Encinitas recognizes four special residents

Four local residents were honored as Youth, Senior and Parks and Recreation Volunteer of the Year at the June 8 Encinitas City Council meeting.

The Senior Commission awarded Cecilia Matsko the Service to Seniors award for her dedication to volunteer work at the Encinitas Senior Center. The Nominators say Matsko is an exemplary volunteer, who always puts the needs of others before herself and has a constant smile on her face. Senior Center patron Maria Lewis describes Matsko as “a lovely, dear person with a sweet smile. I enjoy coming to the lunch program and being served by her.”

The Senior Commission also awarded Carolyn Cope the Senior Citizen of the Year honors. Cope epitomizes a senior resident giving back to her community, nominators say, through her dedicated work on many volunteer causes and countless civic and public affairs. She is president of the Encinitas Historical Society and teaches children’s groups about the history of Encinitas.

John Rodrigue was named Outstanding Parks and Recreation Volunteer of the Year. In the last year, nobody has demonstrated significant leadership and commitment to enhancing and supporting parks and recreation experiences in Encinitas like Rodrigue, according to nominators, who added that many who know Rodrigue attest to the impact that he has made on the youth he has coached and mentored at the Encinitas Community Center through the teaching of basketball.

The Youth Commission selected 15-year-old Kennady Tracy as Encinitas’ Youth of the Year award recipient based on her dedication to empowering youth and teens in her community. For more on Kennady, see the accompanying article on this page.

In early 2017, the three city commissions will once again be soliciting nominations for these award categories for great work accomplished in 2016. Only Encinitas residents are eligible for the awards program. For more information, go to www.encinitasca.gov and contact the staff liaison listed for each commission.