California Writers Club

Awards

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 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.

Award Recipients

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 the opportunity exists. The CWC president bestows the awards at the annual corporate meeting.

Award Recipients 2025

Berkeley — Keith Gaboury
Central Coast — Gary & Kim Parker
Coastal Dunes — Cathie Carroll Ortiz
East Sierra — Davis Kunz
Fremont Area Writers — Terry Tosh
High Desert — Michael Raff
Inland Empire — Ben Alirez
Marin — Jean Gordon Kocienda
Mt. Diablo — Barry Hampshire
Napa Valley Writers — Amber Starfire
Redwood Writers — Shawn Langwell
Sacramento Writers — Bernard Wozny
San Fernando Valley — Heather Bradshaw
San Francisco Peninsula — Geri Spieler
San Joaquin Valley Writers — John Britto & Bill VanPatten
South Bay Writers — Una T. Daly
Tri-Valley Writers — Rose Owens

Award Recipients 2023

Berkeley — Kymberlie Ingalls
Central Coast — Nancy Middleton
Coastal Dunes — Carole L. Wagener
East Sierra — Janis Kunz
Fremont Area Writers — Scott Davidson
High Desert — Mike Apodaca
Inland Empire — Judy Kohnen
Long Beach — Russ Thompson
Marin — Diane Vickers
Napa Valley Writers — Lenore Hirsch
Mt. Diablo — Jill Hedgecock
North State Writers — Lynn Tosello
Orange County — Mary Vensel White
Redwood Writers — Crissi Langwell
Sacramento Writers — Gloria Pierrot-Dyer
San Fernando Valley — Karen Gorback, PhD
San Francisco Peninsula — Tim Flood
San Joaquin Valley Writers — Pam Van Allen
South Bay Writers — Trenton Myers
Tri-Valley Writers — Constance Hanstedt
Writers of Kern — Donnée Harris
Writers of Mendocino Coast — Katherine Heimann Brown

Award Recipients 2021

Berkeley — Francine Thomas Howard
Central Coast — Sarah E. Pruitt
Coastal Dunes — Renee Geffken
East Sierra — Andrew F. Sound
Fremont Area Writers — Nancy Guarnera
High Desert — Rusty LaGrange
Inland Empire — Sue Andrews
Long Beach — Janet Elizabeth Lynn
Mt. Diablo — Linda Hartmann
Napa — Michael Wycombe
North State Writers — Cathy Chase
Orange County — Brian Michael Gaps
Redwood Writers — Roger C. Lubeck, Ph.D.
Sacramento Writers — Dr. Marsha Ehinger
San Fernando Valley — Pat Avery
San Francisco Peninsula — Lisa Meltzer Penn
San Joaquin Valley Writers — Scott Evans
South Bay Writers — Tatyana Grinenko
Tri-Valley Writers — Patricia Boyle
Writers of Kern — Joan Raymond

Award Recipients 2019

Berkeley — Karma Bennett
Central Coast — Clarissa Conn
East Sierra — John E. Anderson
Fremont Area Writers — Jan Small
High Desert — Dr. Mary Langer Thompson
Inland Empire — Sam Nichols
Long Beach — Frank Kearns
Marin — John Byrne Barry
Mt. Diablo — Marlene Dotterer
Napa Valley Writers — Sarita Lopez
North State Writers — Kathleen Hiatt
Redwood Writers — Robbi Sommers Bryant
Sacramento Writers — Jenifer Rowe
San Fernando Valley — Rita Keeley Brown
San Francisco Peninsula — Laurel Anne Hill
San Joaquin Valley Writers — Anthony Marinelli
South Bay Writers — Carolyn Donnell
Tri-Valley Writers — G. Karl Kumfert
Writers of Kern — Janet D. Skibinski

Award Recipients 2017

Berkeley — Kristen Caven
Central Coast — Laurie Sheehan
Coastal Dunes — Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
East Sierra — Juliane DiBlasi Black
Fremont Area Writers — Shirley Ferrante
High Desert — Jenny Margotta
Long Beach — Allene Symons
Mt. Diablo — Elisabeth Tuck
North State Writers — T.E. Watson, F.S.A. Scot
Orange County — Jonathan Yanez
Redwood Writers — Sandy Baker
Sacramento Writers — Gini Grossenbacher
San Fernando Valley — Mary R. Freeman
San Francisco Peninsula — Bill Baynes
San Joaquin Valley Writers — June Gillam
South Bay Writers — Sally A. Milnor
Tri-Valley Writers — Deborah Jordan Bernal
Writers of Kern — Dan McGuire
Writers of Mendocino Coast — Amie McGee

Award Recipients 2015

Central Coast — Leslie Patiño
East Sierra — Daniel Stallings
Fremont Area Writers — Arthur Carey
High Desert — Dwight Norris
Marin — Joan Steidinger
Mt. Diablo — Barbara Bentley
Orange County — Jeanette Fratto
Redwood Writers — Jeane Slone
Sacramento — Steve Liddick
San Francisco Peninsula — Carole J. Bumpus
South Bay — Colin Seymour
Tri-Valley Writers — Paula Chinick
Writers of Kern – Dennis I. VanderWerff
Writers of the Mendocino Coast — Doug Fortier

Award Recipients 2007 – 2013

2013

Berkeley — Linda Brown
Central Coast — Joyce Krieg
East Sierra — Margaret Luebs
Fremont — Carol Lee Hall
High Desert — Roberta L. Smith
Inland Empire — Laura Hoopes
Long Beach — Liv Elin Haughland
Mt. Diablo — Judith Marshall
Orange County — Carol Lee Hall
Redwood — Linda Loveland Reid
Sacramento — Kimberly A. Edwards
San Fernando — Andrea Polk
SF Peninsula — Bardi Rosman Koodrin
South Bay — Marjorie Bicknell Johnson
Tri-Valley — Violet Carr Moore
Writers of Kern — Annis Cassells

2011

Berkeley — David Barker
Central Coast — Harold Grice
Fremont — Myrla Raymundo
High Desert — Carol Warren
Inland Empire — Sharon Herdina
Long Beach — Kathryn Atkins
Marin — Tanya Egan Gibson
Mt. Diablo — David George
Redwood — Linda C. McCabe
Sacramento — Margie Yee Webb
San Fernando — Ray Malus
SF Peninsula — Ann Foster
South Bay — Dick Amyx
Tri-Valley — Lani Longshore
Writers of Kern — Dana Martin

2009

Berkeley — Anne Fox
Central Coast — Ken Jones
East Sierra — Stephen J. Wersan
Fremont — Robert A. Garfinkle
High Desert — Robert D. Isbill
Inland Empire — Libby Grandy
Long Beach — Anne Margis
Marin — Cindy A. Pavlinac
Mt. Diablo — Joanne Brown
Orange County — Pamela Tallman
Redwood — Karen L. Batchelor
Sacramento — Julie Bauer
South Bay — Dave LaRoche
Tri-Valley — Kathy Urban
West Valley — Kathy Highcove
Writers of Kern — Sandy Moffett

2007

Berkeley — Lucille Bellucci
Central Coast — Walter Gourlay
East Sierra — Allison Aubin
Inland Empire — Kathryn Wilkens
Mt. Diablo — Camille Minichino
Orange County — Darlene Lindouer
Redwood — Catherine Keegan
Sacramento — Grace Ertel
San Fernando — Cara Alson
SF Peninsula — Tory Hartmann
South Bay — Victoria Burlew
Tri-Valley — Sue Tasker
Writers of Kern — Joe Tomasi

Award Recipients 2002 – 2005

2005

Berkeley — Virginia K. Anderson
Central Coast — Pat Matuszewski
East Sierra — Liz Babcock
Inland Empire — S. Kay Murphy
Marin — Tom Brown
Mt. Diablo — Al Villaire
Orange County — John P. Farmer
Redwood — Mary Rosenthal
Sacramento — Mike Finch
San Fernando — Art Yuwiler
SF Peninsula — Jana McBurney-Lin
South Bay — Carolyn Downey
Writers of Kern — Terry Redman

2004

Berkeley — Caroline Ahlswede
East Sierra — Holly Cooley
Inland Empire — Cyndy Largarticha
Mt. Diablo — Danard Emmanuelson
Orange County — Dave Cunningham
Redwood — Gil Mansergh
San Fernando — Elaine Shevin
SF Peninsula — Teresa LeYung Ryan
South Bay — Beth Proudfoot
Writers of Kern — Camille Gavin

2003

Berkeley — Sarah Clark
East Sierra — Donna McCrohan Rosenthal
High Desert — George Gracyk
Marin — Priscilla Royal
Mt. Diablo — Jack Russ
Orange County — Carol Celeste
Redwood — Nadenia Newkirk
Sacramento — Tom Adams
San Fernando — Jo-ed Griffith
SF Peninsula — Sue Okasanen
South Bay — Carol Wood
Writers of Kern — Beth Davisson

2002

East Sierra — Judy Martin
Inland Empire — Laura Slattery
Marin — Barbara Truax
Mt. Diablo — Denise Kalm
Orange County — Allene Symons
San Fernando — Lenora Smalley
SF Peninsula — Jean Rieth
South Bay — Bill Baldwin
Writers of Kern — Maggie Caldwell-Smith

Award Recipients Before 2000

Award Recipients 1998 – 2001

2001

East Sierra — Curt Danhauser
Mt. Diablo — Al Garratto
Orange County — Ralph Eden
San Fernando — Dean Stewart
SF Peninsula — Mariann Jackson
South Bay — Edie Matthews
Writers of Kern — Peg Connolly

2000

East Sierra — Judy Dutcher
High Desert — Teri Lucia
Inland Empire — Gladys Hotchkiss
Mt. Diablo — Beverly Lauderdale
Sacramento — Marsha Porter
San Fernando — Valley Dave Wetterberg
South Bay — Susan Mueller
Writers of Kern — Helen Shanley

1999

Berkeley — Linda Thorlakson
East Sierra — Rlee Peters
High Desert — Liz Pinto
Mt. Diablo — Liz Pentacoff
San Fernando — Ethelann Pemberton
South Bay — Beverly Morgan
Writers of Kern — Jim Imel

1998

Berkeley — W. E. Reinka
East Sierra — Casey Wilson
High Desert — Wilma Willis Gore
Mt. Diablo — Raymond Martell
Redwood — Barbara Truax
Sacramento — Dee Porter
San Fernando — Ken Wilkins
SF Peninsula — Jean Rieth
South Bay — Tina Farrell
Writers of Kern — Barbara Nelson

Award Recipients 1991 – 1997

1997

Berkeley — Alexandra Gautraud
High Desert — Carol Bachofner
Mt. Diablo — Joan Brennan
Redwood — Mary C. Varley
Sacramento — Charles Pettingell
San Fernando — Judith Presnall
SF Peninsula — Christina Ashton
South Bay — Susan Edwards
Writers of Kern — Barbara Gabel

1995

Berkeley — Julian Adams
High Desert — J’Amy Pacheco
Inland Empire — Gladys Hotchkiss
Mt. Diablo — Pat Edwards
Redwood — Mildred Fish
Sacramento — Beth Tigner
San Fernando — Diana Johnson
SF Peninsula — Ellen Macaulay
South Bay — Pat St.Lawrence

1993

Berkeley — Willie Rose
High Desert — Ruth Theodos
Mt. Diablo — Ted Fuller
Redwood — Alla Crone (Hayden)
Sacramento — Bill Holden
San Fernando — Margie Davidson
SF Peninsula — Barbara Foley
South Bay — Karen E. Hinger

1991

Berkeley — Caryl Hansen
Mt. Diablo — Mercedes Gardner
Redwood — Waldo T. Boyd
Sacramento — Elisabeth Tigner
San Fernando — Yolanda Fintor
SF Peninsula — James McLaughlin
South Bay — Tom Mach

Award Recipients 1983 – 1989

1989

Berkeley — John Campbell Bruce
High Desert — Carol Bachofner
Mt. Diablo — Helen McGrath
Peninsula — Mary Collins Dunne
Redwood — Mary Priest
Sacramento — Marilyn Smith
San Fernando — Betty Freeman
South Bay — Madge Saksena

1987

Berkeley — Cecilia Bartholomew
High Desert — J’Amy Pacheco
Inland Empire — Gladys Hotchkiss
Mt. Diablo — Pat Edwards
Peninsula — Emily Hallinc
Redwood — Margaret Scariano
Sacramento — Beth Tigner
San Fernando — Joan Jones

1985

Berkeley — Jessie Scanlan
High Desert — Ruth Theodos
Mt. Diablo — Ted Fuller
Peninsula — Marie L. Nunn
Redwood — Ruth Irma Walker
Sacramento — Joseph McCall

1983

Berkeley — Ray Faraday Nelson
Peninsula — Laura Raef
Redwood — Inman Whipple
Sacramento — Bud Gardner

Award Recipients 1975 – 1981

1981

Berkeley — Ruth Atkinson (Heady)
Peninsula — Beatrice Warren
Redwood — Pat Patterson
Sacramento — Bernice Curler

1979

Peninsula — Alice Kennedy
Redwood — Peggy Ray
Sacramento — Irene Donelson

1977

Berkeley — Cleone Montgomery
Peninsula — Dorothy Dowdell
Redwood — Dianne Kurlfinke
Sacramento — Edwin Rosenberg

1975

Berkeley — Lloyd Eric Reeve
Peninsula — Louise Boggess
Redwood — Helene Schellenberg (Barnhart)
Sacramento — Gladys Morse

Award Recipients 1973

Berkeley — Margaret Kelley
Peninsula — Rutherford Montgomery
Sacramento — Lorena Olmsted