Padres Announce Final Recipients of 2013 Hispanic Heritage Comunidad Awards

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced the recipients of the final two Hispanic Heritage Comunidad Awards for 2013. Ramon Aldana, president of the City Heights Youth Soccer League, and Los Bomberos de San Diego, a volunteer firefighters association, have been selected as the recipients of the award by members of the Padres' Hispanic Community Leadership Council (HCLC). Aldana and Los Bomberos de San Diego were selected for their dedication to improving the lives of families and youth, in the areas of PLAY (youth fitness) and SERVE (first responders/military service), respectively. They will be honored before tonight's 7:10 p.m. game vs. the Chicago Cubs.

Aldana, president of the City Heights Youth Soccer League, has been selected as a recipient of the award in the area of youth fitness. For more than 14 years, Aldana has been creating a safe and positive environment for kids and teens, and promoting healthy lifestyle choices. The former professional soccer player in the Mexican League also partners with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the San Diego Tijuana Border Initiative to support their efforts to prevent drinking and driving.

Los Bomberos de San Diego will receive the award in the area of first responders/military service. Los Bomberos, which means "firefighters" in Spanish, is a volunteer association of firefighters and EMS personnel. Los Bomberos provide training for firefighters in Mexico for border region emergencies and raise money for academic scholarships for San Diego Hispanic youth. The group has gone as far as Durango, Mexico to train firefighters. They are also heavily involved in community events and youth mentoring. Accepting the award on behalf of the organization will be Los Bomberos President Joe Amador, a captain at Station 29 in San Ysidro.

"The Padres are proud to recognize and honor Ramon Aldana and Los Bomberos de San Diego for their sense of volunteerism and their commitment to bettering our region," said Padres President and CEO Mike Dee. "Both of these deserving recipients have volunteered countless hours in support of our community, and their service has made a notable impact."

The Padres' Hispanic Heritage Comunidad Award series was established in 2012 to recognize and pay tribute to individuals or organizations whose work makes a positive impact on those who live and work in San Diego's Hispanic community. In support of the Padres Foundation's community vision, four awards will be given over the course of the 2013 season, one each in the areas of children's health (LIVE), children's education (LEARN), youth baseball/softball or youth fitness (PLAY) and supporting our law enforcement and military communities (SERVE). Carmen Delgadillo, founder of the Friends of Scott Foundation, and Richard Nares, founder of the Emilio Nares Foundation, received the award for their dedication to improving the lives of families and youth, specifically in the area of children's health, while Aldo Sanchez, who just completed fourth grade at Ocean Beach Elementary School, received the award in the area of children's education.

All Hispanic Heritage Comunidad Award winners will be honored on the field before the Padres game on Friday, Sept. 20, 2013, as part of Hispanic Heritage Night presented by Verizon.