Two local women named ‘Woman of the Year’ in their districts

Yucca Valley resident Nancy Williams Huntington & Indio resident Lily Choate were honored as ‘Women of the Year’ in their respective districts Monday afternoon in Sacramento.

Choate was honored by Indio resident Lily Choate was honored by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) as the 56th Assembly District’s ‘Woman of the Year’ for her lifelong commitment to community service. She dedicated over 30 years towards early childhood education and made massive efforts to provide extracurricular opportunities for local youth.

Choate also volunteers with California Care Force and Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine, assisting these local organizations to provide free medical care in underserved areas. She currently works at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Catholic School in Indio. At age 70, Choate has enrolled for classes at College of the Desert to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher.

Yucca Valley resident Nancy Williams Huntington was honored by Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley) as the 47th Assembly District ‘Woman of the Year’.

Huntington spent 24 years as a Director for the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Desert, including six years as Secretary and Compliance Coordinator for the six clubs of the Boys & Girls Clubs Inland Empire Coalition. Nancy was recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America for service to youth as a Silver Medallion Member in 2002.

She is also a travel consultant who managed a local travel agency for 26 years. She also served at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree, first as an adjunct faculty member teaching travel, then as Mentoring Coordinator for Welfare to Work participants in the CalWORKS program.

Held annually, the Woman of the Year ceremony celebrates California’s extraordinary women. The first ceremony was held in 1987 to help commemorate Women’s History Month. The event has become an annual Capitol tradition to salute women who have performed outstanding community service.