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8A Page 10 Helen Putnam Award Winners Honored The League's recognition of innovation through the Partner-sponsored Helen Putnam Awards for Excellence was an annual conference highlight.The 10 award categories honor the unique contributions of city govemments that have demonstrated collaborative approaches to soiving challenging problems in their communities. The Award for Exceilence was established in memory of former Petaluma Mayor and League President Helen Putnam. Her lifekime commitment to excellence in city govemment set an example for all. Putnam would have been 100 years old on May 9,and her life in public service is celebrated through this award. This year's winners: • La G�uinta won in the category of Housing Programs and Innovations and was honored for the creation of Vista Dunes,the nafion's largest mul#i-family affordable workforce housing project to receive LEED Platinum certification. • Burbank won in the category of Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics and Community lnvolvement,for its Connect with Your Community program which transformed and strengthened the community in previously isofated neighborhoods through outreach and education. • La Mesa won in the category of Health and Welfness category for its"Ready,set....Live Welf"Community Wellness Initiative,a collaboration between the city and school district � to promote healthy lifestyles. • West Covina won in the category of Planning and Environmental Quality for"Landfili to Landmark."The city transformed its fomner toxic waste landflll waste into West Covina's Commercial Center and Sportsplex,creating 1�000 new jobs,improving property values and producing$?4 million in economic benefit region-wide. • Long Beach won in the category of Community Services and Economic Development for its Rotary Centennial Park.The Long Beach Rotary raised$1�0,000 to help design and build a park in a population dense area of the city that lacked open space. • Chula Vista won in the category of Internal Administration for its Residential Abandoned Property program which addresses some of the conditions that destabilize neighbofioods and create blight.Through this program,lenders register defaulted properties with the city and secure and maintain it to the communiiy standard. • Lincoln won in the category of Pub(ic Safety for its Grandma Cop Child Safety Program. Through this innovative program,trained citizen volunteers dressed in volunteer police uniforms,teach safehr to elementary school age kids. Linco(n was also the recipient of the 2009 Cities Counties Schools Partnership Award which honors cornmunities that � demonstrate the benefits of cross jurisdictional collaboration. • Cupertino won in the category of Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation with their completion of the Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge which has finished a critical gap in Santa Clara County's almost 350-mile bicycle nefinrork. • La Mirada won the Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Govemment for the city's Youth Development Program which provides young residents with the opportunity to develop professional skills while participating in leadership activities that beneflt the community, • Fontana won the League Partners Award for Excellence in City-Business Relations. Through collaboration between the city and residents,a blighted parcel of land was rejuvenated, becoming Fontana Park,which features a health and fitness center,an aquatic complex,an extreme spocts park,a children's park,and a dog park. 3