Orange County Girl Scout sparks community change
Joyce Li, a lifelong Ladera Ranch resident and a rising senior at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano, completed her Girl Scout Gold Award project – the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn – by tackling the growing problem of household battery waste in the community.
The idea for the project began at home when her mom started working remotely during COVID-19 and she lost access to the battery recycling bin at her office. She quickly realized there were no convenient alternatives nearby.
Li discovered that many families in Ladera Ranch faced the same issue, and while it is easy to toss used batteries in the trash, she learned that doing so allows toxic chemicals to leach into soil and groundwater, posing serious threats to the environment and public health.
Determined to take action, Li worked closely with Ladera Ranch Community Services to set up permanent battery recycling bins in community clubhouses.
To raise awareness, Li organized and spoke at events, including Ladera Ranch GoGreen Days, school STEAM fairs and local farmers markets. She distributed more than 1,000 flyers and home battery buckets and reached more than 20,000 people through community Facebook groups.
Li collected and transported the batteries for proper recycling to the nearest recycling facility, Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano. She also founded her school’s STEAM Club, recruiting 20 peers to continue the effort and ensure the project’s long-term sustainability.
Li completed her Gold Award project, collecting and recycling 864 pounds of used batteries – approximately 35,000 AAA batteries in total.
– Submitted by Joyce Li’s parent, Jennifer Li
Ed Reynolds and Tammis Berkheimer named Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year
Longtime Tustin community volunteers Ed Reynolds and Tammis Berkheimer have been named the latest Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year.
The TAMWY program has been held for more than 60 years. Tustin individuals are recognized for their dedicated work, leadership and outstanding volunteerism in the community.
Nominations for the award come from previous winners or local nonprofit organizations.
“I am stunned and humbled to be part of the legacy of individuals in Tustin who quietly go about their business improving lives and enhancing our community,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds has called Tustin home since 1971. A graduate of Foothill High School, he received his degree in civil engineering from USC, where he now teaches. The Reynolds Group, where he is president, has assessed and restored environmentally impaired real estate throughout Southern California for 36 years.
Reynolds is a passionate advocate for youth sports. He helped lead SOCAL Water Polo to national prominence, coached SOCAL’s Tustin girls’ teams to numerous championships and helped players earn more than $20 million in collegiate scholarships. He was also a board member of USA Water Polo, helping it turn a surplus and win Olympic medals. He serves on many boards of directors, including the Construction Advisory Council for the Roman Catholic Bishop of Orange.
Reynolds has been an active and committed member of the Tustin Community Foundation for many years, guiding the annual grant process. He has focused the foundation’s mission on Tustin’s brand and spotlighted Tustin’s volunteer groups.
Reynolds and his wife, Karin, have three grown children, Frank, Grace and Paul, all Foothill High School graduates who live and work locally.
Berkheimer has lived in Tustin for more than 40 years and worked for the Tustin Unified School District for more than 30 years.
“I am so honored to represent Tustin and all the dedicated and hard-working volunteers who make Tustin great,” she said.
Currently, she is a member of the TUSD Citizens’ Oversight Committee, a group appointed by the school board to oversee the expenditure of bond funds for school improvements.
Berkheimer is a familiar face at countless Tustin nonprofit events and is passionate in her unwavering support of local causes. She approaches every task with a “What can I do to help?” attitude, rolling up her sleeves and taking on any responsibility.
Since the 1980s, Berkheimer has volunteered in the schools, church and community events. She coordinated the Tustin Community Foundation’s Project Pajama Drive and supervised TCF’s Sip & Stroll in Old Town Tustin.
She is a referee at TCF’s Paper Football Challenge; a Tustin-Santa Ana Rotarian at Lobsterfest, Tustin Tiller Days and Tustin Chili Cook-Off; treasurer for Dollars for Tustin Scholars; treasurer for Soroptimist International of Santa Ana-Tustin; member of the Tustin Area Council for Fine Arts’ Encore group; and a volunteer at many other events.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family: husband Don; son Andrew and his wife, Raychel; daughter Laurel and her husband, Justin; and her three grandchildren.
– Submitted by Mark Eliot
The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to ocrbravo@gmail.com.