Corona Police Officer Alex Plasencia will receive this year’s Community Hero Award from the Corona-Norco Branch of Assistance League^® of Riverside.  The award will be presented during the organization’s third annual Wine & Roses fundraising dinner on Thursday, May 16, in the Pacific Crest Lodge at Trilogy Glen Ivy.

The Community Hero Award was established last year to recognize someone in the community who has gone “above and beyond expectations” to help children and youth in the Corona-Norco area.

Officer Plasencia has evolved over the past six years into the primary organizer of the Corona Police Department’s “Kids and Cops Holiday Magic” event.  During this event, underprivileged children are involved in crafts and game activities and given toys donated by local merchants and residents.  Officer Plasencia also is involved with “Bigs and Badges,” a program of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Association that is aimed at having law enforcement officers mentor local youth.

In his “day job,” Officer Plasencia is a school resource officer at Corona High School, where his primary objective is to keep the students and staff safe.  He has served with the Corona Police Department since 2013.

The mission of Assistance League of Riverside is to clothe, comfort and educate children.  The Corona-Norco Branch was established in June 2021 to serve students in the geographic area of the Corona-Norco Unified School District.

The upcoming Wine & Roses dinner is the Branch’s primary fundraiser.  More information about the dinner may be obtained by emailing wineandroses@alriverside.org.