Jefferson Awards: Jan-Apr 2006

Ruth Hall: Creating Homes Away From Home
Apr 26, 2006 8:22 pm US/Pacific
An Episcopal nun from England is this week's Jefferson Award winner and has created a unique place for some special visitors in the Bay Area to call home.
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Felicia Gaston: Transforming Children Into Stars
Apr 19, 2006 6:41 pm US/Pacific
Many people who solve problems or make changes in the world start out with a personal dream. That was the motivation for this week's Jefferson Award winner to transform children into stars.
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Annette Smith and Karl Paige: The Seeds Of Change 
Apr 12, 2006 3:21 pm US/Pacific
A block once a neighborhood dump is now a community showplace, thanks to this week's Jefferson Award winners who planted the seeds of transformation.
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Washington Burns: Giving a Center to the Community 
Apr 5, 2006 3:21 pm US/Pacific
A former convent in West Oakland is now a vibrant community center, thanks to the passion of Dr. Washington Burns.
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Charlene Sigman: Solving Kids' Speech Problems
Mar 29, 2006 3:02 pm US/Pacific
An East Bay woman is breaking the silence for hundreds of children with speech problems.  As Kate Kelly reports, this week's Jefferson Award winner has her own husband and kids involved in her passion for helping other families. Read more ...

Jeff Steinberg: Reviving Civil Rights History
Mar 22, 2006 8:09 pm US/Pacific
Decades after the civil rights movement, it's hard for young people to understand those times. But this week's Jefferson Award winner is bringing that piece of history alive. Read more ...

Don Johnson: Using Tennis To Teach Life Skills
Mar 15, 2006 3:11 pm US/Pacific
Tennis isn’t always confined to the country club. Thanks to this week’s Jefferson Award winner, some San Jose kids are getting a chance to play something their coach calls “street tennis.” Read more ...

Sarah Cohen: Saving Katrina's Smallest Victims
Mar 8, 2006 3:42 pm US/Pacific
New Orleans resident Gloria Brown weathered Hurricane Katrina with little trouble. But when the levee near her home gave way, she barely escaped with her life. Neighbors helped her to safety, but it was this week’s Jefferson Award winner who gave her the reason to go on. Read more ...

Bringing Torturers To Justice
Mar 1, 2006 3:42 pm US/Pacific
From Chile to Bosnia to Rwanda, images of torture and murder are hard for anyone to forget, especially if your loved one has been a victim. It’s shocking, but hundreds and perhaps thousands of people who have tortured and killed in foreign countries are now living in the United States. Read more ...

Providing Home Cooking For Teens In Need
Feb 22, 2006 2:49 pm US/Pacific
A simple home-cooked meal can mean the world to a teenager who’s been on the street. The kids at Gerry’s Café in San Francisco are getting that and more. Gerry Hill volunteers his time for others five days a week, but Thursday nights are special. Read more ...

Protecting Women From Violence
Feb 15, 2006 4:01 pm US/Pacific
As a PhD candidate, journalist, and captain of a commercial fishing boat, this week's Jefferson Award winner has found work and adventure around the world. But Marie DeSantis found her passion helping women right here in the Bay Area. Read more ...

A Youthful Voice For Change
Feb 8, 2006 2:25 pm US/Pacific
Some people know at a very early age what they want to do with their lives. Marina Gatto has her heart set on making big changes, and she’s only 17. Read more ...

Teaching Children The Value Of Dance
Feb 1, 2006 6:19 pm US/Pacific
When this week's Jefferson Award winner beat breast cancer, she saw a wonderful opportunity. With a new lease on life, she'd create a richer experience for children who otherwise could not afford it. "I just believed that everybody should believe that something beautiful can come in life," says Judy Bretschneider, founder of the Presidio Dance Theatre. Read more ...

Shopping For Free Clothing With Dignity
Jan 25, 2006 8:08 pm US/Pacific
Even after a successful career in Bay Area real estate, this week's Jefferson Award winner never forgot the sting of childhood poverty. That's why she's spending her retirement changing the world for children, from the outside in. Read more ...

Giving Kids An After-School Home Away From Home
Jan 18, 2006 8:22 pm US/Pacific
Last week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed spending $428 million for after-school programs. But this week's Jefferson Award winners are way ahead of him. Barbara Rodgers reports what they've already done for kids in their community. When the school day ends, Tricia Carella and Donna Perham get busy. Read more ...

Healing Body And Spirit Of Cancer Patients
Jan 11, 2006 5:43 pm US/Pacific
Western medicine is increasingly embracing traditional Chinese treatments to help seriously ill patients. Using this combination care to fight cancer is the mission of this week's Jefferson award winner. Beverly Burns is bringing the two approaches together to treat a patient's body and spirit. Read more ...

Pet Care For The Homeless
Jan 4, 2006 5:39 pm US/Pacific
A traveling health care van has inspired a new breed of outreach for San Francisco’s homeless: one with a focus on pets. As Kate Kelly reports, it’s the idea of a veterinarian who is this week’s Jefferson Award winner. Read more ...