Our Awards & Celebration annual event is hosted by Homes First to acknowledge and honor the exceptional individuals in our community making strides towards addressing the housing crisis and the people affected by it.
This celebration honors real community heroes who dedicate their time and energy to making our community a healthier and more affordable place. Each year’s heroes are chosen by the previous year’s winners. This grassroots approach focuses on individuals who are working on the ground in our community, creating an uplifting and illuminating cycle of these everyday heroes.
The event includes refreshments and our ever-popular raffle baskets! New in 2025 - THREE Amazing Silent Auctions!
Please take a moment to read below about each of our 2025 Real Community Heroes, as presented by our 2024 Real Community Heroes who nominated them. Our 2025 Heroes will be presenting their awards to our 2026 Heroes!
2025 Heroes
First look at event photos; more coming soon!
KayVin Hill, Thurston County – Homeless Services Program
KayVin Hill, awarded a Real Community Hero by Hana Klimek, is a passionate advocate, a mentor, and a powerful voice for a more just and human-centered homeless response system.
Raised in a military family on the ancestral lands of the Tonkawa, Comanche, and Kiowa people, KayVin experienced a “village-style” upbringing that broadened their worldview and deepened their awareness of privilege and equity. Though they originally aimed to become a teacher, systemic barriers shifted their path—eventually leading them into the work of housing justice and data-driven advocacy.
A survivor of trauma and state-inflicted harm from a young age, KayVin credits a long list of mentors, peers, and chosen family for helping them heal and find purpose. Even when KayVin couldn’t see their own potential, others believed in them—and that belief became the foundation for their commitment to uplifting others, especially young people just starting their careers in the social services.
KayVin finds their greatest accomplishments not in accolades, but in relationships: the people who’ve seen them at their lowest and now seek their mentorship. That said, they’re also proud of helping Thurston County achieve Built for Zero’s quality data standard—an effort to reduce homelessness through better systems and coordination.
Their guiding principle is simple: Leave people and places better than you found them. Whether through volleyball, anime debates, or shaping policy, KayVin shows up with humor, integrity, and drive. They're showing up everyday to make Thurston County’s response system more accessible and effective for our most vulnerable neighbors.
Gabe Ash, Catholic Community Service
Gabe Ash, chosen as a Real Community Hero by Kim Kondrat, leads with heart, humility, and a deep belief in the dignity of every person.
Raised in Centralia, WA, Gabe was shaped early by his parents’ example of faith and compassion. Even as his mother battled breast cancer, she brought her children along on visits to homebound neighbors, offering comfort and prayer. His parents welcomed people experiencing homelessness into their home, modeling the kind of service that would become Gabe’s life’s work.
When Gabe discovered social work could be a career path, it felt like a calling. As a Mental Health Professional with Catholic Community Services, he helped launch a behavioral health program in Aberdeen, conducting early assessments for people experiencing homelessness—many of whom had survived deep trauma. Their stories expanded his heart and strengthened his resolve to walk alongside those society often overlooks.
Now a father of four and a leader at CCS, Gabe is most proud of the people he works with—both colleagues and clients—and the courage they show every day. He draws inspiration from his family, especially his mother, father, and sister, who each embodied strength and grace in the face of hardship. His guiding principle is simple: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Whether coaching youth basketball, exploring the outdoors with his family, or finding new ways to address substance use and homelessness, Gabe continues to build community by lifting others up.
Eric Zabala, State Farm Insurance
Eric Zabala was recognized by Kevin Gordham as one of the 2025 Real Community Heroes for his commitment to leadership, mentorship, and building stronger communities through business and service.
Born at Fort Lewis, WA, and raised in a military family, moving across the across the U.S. and Germany, Eric developed a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and shared values. After serving in the military—where he led overseas security teams without casualties—Eric transitioned to State Farm, working through roles in claims and government affairs before becoming an independent agent.
These experiences, paired with lessons from both military and civilian life, shaped Eric's people-first approach to leadership. Now a small business owner of six years, he takes pride in helping employees grow into confident, community-minded leaders. Mentored by his father and supported by his wife of 20 years, Eric believes in honest communication, listening with empathy, and treating everyone with respect.
Outside the office, Eric is passionate about music—having played electric guitar for over 25 years—and rally car racing, which connects them with a tight-knit and adventurous community. He recently joined the North Thurston Education Foundation, aiming to partner with local businesses and uplift underserved youth. For Eric, success means helping others recognize their potential and paying that impact forward.
President's Choice Awardee
Karen McVea, HATC - President's Choice Award
Karen McVae is the 2025 President’s Choice Awardee, recognized for her lifelong dedication to housing access, community care, and compassionate leadership.
Raised in the coastal town of Trinidad, CA, Karen’s values were shaped by the rhythms of rural life and the generosity of her parents, who modeled service by supporting elderly neighbors. That spirit of care carried into her early career at a sheltered workshop for individuals with developmental disabilities, where she witnessed the transformative power of purpose and belonging.
Karen found her calling in housing, eventually leading impactful programs at the Housing Authority of Thurston County. Under her leadership, the Collaborative Housing program brought 186 units of permanent, affordable housing to the region through partnerships with nonprofits like LIHI and the Family Support Center. Her work has touched the lives of families, seniors, veterans, and survivors of domestic violence—those who most need a place to land.
Outside the office, Karen and her family opened their home to young people in need of support, a choice deeply influenced by her own children’s empathy and awareness. Mentored by housing leaders Maureen Hill and Chris Lowell, Karen believes in challenging the status quo, fostering dignity, and ensuring everyone has the safety of home.
Now approaching retirement, Karen plans to stay connected to the work she loves while spending more time hiking, traveling, and being with her grandchildren—always grounded by the redwoods and ocean that first taught her the meaning of community.