School
• Darryl Stewart, a community liaison for Alameda County Board Supervisor Nate Miley
• Lease Wong, owner of Komodo Toys and past president of the Laurel Merchants Association.

Quan said she hopes to make the local hero awards ceremony an annual event.

"If you can be a leader in Oakland, you can be a leader anywhere in the world," Quan said.

At the Saturday ceremony, Quan also announced a $50,000 donation from At-Large City Councilman Henry Chang's office for improvements at Shepherd Canyon Park.

Quan also introduced residents to Claudia Jimenez, the new member of her District 4 staff, who replaced Arturo M. Sanchez, now assistant to City Manager Deborah Edgerly.

Jimenez's achievements includes working with youths and adults on preventing drug and alcohol use and developing policy and protocol for Richmond Police Department officers responding to domestic violence calls.

Reach Ana Facio Contreras at 510-339-4506 or## acontreras@cctimes.com.

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