February 4, 2022
Contact: Cindy Spindle, CEO/President
Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce
ceo@gardengrovechamber.com
714-639-7950
Press Release: For Immediate Release
2022 GARDEN GROVE MAN & WOMAN OF THE YEAR NAMED
The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the 2022 Garden Grove Man & Woman of the Year. This year’s honorees are David Skelton and Susan Lerma. Both have many years of volunteerism in the City of Garden Grove and Orange County. Their reign begins July 1, 2022 and ends June 30, 2023.
David Skelton moved to Garden Grove in 1968. He has worked at Garden Grove Glass for over 40 years.
David has been a member of the Garden Grove Elks Lodge No. 1952 since 1971. During his years at the lodge, he has been instrumental in many projects, such as helping to start bingo to raise funds to give back to the community. At the Strawberry Festival, he helps every year to set up the booth and help serve food with both the Elks and the Garden Grove Emblem Club No. 279.
David became an officer of Garden Grove Lodge as a trustee in the early 1980’s. Staying involved in the lodge, he became “Exalted Ruler” (President) in 2005 and moved on to the district to become a “District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler” in 2013. He continues to be a strong leader of the Elk’s members.
Besides taking care of all the glass needs in the Elks Lodge, he works tirelessly coordinating the lodge’s Christmas Basket Program. He contacts the local schools for names of approximately 200 families in need. This entails collecting donated food, and arranging for the sorting, packing, and delivery or pick-up of the over 500 boxes prior to Christmas Day. David also loves to cook and is in charge of the volunteer breakfast and has helped cook on Labor Day, and many other occasions.
Currently David is heading a committee to purchase solar power for the lodge to decrease their electric usage and take them into the future with a smaller footprint on the environment.
David was recognized by the Elk members in 2019 as “Elk of the Year”. David is also a proud veteran of the United States Navy, and served during the Vietnam era. David has been married to his beautiful wife Janice for 18 years.
David has been a huge supporter of the Miss Garden Grove Pageant and the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce, and was a Silver Spoon recipient in 2017, but more than that, David is just an all-around great person who represents Garden Grove as the perfect Man of the Year.
Susan Lerma brings with her an impressive and caring resume of community involvement. Beyond owning and running a commercial cleaning company, Susan shares her talents with numerous non-profits and service clubs in the Garden Grove community.
Some, but not all, of Susan’s projects are:
During the Covid crisis, Susie collaborated with other non-profits on a project called “Garden Grove Hospital Appreciation Day”. This project provided personal gifts of compression socks, Burts Bees hand repair kits, Starbucks gift cards and a boxed lunch for all employees at the Garden Grove Hospital. The project won the District Award as “Project of the Year.”
This past Christmas season, Susan spearheaded the “Pajama Project for Foster Kids” for Orangewood Children’s Center and collected over 400 pairs of pajamas and was a part of “Snuggle Day” for distribution.
For the past five years, Susan had co-chaired the Lion’s Club of Garden Grove’s most successful fundraiser, the Lions Club Dinner. In 2021, Susan was selected by the Lion’s Club to receive her second Silver Spoon Award from the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce Women’s Division Committee.
Susan holds a quarterly clothing drive that collects for third world countries.
From 2011 to the present, Susan has been secretary and board member of the Garden Grove Neighborhood Association, chairing raffles, collaborating on the “Meet on Main”, Candidate Forum, Adopt-A-Family, Adopt-a-Senior and Veterans, and annual neighborhood meetings.
Susan has served as a board member or volunteer at H.O.P.E. from 2018-2020 and was Chairman of the Board from 2019-2020; is the Cypress College Americana Committee Chairperson for Garden Grove; and has been on the St. Columban’s school board since 2011 and helping with many of their fundraisers.
Susan works to promote the arts in the community by volunteering at The Gem Theater. She’s essential in her own Neighborhood Watch and is a CERT volunteer.
Susan is deeply involved with the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association on Main Street which promotes businesses and commerce in the ever-changing landscape of Main Street.
We are proud to name Susan Lerma as the 2022 Woman of the Year!
David Skelton and Susan Lerma will be honored at the 115th Annual Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce Gala Dinner and Awards on April 23, 2022, taking place at the Embassy Suites Anaheim South.
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Congratulatory ads and sponsorship opportunities available. If you are interested in attending, or would like additional information, please contact the Chamber office at 714-638-7950 or visit the website at www.gardengrovechamber.com.
