MILDRED K. SWANN has committed herself to the needs of others and continues to serve in various ways whether it is through education, the church, community or family. For more than 40 years Mildred has provided leadership, counseling and guidance and she continues to find new ways to motivate and stimulate young minds. She organized and implemented a neighborhood forum where people of different ethnicities could gather to share life experiences, dreams, and personal efforts to feel more a part of the community. She literally went door to door looking for volunteers. This resulted in the establishment of a tutoring/mentoring program for Polynesian youth. As the Facilities Chair and Community Gatepath, Mildred led the campaign to decrease organizational dependency on shrinking governmental funding by consolidating programs to better utilize facilities without compromising program quality. As Program Committee Chair, she influenced the Board to expand programs to include partnership with the county to provide early identification of high-risk MediCal families. This helped decrease infants born with developmental delays, provided teaching parenting skills and linked families to county resources. In 1994, for her amazing volunteer services, Mildred was chosen Citizen of the Year of San Mateo. As a volunteer, the word “no” is not in her vocabulary.
