The success of CWC is dependent on the dedication of many hardworking members. We recognize exceptional service of our volunteers through these two awards:
- Ina Coolbrith Awards
- Jack London Awards
Ina Coolbrith Award
Periodically, the CWC Central Board bestows the Ina Coolbrith Award to honor a member for exemplary service to CWC and/or the Central Board.
- 2021: Rusty LaGrange
- 2019: Donna McCrohan-Rosenthal
- 2018: David George
- 2017: Bob Isbill
- 2016: Ray Malus
- 2014: Robert Garfinkle
- 2013: Dave La Roche
- 2011: Kelly Harrison
- 2009: Joyce Krieg
- 2007: Casey Wilson
- 2006: Barbara Truax
- 2005: Betty Freeman
- 2004: Ruth Theodos
Jack London Award
Every other year, each CWC branch may nominate one member to receive a Jack London Award in recognition of outstanding service to the organization.
The award honors a member whose service to the CWC and/or a branch has been exemplary. The merit of the award is in the service, independent of writing accomplishments. It is not mandatory that a branch designate a recipient simply because theopportunity exists. The CWC president bestows the awards at the annual corporate meeting.
The Jack London Service Award and the Ina Coolbrith Award are considered the highest honors bestowed upon a member by CWC.
Jack London Award (2015-2021)
| Branch | 2021 | 2019 | 2017 | 2015 |
| Berkeley | Karma Bennett | Kristen Caven | — | |
| Central Coast | Clarissa Conn | Laurie Sheehan | Leslie Patiño | |
| Coastal Dunes | — | Jenna Elizabeth Johnson | — | |
| East Sierra | John E. Anderson | Juliane DiBlasi Black | Daniel Stallings | |
| Fremont | Jan Small | Shirley Ferrante | Arthur Carey | |
| High Desert | Dr. Mary Langer Thompson | Jenny Margotta | Dwight Norris | |
| Inland Empire | Sam Nichols | — | — | |
| Long Beach | Frank Kerns | Allene Symons | — | |
| Marin | John Byrne Barry | — | Joan Steidinger | |
| Mt. Diablo | Marlene Dotterer | Elisabeth Tuck | Barbara Bentley | |
| Napa | Sarita Lopez | — | — | |
| North State | Kathleen Hiatt | — | — | |
| Orange County | — | Jonathan Yanez | Jeanette Fratto | |
| Redwood | Robbi Sommers Bryant | Sandy Baker | Jeane Slone | |
| Sacramento | Jenifer Rowe | Gini Grossenbacher | Steve Liddick | |
| San Fernando | Rita Keeley Brown | Mary R. Freeman | — | |
| SF/Peninsula | Laurel Ann Hillr | Bill Baynes | Carole J. Bumpus | |
| San Joaquin | Anthony Marinelli | June Gillam | — | |
| South Bay | Carolyn Donnell | Sally A. Minor | Colin Seymour | |
| Tri-Valley | Patricia Boyle | G. Karl Kumfert | Deborah Jordan Bernal | Paula Chinick |
| Writers of Kern | Janet D. Skirbinski | Dan McGuire | Dennis I. VanderWerff | |
| Writers of Mendocino | — | Amie McGee | Doug Fortier |
Jack London Award (2007-2013)
| Branch | 2013 | 2011 | 2009 | 2007 |
| Berkeley | Linda Brown | David Baker | Anne Fox | Lucille Bellucci |
| Central Coast | Joyce Krieg | Harold Grice | Ken Jones | Walter Gourlay |
| East Sierra | Margaret Luebs | — | Stephen J. Wersan | Allison Aubin |
| Fremont | Carol Lee Hall | Myrla Raymundo | Robert A. Garfinkle | — |
| High Desert | Roberta L. Smith | Carol Warren | Robert D. Isbill | — |
| Inland Empire | Laura Hoopes | Sharon Herdina | Libby Grandy | Kathyrn Wilkens |
| Long Beach | Liv Elin Haugland | Kathryn Atkins | Anne Margis | — |
| Marin | — | Tanya Egan Gibson | Cindy A. Pavlinac | — |
| Mt. Diablo | Judith Marshall | David George | Joanne Brown | Camille Minichino |
| Orange County | Carol Lee Hall | — | Pamela Tallman | Darlene Lindouer |
| Redwood | Linda Loveland Reid | Linda C. McCabe | Karen L. Batchelor | Catherine Keegan |
| Sacramento | Kimberly A. Edwards | Margie Yee Webb | Julie Bauer | Grace Ertel |
| San Fernando | Andrea Polk | Ray Malus | — | Cara Alson |
| SF/Peninsula | Bardi Rosman Koodrin | Ann Foster | — | Tory Hartmann |
| South Bay | Marjorie Bicknell Johnson | Dick Amyx | Dave LaRoche | Victoria Burlew |
| Tri-Valley | Violet Carr Moore | Lani Longshore | Kathy Urban | Sue Tasker |
| West Valley | — | — | Kathy Highcove | — |
| Writers of Kern | Annis Cassells | Dana Martin | Sandy Moffett | Joe Tomasi |
Jack London Award (2002-2005)
Through 2005, the Jack London Awards were given every year.
| Branch | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
| Berkeley | Virginia K. Anderson | Caroline Ahlswede | Sarah Clark | — |
| Central Coast | Pat Matuszewski | — | — | — |
| East Sierra | Liz Babcock | Holly Cooley | Donna McCrohan Rosenthal | Judy Martin |
| High Desert | — | — | George Gracyk | — |
| Inland Empire | S. Kay Murphy | Cyndy Largarticha | — | Laura Slattery |
| Marin | Tom Brown | — | Priscilla Royal | Barbara Truax |
| Mt. Diablo | Al Villaire | Danard Emmanuelson | Jack Russ | Denise Kalm |
| Orange County | John P. Farmer | Dave Cunningham | Carol Celeste | AlleneSymons |
| Redwood | Mary Rosenthal | Gil Mansergh | Nadenia Newkirk | — |
| Sacramento | Mike Finch | — | Tom Adams | — |
| San Fernando | Art Yuwiler | Elaine Shevin | Jo-ed Griffith | Lenora Smalley |
| SF/Peninsula | Jana McBurney-Lin | Teresa LeYung Ryan | Sue Okasanen | Jean Rieth |
| South Bay | Carolyn Downey | Beth Proudfoot | Carol Wood | Bill Baldwin |
| Writers of Kern | Terry Redman | Camille Gavin | Beth Davisson | Maggie Caldwell-Smith |
Jack London Award (1998-2001)
| Branch | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 |
| Berkeley | — | — | Linda Thorlakson | W. E. Reinka |
| East Sierra | Curt Danhauser | Judy Dutcher | Rlee Peters | Casey Wilson |
| High Desert | — | Teri Lucia | Liz Pinto | Wilma Willis Gore |
| Inland Empire | — | Gladys Hotchkiss | — | — |
| Mt. Diablo | Al Garratto | Beverly Lauderdale | Liz Pentacoff | Raymond Martell |
| Orange County | Ralph Eden | — | — | — |
| Redwood | — | — | — | Barbara Truax |
| Sacramento | — | Marsha Porter | — | Dee Porter |
| San Fernando | Dean Stewart | Valley Dave Wetterberg | Ethelann Pemberton | Ken Wilkins |
| SF/Peninsula | Mariann Jackson | — | — | Jean Rieth |
| South Bay | Edie Matthews | Susan Mueller | Beverly Morgan | Tina Farrell |
| Writers of Kern | Peg Connolly | Helen Shanley | Jim Imel | Barbara Nelson |
Jack London Award (1991-1997)
| Branch | 1997 | 1995 | 1993 | 1991 |
| Berkeley | Alexandra Gautraud | Julian Adams | Willie Rose | Caryl Hansen |
| High Desert | Carol Bachofner | J’Amy Pacheco | Ruth Theodos | — |
| Inland Empire | — | Gladys Hotchkiss | — | — |
| Mt. Diablo | Joan Brennan | Pat Edwards | Ted Fuller | Mercedes Gardner |
| Redwood | Mary C. Varley | Mildred Fish | Alla Crone (Hayden) | Waldo T. Boyd |
| Sacramento | Charles Pettingell | Beth Tigner | Bill Holden | Elisabeth Tigner |
| San Fernando | Judith Presnall | Diana Johnson | Margie Davidson | Yolanda Fintor |
| SF/Peninsula | Christina Ashton | Ellen Macaulay | Barbara Foley | James McLaughlin |
| South Bay | Susan Edwards | Pat St.Lawrence | Karen E. Hinger | Tom Mach |
| Writers of Kern | Barbara Gabel | — | — | — |
Jack London Award (1983-1989)
| Branch | 1989 | 1987 | 1985 | 1983 |
| Berkeley | John Campbell Bruce | Cecilia Bartholomew | Jessie Scanlan | Ray Faraday Nelson |
| High Desert | Carol Bachofner | J’Amy Pacheco | Ruth Theodos | — |
| Inland Empire | — | Gladys Hotchkiss | — | — |
| Mt. Diablo | Helen McGrath | Pat Edwards | Ted Fuller | — |
| Peninsula | Mary Collins Dunne | Emily Hallin | Marie L. Nunn | Laura Raef |
| Redwood | Mary Priest | Margaret Scariano | Ruth Irma Walker | Inman Whipple |
| Sacramento | Marilyn Smith | Beth Tigner | Joseph McCall | Bud Gardner |
| San Fernando | Betty Freeman | Joan Jones | — | — |
| South Bay | Madge Saksena | — | — | — |
Jack London Award (1975-1981)
| Branch | 1981 | 1979 | 1977 | 1975 |
| Berkeley | Ruth Atkinson (Heady) | — | Cleone Montgomery | Lloyd Eric Reeve |
| Peninsula | Beatrice Warren | Alice Kennedy | Dorothy Dowdell | Louise Boggess |
| Redwood | Pat Patterson | Peggy Ray | Dianne Kurlfinke | Helene Schellenberg (Barnhart) |
| Sacramento | Bernice Curler | Irene Donelson | Edwin Rosenberg | Gladys Morse |
Jack London Award (1973)
- Berkeley— Margaret Kelley
- Peninsula— RutherfordMontgomery
- Sacramento— Lorena Olmsted
Ina Coolbrith Award Winners
Robert Garfinkle (2014)
Bob Garfinkle (Fremont) is a long- time member of California Writer’s Club and a lifetime member. He has dedicated a tremendous amount of his time and talent to CWC and continues the work of 19th/20th -century California poet Ina Coolbrith who encouraged new writers through her literary salons.
Like Ina Coolbrith, Bob encourages new writers at club meetings. Like Ina Coolbrith who was President of the Congress of Authors and Journalists, Bob was president of Fremont Area Writers and California Writers Club. Like Ina Coolbrith who was a celebrated poet and author, Bob is an internationally known author of astronomy books and scientific journal articles. Like Ina Coolbrith who was active in her community as an Oakland librarian, Bob was active in the community as Union City Council Member. Like Ina Coolbrith, Bob has demonstrated his love of writing through his active support of CWC.
His achievements include: Central Board representative for the South Bay branch from 2003-2007, formed the new Fremont Area Writers Branch and served as president, launched the Annual CWC picnic and chaired it for several years, and was on the staff of South Bay Writers’ East of Eden Writer Conference from 2004 to 2008. Springer Publishing recently released his chef d’oeuvre on astronomy, Luna Cognita, (Known Moon)
When asked why he gives so much of his busy life to CWC, he responded, “I enjoy the camaraderie of working with other writers. I guess I just like writers.”
Dave La Roche (2013)
Dave received the Ina Coolbrith Award for serving as the Bylaws and Policy Chair, 2007 through the present. He also established the e-business forum, and wrote the associated operating procedure. He founded the NorCal Group of the CWC, a northern California regional association of branches intent upon promoting Club interests, addressing branch leadership needs, and augmenting members’ interest in writing. He chaired NorCal for its initial three years, and he conceived of and established the Publishing Pathways program, a resource for new writers faced with myriad publishing questions and dozens of pitfalls when wanting to publish their books. He created and developed the Literary Review, and serves as its managing editor.
After numerous credits accumulated in majors from engineering through a political science and pre-law curriculum at several Midwest universities, Dave earned a BS in Business Management from San Jose State. With work, a similar path of various employments ended his career in Aerospace middle management with Ford Aerospace then Loral Systems. His writing career began late in this journey, only after, he would say, sufficient experience to know what and why he was putting to paper. He has written about 20 short stories, published a dozen or more, and has completed the first draft of his first novel, Ordinary Times. Dave’s credo with regard to writing goes something like this: “Live before you write. Words belong to any of us but stories are the product of life.”
Kelly Harrison (2011)
An instructor at San Jose State University, Kelly received the Ina Coolbrith Award for her work editing the fifth edition of West Winds Centennial, a collection of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction by members of the California Writers Club. The first West Winds, a hardcover collection of fiction, was published in 1914 and illustrated by California artists. Follow-up editions were published in 1925, 1931, and 1989. West Winds Centennial is the fifth edition.
Kelly has been an active member of CWC since 2007. She co-directed the East of Eden Writers Conference in 2008 with fellow CWC member Edie Matthews. It drew 300 attendees, and featured workshops, agents, publishers, and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jane Smiley. After a successful career in technical writing, she started teaching technical writing in 1999. She earned her MFA in 2005 and currently teaches creative and technical writing. She is also a past director of the Center for Literary Arts, an organization that brings noted authors to campus, and is present director of Writing Programs at San Jose State University.
Joyce Krieg (2009)
Joyce considers her biggest and most important CWC achievement to be rekindling awareness of our connection to Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland, of the planting of Writers Memorial Grove, and of the construction of the Cascades and Woodminster Amphitheater. This impressive CWC project had almost been lost in the mists of time until Joyce did her own research and brought it to the attention of the Central Board and to the general membership in The Bulletin. Thanks to her efforts, CWC now has a permanent display commemorating our centennial at the ranger station at Joaquin Miller Park.
Joyce was not even a member of California Writers Club when she agreed to help the Central Coast branch with their newsletter in October 2004. Since then, Joyce has joined CWC and has held almost every office and committee chair at her branch: newsletter editor, membership chair, program chair, workshop chair, and treasurer. She culminated her career with Central Coast by serving as president in 2011-2012, and continues to serve as her branch’s Central Board representative. Also very active at the state level, Joyce currently serves as secretary to the Central Board and chair of the CWC NorCal Group, as well as being editor of the CWC Bulletin.
Casey Wilson (2007)
Casey edited the first CWC branch anthology, Images; was a founding member of the East Sierra branch; and served as president of the California Writers Club corporate central board of directors first from 1999 to 2002 and again from 2008 to 2010. With Barbara Truax, he created and codified the CWC Policies and Procedures.
After 37 years working for the federal government, Casey changed careers in May 1993 to become a full-time freelance writer. His first commercial publication appeared in the January 1969 issue of Electronics World. Since 1993, his articles and photographs have come out in newspapers and several national magazines. He has written scripts for and worked as production manager for television public service announcements. In addition to his writing, he teaches writing and photography workshops
Barbara Truax (2006)
Barbara has served on the Central Board as president, secretary, and membership chair. In 2003, during her presidency, a California State Assembly Legislative Resolution declared the third week of October as “California Writers Week.” In 1999, Barbara and other residents of Marin County formed the CWC Marin branch. In 2010, Marin branch received a Marin County Board of Supervisors Resolution recognizing the third week in October as “California Writers Week.”
Barbara writes short stories, articles and flash fiction. She believes in the durability of the written word, the impact on the reader, and the responsibility of the writer to make the connection. Her favorite quotation: “Planning to write is not writing. Outlining…researching…talking to people about what you’re doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing.” — E. L. Doctorow
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