Guiding Lights
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Arthur Castillo
Police
After a “young lady” who was a member of his congregation posted intimate photos of herself online, her parents came to him for help, wrote David Yasko, senior minister at Westbury Church of Christ.

Yasko spent a day thinking and praying about the problem. Then he asked Officer Arthur Castillo if he’d talk to the girl about the choices she was making and the problems they could cause in the future. Within a half an hour, Castillo, who was off duty, was in Yasko’s office.

“The fact that he came by before his shift speaks volumes about the character and integrity of Officer Castillo,” Yasko wrote.

Castillo’s talk had a tremendous impact and had the girl rethinking her actions, Yasko wrote.

“I believe with all my heart that we in the city of Houston are fortunate to have officers such as Arthur Castillo. He is one who makes me proud I live and work in Houston.”

Ricardo Magdaleno
Mayor’s Office
Seven years ago, the directors of the National Kidney Foundation knew they wanted to hold a fundraising walk, but they didn’t know how to set it up. Richardo Magdaleno held their hands every step of the way, wrote Marion Johnson, programs director.

“It could not have been easy dealing with all our phone calls, repeated questions, numerous e-mails, and missed deadlines,” she wrote. “But you managed to keep us on task.”

When they moved the walk to Sugar Land and Katy, Magdaleno gave them the names of people they’d need to contact and advice on planning the events. Soon enough, they returned to Sam Houston Park.

After their seventh Kidney Walk in September, the foundation has built a strong foundation for the event. But that doesn’t mean they’ve arrived, Johnson wrote.

“What we have is an excellent location, a good working knowledge of how to plan a first-class event, and a solid foundation on which we can grow our event to help more people,” she wrote.

“You are indeed an excellent reflection of the outstanding customer service that representatives of a city such as Houston should exemplify.”

Randy Pace
Planning & Development
“I was lucky enough to be in the group Saturday to hear your historical designation talk,” Don Browne wrote to Randy Pace. “I loved it.”

Pace spelled out “in black and white” information that he had had difficulty finding, Browne wrote. Over the past two years, he’d asked many people how to get information on a preservation designation, but they hadn’t been able to help him or even tell him whom to ask.

“I am so pleased that someone like you has this position with the city,” he wrote. “You are obviously very knowledgeable, and more importantly you seem truly interested and excited about preservation and history.

“You definitely accomplished some terrific community education and goodwill with the time you gave Saturday.”

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