Each year since 1969, the La Cañada Flintridge Coordinating Council has presented Les Tupper Community Service Award to individuals, organizations and businesses that have given outstanding service to the community. These awards are named in honor of Les Tupper, a civic leader who cared deeply about education and enhancing the quality of life in the LCF community. The Les Tupper Awards Ceremony will be held at Flintridge Prep’s Norris Auditorium on Monday, April 17, at 7 p.m.
ERNEST KOEPPEN:
FOCUS SERVICE AWARD
Ernest Koeppen first volunteered for the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association in 2002. What started out as a request from a Paramount Studios co-worker to help with designing modern graphics and assisting with basic computer needs morphed into his involvement in the association ranging from everything having to do with the Rose Parade float: construction, administration, fundraising, under the bridge, equipment maintenance, procurement, convoy, general support and anything else needed.
Fast-forward 21 years and you will find Koeppen currently serving as president of the LCFTRA. His focus has turned to increasing membership, enhancing community participation and engaging students in building the community float. In addition to being president, he serves as the LCFTRA ambassador where he has formed partnerships with elected officials, our local printer and newspaper, clubs and high schools. In addition to being the face of the community float building, Koeppen is a founding mentor of the LCHS Engineering Club.
Outside of volunteering for LCFTRA, he maintains a custom fabrication shop. Along with custom projects, he teaches young future engineers as well as auto enthusiasts. Koeppen is an avid car enthusiast and believes LCFTRA has the biggest hot rod in town!
TRISH MCRAE:
INDIVIDUAL SERVICE AWARD
Trish McRae is part of the 20% of a volunteer group that does 80% of the work. She thrives by volunteering in education, youth activities, cultural pursuits and civic service.
She is currently the president of the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada presiding over a 15-member board of directors with more than 70 active members. A staunch advocate for youth, her determination brought back the LCHS Key Club and LCHS 7/8 Builders Club, which are supported by the club. Through her direction, the Kiwanis continue to raise funds for high school scholarships targeting needs based students as well as service projects, which included a fundraising drive to help fulfill “Wish List” dreams for Five Acres youth.
With a focus on making a difference in education, McRae joined the Community Scholarship Foundation of La Cañada Flintridge Inc. in 2018. As Scholarship Director, she revamped the application and evaluation process.
Since 2020, McRae has served on the LCF Trails Council Board of Directors. She revitalized their social media presence by encouraging the use of the trails. She was part of the team that launched the monthlong LCF Trails Game to help battle COVID fatigue during the pandemic by enjoying the trails.
On the civic front, McRae has been a La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce Ambassador for the past six years. She is a steadfast advocate for business.
Through the La Cañada Tournament of Roses, her cultural pursuit of excellence is evident with six years of service to the group including hospitality coordinator and most recently her election to the LCFTRA Board of Directors.
ANDREW MIHAL:
STUDENT SERVICE AWARD
Andrew Mihal is a senior at La Cañada High School. He was one of two students selected to attend California Boys’ state delegate, lawyer and senior policy adviser in Sacramento. He is an AP scholar and holds many leadership positions in various academic societies as well as extracurricular activities. He is an exemplary student.
Mihal co-founded the Asian History club with three friends, combining history with their heritage. He is a member of the school’s chess club and tutors students new to the game to increase their chess skills. Mihal also founded the Sports Analytics Club as he has a personal passion to share and spread information about sabermetrics, data analysis and computer programming.
He continues to help put on science events both on campus and in the community as well as tutoring at a local elementary school in their math and science programs. In February, he helped set up and organize the annual Science Fair, helping with background logistics to display student-made science projects to the general public.
What began as a day camp participant at the Spartan Allstars Sports Day Camp in 2014 has led to a camp counselor position for the past three years. In addition, Mihal is a group leader overseeing 15 campers, two junior counselors and another peer counselor.
Mihal has volunteered to assist with the construction of the LCF Rose Parade float since he was in the 7th-grade and has recruited other high school students to be on the team. He has achieved “orange shirt and white coveralls” operator status and was selected as an observer on the float for the 2023 Rose Parade.
HAYDEN OWEN:
STUDENT SERVICE AWARD
Hayden Owen, a senior at St. Francis High School, volunteers both at school and around the city. He is a Link Leader, mentoring freshmen at his school. He is also a member of the championship winning Cross County team, serving as the captain. He represents his team at their Athletic Leadership Council, where he is a voice for his teammates and fellow classmates. He enjoys being a contributor to the Shield, the school’s literary magazine.
Owen is a patrol leader for local Troop 507 as well as an Eagle Scout. His project focused on the Community Center of LCF, where he did various improvements throughout the facility including benches, chairs and other infrastructural repairs. He is actively involved at St. Bede the Venerable Church in the Skidettes program where he makes lunches for homeless individuals almost every Saturday morning. He has assisted with the Franciscan Friar Food Truck, helping serve meals to those in need in the local and surrounding areas.
WILLIAM WADE:
STUDENT SERVICE AWARD
William Wade, a senior at La Cañada High School, tutors students in grades 9-11 throughout the school year in Spanish, English and math. He has also been a peer support volunteer counseling students having difficulties as well as mentoring students to hone counseling skills and working with students in the high school’s Wellness Center.
In 2019, Wade joined the Genders and Sexualities Alliance Club and eventually became its president. He has organized fundraisers and donated the money to organizations such as the Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.
Outside of school, Wade is an active member of La Cañada Presbyterian Church where he is a Vacation Bible School group leader for 10-15 elementary schoolchildren. He has cooked dinners and holds discussions on Bible topics and faith with youth groups.
In Pasadena, he has volunteered with the Stars nonprofit program, which partners with Lake Avenue Church in teaching children in grades 1-3 reading skills as well as supervising outdoor activities and games.
Wade worked with a nonprofit organization in India taking care of orphaned children by placing them in pastors’ homes. During his visits to the homes, he interacted with the children though play and reading, as well as distributing goods and packages. He served as an ambassador for the nonprofit upon returning to the United States.
In addition to his volunteer work, Wade is a National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist with a GPA of 4.56.
LCF TOURNAMENT OF ROSES ASSOCIATION:
ORGANIZATION SERVICE AWARD
La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association has grown and expanded its presence in the La Cañada Flintridge community since its inception in 1978. The organization is well known for retaining its key volunteers and offering opportunities for advancement in the “float” community. Building the float is a community effort.
The tightest bond is with local schools and the parents as student volunteers progress from teen decorators to crew chief. Many volunteers reserve the time to continue the marathon pace to decorate the float of the year over winter break. Some volunteers are just the latest generation of fundraisers, builders and decorators from their families.
The organization’s strength is giving volunteers of all ages the opportunity to do things they have never done before. On the construction side, that may be learning to weld, build characters and realize the value of contributing some time or talent to ensure the float’s success.
School and scout troops annually supplement their service hour and badge requirements by contributions in some phase represented by one or more components of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).
As an all-volunteer organization, LCFTRA has the support of multiple local organizations including Kiwanis, RSVs, LCF Chamber of Commerce, City Council, Coordinating Council, school groups, Miss LCF committee and the Royal Court as well as many former Les Tupper winners. The organization has an impressive list of 32 award-winning floats.
Many more community members support the organization annually with their donations. About 1,400 individuals make up a single year’s volunteer pool contributing close to 20,000 hours in the 13 months it takes to build a float; 80% of the volunteer hours occur between Dec. 22 and Jan. 2.
MONTROSE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM:
FOCUS SERVICE AWARD
The Montrose Search and Rescue Team, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, celebrated its 75th Anniversary last September. The team is composed of 24 members from our local area: 18 sworn reserve deputies and six civilian volunteers. It is the busiest of L.A. County’s eight search and rescue teams and has the largest area of responsibility: 500 square miles or about 640 square acres. Angeles Crest Highway is the focus of most operations. The team members attend monthly meetings and trainings as well as patrol Angeles Crest on the weekends. Through the writing of grants, the team has acquired seven vehicles and one winch truck used to accomplish their missions.
The trained men and women are ready to respond to any wilderness emergency 24 hours a day. The team is always on call. They are available to assist beyond L.A. County through the Mountain Rescue Association serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The team also travels throughout California and other requested locations to aid in rescue or recovery. The team most recently traveled to Turkey to aid in search and rescue after a devastating 7.8 earthquake.
Every member is a Reserve Deputy, certified EMT and Mountain Rescue certified in order to assist in the following missions:
• Extrication and evacuation of victims from a car that has gone over the side of a mountain road;
• Recovery of bodies;
• Rescues from mines, tunnels or underground utility vaults;
• Urban disasters, including collapsed buildings and rescues from damaged structures;
• Swift water rescue during times of flooding;
• Location of downed aircraft.
These amazing volunteers are business people, medical professionals, contractors, engineers and teachers. They
all share a common bond: The sense of satisfaction felt when the team participates in the successful location and rescue.
First published in the April 13 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
