The annual awards ceremony honors Malibu residents for their contributions to the community.
By Laura Tate / Editor / Associate Publisher
More than 150 people gathered Saturday morning in the outdoor courtyard of Malibu’s Castle Kashan overlooking the coast, where hostess Lilly Lawrence and The Malibu Times publishers Arnold and Karen York greeted the 2006 Dolphin Award recipients, including Keely Shaye Brosnan accompanied by her husband Pierce. In addition to Keely Shaye, honored this year were Candace Bowen, Pete and Elizabeth Anthony, Deborah La Gorce Kramer, Cindy Linke, Bob Klein, Marnie Duke Mitze, Carol Kmiec, Chi Kim, Bonnie Reiss and Tarek Shraibati.
The awards are given out each year by The Malibu Times to honor and thank the awardees for their contributions, volunteerism and tireless work and devotion to the community of Malibu. The Harvey Baskin Memorial Award, given each year to recognize a business for its contributions to the community, was given to Pepperdine University. The late Baskin, a former owner of Geoffrey’s Malibu restaurant, co-founded the Dolphin Awards with the Yorks and was a 1992 recipient of the award.
State political dignitaries and their representatives, including Assemblymembers Julia Brownley and Lloyd Levine, former Assemblymember Fran Pavley and Susan Nissman, deputy for County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, were on hand to congratulate the honorees and to award them certificates of recognition. The office of Congressman Henry Waxman also sent certificates of honor. The entire Malibu City Council was also in attendance.
Guests entering the courtyard of Lawrence’s hilltop home were greeted by music performed by troubadour Bill Roberts, and treated to a full buffet breakfast by Richard Chesterfield of Monrose Catering. Delicate rose floral arrangements by Afrodita adorned tables and flanked the podium. Lawrence’s outfit, however, stole the show with a bright fuchsia Dior Haute Couture ensemble. Arnold York presented Lawrence, a previous Dolphin honoree, with a bouquet of roses, thanking her for her hospitality. The philanthropist is known for opening her home to the community of Malibu for many charitable events.
Msgr. John Sheridan of Our Lady of Malibu Church, in opening remarks to guests, said as he laid his notes on the podium, “I haven’t prayed in a while, so I’ve brought a document,” causing the crowd to laugh.
The monsignor spoke of the spirit of giving, rather than receiving, and that was the theme of speeches Saturday from past and present Dolphin recipients.
Ann Fulton presented 2006 Dolphin Cindy Linke, who was recognized for her efforts with Operation Interdependence, which supplies gift bags containing magazines, CDs, toiletries and letters of support in addition to other items to the troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and at other military operations around the world. Linke said of her involvement with the operation, “I wanted to show my appreciation in a real way, to those who do so much for us.”
Betty Glass, in presenting Dolphins Marnie Duke Mitze and Carol Kmiec, spoke of how Mitze launched and brought to fruition the ARTSreach Program at Pepperdine University, which enables thousands of inner-city and under served children from Los Angeles and Ventura counties the opportunity to see live performances and visit the museum at the school each year. And, Kmiec, Glass said, is the “nuts and bolts” that keeps the program going.
Mitze said she tries to teach her son “it is greater to give than to receive, and that’s what this [the Dolphin Award] is for [to recognize that].”
Douglas Kmiec accepted the Dolphin Award on behalf of his wife, Carol, who could not attend the ceremony.
“This is a very special award, but then my Carol is a very special lady,” he said, noting that he’s one of the nuts and bolts his wife uses in getting things done for the ARTSreach program.
Past Dolphin honoree Helene Eisenberg presented Candace Bowen, listing her many accomplishments, beginning with her volunteer work at age 14 as a candy striper and continuing with her many volunteer efforts, including working as a precinct inspector for 20 years, supervising the Malibu Pie Festival for 15 years, working with the Dolphin Run Fundraiser for more than 10 years and her work with the Malibu Chamber of Commerce and the Women in Film Celebrity Golf fundraiser.
Bowen told the story of how her peers made fun of her, when they heard she had a job, but was not being paid. Telling her mother that she was being teased, Bowen said her mother told her, “You are doing more value than money [ever could] through being a candy striper.”
Laura Rosenthal presented 2006 Dolphins Deborah La Gorce Kramer and Peter and Elizabeth Anthony. The three were recognized for their work in getting the Safe Routes to School Project in Point Dume implemented. The Anthonys and Kramer got the council to sign off on the project, which built pathways for pedestrians and children to local schools, and helped get Caltrans to pitch in $380,000 toward the project.
Kramer noted that one cannot understand the “soul and place” of Malibu “until you’ve met the people,” and then thanked the city council members-“who took the abuse daily” from citizens regarding the project “with grace”-for helping to get the project approved.
Longtime friend Kelly Meyer presented Keely Shaye Brosnan with her award, saying, “I first started ‘stalking’ Keely when she was an environmental journalist,” and then went on to list Brosnan’s accomplishments in working with the Natural Resources Defense Council and other environmental organizations to stop large scale projects that would damage the environment and wildlife.
Brosnan said she shares the award “with all who have donated their time and talent for this cause-the health, safety and welfare” of the earth and “for our community.”
Principal Chi Kim of Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School was introduced by Anne Payne, who spoke of the principal’s tireless energy and commitment to the school, and then showed drawings that second graders had drawn of Kim-all depicted her smiling and either running or jumping on a trampoline. Kim thanked the children, the school’s staff and her colleagues, saying, “They make me look good.” Kim went on to speak of raising and educating the community’s children to become future Dolphins.
A 2005 Dolphin honoree, David Lyons presented the Dolphin Award and Judith Gersten accepted on behalf of Bob Klein, who was in New York, for co-founding the Malibu Celebration of Film. The MCOF, which debuted in October, was co-founded by Lyons and Dolores Rivellino. The festival brings the top winners from film festivals around the world to be screened in Malibu. Also part of MCOF is the FILMS”COOL” mentoring program, bringing the art of filmmaking to young people.
Arnold York presented the Dolphin award to Bonnie Reiss, who worked as senor advisor to Gov. Schwarzenegger. Reiss played an important role in environmental policy while with the governor’s team.
Reiss spoke of continuing to work in problem solving for the state, including stopping gang violence, which she noted is responsible for more deaths than the war in Iraq.
Dolphin winner Tarek Shraibati was not able to make the ceremony, as he coaches a high school robotics team, which had a competition on Saturday-and he promised the students he would be there, presenter Mark Ball said, which shows his dedication to young people. Shraibati has been a Scoutmaster for local Boy Scouts Troop 224 for more than 28 years.