Millbrae Volunteers of the Year Dinner

Join us in celebrating the 53rd Annual Millbrae Volunteers of the Year Awards Dinner, honoring this year's honorees: Dr. Lawrence Cappel, Kristine V. Baltasar, and Ian Lin. The evening takes place Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Green Hills Country Club, with no-host cocktails at 6:00 PM and dinner at 7:00 PM. For more details and RSVP information, please review the attached flier.

Meet this year's honorees! Read below about 2026 Millbrae Volunteers of the Year Kristine V. Baltasar and Dr. Lawrence Cappel, and 2026 Student Volunteer of the Year Ian Lin.

Kristine V. Baltasar

Kristine has quietly enriched our community in so many ways with her big heart and encouraging spirit.

She served as advisor to 60 high school students in the Mills High School Interact Club from 2018–2023, inspiring them to undertake impactful service projects like providing meals for the unhoused, offering nurturing care during the pandemic, and leading the Relay for Life in support of the American Cancer Society. Kristine has served as a Board member and Corresponding Secretary for the Millbrae Community Foundation since 2019, raising funds and providing grants to many needy Millbrae organizations. She is the transportation coordinator for RYLA, a free Rotary youth leadership camp for local high school students.

Kristine has been a valuable member of the Rotary Club of Millbrae, serving as Club President and an Assistant Governor. During her presidential year, she boldly expanded the scope of the Club's hands-on service projects to address food insecurity through Rise Against Hunger and Second Harvest, battered women through CORA, and homelessness through LifeMoves. Kristine and her family regularly prepare and serve meals for the San Bruno Catholic Worker House ministry.

Kristine is truly a shining light in our community who inspires others to serve through her empathy and compassion for others!

Dr. Lawrence Cappel

Dr. Lawrence "Larry" Cappel has had a significant positive impact on the community through his countless hours of volunteer service.

In 2004, Larry and Barbara Cappel founded the Strides for Life Colon Cancer Foundation to honor their son Dylan, who died from the disease. Since its inception, Larry has served as its president and guiding hand. The foundation has raised millions of dollars to support research, education, and financial aid. Larry's community outreach has increased awareness about colon cancer detection and prevention.

Larry has been a dedicated volunteer track & field/cross-country coach at St. Dunstan School and Mills High School for a quarter-century. Contributing nearly 1,000 hours annually, he has coached over a thousand student athletes, leading them through daily practice and over 25 meets per school year. Both boy and girl track/cross-country athletes are considered among the best in the CCS. A number of Coach Larry's athletes have achieved All-American status and have competed at the collegiate level via athletic scholarships. Larry was honored as Central Coast Coach of the Year in 2025.

He is the elected Chair of the Peninsula Health Care District. Larry has touched countless lives through his coaching and his work to combat colon cancer!

Ian Lin

Ian is an exceptional student leader whose compassion, vision, and commitment to service have made a profound impact on Millbrae and the surrounding community.

He was selected as a 2025 Bank of America Student Leader. Through this prestigious leadership program, Ian partnered with LifeMoves, serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness, to provide essential items and services to more than 5,000 individuals. He continues to make an incredible impact through Relay for Life of North Peninsula, where he now serves as Event Co-Lead emeritus after previously serving as event co-lead in 2025 and leading the Luminaria Ceremony in 2024. Over the past three years, Ian has helped raise nearly $120,000 for the American Cancer Society while leading one of the community's most meaningful volunteer events.

As Chairman of the Board of the Mills High School Interact Club, Ian has expanded programs that directly benefit local residents, including assembling care packages and personal handwritten notes for more than 300 individuals throughout San Mateo County during the holiday season, packaging food for overseas recipients with Rise Against Hunger, and coordinating student volunteers for the Millbrae Spring Festival, Millbrae Art & Wine Festival, Japanese Culture Festival, and Lomita Park Fall Festival. Beyond these major leadership roles, Ian also founded the Linguistics Club and the Karaoke Club at Mills High School and is captain of the varsity volleyball team.

Leading with empathy, integrity, and optimism, Ian has already made a lasting difference in Millbrae. We wish him well as he continues his academic career at Stanford University this fall!

Meet our generous sponsors!