MARA CANTELO
(Nominated by Maria M. Miranda)
Gerald R. Ford Elementary School
March 10, 2011
Mara Cantelo is the leader of the Yucca Valley, California Tender Loving Christmas (TLC), a local charity established 25 years ago that helps people who have nowhere to go for the holidays. They provide a Christmas feast at the Community center every year and provide gifts of clothing and toys to those in need in the community. Ms. Cantelo also ran the local chapter of the Red Cross for several years before stepping down to provide her full attention to TLC. Mara Cantelo works tirelessly to bring food, comfort and care to thousands of people in the Morongo Basin and received the Jefferson Award, a prestigious national recognition award honoring community and public volunteerism in America.
