Hundreds of Issaquah’s movers and shakers gathered for the annual Issaquah Community Awards event on May 16 at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Awards were given to recipients from the Kiwanis Club of Issaquah; AtWork!, Life Enrichment Options and Tavon Center; the Rotary Club of Issaquah; the Issaquah Schools Foundation; the Issaquah Education Association; the Issaquah Chamber; the Issaquah Park Board and the city of Issaquah.

During the event, Reporter Publisher William Shaw also announced the Reporter’s establishment of the Ed Pingul Award in honor of the publication’s late sales representative and the former King of Issaquah who passed away last year. The award, which will commence in 2018, recognizes an individual who has provided benefit and enhancement to the community through service and through quiet influence.

The following awardees were also honored for their contributions to Issaquah:

Volunteer of the Year Award

The Kiwanis Club of Issaquah presented Debbie Berto with the Volunteer of the Year Award. Berto has volunteered with Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, Keep Issaquah Beautiful, the effort to incorporate the city of Sammamish, the Issaquah Senior Center and much more.

Human and Spiritual Values Award

The Kiwanis also presented Judy Case with the Human and Spiritual Values Award. Case has worked with her church on the YWCA Passage Point housing program to create transitional housing for women coming out of incarceration and helps them to reunite with their children.

Caring Community Award

AtWork!, Life Enrichment Options and Tavon Center presented Pam Keck with the Caring Community Award for her work to create volunteer placements for students with disabilities who are in transition programs.

“Thank you for your willingness to be supportive of people with disabilities,” award presenter Therese Vafaeezadeh told Keck.

Rotary Students of the Year

Harkiran Singh and Eleanor Grudin were named Rotary Students of the Year by the Rotary Club of Issaquah. Singh, a senior at Liberty High School, maintains a 3.972 GPA, is a peer tutor, member of Key Club, History Club and National Honor Society, takes multiple AP classes and was named a National Merit Commended Scholar. Singh plans to attend the University of Washington next year.

Grudin, a senior at Issaquah High School, maintains a 3.93 GPA, is active in track, cross country and gymnastics, is the current Chemistry Club president, tutors students in French and Spanish, and has volunteered in South Africa and Thailand and with the local Special Olympics. She will attend a four-year university next year.

Golden Apple Award

Jerry Blackburn was presented with the Golden Apple Award, sponsored by the Issaquah Schools Foundation. Blackburn helped to found and is now chair of the foundation’s Influence the Choice — Drug Prevention Alliance for Youth initiative against teen substance abuse, and is the manager of the Friends of Youth Program. Jody Mull, who presented Blackburn with the award, credited him with saving the lives of countless students in his work against drug and alcohol abuse.

Public Education Advocate of the Year

Gary Arthur of the Issaquah Education Association noted that it is usually Doug Jones who presents this award, but this year, Jones was the recipient. Jones serves as the president of the Issaquah Education Association and has coached debate and basketball with Issaquah schools (which his two children have attended). Arthur noted that Jones has “a sense of humor, solves problems collaboratively and has a big heart.”

Salmon Days Volunteer of the Year

The Issaquah Chamber of Commerce presented Martin Buckley and his wife Grania with the Salmon Days Volunteer of the Year Award. The two redid the volunteer program at the chamber, and Brian Twiggs, festivals director for the chamber, said that the festival “couldn’t have happened without them” last year.

Business Person of the Year

The chamber presented Alan Finkelstein with the Business Person of the Year Award. A native of Issaquah, Finkelstein has been in business in the city for 30 years, and has raised his family here. He is an avid supporter of Sammamish Days and Nights and a Salmon Days volunteer, and has been presented with a SAMMI Award from the city of Sammamish.

Citizen of the Year

Karen Ridlon, who 25 years ago founded Eastside Baby Corner, was presented with the Citizen of the Year Award from the chamber. In addition to founding the nonprofit that helps thousands of Eastside families in need each year, she was a key player in the development of the Issaquah Community Center.

“It takes us all to work together,” Ridlon said.

Youth Leadership Award

Anna-Lena Ball received the Youth Leadership Award from the Issaquah Park Board. A senior at Issaquah High School, Ball chairs the Teen Advocacy Committee and helped to organize the three State of Mind conferences this year. She participated in a student panel about how to talk to parents about drugs. Next year, Ball will attend Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

Sportsperson of the Year

The Issaquah Park Board presented George Whitehouse with the Sportsperson of the Year Award. A volunteer coach, Whitehouse became involved with the Special Olympics after his daughter was diagnosed with autism. Cameron Roth of the Park Board noted that now, the “Special Olympics couldn’t run without George.”

Volunteer of the Year

The Issaquah Park Board also presented Issaquah Senior Center members Jeannette Hudson and Diane Setterholm with its Volunteer of the Year Awards. When the Senior Center switched to city control this past year, the two went into the center over the New Year’s holiday weekend and helped to transform it. They put up and take down mostly handmade decorations at the Senior Center for each holiday throughout the year. Tammy White of the Issaquah Park Board said the the two women “bring love and character to the Senior Center through decorations.”

King and Queen of Issaquah

The chamber presented Josh Wren and Je-Anne Rodgers with the King and Queen of Issaquah award. Wren is a second-time King, having been crowned in 2011, and is the second member of royalty in his family — his mother was Queen of Issaquah in the early 2000s. Wren is a familiar face among the Issaquah community, as he works with locals every day at Issaquah’s Evergreen Chevrolet.

Rodgers is a home mortgage consultant specializing in home financing and lending at Wells Fargo in Issaquah and Bellevue. She is very active in the Issaquah community, regularly attending events such as new chamber member ribbon cuttings.

Hall of Fame

Mayor Fred Butler presented Joe Forkner with the city of Issaquah Hall of Fame Award.

Forkner, a former council member, has been a longtime volunteer in the city, giving of his time to organizations such as the Downtown Issaquah Association and the Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park.

“Joe truly embodies the values and civic-mindedness and service befitting a hall of fame inductee,” Butler stated.

Finkelstein addresses the audience after receiving his award. Carrie Rodriguez/staff photo

Caring Community Award winner Pam Keck. Carrie Rodriguez/staff photo

Issaquah Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year winner Karen Ridlon is helped onstage by Chamber Board President David Bleiweiss. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Public Education Advocate of the Year Award winner Doug Jones. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Jerry Blackburn hugs Jody Mull of the Issaquah Schools Foundation as he receives the foundation’s Golden Apple Award. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Blackburn accepts his award with a speech as Mull looks on. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler welcomes Joe Forkner into the city’s Hall of Fame with a hearty handshake. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Josh Wren and Je-Anne Rodgers were crowned King and Queen of Issaquah. Carrie Rodriguez/staff photo

Wren and Rodgers will hold their royal titles for the next year and will appear in courtly regalia at events such as the Salmon Days Parade. Carrie Rodriguez/staff photo

Liberty High senior Harkiran Singh accepts one of the Rotary Student of the Year Awards from the Issaquah Rotary. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Issaquah High senior Eleanor Grudin was presented with the other Rotary Student of the Year Award by City Administrator Bob Harrison. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Martin Buckley, right, is swimmingly presented with the chamber’s Salmon Days Volunteer of the Year Award by Brian Twiggs, the chamber’s festivals director. Carrie Rodriguez/staff photo

Judy Case, right, is presented with the Human and Spiritual Values Award from Sherrie Reed, left, of the Issaquah Kiwanis. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Issaquah Parks and Recreation Specialist Cameron Roth, left, gives George Whitehouse, right, the Sportsperson of the Year Award from the Issaquah Park Board. Carrie Rodriguez/staff photo

Issaquah Kiwanis Volunteer of the Year Award winner Debbie Berto gives a thank you to the Kiwanis after receiving her award. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

Issaquah Park Board Volunteer of the Year Award winners Jeannette Hudson, left, and Diane Setterholm, right. Carrie Rodriguez/staff photo

Anna-Lena Ball, left, shares a laugh with Issaquah Schools Foundation Healthy Youth Initiative Director Barb de Michelle, right, as Ball accepts the Issaquah Park Board’s Youth Leadership Award. Ball has much to smile about — she will attend college at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland next year. Nicole Jennings/staff photo