Jerry Harwin was a legendary figure in the Santa Barbara community and in local sports.
He was the driving force behind the conversion of a landfill into Elings Park, originally named Las Positas Park. It is the largest privately funded park in America.
Harwin and friends Caesar Uyesaka and Bill Bertka started the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table, a volunteer organization that raises money for area school athletic programs, and recognizes student athletes.
Through his association with the Lions Club and Elks Lodge, he helped raise millions of dollars in support of youth organizations and community causes.
“Jerry Harwin left an amazing legacy of giving back to the community,” said longtime SBART member and former president Rick Wilson.
Harwin passed away in 2012 at the age of 100.
In honor of Harwin, the Round Table has created the Jerry Harwin Community Service Award, which recognizes “those who have clearly gone above and beyond” to give back to the community.
“We’re using Jerry Harwin’s name because he’s such a great example of community service to Santa Barbara, particularly the athletic community,” award chairman Mike Warren told Noozhawk. “There are some people out there doing great work.”
Danny Goldberg, a senior at San Marcos High, is first recipient of the award.
Goldberg, a member of the water polo and swim teams at San Marcos, last March created the business Zoomers to Boomers, an online site where seniors and immunocompromised residents can submit a grocery list and a staff of high schoolers will head out to do the shopping and deliver to their homes in the Santa Barbara area.
He came up with the idea when school was shut down as the coronavirus spread throughout the state and the country.
“The first week off school, I was just spending time with siblings, and I was trying to follow all the regulations of isolate at home, don’t go out and spread anything around,” he told Noozhawk last March. “I felt I wasn’t helping when there was help that was needed.
“I saw my dad (Dr. Brian Goldberg) going into work at the ER every day, and he was putting himself out on the front line. I was just siting at home twiddling my thumbs. I was like: ‘There has to be something I can do to try help out in the community.’ I started thinking and brainstorming on how I can help.”
The business concept became so successful that it spread to several cities across the country and a city in India
Goldberg was recognized in a virtual ceremony by Wilson, the award sponsor, and San Marcos water polo/swim coach Perera Sukavivatanachai.
“In my four years of coaching Danny, I can think of no better recipient for this amazing award,” said Sukavivatanachai. “Danny is caring, he’s selfless in his competition and out of the pool as well. He deeply cares for his teammates and engages with anyone and everyone around him.”
Those qualities are part of the foundation Zoomers to Boomers was built on. (The company name is based on the concept of youth Generation Z helping the Baby Boomer generation.)
“From the very beginning of the pandemic, we were able to come together as friends and as fellow athletes to make sure we could keep our community safe and healthy with our organization Zoomers to Boomers, which delvers groceries to elderly and immune comprised, so they can stay safe at home,” said Goldberg.
SBART Jerry Harwin Award: Danny Goldberg from Dream Cast Media Group on Vimeo.
Since it started, Zoomers to Boomers has made more than 15,000 deliveries in the Santa Barbara area.
Warren was blown away by Goldberg’s success with the business
“What an impressive kid. He gives me hope for America,” Warren said.
He noted that the award is open to volunteers of all ages, and it will be presented monthly. A nomination form can be found on the Round Table website.
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
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