The Alameda Health Care Foundation, the Commission on the Status of Women, along with the Board of Supervisors established the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame in 1993 to acknowledge outstanding women for their contributions to their community, said Lorraine Provost, executive director of the Commission on the Status of Women. Proceeds of the luncheon will go toward breast cancer services.

"It looks like every year these women get more and more outstanding," Provost said. "This is one of the few events where we could celebrate the accomplishments of women and show other girls and women they could be a part of this Hall of Fame, too."

Women and girls are nominated by anybody working in Alameda County, said Provost, who encourages people to call early for applications because it's a competitive selection process.

Honored were:

• Nancy Schluntz, executive director of the Family Emergency Shelter Coalition of Hayward, was acknowledged with the Business and Professions award.

• Darla Stevens, founder and executive director of Community Television, was awarded the Community Service award.

• Sonjia Parker Redmond, vice president for Student Affairs at California State University, Hayward, was recognized with the education award.

• Sandy Ferreira, park ranger for the city of Fremont, was given the environment award.

• Rebecca Denison, founder of Women Nancy O'Malley, chief assistant district attorney for the County of Alameda, was recognized with a justice award.

• Tammy Jernigan of Pleasanton, who is an astronaut, was given the science award.

• June Ann Cook of Oakland was given the Sports and Athletics award for her work with the Mills College Upward Bound Program.

• High school senior Erin Nikole Gums, of Oakland, was given the youth award for contributing 200 hours of community service while maintaining a GPA of 4.7.

• Susan Muscarella, executive director of the Jazzschool in Berkeley, won the Culture and Art award.

Provost said she hopes to continue the Alameda Hall of Fame forever. "Women do great things and often times they go unnoticed," she said. "We want to celebrate their accomplishments."

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