The people have spoken!!!! Here are your top nominees for the 2025 Citizen, Business and Nonprofit of the year.

The Nomination process was open to the public in November

*Non Profit of the year

Nominee must be a 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 in Discovery Bay, Byron, Brentwood, Oakley or Bethel Island and have not won in the last 7 years

*Business of the year

Nominee must be a Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce member in good standing for at least a year and must be a locally owned or locally owned franchise and must be a “for profit” business. and have not won in the last 7 years

*Citizen of the year

Nominee must be an individual residing in the 94505-94514 and currently participate in humanitarian/volunteer activities that make a difference in the Town of Discovery Bay and/or the community at large, Inspires Others by their example. and have not won in the last 7 years

All Nominees must be in Good Standing and have not won in the last 7 years.

VOTING IS NOW OPEN
VOTING CLOSES ON JANUARY 11, 2026

Winners will be announced at the State of the Town Gala January 24, 2026.

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Vote For Your 2025 Citizen, Business, and Non-Profit of the Year

Vote for one each in each category

Voting closes on January 11, 2026

Business of the Year 2025 Nominees

Vin Alegro

2025 Business of the Year Nominee

Vin Alegro is honored to be nominated for Business of the Year in Discovery Bay. Our mission is to create a welcoming space rooted in community, connection, and generosity.

One of our most meaningful contributions is our super affordable cooking classes (Adult & Kids), which bring residents of all ages together to learn, share meals, and build relationships. We believe food is a powerful tool for connection, and our classes have become a joyful place for people to gather and grow.

Community support is at the heart of what we do. When Helping One Woman recently faced being charged for a venue, Vin Alegro stepped in—covering all venue expenses so this event could happen without financial pressure. We also regularly host fundraisers for local schools, helping raise money for student programs, activities, and educational needs. In addition, we proudly donate to the East County Food Bank, supporting families who need extra help.

To make our space accessible to everyone, we offer heavily discounted happy hours and affordable take-and-bake meals, giving the community convenient, high-quality options that fit every budget.

At Vin Alegro, we believe a business should serve with heart. We are grateful for Discovery Bay’s support and remain committed to giving back through hospitality, compassion, and community-focused initiatives.

Discovery Bay Tech Solutions

2025 Business of the Year Nominee

Tony George, Owner/Operator of Discovery Bay Tech Solutions, has 35 years of experience in high technology industry at both start-ups and Fortune100 companies, where he oversaw engineering and operations for technologies like Ethernet, WIFI, Video on Demand, and Cloud Services. Always prioritizing customer needs in his work, now operating Discovery Bay Tech Solutions to help local businesses and individuals with networking, computing, and audio/video challenges and designs. He communicates complex technical issues clearly, helping customers feel confident in the solutions offered. His company provides volunteer technical services for the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, where he is the Technical Committee Chairperson. Volunteer services are also provided as technical director for the DB Chamber of Commerce as well as Kaleidoscope Cancer Connection. Tony has also conducted technical training classes for seniors in Summerset Brentwood.

A dedicated community volunteer since 1997, Tony and his wife Carolyn (2020 Discovery Bay Citizen of the Year) have five children, all who have graduated from Liberty High School, and seven grandchildren. He has coached youth sports for over 35 years, served as President both the Brentwood Pony Baseball League and Liberty High School Athletic Booster Club. Since 2018, he has served as Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Cancer Connection (2020 Non-Profit of The Year). Tony is the current Vice-President, and 2026/2027 incoming President, of the Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce. Earlier this year, Tony was appointed Scouting America District Chairperson for the Diablo Sunrise District serving youth across all our East County Communities. In 2023, Tony was honored to be named Discovery Bay Citizen of The Year.

Non-Profit of the Year 2025 Nominees

All Gods Children

2025 Non-Profit of the Year Nominee

All God’s Children Christian School (AGC) has been a cherished part of the Discovery Bay community since 2001. As the area’s only brick-and-mortar Christian school, AGC serves families with students from Preschool through 5th grade, offering a faith-filled, nurturing environment rooted in biblical truth and academic excellence.

What began as a humble class of six students has blossomed into a Christ-centered haven for more than 150 children. With small student-to-teacher ratios and a dedicated team of educators, AGC provides an educational experience that supports every child’s academic, spiritual, and emotional growth.

Students enjoy a rich program that includes daily Bible study, weekly chapel services, hands-on learning, weekly Spanish instruction, and a robust music and art curriculum. This holistic approach fosters kindness, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning, ensuring students grow not only in knowledge but also in character.

As a seeker-friendly community, AGC joyfully welcomes families of all backgrounds who desire a warm, supportive, and values-driven environment. Parents consistently give AGC 5-star ratings, praising the school’s extraordinary educators and its commitment to cultivating joyful, compassionate, and capable young citizens.

Beyond the classroom, AGC strengthens the fabric of Discovery Bay by sponsoring local events, partnering closely with families, and offering extended care that supports the needs of working parents. The students and families of AGC reflect the heart of the school—future leaders who embody compassion, service, and the call to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

AGC continues to stand as a beacon of faith, excellence, and community, shaping lives and building a legacy of love for generations to come.

Vasco Forever Helping Families

2025 Non-Profit of the Year Nominee

Vasco Forever Helping Families was born from Tragedy but created to bring hope. Out of immense loss, I found a deeper purpose. Vasco Forever Helping Families was established to raise awareness about the dangers of Vasco Road and to advocate for stronger safety measures – not only on Vasco Road but across all surrounding highways where lives continue to be at risk.

Through advocacy, education, and action, we strive to prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreak.

But our mission goes beyond awareness. We honor those who have been injured or lost by supporting the families who are left to carry the weight of that tragedy. Whether it is assistance with medical bills, hospital expenses, or funeral costs, we are here to help ease a burden that no family should ever have to face alone.

Coyote Crossing Ranch

2024 Non-Profit of the Year Nominee

Coyote Crossing Ranch Rescue and Sanctuary (CCRR&S) is a registered 501c3. We are an animal rescue, rehabilitation center and a safe haven for all animals. Our focus is taking in injured, neglected, mistreated and/or abandoned animals that are in need of a home. Animals that are able to be rehabilitated and rehomed will be adopted out and animals that are in need of continuous care, have special needs or are otherwise not suited to rehome will stay on the ranch for the remainder of their lives. All animals will receive vet care as needed and will be housed and fed in a safe, secure, peaceful environment.

Citizen of the Year 2025 Nominees

Jeannette Hemenway

2025 Citizen of the Year Nominee

For the past twenty years, I’ve been proud to call this community my home. To me, Discovery Bay is more than a place to live—it is a town where neighbors help each other, citizens unite to support those in need, and where people celebrate their wins and grieve their losses together. This spirit of connection is what drives my service.

The desire to give back is why I am the founding chapter leader of Helping One Woman – Discovery Bay, an organization committed to supporting women facing life’s most difficult moments. By rallying our community around “one woman at a time,” we’ve helped countless families move forward with hope and dignity.

I also serve as the Secretary of Vasco Forever Helping Families, a nonprofit focused on assisting victims of tragic accidents along Vasco Road. Through this work, I advocate for families who are suddenly burdened with emotional and financial hardship, ensuring they are not left to navigate those challenges alone.

As the owner of LogoWear Anywhere, I partner with local businesses to strengthen their brand identity and help them succeed. Supporting our business community is another way I believe we all rise together.
My commitment to our youth runs deep as well—having served on the PTA at both Timber Point and Excelsior Middle School, and as a girls’ tennis coach at Liberty High School.

Above all, I’m a mother of two and a wife of 28 years, grateful every day for the chance to serve the place we call home. It would be an honor to represent Discovery Bay as Citizen of the Year.

Liz Clarke

2025 Citizen of the Year Nominee

Rooted in Discovery Bay since 1995, Elizabeth lives with her husband Mike and is a proud mother of two sons and grandmother of three. She is the owner of Structure Groups, a civil engineering firm with offices in Livermore and Brentwood, and currently serves as President of the Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce and an active member of the Discovery Bay Yacht Club.

Elizabeth has a long-standing commitment to community service. As Chamber President, she built bridges across the business community, launched the Women’s Leadership Panel, and helped strengthen local partnerships. She’s also an engaged member of the Byron Delta Lions Club, where her favorite project is providing vision screenings to students in both the Byron and Brentwood school districts.

After her father’s dementia diagnosis in 2020, Elizabeth began volunteering with the local Respite Center to support caregivers and families. She also collaborates with organizations that serve farm workers, providing food, clothing, and medical supplies and actively supports programs like the Delta Food Pantry and Wreaths Across America. Recently installed as President of Vasco Forever Helping Families, Elizabeth is focused on advocacy and support for victims of tragic accidents on Vasco Road. Through her firm, she also coordinates holiday giving efforts for families in East Contra Costa County delivering meals, gifts for children, and pet care supplies.

“I’ve never been someone who seeks the spotlight. I thrive behind the scenes—solving problems, clearing roadblocks, and helping others get back on their feet. That’s where I find purpose. That’s what fills my cup.”

Mike Guzzardo

2025 Citizen of the Year Nominee

Mike Guzzardo is a Real Estate Broker Associate with Corcoran Icon Properties & founder of DeltaLifestyle.com, created for those who love the Delta as deeply as he does. He moved to Discovery Bay in 2003, inspired by the water, the lifestyle, and the community he now proudly serves.

For more than 22 years, Mike has been one of Discovery Bay’s most active advocates—promoting the Delta, supporting local organizations, and giving back in ways that strengthen the town’s identity. Mike and his wife, Jules, co-founded the Paddle for Fame event & helped launch Save the California Delta Alliance, a group that successfully fought the Delta Gates proposal and continues challenging the Delta Tunnel project.

Mike has served on the Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce Board, the Delta Association of Realtors Local Government Relations Committee, and frequently volunteers at community events benefiting local charities. He is a Staff Commodore of the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, representing the region on issues affecting the Delta, and the 2024–2025 Membership Director for the Discovery Bay Lions Club.

Drawing from over 50 years of competitive sailing, Mike founded the Discovery Bay Junior Sailing Program in 2024 and expanded it with an Adult Sailing Program in 2025. He and his instructor team volunteer their time with a long-term commitment to inspire the next generation of Delta sailors.

Real estate is Mike’s career, but his legacy is his passion for the Delta, his dedication to Discovery Bay, and his service to the people who call it home.

Vanitha Cotton

2025 Citizen of the Year Nominee

Vanitha Cotton - My quiet mission to build connections that matter.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to call Discovery Bay home for 8 years and to work alongside this amazing community. What started as running Marina Bar & Grill has become something much bigger—a chance to create spaces where people actually connect.

I am unconditionally supported and loved by my amazing husband, Rich, and I am a devoted wife and mother, a grandmother to one gorgeous granddaughter, a trusted friend, and I try to be a constant source of positivity and encouragement. I believe my warmth is genuine, my kindness is consistent, and hopefully the impact is deeply felt.

My long career in Information Technology has taught me that it works best when it brings people together, not when it creates barriers. I try to bring that same philosophy home. Whether it‘s a Memorial Day tribute, a 911 gathering, a family luau, or just a Tuesday night dinner, the goal is always the same: make people feel welcome and valued. I’m just lucky enough to help facilitate those moments.

I‘ve learned that real community building happens quietly. It’s saying yes when someone needs help, showing up when it matters, and believing that we’re all responsible for making our town a place worth staying in. Discovery Bay has given my family so much—this is simply my way of giving back.

Being considered for Citizen of the Year is humbling. There are so many people doing incredible work in this community every single day. I’m just grateful to play a small part in making Discovery Bay feel like home for everyone who lives here. Thank you for seeing me. Thank you for making me feel heard.

The people have spoken!!!! Here are your top nominees for the 2025 Citizen, Business and Nonprofit of the year.

Vote For Your 2025 Citizen, Business, and Non-Profit of the Year