Walter Ruehlig, T-16 Volunteer

Contra Costa Times

County honors its humanitarians

Supervisors on Tuesday named Antioch resident Walter Ruehlig the county's 2004 humanitarian of the year.

Ruehlig is a special education counselor at Pittsburg's Adult Education Center. He first demonstrated his commitment to public service 35 years ago, teaching in an isolated Turkish village with the Peace Corps.

He has helped build homes in Pittsburg with Habitat for Humanity and in Tijuana with the Mexican Corazon Group. He has hosted students at his home from three continents and served as a foster parent to five children.

"He truly believes we are our brother's keeper," said Supervisor Millie Greenberg of Danville, who presented the award.

Ruehlig, who serves on the county Human Relations Commission, organized Antioch's "Season for Non-Violence" peace march in 2001.

Supervisors also awarded the 2004 student humanitarian of the year award to Jullie Z. Lal, a senior at Antioch's Deer Valley High School. Lal and her friends formed a club, Helping Hands, which held a food drive for a Martinez homeless shelter.

-- Peter Felsenfeld