Be the Difference Awards
"The most inspiring event of the year!"
The Annual Be the Difference Awards honors the remarkable impact of volunteers across Santa Cruz County. Join nearly 400 community leaders, changemakers, and everyday heroes for an inspiring afternoon filled with connection, community, and a delicious lunch!
When: Early May - 2025 date TBD
Where: The Boardwalk's Cocoanut Grove Ballroom, Santa Cruz, CA
Nominations open in January, 2025
Sponsorships available! Learn more here ->
![2024 Be the Difference Awards Slide (4) 2024 Be the Difference Awards Slide (4)](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-Be-the-Difference-Awards-Slide-4.png)
2024 Honorees
Legacy of Service Awards
- Pat & Rowland “Reb” Rebele
- Santa Cruz County Bank
Businesses
- Crew Pointe Logistics
- David Lyng Real Estate
Groups
- 100+ Women Who Care
- Cradle to Career Santa Cruz County
- Ecology Action Bike Repair Program
- Gardenia Amor Y Bienestar Para La Mujer
- Habitat for Humanity "Golden Hammer Crew"
- Santa Cruz Elks Lodge
- The Santa Cruz Welcoming Network
- Teen Kitchen Project Delivery Angels
Individuals
- Daryl Wise, Shared Adventures
- Dean Spieller, Homeless Garden Project
- Debbie Falconer, Santa Cruz SPCA
- Dennis Cavaille, Volunteer Center Literacy Program
- Dora Gonzalez, CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates
- Erica Chapin, Volunteer Center's Disaster Response team
- Gary Bencomo, Dientes, Monarch Community Services, SCC Animal Shelter Foundation
- Geoff Alexander, Advocates for the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
- Gerri Ashton, Hospice of Santa Cruz County
- Gerry Jensen, Capitola Business and Community Volunteer
Individuals
- Jennifer Fenton, The Equine Healing Collaborative
- Judy Stabile, Pajaro Valley Arts
- MaryJo Van Verth, Team Just Us
- Nancy Murray, Santa Cruz Sheriffs Posse
- Natalie Martinez Watsonville Community Volunteer
- Nicola Wagner, Homeless Garden Project
- Pat McVeigh, Habitat for Humanity
- Sister Rosa Dolores Rodriguez, Casa de la Cultura
- Sue Dormanen, Santa Cruz Shakespeare
- Suzanne MacLean, Homeless Garden Project
- Terri Fisher, Santa Cruz Hostel
- Tom and Libby Purdy, Wilder Ranch State Park
![BTD-glass-award BTD-glass-award](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/BTD-glass-award.jpg)
Awards are given in six categories:
- Social & Economic Justice
- Families & Youth
- Environmental Stewardship and Sustainablity
- Health & Wellness
- Arts & Culture
- Building Community
Our Judges
![spencer arburn spencer arburn](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/spencer-arburn-circle-88f86de2a25e3a178e3f170e8ad8dc69-dtr3q5u6gsmp.png)
Spencer Arburn
Account Executive,
Group Sales
Santa Cruz Warriors
![Audries Blake Audries Blake](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Audries-Blake-headshot-circle-a2b7eb9d499adf85651cd34402c92e7a-xq8co73niud1.jpg)
Audries Blake
Associate Director of Community Relations,
Scotts Valley Center, UCSC
![Angela-Cline-300x200 Angela-Cline-300x200](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Angela-Cline-300x200-1-circle-a9389a901cef3e363fa3401d423ed81d-5f57f25162a7f.jpg)
Angela Cline
President, Volunteer Center Board of Directors, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Budget and Financial Management, University of California, Santa Cruz
![katie denbo katie denbo](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/katie-denbo-circle-6ca99fa715cd1a423a9b70e9a9b3bac2-0w73msf6u45l.png)
Katie Denbo
Senior Director of Marketing & Employee Engagement,
1440 Multiversity
![Katie Fairbairn Katie Fairbairn](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Katie-Fairbairn-scaled-circle-cfb0c725954ca2905ac0f866526e4358-5f58281048a80.jpg)
Katie Fairbairn
Chief Experience Officer
Santa Cruz Community Credit Union
![Joe Foster Joe Foster](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Joe-Foster-circle-957052bc1215a932c3be13be373bc35d-quipm638xlws.jpg)
Joe Foster
Public Affairs Manager, Kaiser Permanente
![Michael Fusske Michael Fusske
Integrated Marketing Media Consultant
KION 46 Television](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Michael-Fusske-circle-672774ee1b3d2dfbfb2ce4e970213fec-0wsjabvfu671.png)
Michael Fusske
Integrated Marketing
Media Consultant
KION 46 Television
![BTD Judge- Amy Ivey BTD Judge- Amy Ivey](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Screen-Shot-2020-09-09-at-3.37.06-PM-circle-6f307dabe64d3c225c30ca72e4c56e68-g034p6luafd7.png)
Amy Ivey
Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Bay Federal Credit Union
![K_Ronzano_ K_Ronzano_](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/K_Ronzano_85-circle-738b20e475eca80392d1111a0a427847-8p3uwrxfi5sl.jpg)
Kristine Ronzano
Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager
Santa Cruz County Bank
![karen-delaney Karen Delaney, Executive Director, smiles brightly while holding the heart of the Volunteer Center logo.](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/karen-delaney-circle-84e2f8738cc06f639d2638237c6c54c8-a3g72fojhlry.jpg)
Karen Delaney
Executive Director
Volunteer Center of
Santa Cruz County
Thank you to our 2024 Sponsors!
![Good Times Good Times](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/download-1-300x88.png)
![santa cruz community credit union Presenting Sponsor](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/santa-cruz-community-credit-union-300x81.png)
![lookout-santacruz lookout-santacruz](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/lookout-santacruz.png)
Daniel & Dorothee Moncino Charitable Fund
![1440 1440](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1440.png)
![Bay Federal Credit Union Bay Federal Credit Union](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/bayfederalcreditunion.png)
![KION-Logo-2-300x300 KION-Logo-2-300x300](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KION-Logo-2-300x300-1.png)
![Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Untitled-design.png)
![sccb_logo sccb_logo](https://scvolunteercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sccb_logo.png)
Acrisure Insurance Services
Karen Delaney
Santa Cruz Shakespeare
Fred Keeley, Mayor, City of Santa Cruz
Miller Maxfield, Inc.
Habitat for Humanity
Santa Cruz County – Housing for Health Partnership
University of California, Santa Cruz