More than 160 people gathered for an evening on the stage of the Terrace Theater on Oct. 1 to celebrate the presentation of the annual Nell and John Wooden Ethics in Leadership Award. It was a beautiful fall evening, with guests mingling on the Terrace Theater patio while enjoying hors d’oeuvres during the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership’s festivities.
The evening was full of inspiration, with the 2019 award event honoring Pat Cane, founder and director of Capacitar International, a Bay Area nonprofit that helps people overcome the effects of trauma and disaster through healing and transformation. The $10,000 award is given annually to a person or organization whose contribution to a community – local, national or global – is built on ethical behavior and visionary leadership. It is designed to promote ethics in leadership and to honor the Woodens, whose lives epitomized the Ukleja Center’s mission, vision and values.
Director Janey Roeder and co-founder Louise Ukleja spoke about the center’s vision of having an ethics module in every Cal State Long Beach course through its Ethics Across the Curriculum program. By awarding $3,000 stipends to faculty who integrate ethics modules into their classes, this vision is on its way to becoming a reality.
Board chairman Steve Goodling greeted attendees and encouraged them to join him in supporting the center. Kaylee Gialketsis, a program graduate, shared the impact of the center’s Student Leadership Institute and how it helped shape her core values and build a strong foundation for ethical decision-making. James Sauceda provided a beautiful invocation followed by a faculty perspective on teaching ethics. Cal State Long Beach President Jane Close Conoley echoed the center’s vision before introducing the honoree. Cane shared the exponential reach of Capacitar’s trainings, currently offered in more than 45 countries on five continents. The simple wellness practices can be easily learned and shared with others, thereby creating a multiplier effect.
Greg Wooden, Nell and John’s grandson, also spoke about Cane, saying his grandparents would have been very pleased with the selection. Cane’s humble leadership style, he said, is reminiscent of Mother Teresa. The evening concluded with Goodling thanking everyone for coming and for their support of the Ukleja Center’s mission of equipping people with the transformational power of ethical leadership.
Seen at the Scene: Lou Anne Bynum, Laura Doud, Mark Guillen, CJ Harmatz, Doug Haubert, Diana Kot, Carl LaBarbera, John and Kathleen Lacey, Jeff Landgrebe, Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna, Bruce MacRae, Joe Mejaly, Abigail Mejia, Dan O’Connor, Beverly O’Neill, Justin Rudd, Michael Solt, David Sommers, and Mick Ukleja.
Real Men Wear Pink
Last month, the American Cancer Society held its Real Men Wear Pink reception support the fight against breast cancer. The event was co-hosted by celebrity Thelma Houston, a Long Beach, Grammy-Award winning singer; and Vic Bullock, an innovator who opened and became the first executive director of the Hollywood Bureau office of the national NAACP.
The event, at the Long Beach Yacht Club, raised almost $5,000, with approximately 100 people attending.
The 2019 Ambassadors wore handsome pink clothing and accessories. The highlight of the evening was Tracie Kimbrough, a breast cancer survivor, who shared her success story.
The 2019 Ambassadors who have joined the fight against breast cancer are dedicated, distinguished community leaders: former Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell; Chief Luna, Deputy Chief Richard Conant, Commander Erik Herzog and Assistant Chief Wally Hebeish from Long Beach Police Department; Long Beach Director of Disaster Preparedness Reggie Harrison and City Prosecutor Doug Haubert; David and Jake Evans, John Morris, David Ford, Kevin Jackson, Quentin and Brad Fenn-Anstruther, Ted Caruthers, Dr. Jarrod Crum, Monte Beard, Rev. Gregory Sanders, Thomas Le, Charles Smith, Davian Freeman, Curglin Robertson, Darrell Goode, Keith Muirhead, Felton Williams, and NAACP National Board Member Ron Hasson.
Seen at the Scene: Honorary Committee members: Mayor Robert Garcia, Hasson, Frank Colonna, Rev. Wayne Chaney, NAACP Long Beach branch President Naomi Rainey Pierson, Myrna Wigod, Caruthers, Bill Evans, Le, Conant, Beard, Jackson, Crum, and Dan Witzling.
News of social events with charitable purposes may be sent to Shirley Wild at spwild@verizon.net or by fax to (562) 594-9668. Please include a contact phone number. Send high-resolution jpeg photos, by attachment, to spwild@verizon.net and include group name and identification of individuals from left. Call Shirley at (562) 594-9468 for more information.
