Sharshan Award Nominees, pt. 3

HEROES AND SHEROES, PERSONAL CATEGORY:
*My daughter, for doing the right thing in a very difficult situation
*My husband, for allowing tribulation to bring out more of the pure gold within
*Elena, for not just holding on, but triumphing through another year
*My in-laws, for taking care of my mother-in-law who's not having an easy time of aging

HEROES AND SHEROES, BROAD CATEGORY
*Every woman who gave her baby a chance to live, despite circumstances
*Every man who took seriously his obligation to care for the children he fathered
*Our American troops serving in whatever capacity, wherever

LOSER/ANTIHERO OF THE YEAR, LOCAL OR PERSONAL CATEGORY
*Smuckers, for leaving Salinas and laying off 167 great workers, including my husband
*Salinas, for library chaos, poison spinach, the community college strike, out of control gang problems, and an all-around bad taste anytime we got mentioned in the press


LOSER/ANTIHERO OF THE YEAR, BROAD CATEGORY
*The President. Whether you voted for him or not, whether you admire or hope an anvil falls on his head, no one lost more in 2006.

MOST ENCOURAGING, PERSONAL/LOCAL:
*Salinas, for electing a good man as mayor and daring to Imagine a Great City