Married couple named Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year
Longtime Tustin community volunteers Jeff and Kelly Meyers have been selected as Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year for 2025.
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In a historic recognition, it’s the first time husband and wife nominees were awarded the prestigious title in the same year. Both were nominated by the Tustin Area Council for Fine Arts.
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. This year, four men and six women were nominated for the award.
“Receiving the Tustin Man of the Year award is an extraordinary honor, yet the true privilege has been the opportunity to serve the City of Tustin,” said Jeff Meyers.
The Tustin Area Council for Fine Arts has benefited from Jeff Meyers’ contributions. He has been a member of its board since 2018. He became its vice president of marketing in 2021 and executed a marketing plan for the organization.
During this time, he also was the food, beverage and concessions chair for Broadway in the Park, TACFA’s popular theater production; this summer will mark his sixth year doing this. His efforts generate critical revenue that fuels TACFA’s other programs and elevates the patron experience year after year.
Jeff Meyers also has been a steady contributor behind the scenes to HeART of OC (titled “Fleurish” in 2026) and Student Art Invitational events, and he leads the food, beverage and merchandise booth at the city of Tustin Artwalk in Old Town Tustin.
For 22 years, he has served in a key volunteer leadership role with Dance! To Your Heart’s Delight, the Tustin-based nonprofit affiliated with Tustin Dance Center, owned and operated by his wife, Kelly Meyers.
Kelly Meyers said she is “deeply honored and humbled to be named Tustin Woman of the Year.”
“This recognition is especially meaningful because it comes from a community I love and from an organization whose commitment to the arts I greatly admire,” she said. “Sharing the honor with my husband makes it even more special, as together we have been blessed to serve a community that values service, supports the arts and inspires people to make a difference.”
Since joining TACFA 10 years ago, Kelly Meyers has had a significant impact and is a vital part of the organization, filling every void and doing any and every position needed.
She has been the chair for the past five years of its impactful annual program Broadway in the Park, handling all aspects of creating an outdoor theater and a professionally produced Broadway show for a five-night run in Peppertree Park.
In addition to BITP, she co-chairs the annual Student Art Invitational, showcasing the artwork of local middle and high school students, and Chemer’s Gallery Fleur-ish adjudicated art show, as well as co-chairing and helping provide entertainment for the Tustin ArtWalk.
Kelly Meyers co-founded the nonprofit Dance! To Your Heart’s Delight to ensure that high-quality performing arts experiences are accessible to all. Each year, approximately 700 tickets and refreshments are provided so that underserved individuals and families can experience the magic of a live performance in a professional theater setting.
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While her husband handles the business of DTYHD, Kelly Meyers leads the artistic side, including casting, months of rehearsals, production coordination and directing the show.
Most recently, she served as backstage manager for the annual Miss Tustin Scholarship Pageant 2025.
The couple have three grown children, Emily, Max and Cole.
Jeff and Kelly Meyers will also ride in the Tustin Tiller Days Paradeon Oct. 3 and have their names permanently etched on a brick walkway in the plaza between the Tustin Library and Clifton C. Miller Community Center.
– Submitted by Mark Eliot
Longtime Tustin volunteers Kelly and Jeff Meyers were selected as the Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year for 2025. (Courtesy of Kim DeBenedetto)
Jeff and Kelly Meyers, the Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year for 2025, display their proclamations alongside Michael Tou, center, district director for Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris. (Courtesy of John McGuire)
Lifetime members of the Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year organization sit for a group photo during this year’s awards ceremony. The awards recognize Tustin individuals for their dedicated work, leadership and outstanding volunteerism in the community. (Courtesy of John McGuire)
Eva Wong Young celebrates her 100th birthday at Irvine Adult Day Health Services. (Courtesy of Karen Young)
Eva Wong Young celebrates her 100th birthday at Irvine Adult Day Health Services. (Courtesy of Karen Young)
Eva Wong Young at 30 years old in the 1950s. Young recently turned 100 years old. (Courtesy of Karen Young)
Aarna Mahale, left, and Ananya Jain each hold mock $5,000 scholarship checks they received. Mahale was awarded a scholarship from Women Investing in Security and Education (WISE). Jain received the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship. (Courtesy of Girl Scouts of Orange County)
Recipients of the inaugural Hamir Family Scholarships for graduating Girl Scouts appear with Girl Scouts of Orange County CEO Dr. Vikki Shepp, far left, and Mohamed Hamir, co-founder of the Hamir Family Scholarships, center. The program awarded 10 $5,000 scholarships. (Courtesy of Girl Scouts of Orange County)
A very special celebration
An Irvine resident had a special party recently. She celebrated her 100th birthday with friends, family and colleagues she’s had over the years. She also received a certificate, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, commemorating the momentous occasion.
Eva Wong Young was born in Hong Kong before immigrating to the U.S. She worked for more than 30 years at USC as a receptionist and raised five children.
She now lives in Irvine with her daughter Karen and attends Irvine Adult Day Health Services regularly to maintain her health and mobility.
And while she says she doesn’t know the secret to her longevity, she knows the best part is having so many family members and friends in her life.
Happy birthday!
– Submitted by Irvine Adult Day Health Services
Class of 2026 Girl Scouts receives $65,000 in scholarship awards
Thirteen graduating Orange County Girl Scouts are heading into their next chapter with $65,000 in scholarship awards in recognition of the lasting impact they have made in their communities.
Ananya Jain of Mission Viejo received the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship, a $5,000 award recognizing one Girl Scout in each council who demonstrates extraordinary leadership, measurable and sustainable impact, and addresses an issue of national and/or global significance while earning the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouts.
The two remaining finalists, Aarna Mahale of Irvine and Hai Anh Nguyen Hunyh of Garden Grove, were each awarded $5,000 scholarships from Women Investing in Security and Education (WISE).
WISE has been a financial literacy education partner of Girl Scouts of Orange County for more than a decade. The scholarships are funded by the WISE Victoria Collins Legacy Fund.
In its inaugural year, the Hamir Family Scholarship program awarded 10 $5,000 scholarships to graduating Girl Scouts to support their academic pursuits after high school. Scholarship founders Mohamed and Gulie Hamir of San Juan Capistrano are longtime supporters of Girl Scouts of Orange County who believe that nothing should stand in the way of a girl’s dreams.
The inaugural Hamir Family Scholarship recipients are:
• Vanessa Bebout, Brea
• Isabella Coveyou, San Juan Capistrano
• Alyssa Jenkins, Laguna Hills
• Kyleigh Mansfield, Orange
• Ava Richards, Huntington Beach
• Kaydence Ruiz, Garden Grove
• Savera Sekhon, Irvine
• Ellie Sutherland, Seal Beach
• Lydia Tran, Fountain Valley
• Tiffany Tran, Westminster
– Submitted by Girl Scouts of Orange County
The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to [email protected].
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