The 2015 Malibu Times Dolphin Award Winners

CART

Headed by local Carol Moss, community members, with help from the Malibu United Methodist Church, have worked together to provide crucial services to the Malibu homeless population through grassroots task force CART (Community Assistance Resource Team). With assistance from local and county agencies, CART planned the first-ever Malibu Homeless Connect Day in November of 2015, a half-day fair offering a selection of public benefits.

Jennifer deNicola

Recognized for her tireless work to ensure high standards of health and safety in all schools, Jennifer deNicola has devoted endless time and effort toward the remediation and removal of PCBs at Malibu High, Malibu Middle and Juan Cabrillo Elementary schools. DeNicola, president and founder of America Unites for Kids, has been an advocate for this cause for over two years. 

Malibu Guitar Festival

The Malibu Guitar Festival team — headed by Douglas Deluca and John Watkin, with help from event specialist Matt Diamond — brought the community together for four days of live music in Malibu last May. The festival kicked off with a benefit show at Casa Escobar, raising money for local nonprofits, and ended with a large concert at the Malibu Village Back-Lot. Many of the shows featured performances by local musicians. 

Malibu Under Dogs

The surf-based nonprofit, founded by Timothy Hazelip and Jean Pierre Petreat, works with a variety of camps, clubs and charities, enabling children from all walks of life to engage in ocean therapy, helping to change the lives of children with special needs through surfing. In addition to the physical therapy sessions, the Under Dogs also produce lifestyle videos, including their experiences with children on the waves.

Victoria Nodiff-Netanel

Nodiff-Netanel and her team of miniature horses participate in therapy sessions with victims of trauma, amputees, and sick kids and adults at local hospitals and during private visits through the Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses nonprofit organization. She is the leader of the West Coast outpost and has traveled as far as Washington, D.C. with one of her horses.

Jay Scott

Over the course of the last five years, Scott has dedicated his time and energy to three local nonprofits, including the Malibu Community Labor Exchange (MCLE), where he sits on the board of directors. Even before he had a stated role with the board, Scott took on the responsibility of picking up goods from local markets to provide food to those using the MCLE’s services.

Kathleen Sullivan

Throughout her 17 years of work with the Malibu Library, Sullivan has donated a large amount of time to making sure the library continues to have the funds and support necessary to operate and run various programs. She is currently in charge of the bookstore, which sells donated books, CDs and DVDs for one dollar each, with funds raised going toward programming at the library.

Brianna Galeas

Youth Dolphin Award honoree and Malibu High School junior is the president of the Leaders in Training community service program at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Malibu, where she has been a member since the sixth grade. In 2015, Galeas was selected, based on her leadership ability and commitment to service, to participate in a trip to Hawaii to rebuild a Boys & Girls Club in Kauai that had been destroyed by a storm. She has accumulated over 280 community service hours in Malibu.

Caleb Gomes

The Malibu High School senior and Youth Dolphin Award honoree has logged over 170 community service hours, predominantly through his involvement as a mentor at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Malibu. The summer before his junior year, Gomes participated in a service trip to South Africa to build a Boys & Girls Club in Soweto. He is the current Youth of the Year Ambassador for the Malibu Boys & Girls Clubs, the highest honor bestowed upon a club member.  

Vintage Grocers

The Harvey Baskin Dolphin is awarded to Malibu business leaders and professionals who have served our community through their funding and service. In summer and fall of 2015, Vintage Grocers hosted a weekly concert series on Friday nights, bringing families, children and friends together in the courtyard to listen to the sounds of local musicians.