Riekes Center founder Gary Riekes wins Jefferson Award for Public Service

Gary Riekes has been honored with a regional Jefferson Award for Public Service and will be featured on Super Bowl Sunday, February 7, at 7:30 am on KPIX-TV and at 11:50 am and 3:50 pm on All News 106.9 AM and 740 AM.

Gary Riekes is being recognized for his role in establishing The Riekes Center, a 42-year-old non-profit organization that is based in Menlo Park. The Riekes Center’s mission is to provide each student with the best possible opportunity to define and accomplish individual goals, build character and learn transferable life skills in an environment of non-judgment and mutual respect. They provide these opportunities regardless of the student’s ability to pay or ability to perform and provide scholarships to 30% of all students.

“I am humbled and honored to receive the Jefferson Award, one of the most respected in the non-profit arena in the Bay Area,” said Gary. “This award recognizes the hard work of our staff, students, board of directors and community supporters.”

The Jefferson Awards for Public Service, the country’s most prestigious and longest- standing public service awards, are given at both local and national levels. Local winners are “ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition.” It is the goal of the Jefferson Awards to inspire others to become involved in community and public service.

For 10 years, KPIX, the media partner of the Jefferson Awards, has been profiling “Bay Area Award winners’ stories of the quiet heroes who show how one person can make a difference in community.” All 2016 regional winners will be recognized at a medal ceremony next January. From this group, the local steering committee will select five “Silver Medal Winners,” whose names are then passed on to the national Jefferson Awards organization for consideration for a national award.