Rick Aguiar Social Justice Advocate Award

The Catholic Community of Pleasanton grants a Social Justice Advocacy Award to a person or persons in our parish or in the Tri-Valley community who pursues social justice efforts, so that he/she may be an example that encourages others to do likewise. The award is named the CCOP Rick Aguiar Social Justice Advocate Award in honor of a founder of our CCOP Social Justice Committee who worked for affordable housing in the Tri-Valley and for support for justice and aid for communities in El Salvador suffering from the Civil War from 1980-1992.

Past recipients have worked in various areas including pro-life efforts, support for AIDS victims, and anti-discrimination, detention ministry, affordable housing and the homeless, starting an orphanage in India, creating a school for girls in Guatemala, etc. The recipient does not need to be a member of our parish.

The award recipient is able to choose a non-profit organization to receive a $500 Social Justice Grant from CCOP. The Social Justice work of the recipient is highlighted by the parish to encourage others to also pursue social justice efforts.

NOMINATIONS WANTED!!!
The CCOP Social Justice Committee seeks nominations from parishioners for the Social Justice Advocate Award each year. In November or early December, the committee considers all nominations received and selects a worthwhile recipient.

Nominees should be members of our broader community who are actively working to achieve a more just and compassionate world. “Member of our community” should be interpreted in its broadest sense, so the award recipient does not need to be a member of our parish or a Catholic.
 
The award recipient will be highlighted by the parish and will designate a charity to receive a $500 grant. By bringing attention to the work of the award recipient, we hope to encourage an increase in Social Justice activity in our parish and elsewhere. The recipients of this award are recognized not to just honor them, but to give us all an example of the ways in which each of us can do Christ’s work for the poor and disadvantaged of our world.
 
If you would like to nominate someone to receive this award, please email [email protected] or any member of the Social Justice Committee before December 1st and provide the following information:
  • Your name, email, and phone number
  • Name of person(s) you are nominating
  • Their contact information - Address, email address and phone
  • The social justice effort that the person is engaged in
  • Any particular reason why you think they should be recognized or that their work will serve as an example encouraging other parishioners to be engaged in social justice.
  • Including website links or other information about it may be helpful
Rick Aguiar Social Justice Advocate Award: 2023 Award Recipient
The Rick Aguiar Social Justice Advocate Award for 2023 was given to CCOP parishioner Darlene Murphy, for her excellent work as founder of WAVE, West Africa Village Education.  WAVE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which promotes education in Ghana, particularly in the remote village of Godenu.  A $500 award donation was paid to WAVE in Darlene’s honor.  For more information about WAVE please visit: https://www.wave4kids.org/. 
February 21, 2024
 
Dear Deacon Joe and the CCOP Social Justice Committee,
 
On behalf of myself and my foundation WAVE (West Africa Village Education) I would like to thank the Social Justice Committee of CCOP for being selected as the 2023 recipient of the Social Justice award.
 
WAVE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2007. We are headquartered in the San Francisco East Bay Area and have operations in Ghana's capital city of Accra and the village of Godenu. WAVE works directly with local influencers to ensure maximum governance and transparency.  WAVE staff members also travel to Ghana several times a year to directly monitor donation spending, learn the needs of the village school and provide cultural tours to first time visitors.
 
Since its inception in 2007, WAVE has been able to provide learning materials, computers, desks, athletic supplies, and playground equipment to the village children in Godenu.  In addition, WAVE has completed the restoration to all four of the school blocks, has built a Jr. High school, and has built a toilet facility for the school children.  This year WAVE has added another building to the compound housing a library and computer rooms.
 
In 2007 when WAVE first started there were only 80 students attending school, when it was not raining.  In the rainy season the classrooms would flood, and the children did not go to school.  Now there are 400 children attending school daily in enclosed classrooms.  The Chief in the village has made it mandatory for all children living in the village to attend school. With the improvements to the village school, the village school of Godenu has become the number one school in the area.
 
WAVE’s goal is to promote a quality education and learning environment for children in village communities in developing African countries.  This is only possible because of thoughtful contributions from organizations like your Social Justice program.
 
For more information please visit:  WAVE4kids.org
 
Blessings and thank you to the CCOP community,
 
Darlene Murphy
Founder/WAVE
 
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Rick Aguiar Social Justice Advocate Award History: List of Past Award Recipients
The following is a list of Social Justice Advocate Award recipients since the program began in 1989. 
​
Year Recipient & Social Justice Cause
1989 Mary Goodreau – St. Andrews Soup Kitchen
1990 Lou Santero – Right to Life
1991 Gus Nystrom – Pax Christi & Prison Ministry
1992 Jim Campbell – AIDS Ministry
1993 Pat Belding – Parish Awareness & Youth Involvement
1994 Darlene Upmeier – Youth Social Justice
1996 Pat Baretta – Social Concerns
1997 Carol Ghilardi – AIDS/HIV Services
1998 The Carlsen’s – The Giving Tree
1999 Judie Johnson – St. Vincent De Paul
2000 Deborah Cilk – Community Services
2001 Betty Johnson – Birthright
2002 Brian O’Reilly – Shelters & Food for the Poor
2003 Rich Malone – Prison Release Ministry
2004 Tom Morelli – Special Olympics
2005 No Advocate Award given
2006 Estaban Marino De Paz
2007 Charles Haupt
2008 - 2009 No Advocate Award given
2010 Dr. John Rabada - Volunteer medical care at St. Mary's Interfaith Community Services in Stockton
2011 Wesley Stark and Bob McKenzie - Livermore Homeless Refuge founders
2012 No award given
2013 Becky Dennis - Affordable housing in the Tri-Valley
2014 Lori & Jim Murphy - Founders of People-to-People Foundation, supporting an orphanage in India & more
2015 - 2020 The program was paused. No Advocate Awards given
2021 Donna McKenzie - Livermore Homeless Refuge
2022 Mike Kozuch - Circulo de Amigas Foundation – Girls’ education in Nicaragua
​2023 Darlene Murphy - WAVE (West Africa Village Education) - Education in remote villages in Ghana