BY NICK DIAMANTIDES
Staff Writer
Last week, Signal Hill officially recognized what many people already know: Jane Fallon is an exceptional human being. At a luncheon in downtown Los Angeles, on May 14, city officials and Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe presented Fallon with an Outstanding Older American Award. Fallon is the chair of the Signal Hill Planning Commission and she has served on that board for about 16 years, but she didn’t receive the award for that service.
The annual award is given to people who do a great deal of volunteering for their city and are active in many local events. In April, the Signal Hill City Council issued a proclamation naming Fallon the outstanding older resident for 2008, but the award was given in a ceremony that included award recipients from each of the 19 cities within Knabe’s 4th County District.
In Signal Hill every year, local residents contact the city’s community development department to suggest who should get the award, and why they deserve it. Candidates must be at least 60 years old to be nominated.
“When I was 60, my partner Gary Dudley of the parks department wanted to put my name in, but I said no. I don’t consider myself to be an older American,” Fallon said. During the past decade she has been nominated several times.
“Finally at age 70 they decided to give it to me,” she said. Dudley won the award once too. “It’s for volunteering activities that you do anyway and you don’t expect an award for it, but if someone pats you on the back, that’s good,” Fallon said.
It used to be that all districts in L.A. County would get together for a very large luncheon granting awards to one outstanding older American from every city in the county. “With all the districts together, it’s so big, you can barely see the people when they are up there, and you can hardly hear what is being said because of so many people in the audience talking while the awards are being given,” Fallon said.
Last year, Knabe (District 4) decided to start having a smaller luncheon and invite only the 19 cities in his district, which includes Signal Hill.
“So 19 of us, and some people from our respective cities went to the Kenneth Hahn Building in downtown Los Angeles,” Fallon said. “It has an open rooftop patio area, where they set up tables and chairs for the luncheon.”
Mayor Mike Noll and Councilman Larry Forester were there. So was Gary Jones, director of community development, Kathy Sorensen, director of community development, Sue Hughes, recreation supervisor, Dudley and Denise Damrow, both of whom are members of the city’s parks commission. Gil Griego and Chan Brainard who both won the award last year were there too.
“It was very nice to have it in a smaller, more intimate setting,” Fallon said. “The previous award luncheons I had attended were just too big.”
About 160 people attended the two-hour event.
For many years Fallon has volunteered to help at Breakfast With Santa and the Easter egg hunt-two city events that provide fun for the city’s children. “At both events, I help set up the tables, serve food, help supervise crafts and take pictures of the kids,” Fallon explained. “Most of the work is done by city staff, but I and other volunteers help out wherever we are needed.” She added that one year, she wore an Easter Bunny costume.
Fallon is also a longtime board member and past president of Friends of the Signal Hill Cultural Arts. “What we do in that organization is help put on the concerts in the park during the summer months,” Fallon noted. “We do that in conjunction with the city. We help set it up, run it, and help distribute the raffle prizes.”
In addition to all of the above, Fallon participates in the city’s annual Halloween carnival. She helps man booths, serve food and whatever else is necessary to ensure it is a fun event for the kids. She takes pictures there too.
Fallon is also a member of the Signal Hill Historical Society, and devotes much of her time to fundraising activities for the American Liver Foundation.
“Over the years, Jane has been the backbone and support of many events sponsored by the City of Signal Hill,” said Kathy Sorensen, director of community development. “We are thankful to have her.”
“I’ve always been active in whatever city I have lived in. There’s a lot of satisfaction in helping to make good things happen,” Fallon said. “I really enjoy working with kids in all the events as well as the adults. Volunteerism is very fulfilling in and of itself, but it’s great when people tell you that they really appreciate what you’re doing. I felt very honored to receive this award.”
