Countywide : Disneyland Accepting Applicants for Awards

Disneyland is accepting applications through Friday for the theme park’s 1995 Community Service Awards program. Since 1957, Disneyland has given more than $4 million to nonprofit organizations in Orange County through the program.

Selecting the winners will be a committee of six community leaders, headed by Peggy Goldwater Clay, chairman of the board of Goldwater’s Foods of Arizona. Working with Clay will be Becky Esparza of Stanton, Pat Krone of Newport Beach, Aaron Lovejoy of Santa Ana, Fred Mickelson of Santa Ana, and Savanna High School senior Phillip Cordova.

Committee members will choose 63 organizations to receive monetary awards, which will be presented April 19 at the Disneyland Hotel.

The 10 award categories are: cultural arts, educational, service for youth, accomplishments by youth groups, special health services, accomplishments by support groups, social community service, civic community service, service by or for senior citizens, and environment/ecology/energy.

Five $3,000 awards and one $7,000 award will be given in each of the 10 categories. Two nonprofit groups will each receive $15,000, and one organization will be presented with the top award of $50,000.

Last year, Disneyland gave $50,000 to the Orange County Rescue Mission, which used the money to help fund an 18-month educational program for homeless adults and children. Jim Palmer, the Rescue Mission’s executive director, said the educational program has helped many homeless adults earn high school diplomas and obtain jobs.

Information on applying for the awards program is available by calling Disneyland Community Relations at (714) 999-4614.