Neighbors

Two honored for leadership

Two Laguna Beach residents, Maya Dunne and Elisa Stipkovich, were each awarded the 2010 Community Beacon Award given by the Orange County Congregation Community Organization for outstanding achievement in community leadership in Orange County.

Dunne was recognized for her exemplary efforts at Maya Dunne and Associates, a Laguna Beach business she started three years ago.

Her business supported emerging community volunteers through strategy and organizational development, as they expand and tackle key problem issues facing their neighborhoods.

Stipkovich was recognized for her leadership in Anaheim in affordable-housing issues and developing a long-range strategic housing plan to increase housing opportunities for lower-income residents.

The celebration, held May 15 at the Delhi Center in Santa Ana, commemorated the Orange County Congregation Community Organization’s 25 years of changing communities and improving lives.

Since 1985, the organization has been on the frontlines of grassroots leader development and social change impacting the health care, affordable housing and safety of neighborhoods.

Its 22-member congregations and communities represent nearly 50,000 families across all Orange County.

The organization partnered with the Laguna College of Art and Design, commissioning a series of portraits to illustrate Orange County’s “Faces of Change.” These portraits bring attention to grass-roots volunteers who lead community organizing.

“This is a wonderful celebration of those that put in so much time and hard work, not only over the past year, but over our 25 years,” said Paty Madueno, board president of the Orange County Congregation Community Organization. “I’ve seen many great victories through OCCCO’s work and I’m proud of our accomplishments.”