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Five San Joaquin Valley women
will receive Common Threads Awards for their agricultural, philanthropic
and community service to the region.
The five will be honored at 11:15 a.m. April 13 during a luncheon at the
Residence Dining Hall at California State University, Fresno.
Common Threads is a collaborative effort of Fresno State's Ag One
Foundation and College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology with the
California Agricultural Leadership Foundation.
The 11th annual Common Threads recipients are:
 Louise
Draxler, Kings County - A Fresno State graduate with a degree in
health science, Draxler has dedicated her life of dairying, health
advocacy, education and community service. For the past 12 years, she
has been a full-time teacher at the California Substance Abuse Treatment
Facility at the Corcoran State Prison and is one of the two testing
coordinators for Tulare Lake Adult School. Prior to that, Draxler
pursued a 14-year career at University Medical Center in Fresno and
received her master's in curriculum and education from Chapman
University and a doctorate in education administration from LaSalle
University.
 Lonna
Torrico, Fresno County - Fresno State graduate Torrico did not grow
up on a farm nor did she study agriculture. However, she is a highly
enthusiastic agriculture advocate and educator in her role as director
of the Agriculture Literacy Program at Fresno State. After 20 years as a
teacher and administrator, Torrico attended the California Foundation
for Agriculture in the Classroom's first Summer Ag Institute for
educators in 1983. Since then, she has received over $1.5 million in
grants to expand the agricultural education message; developed the
successful Ag Summer Bridge Program; and helped the Farm Bureau organize
its outreach program to educators.
 Sharron
Thornton, Merced County - Thornton has provided years of service to
California Women for Agriculture (CWA) at the state and local level and
helped establish her family business, "The Grass is Greener Landscape
Management Company." She also has served (current or past) as the Merced
County appointee to the Governor's California Partnership for the San
Joaquin Valley and represents CWA on the Ag Boosters Barbecue planning
committee, a project of CWA and Ag One.
 Linda
Hansen, Fresno County - Hansen, a graduate of Fresno State, mentored
thousands of children in 35 years as a teacher in the Coalinga-Huron
Joint Unified School District. In her 20 years in alternative education,
she tried innovative ways to impress upon students the importance of
getting a high school diploma. After retiring two years ago, Hansen was
instrumental in developing and implementing the first Fresno County Farm
and Nutrition Day last year that attracted more than 1,700 students and
300 volunteers.
 Sandra
Gist-Langiano, Tulare County - Her love for agriculture, children
and education has benefited thousands of students and teachers in Tulare
County. The Fresno State graduate helped launch a garden project at her
rural school that now is a showcase for others. She retired from the
classroom in 2003, but maintains her interest in agriculture and
education through the Sundale School Ag/Science after-school Junior
Master Gardener's program she started three years ago.
Tickets for the luncheon purchased before March 31 are $35 and $50
after, if available. Net proceeds go to the California Agricultural
Leadership Foundation, the Ag One Foundation and charities of the
honorees' choice.
For more information and to explore sponsorship opportunities, contact
Amy Christensen at Ag Leadership, 916.928.2249, or Christy Melvold at Ag
One, 559.278.4266. |
