Three Carlsbad residents who have spent years working to serve others in the community have been named as Citizens of the Year by the city of Carlsbad.
Bonnie and Gunnar Biggs and Maureen Simons were honored July 29 for their community service, focused on bringing people together, helping others and making life in Carlsbad better for all. The Citizen of the Year program is more than 50 years old and recognizes community members who have given their time and energy toward the civic improvement, beautification and betterment of Carlsbad.
This year’s honorees were recognized during a ceremony in the Council Chamber at Carlsbad City Hall, followed by a small reception in the courtyard.
Bonnie and Gunnar Biggs
Bonnie and Gunnar Biggs have lived in Carlsbad for more than 30 years and have spent much of that time giving back to the community through a blend of music, education and public service.
Gunnar, a renowned bassist and music educator, has been a key figure in the region’s jazz scene for decades, performing across Southern California with a who’s who of musical greats. He has mentored generations of young musicians, teaching bass for 25 years at San Diego State University and leading the orchestras at Valley Middle School and Carlsbad High School in Carlsbad for five years, nearly doubling the size of those programs.
Bonnie, a lifelong librarian and retired educator, helped launch the library program at California State University San Marcos and for several years led efforts to connect the university to the surrounding community through concerts, lecture series and cultural events. The region’s annual American Indian Pow Wow grew out of longstanding relationships Bonnie built with local tribal communities.
She continued that work after retirement, helping to establish the CSU system’s first Tribal Communities Task Force and Native Advisory Council — both milestones in building lasting educational partnerships with local indigenous communities.
“Together this couple has provided so much enrichment to the Carlsbad community,” said Beth Hulsart, who nominated Bonnie and Gunnar for the Citizen of the Year award. “They are a vital and valuable resource and they offer their skills so frequently and freely. We are lucky to have them in Carlsbad.”
Since retiring from their day jobs several years ago, Gunnar and Bonnie have continued to make an impact in Carlsbad and beyond. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they hosted a series of outdoor concerts from the front porch of their Carlsbad home, creating a safe and joyful gathering space when people needed it most.
Since 2007, Bonnie has been involved with Love on A Leash, which provides pet therapy visits at local hospitals, schools, libraries and senior communities. She captained the Paws to Read program at Cole Library, where children practice reading with trained therapy dogs, and started the same program at the Carlsbad Library Learning Center. Gunnar recently began volunteering with Love on a Leash as well.
“Seeing what therapy dogs can do for children learning to read is magic,” Bonnie said. “Kids read to these dogs and there’s nobody judging or correcting them — it’s pure joy.”
Gunnar also shares his musical gifts through frequent concerts at the Carlsbad Senior Center, Carlsbad libraries and Sunday evening gatherings at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. He continues to teach music and mentor other musicians.
“One of my biggest rewards teaching has been getting to watch students go out and succeed in almost any profession,” he said. “That’s what you want — to know you have changed somebody’s life in a positive direction.”
Patricia “Maureen” Simons
Maureen Simons has spent the past 25 years actively involved in Carlsbad, contributing her time and energy to a wide range of local organizations and programs that enhance the community, bring people together and help those in need.
Her volunteer work has included leadership and/or board roles in the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club (president, 2018-19) the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, the Assistance League of North Coast (president, 2006 and 2007), Carlsbad Republican Women Federated and the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, which named her Ambassador of the Year in 2016. She is also a longtime member of St. Patrick Catholic Community in Carlsbad, where she serves in the eucharistic and funeral ministries and for 10 years organized the annual St. Patrick Dinner Dance.
Multiple people nominated Simons for this year’s Citizen of the Year honor, citing her tireless work and her gentle way of uplifting everyone around her. One called her “the epitome of a servant leader” who is dedicated to community service and helping those in need.
“If you’ve met Maureen, you know her trademark smile — it matches the warmth of her heart,” Jen Belnap said in her nomination letter. Simons has said a highlight of her work with the Assistance League was taking some young men to buy suits — a first experience for several of them.
Simons’ involvement with the Rotary Club began with her husband, John, a Rotary member who led the effort to build the Magee Park gazebo, which is now named after him. After John passed away in 2010, Simons joined the Rotary Club herself to stay connected to longtime friends and help continue the organization’s good work.
Though she has served in several leadership roles, Simons said she always considers herself just part of a team. She said she gets as much out of community service as she gives.
“Volunteering keeps me busy and gives me a positive attitude in life,” said Simons, who also devotes much of her time to her seven children and 15 grandchildren. “I like doing things that encourage other people. It gives me a reason to get up in the morning and stay active all day.”
Friends said Simons’ selflessness and positive attitude are part of what makes her so inspiring.
“Maureen is the consummate leader,” Yvonne Murchison Finocchiaro said in her nomination form. “She is kind and charitable. She is well-rounded and fun. She is Carlsbad at its best.”
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