Mark you calendars. Our Children's Choice Awards Dinner will be held on February 26, 1999, honoring three people who have made outstanding contributions to bettering the lives of children. We are pleased to honor Associate Justice Ming W. Chin of the California Supreme Court; Patty Siegel, Director of the California Child Care and Referral Network; and John Valva, member of the Day Home's Board of Directors. Each honoree has a historic link with the Day Home and each has honored that link with commitment and generosity.

Justice Chin's concern for the needs of families and children, particularly those who are struggling to improve their lives, represents a deeply held commitment that grows out of his own experience. Justice Chin's parents came to America in 1914. Uneducated, impoverished and knowing no English, they built up a prosperous farm and brokerage outside Klamath Falls, thus building a better life for their family. Justice Chin credits his parents with showing him by their example the essential role the family plays in the successful development of any child.

These early lessons led Ming Chin to dedicate his life to helping the less fortunate, to strengthening families in crisis and serving as a role model for children from humble beginnings. Justice Chin served on the Day Home's Board of Directors for many years and brought a unique combination of legal insight and appreciation for the human dimension.Today he remains a faithful supporter of the Day Home. His commitment to helping children get both a sound start in life and a good education make him the Children's Choice.

Patty Siegel is the Director of the California Child Care and Referral Network in San Francisco. She is nationally recognized as a leading expert and advocate for children and families. Her dedication to Saint Vincent's springs from her father's early experience at the Day Home, where he and his sisters grew up. Henry's legacy of love and care for the Day Home is expressed through Patty's continual support and advocacy for our program. Saint Vincent's serves as her touchstone and fuels her passion to provide nurturing services for every child in California. She is the Children's Choice for her tireless work on behalf of all children, including those at the Day Home.

John Valva's dedication to the Day Home is a family tradition borne out of experience. John's grandmother Madeline Valva was the first family member to attend Saint Vincent's. In 1929, when Madeline called upon the Day Home for her children, Bob, Bill and Bernice, the Day Home was there with open arms. John's father Bill loved the Day Home for the good it brought to his mother's life and his own.Though Bill and Jean Valva had no need of the Day Home's child care services, they wanted their children to be a part of the Day Home community, and John remembers happy times and the pleasure of pitching in at Saint Vincent's events. He expresses the love and appreciation passed down through his family with his generous volunteer work for the Day Home. We honor John Valva for his dedication to a family tradition of giving back to Saint Vincent's Day Home.