“Thank You For Not Giving Up On People Like Me”

"Angela, that was great, having Jan Scully swear in one of our mentors during the luncheon! How did you manage to pull that off?” I wish I could have taken credit for this moving moment, but it was completely impromptu. It was just one of the wonderful and serendipitous things that can happen when Volunteers In Parole, Inc. holds its annual recognition luncheon.

Sacramento District Attorney Jan Scully swears in VIP Mentor Alana Mathews-Davis as a new Deputy District Attorney while Alana’s match partner, Phyllis Gonzalez, watches.

Thursday, May 6th, 2004 was the sixth annual recognition luncheon for the VIP program in Sacramento and Yolo Counties. The attendees gathered in the Paddlewheel room of the Delta King. The Honorable David DeAlba and VIP Board of Governors Vice-Chair, Diane Matthews served as masters of ceremonies. Since 1998, VIP has been the only program in Sacramento and Yolo Counties that matches recently released parolees from the California Department of Corrections with attorney volunteers who serve as mentors and friends.

Among those attending were the Honorable Gary E. Ransom and Commissioner David Foos; Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully; Sacramento County Chief Deputy District Attorney Cindy Besemer; Sacramento County Chief Assistant Public Defender Steve Lewis; Retired Sacramento County Chief Assistant Public Defender Doug Welch; Sacramento County Bar Association President Joan Stone; and immediate past SCBA President Bion M. Gregory.

Top correctional administrators also attended. The Youth and Adult Correctional Agency was represented by Secretary Roderick Q. Hickman and Undersecretary G. Kevin Carruth. The California Department of Corrections, Parole and Community Services Division was represented by Deputy Director Rick Rimmer, Parole Administrator Sharon Jackson, Deputy Parole Administrator Rick Burrows; and Sacramento Metro District Parole Administrator Mike Shimada.

Prior to presentation of the awards, Secretary Hickman gave a wonderful speech about the importance of programs that help parolees and their cost-effectiveness as opposed to incarceration. Awards were given in four categories. Attorney Spencer Walker was the Outstanding Attorney Volunteer. Spencer was unable attend, but his mentee, Chris Morgan, accepted the award on his behalf. The Outstanding Parole Agent was Stan Renzelman. Mentee, Lorie Desanto spoke of Agent Renzelman’s stupendous efforts as an agent. Attorney Alana Mathews-Davis and Phyllis Gonzalez were the Outstanding Mentorship Match. Mentee volunteers Aaron Malloy and Kathleen Serrano were honored for their Outstanding Achievement.

District Attorney Jan Scully helped present the award for mentorship match to attorney Alana Mathews-Davis and Phyllis Gonzalez. Four days earlier, Alana had started a new position with the District Attorney’s office. Jan asked Judge DeAlba to preside over the swearing- in of Alana as a Deputy District Attorney. Alana was teary eyed, and so was her mentee Phyllis when Christine Moburg of the Monroe Detention Facility read a letter that paid tribute to the tremendous progress Phyllis has made in changing her life.

Deputy District Attorney Richard Clark presented Aaron Malloy with an award for Outstanding Achievement. Aaron entered the criminal justice system at age 16, but for the past two years, he has maintained a 3.9 G.P.A, and was just accepted at UC Berkeley. Upon receiving the award, Aaron said, “I want to thank you for not giving up on people like me.”

A tearful Kathleen Serrano admitted that the VIP program helped her to stay focused and make the right decisions. Since her release from prison, Kathleen has faced some very difficult obstacles, but she is now using her life experiences to reach out to others and help them get on track.

Certificates of Appreciation were presented to several attorneys and judges: Linda Harter, the 2003 VIP Sacramento Advisory Committee Chair; Bion Gregory, a member of the Advisory Committee during his term as SCBA President; Judges Gary Ransom, David DeAlba, and Thomas Cecil (not present) for their long-time support and service as Advisory Committee members; and Doug Welch for his long-time service as both mentor and advisory committee member.

Organizations honored for their assistance and support of VIP were the Sacramento County Bar Association, Sacramento District Attorney’s Office, Sacramento County Office of the Public Defender, Yolo County Office of the Public Defender, and the California Department of Corrections, Parole and Community Services Division, Region I Headquarters.

I would also like to thank the staff of the Woodland Parole Unit, and Woodland Parole Unit Supervisor and Local Advisory Committee Chair-Elect Terri Turner for invaluable assistance with the event. Parole Agent Anthony Bell also volunteered his artistic touch as photographer during the ceremony.

It is the combined efforts of the community, organizations and agencies, and the mentors and mentees that help make VIP the success that it is, and help people reclaim their lives. Mentoring with Volunteers In Parole is a great opportunity for attorneys and judges to make a difference in creating a better and safer community. Volunteers are always needed. For more information, please contact Volunteers In Parole Program Director Angela Tillotson at (916) 324-4141, extension 259 or by email at vipsacramento@earthlink.net.