It is that time of year again where the GoodTimes recognizes the Best in Santa Cruz County 2012. I am so stoked to see the people I work with get a nod for all their hard work and it feels even better when the community recognizes the effort myself and Grind Out Hunger put forth. I want to thank everyone that voted and please support the businesses that support our community!
Welcome to our annual Best Of Santa Cruz Readers’ Poll. It’s our biggest issue of the year, and in it, we spotlight all of the local businesses, restaurants and humans that captured your interest over the past year.
GoodTimes Best of Santa Cruz County 2012 Winners:
Local Mover Shaker GoodTimes Best of Santa Cruz County 2012
Wow..I am now a local hero!!!! I do what I do not for the awards or recognition, but its hard not to be excited when the things you put passion into get recognized by your peers. 2010 has started off with a bang first I was honored with a NEXTie, then as The GoodTimes Best of Santa Cruz 2010 and Santa Cruz Weekly 2010 Goldies readers acknowledged not only my businesses and non profits, but the readers felt that I was also overachieving in some areas that deserved an atta boy. In my ventures around town whether I am speaking to school kids about community work with Grind Out Hunger, sponsoring a local kid for surfing/skating or meeting with local politicians about the scope of our county opportunities/challenges I never in my wildest dreams expected to be a recipient of so many gracious awards. I promise to continue to follow my heart and aspirations, to be be responsible about my endeavors, lead by example for the youth and stay focused on bettering the community! Thank you to all the supporters, my family, of course the haters and more important all that voted…this means the world to me!!
Danny Keith voted Local Hero and runner up Mover Shaker
Danny Keith works for non-profit Second Harvest Food Bank
Santa Cruz Skate Shop nabs Best of Santa Cruz Skate Shop
Santa Cruz Weekly Goldies winner Santa Cruz Surf Shop
Santa Cruz Weekly Goldies winner Santa Cruz Skate Shop
Last night I was awarded a NEXTie award with three other amazing people Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, Reyna Ruiz and Marina Sousa held at the old Wrigleys Gum Factory…yes they use to make gum in Santa Cruz.
A night at the NEXTies
My wife and I arrived to find the venue artfully decorated and definitely 1st class, there was a bit of comedy when we tried to check in as my name wasn’t on the guest list….thank god they had the party poster nearby with my pic on it…it was a close one as I saw security eyeballing me lol. Once we worked out that issue which was hilarious as I had to have Ryan Coonerty vouch for me and then all was fine. As the sold event filled in and the food rolled out, people started mingling and the party was getting started. Ironically, the first people we spoke with were Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz and Reyna Ruiz (2 of the 3 other award recipients) you could tell the nervous energy was built up as we were excited to be honored and really had no idea what was in store for the evening. Greg Archer and Jeff Dinnell were on fire making sure to get film outtakes with all the nominees and making the event even brighter. Jeffrey Kongslie, MC and man de la extraordinaire with his spiffy bow tie was full of energy and a phenomenal host to all that showed to celebrate the gala in store. After carousing the crowd and eating the fine hor devours it was time to get down to business. I was up first and Ryan Coonerty along with an insane video bio introduced me to the stage and I had my moment to share with the crowd what Grind Out Hunger meant to me through this quote from Alvin Toffler:
“The secret message communicated to most young people today by the society around them is that they are not needed, that the society will run itself quite nicely until they – at some distant point in the future – will take over the reigns. Yet the fact is that the society is not running itself nicely… because the rest of us need all the energy, brains, imagination and talent that young people can bring to bear down on our difficulties. For society to attempt to solve its desperate problems without the full participation of even very young people is imbecile.”
I had the time of my life as my wife and I made it around the capacity crowd talking about Grind Out Hunger and what an inspiration it is to the youth of Santa Cruz County. My friends and colleagues came out in full support of the evening, Willy McCrea, Shane and Eden Gallagher, Paul Gallagher, Gina Renna and Eric Walters, Sean and Valerie Sinnot, Christian Sacoolas and Jen Nelson. I also ran into a few of my Facebook and Twitter friends Dewey Decibel, Mosiac Moon and MRosas who shared the wonderful evening.
Greg Archer, Jeff Dinell my lovely wife Taniya and yours truly DK
Tons of thanks and gratitude go out to Ryan Coonerty for nominating me, Greg Archer for believing in me, Willy McCrea Second Harvest Food Bank for taking a chance on me and Grind Out Hunger, Jeff Dinnell for capturing my essence on video, Jeffrey Kongslie, Timerie Gordon, Santa Cruz Next and its board, Santa Cruz Skate and Surf Shop, all the volunteers that helped setup, my wife Taniya and especially…especially the youth of Santa Cruz County…this award is ours!!!!
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