The Board of Directors of the Redwood City Police Activities League (PAL) has announced that the recipient of the 2011 “Alpio Barbara Citizen of the Year” Award is Martin Cooper, a reserve officer with the Redwood City Police Department, and PAL volunteer.

“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the many years of service Marty has provided to PAL,” said Jim Gordon, President of the PAL Board of Directors. “His meaningful contributions of time and energy, high standards of community involvement, and many skills and talents have been of great value to the entire community of Redwood City.”

During his more than 14 years of service to PAL, Marty Cooper has performed as a board member, accountant, and Treasurer. This award recognizes his exemplary efforts and passion to help manage PAL’s financial health, significantly helping the organization to grow from its earlier years of serving 200 kids, to its present level of success with over 3,500 youth and community members involved each year.

The Alpio Barbara Citizen of the Year Award honors and commends Mr. Cooper’s tireless efforts in establishing a strong information technology system and set of process for PAL, helping it to be much more efficient and therefore better able to serve the community. As a ‘jack of all trades’ for PAL, Mr. Cooper willingly stepped up and worked in many areas of PAL including establishing a new payroll system, securing insurance coverage, and setting up the PAL Document Binder — in effect helping to further organize the PAL operation and maximize its efficiency. Additionally, for many years Mr. Cooper has been directly involved in PAL’s annual Blues Festival fundraiser in Downtown Redwood City, making sure that this special day goes off smoothly.

Known throughout the PAL community for his generous commitment to helping the organization reach its goals, Marty Cooper’s work has had a lasting, positive impact on how PAL serves the community.

The annual Alpio Barbara Citizen of the Year Award, named after long-time PAL supporter, past president and Redwood City businessman Alpio Barbara, recognizes the most admirable and commendable individuals for their exemplary efforts to bring PAL and its programs to the greater community.

With the help of the great volunteers who give of their time and energy, Redwood City PAL focuses on intervention, prevention, and alternative programs for at-risk and economically challenged youth in Redwood City, offering a positive influence to thousands of children and teens each year. Visit the PAL website at www.redwoodcitypal.com.

— Tom Cronin, Executive Director, Redwood City Police Activities League

Redwood City Police Activities League’s (RWC PAL) mission is to build partnerships between youth, police, and the community through educational, cultural, recreational and outreach programs to help youth reach their full potential. Redwood City PAL is a nonprofit community-based organization providing intervention, prevention, and alternative programs to youth in Redwood City, California. The Board of Directors of RWC PAL has recently embarked on an organizational effectiveness project designed to ensure PAL’s ongoing stability and overall efficiency as it moves into the new fiscal year and beyond. The Board is excited about the new initiatives and administrative and programmatic changes that are being implemented. It will be an exciting opportunity for an Executive Director to build and expand the RWC PAL program and infrastructure.

Position Overview

The Executive Director is responsible for the management and operation of the Redwood City PAL (RWC PAL) and insuring the execution of the mission, strategic goals and objectives set by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director reports directly to the Board and manages the day-to-day operations of the program and the PAL building, leads the fund development efforts, and serves as a spokesperson in the community with donors, program partners, and the City of Redwood City, and other related persons and organizations.