'Spirit of Venice' Winners, Grants Announced

Three people and a team have been named Spirit of Venice award winners, according to the Abbot Kinney Festival Association. In addition, festival organizers are awarding grants to seven recipients who submitted applications. 

Awards were presented Sunday during the festival.

Abbot Kinney Festival Spirit of Venice Awards for 2013 are:

• Oscar Duncan: In a posthumous tribute, musician and youth minister Duncan is being honored for his "selfless service to the children of Venice at the Boys & Girls Club and to his betterment of Venice as a community in general." Duncan was shot and killed in June of 2012.

• Michael "Rocky" Stenger – Stenger gives, gives, gives of his time and resources as a volunteer to many Venice groups, never calling attention to his actions. As a member of the Venice Neighborhood Council Neighborhood Committee, he represents the area East of Lincoln. 

• Carol Tantau – Tantou has lived in Venice since 1971, opening Just Tantau on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in 1982. She has been the head of the West Washington (which she helped get renamed to Abbot Kinney) Merchant’s Association, president of the Venice Chamber Of Commerce, on the Community Police Advisory Board and heads the advocacy program at Sojourn Services for Battered Women and their children in Santa Monica. 

• The Venice Sign Team – This group award was presented to the organizing team that was able to get the historic Venice sign replaced at Windward and Pacific avenues. The award recognizes the team's grass roots effort and community cooperation, both of which were vital to re-creating the Venice sign. 

• Venice Arts
• A Window Between Worlds
• ReDiscover Center
• Friends of Coeur d'Alene
• Community Partners for Safe Place for Youth
• LAPD Booster Club
• Venice Oceanarium

The first ‘Spirit of Venice’ Award was presented at the 6th Annual Abbot Kinney Festival in 1989 to descendants of the founder of Venice, Abbot Kinney. 

Created by John Kertisz, Poet Laureate and a 1989 Festival board member, the award recognizes people actively involved in the community and/or who serve as inspirational role models.