SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres will honor the recipient of the second Hispanic Heritage Comunidad Award for 2016 in a pregame ceremony prior to tonight's game vs. the Seattle Mariners. Andrea Skorepa, executive director/CEO and president of CASA FAMILIAR, has been selected as the recipient of the award by members of the Padres' Hispanic Community Advisory Council (HCAC). Each Comunidad Award winner will also receive $1,000 from the Padres Foundation to be donated to the charity of their choice.
Skorepa was selected to receive the award in the area of LEARN (youth education) for her work in providing various programs and educational services to families and residents of San Ysidro and South Bay San Diego. CASA FAMILIAR seeks to organize and empower individuals by providing them with the education necessary to take an active role in their communities by engaging them in civic, sustainability and quality of life issues affecting the region. Prior to working with CASA FAMILIAR, Skorepa served as a City of San Diego planning commissioner and founder/board chair of San Diego's "Citizen's Advisory Board on Police/Community Relations." She has also served on a number of Hispanic-focused committees including the Mayor's Latino Advisory Committee, the Chicano Executives Committee and a multitude of other community-based activities, boards and commissions on behalf of the San Diego community. Skorepa will be retiring in 2016 after many years of servicing the community.
The Padres' Hispanic Heritage Comunidad Award series celebrates its 5^th year anniversary in 2016. Established in 2012, the Comunidad Award looks 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 throughout the year, 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). To submit a nomination, visit www.padresbeisbol.com/comunidad (Please note: English nominations can be made by pressing the English nomination button).