Pictured, above: WSCO staff with Agustina Borroel, former West Sider of the Year recipient.
The spirit of this award is to honor those who work collaboratively in community with dedication to the values of the West Side. The West Sider of the Year is awarded annually by WSCO (West Side Community Organization) to a West Side resident. Past recipients have worked with other residents on behalf of the West Side, volunteered on the West Side or to the benefit of West Side residents, provided significant leadership on a major issue or activity, or generally made valuable contributions to the West Side.
"The recipient list here only notes one reason each honoree received the award. But most of them were highly active in multiple fields and many of them, in effect, received “lifetime achievement” awards. My notations here, however, do suggest the variety of activities that can lead to the award." -- Ralph Brown
1977: Elaine Saline, a founder of Prescott House chemical health services.
1978: Frank Rodriguez, a leader in keeping I-35E off Lafayette Freeway.
1979: Judy Schaughnessy, an originator of WSCO’s working structure.
1980: Peggy Foster, a founder of West Side Neighborhood Housing Services.
1981: Ralph Brown, a leader in saving Riverview Library.
1982: Herb Dalglish, a leader in preserving Harriet Island for the public good.
1983: Jim Scheibel, a founder of the Voice newspaper.
1984: Bill Kuehn, artist, a founder of West Side Historical Society.
1985: Harlan Barry, a leader of the Wilder Senior Care residents council.
1986: West Side Church Community, acknowledgement of a key West Side resource.
1987: Sister M. Giovanni Gourhan SSND, the founder of Guadalupe Area Project.
1988: Marjorie Neihart, an advocate for West Side public schools.
1989: Betty GreenCrow, a leader of the Humboldt Native American community.
1990: Thor Nielsen, artist, a leader of the West Side’s Flood of History conference.
1991: Fr. Steve Adrian, a leader of the Wabasha Development Initiative.
1992: Gilbert de la O, a Neighborhood House advocate for youth services.
1993: Patti Tototzintle, a community leader in riverfront planning and negotiation.
1994: Don Luna, the originator and a developer of West Side Pride Day.
1995: Florine Frishckorn, a leader of Riverview Ecumenical Council.
1996: Isabel Chanslor, an advocate for the Bluff Park Homes development.
1997: Don Demarest, a journalist promoting the West Side’s multicultural stories.
1998: tie: Irene Josephs & Gene Josephs, partners, Lebanese cultural store proprietors.
1998: tie: David Velasquez, a president of West Side Boosters Club.
1999: Dorothy Newcomb, a member of Neighborhood House board of directors.
2000: Madlyn Nicolay, an exemplary kind and caring individual in the community.
2001: Brian Miller, a founder of Neighborhood Development Alliance.
2002: Pang Lee & Long Vang, partners, citizenship and language tutors of immigrants.
2003: Sheila Wood, a developer of family-focused community education programs.
2004: Ella Thayer, a founder of Riverview Garden Club.
2005: Anne Hunt, a Neighborhood Energy Consortium founder.
2006: Carol Swenson, a leader of the West Side Flats Riverfront Development Plan.
2007: Craig David, artist, advocate and creator of culturally significant public art.
2008: Catalina (Cat) Adamez-Smith & Adele (Dee Dee) Adamez-Randle, sisters, developers of West Side basketball, volleyball and softball programs for girls.
2009: Hokan Miller, riverboat pilot, an advocate for Mississippi River environment.
2010: tie: Maureen Hark, an organizer of community garden projects.
2010: tie: Debbie Luna, a recruiter extraordinaire of service project volunteers.
2011: Jon Kerr & Grit Youngquist, partners, founders of Friends of Lilydale Park.
2012: Gjerry Berquist, a facilitator of Holman Field stakeholder consensus building.
2013: Don Oberdorfer, a community garden builder and urban agriculture educator.
2014: Jackie Borgan, a president of Humboldt Parent Teacher Organization.
2015: Rev. Tim Johnson, pastor, a social justice and anti-racism leader.
2016: Jalisco Shabazz, a youth media arts creator at El Rio Vista recreation center.
2017: Tania Galaviz, a Mexica/Aztec Danza and Dia de Los Muertos cultural proponent.
2018: Katrina Mendoza, a founder of the West Side’s Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color leadership table.
2019: Enrique (Cha-Cho) Estrada, a national trainer in gang violence prevention.
2020: Maria McNamara, a co-creator of the West Side Family Center.
2021: Deb Kinsel, a West Side Boys and Girls Club proponent and administrator.
2022: Agustina Borroel, a parent leader with Humboldt and Cherokee Heights PTOs.
2023: Leah Mathiason, a cofounder of West Side Farmers Market and of GROWS.