Spotlight on Two Dedicated OCWS Members
By Carolyn Christian – Past President
Earlier this year at the annual business meeting, I had the honor of awarding the coveted President’s Award to two very deserving individuals. The President’s Award is given each year to an individual who has shown commitment to the organization over an extended period of time and always goes above and beyond when volunteering for OCWS events. I wanted to share more information on each of the recipients to recognize them for their long-time dedication to the organization.
Jim Burk
Jim Burk joined OCWS in 2001 quickly became the official OCWS Photographer, following in the footsteps of Kevin Lite and George Hammond. He served as our photographer for nearly 25 years, making him the longest-serving individual in this position. He has documented our organization over the years, taking photos of our membership BBQs and socials, the OC Fair competitions, winery programs and more. When Jim first started as photographer, OCWS printed duplicate sets of photos and brought a set to each event for members to go through and take home their favorite shots. Now in the digital age, photos are stored on hard drives, and the best photos of each event are posted on Facebook.
Ed Reyes
Ed Reyes joined OCWS in 2006 after enjoying The Courtyard tastings and seminars for several years. Ed served as an OCWS board member from 2010 to 2013, wanting to help recruit and retain members. He organized several bus trips and helped start the New Member Mixers. Mentored by members of the Winemakers’ Group like Rich McCormick, Ed began making his own wine in 2010 and won his first medal in 2013 – a silver for Nero d’ Avola. For the past several years, he has served as the head of the Winemakers Group, helping elevate their visibility within the organization.
When you see either of these individuals at OCWS events, please join me in thanking them for their commitment and service to this organization. It takes a village of volunteers to keep this organization running smoothly and as we near our 50th anniversary, I am very proud to have had the opportunity to recognize these two deserving individuals with the President’s Award.