WOMAN OF THE YEAR
BARB GRANTER
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
Barbara-Lea Granter , the Vice President and General Manager of Gilroy Gardens , describes herself a “ reluctant Gilroyan .” All her life she had lived and worked in large cities and became comfortable with the anonymity that goes with big city life . Her ten-year stay in Gilroy has been a journey from anonymity to Woman of the Year .
From Nova Scotia , Canada , Barb is now a US citizen and comfortable here . Comfort and involvement is necessary for the manager of a large city-owned amusement park . Barb is a regular at Chamber , Welcome Center and Leadership Gilroy functions . She owns a home here and frequently tells employees at Gilroy Gardens , “ I want to stay here so this business needs to be strong .”
Energy , organization and insight are her hallmarks . She notes that this award might open a few doors for some new creative ventures at Gilroy Gardens . Ask her sometime about her lifecycle plan for 4-year-old kids to 24-year-old young adults at Gilroy Gardens .
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
DAVID BOLL
David Boll is the owner of a local business , Heartwood Cabinets , that manufactures custom cabinetry . The recession hit real estate , construction and his business hard . In spite of this , David has maintained a commitment to the community and a willingness to get involved as a volunteer . While honored with this award , he says “ It is the town more than me .” He notes that there is a “ self-sustaining culture of community spirit ” in Gilroy .
Before moving to Gilroy , David and his wife , Eileen lived in the mid-Peninsula area . They lived there and were never recruited for anything . He had no special feeling for the city . When they moved to Gilroy , they noticed something different . People volunteered for the Garlic Festival and there was a culture “ to help make the town better .”
This year , David will be one of the co-chairs of the beer sales at the Garlic Festival . He extends his community commitment to his employees . On Friday of the Garlic Festival he pays his employees who volunteer to work in one of the beer booths !
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