RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Julie Hagan-Belka, a lifelong Rancho Cordovan who with her husband has achieved extraordinary charitable fundraising success to benefit local non-profits, was honored as “Rancho Cordovan of the Year” March 8 during the 24th Annual Community Volunteer Awards.

 The top award of the evening, Rancho Cordovan of the Year, went to Julie Hagan-Belka.

Hosted by the Cordova Community Council, the extraordinary volunteer efforts by Red Cross volunteers, a Meals on Wheels driver and Rancho Cordova artists were also honored.

Top award of the evening went to Belka-Hagan, whose remarkable charitable giving reached through establishment of the Rancho Cordova Community Golf Classic was recalled. The tournament raised $300,000 for community non-profits during five years before being sidelined by the pandemic, however Belka-Hagan is also responsible for everything from turkey drives for the Rancho Cordova Food Locker to establishing Rancho Cordova Rotary’s Hometown Hero awards. In addition, her philanthropic reach has included the Rancho Cordova Police Activities League, Easter Seals of Superior California, Cordova Community Council and others.

The granddaughter of early Rancho Cordova promoters Dayo and Paul Hagan, she urged others to follow advice she has taken which is to “bloom where you are planted,” supporting the hometown which raised her.   

In addition to Hagan-Belka, honorees included:

Distinguished Community Service Organization: Rancho Cordova Arts, a non-profit organization of visual artists, was honored for an astonishing array of community contributions, including raising more than $30,000 over the past four years to purchase art supplies for teachers in Rancho Cordova schools through their Mini-Masterpieces fund-raising event.

 Rancho Cordova Arts, a non-profit organization of visual artists, was honored for an astonishing array of community contributions. It won the Distinguished Community Service Organization Award. 

Distinguished Community Service Individuals: Terry Sanford and Patty Cicogni of Rancho Cordova, both managers of a Red Cross Disaster Action Team which, in responding to residential fires, provides immediate assistance to those displaced by disaster. In the past three years, this team has responded to 32 disasters in Rancho Cordova and assisted 107 persons whose health, safety, and property were impacted by the fires or flooding, and installed over 300 smoke alarms for senior residents of Rancho Cordova. Sanford is a leader in Sacramento County as “Volunteer in Chief” for all Red Cross disaster volunteers and Cicogni’s dedication to the disaster mission has topped 12,000 hours earning a significant award from her employer for inspiring others to serve their communities.

 Terry Sanford and Patty Cicogni of Rancho Cordova, both managers of a Red Cross Disaster Action Team, won the Distinguished Community Service Awards for individuals.

Outstanding Service to Youth: Marshall Stewart.  A dedicated Boy Scouts leader for more than 40 years, leading scouts in countless community events and activities, Stewart is also active in the restoration and preservation of the American River Grange Hall in Rancho Cordova.

 Marshall Stewart has been a dedicated Boy Scouts leader for more than 40 years. He won the Outstanding Service to Youth Award.

Distinguished Service by a Faith Community: Church of Latter-day Saints Refugee Outreach Project. Activating a core program of the church worldwide, the local effort centers around outreach and supplies to refugees who arrived in Rancho Cordova through establishment of the Welcome Center for refugees in Sacramento.  From this humble beginning a Rancho Cordova Refuge Resource Fair grew, providing resources and links to new arrivals from around the globe ranging from Ukraine to Afghanistan.  Accepting for the LDS church were super-volunteers Alan and Delcia Bosh and Stake President Todd Miller.

Distinguished Community Business Partner: River City Rentals. This local business is being honored for generous support of community events, particularly the popular Heartstoppers Haunted House, which raises funds for charitable organizations. 

Outstanding Teen Service:  Van Merrill. Cordova High School student Merrill has racked up hundreds of volunteer hours at school and community events and has been an ardent advocate for underserved students while serving as the student representative on the Folsom Cordova Unified School District Board of Trustees.

 Van Merrill, Cordova High School student, has racked up hundreds of volunteer hours at school and community events. He won the Outstanding Teen Service Award.

We Could Not Have Done It Without You: Roy Jones. Jones has volunteered as a delivery driver for Meals on Wheels Sacramento County for over 10 years providing a lifeline for his participants who are isolated, frail, and homebound in Rancho Cordova. He is a vocal advocate helping Rancho Cordova residents get connected with local services to support them through life threatening emergencies, including quick thinking that saved a Rancho Cordova life.

 Roy Jones won the We Could Not Have Done It Without You Award. Jones has volunteered as a delivery driver for Meals on Wheels Sacramento County for over 10 years.

This was the 24th Annual Community Volunteer Awards, celebrated with a pirate-themed event called “Treasuring Volunteers.”  With 200 guests, the sold-out event was the largest ever and included a fun-loving Capt. Jack Spareribs and emcee Ann Spade of KCRA/KQCA, both who served up plenty of laughs and pirate jokes.

For detailed descriptions of contributions of award winners, visit:

https://www.cordovacouncil.org/community-volunteer-award-honorees