Archbp. José Gomez honors 4 local residents

Cardinal's Awards Dinner honors four people with a Catholic faith foundation who served the community. Image: Isabella Fischer|Unsplash

Archbp. José Gomez honored four La Cañada Flintridge residents on Saturday at the annual Cardinal's Awards Dinner in Beverly Hills.

Outlook Valley Sun reported that their Catholic faith foundation and serving the community led them to receive the awards.

Mike and Tim Smith

The main intent of the Cardinal's Awards Dinner was to recognize and honor persons who had contributed significantly to the local community. Accordingly, Mike and Tim Smith's dedication to the community comes partly from their strong morals and Catholic faith.

Outlook Valley Sun reported that their father, Bob Smith Jr., was the 2nd Cardinal's Award recipient in 1991. Their oldest brother, Rob Smith, received the same award in 1998.

Mike Smith was recognized for his contributions to the community through his service on the board of St. Francis High School and his fundraising efforts on behalf of the Dolores Mission. He also integrated his business into the Verbum Dei High School student work program and distributed communion to those who were unable to attend regular church services.

Meanwhile, Tim Smith served as the foundation's chair for almost 10 years. Also, he has served on the boards of Santa Clara University, Holy Family Adoption Services, and his local parish council at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church.

The Smith brothers believe their parents' role modeling and the lessons they learned from Irish Sisters of St. Louis in elementary school were "exceptional."

They were also pointed toward the Jesuits by their father, who profoundly impacted him during his time at St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco.

Josie Hull and Siena Dancsecs

At 12, Hull and Dancsecs were inspired to serve needy people.

Hull informed her adoptive mother, Jenny Hull, that she wanted to paint another patient's room like she had done to hers since she knew how terrible it was to be in the hospital. Per the report, after seeing how doctors and nurses liked her room makeover, Hull called her childhood friend Dancsecs, who came up with the name Once Upon a Room.

Dancsecs began to write a grant proposal for their idea.

Hull's mother started planning a nonprofit organization. She contacted Children's Hospital Los Angeles, where Once Upon A Room was established in 2014. Hull, Dancsecs, volunteers, family, friends, and other supporters have helped Once Upon A Room decorate over 5,000 rooms in over 30 hospitals nationwide since its founding.

Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Orange County and two UCLA medical institutions are just a few places in Southern California where Once Upon A Room is active.

Cardinal's Awards Dinner

The Cardinal's Awards Banquet originated in the late 1980s when Card. Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, expressed his deep desire to honor the archdiocese's selfless, self-effacing, and gifted members.

According to the archdiocese's Office of Development, the award has a bronze medallion of Our Lady of Refuge, California's and Los Angeles' patroness. On the medallion's back appears the Archbishop's Coat of Arms.

The committee believed any remaining funds should go to the impoverished in the five pastoral districts. Throughout its 20 year-run, the event has generated more than $10,000,000.