Molina Healthcare of Utah Celebrates Local Residents' Volunteerism at Community Champions Awards Ceremony
05/28/2015
Molina Healthcare of Utah recently celebrated the good deeds of seven local community heroes at its 8th annual Community Champions Awards ceremony. This year’s winners included: Sinai Pauni, volunteer Zumba instructor; Sister Mary Ann Pajakowsi, Holy Cross Ministries; Lilia Garcia, preventative health promoter; Jackie Rendo, mental illness advocate; Marci Steed, Head Start lead teacher; Tyler Stockstill, founder of the Utah Development Academy and Kevin Mathena, volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Salt Lake Valley.
“We are honored to celebrate the efforts of our winners for their dedication to bettering the community,” said Dr. Hal Gooch, president of Molina Healthcare of Utah. “This group of champions truly exemplifies what it takes to be a community hero and we are pleased to be able to support their causes.”
The Community Champions program celebrates the vision of Dr. C. David Molina, the founder of Molina Healthcare, as well as community partners who work together to care for society’s most vulnerable individuals. Each community champion winner was nominated by a community-based organization or leader and also received a $1,000 grant to give to a deserving nonprofit organization of his/her choice.
Sinai Misinale Pauni has been offering Early Morning Zumba at The Queen Center for free since 2010. Her 5:30 a.m. class is offered to the community, five days a week – year around. Pauni has created a place where all participants feel comfortable and motivated to change their lives through fitness.
Sister Mary Ann Pajakowski strives to help migrant families receive access to education and other necessary resources. Her own life experiences led her to become an advocate for families in need, her grandparents emigrated to the U.S. from Poland to find work and while the second generation learned to speak English in school, her grandparents never had the opportunity to learn.
Lilia Garcia works with Communities United to promote preventive health in the local communities. This Kearns local is responsible for disseminating information about breast cancer, nutrition, and other local health services to thousands of underserved residents.
Jackie Rendo is a retired physician who is an expert in the mental health field. She devotes her time to helping individuals and families living with mental illness. Rendo’s expertise stems from her own familiarity of living with a family member who has a persistent mental illness.
Marci Steed believes in the power of education. Her role as a lead teacher at the SLCAP Head Start program enables her to connect low-income families with the resources they need to be successful and self-sufficient. Her love of children and teaching shines through every day when she steps foot into the classroom.
Tyler Stockstill is the founder and executive director of the Utah Development Academy. His life’s work is aimed at building a platform in which the local youth have access to programs that develop character and leadership, advocate healthy lifestyles and promote academic excellence through soccer-based programming.
Kevin Mathena dedicates 25-40 hours a week volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. His background, coming from an underprivileged family, helps him understand the need for stability and security. Mathena is one of Habitat’s most reliable volunteers. In an effort to help wherever possible he has been known take the bus up to two hours away to lend a helping hand.