ARABIAN GIVEN VALLEY'S FERNANDO AWARD FOR VOLUNTEERISM.

Byline: ERIC LEACH Staff Writer

WOODLAND HILLS -- Former California Supreme Court Justice Armand Arabian received the 2006 Fernando Award at a ceremony Friday night honoring him with the San Fernando Valley's highest honor for volunteerism.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the award at the Warner Center Marriott Hotel.

``Congratulations, Judge Arabian,'' Villaraigosa said. ``You have a great story. I salute all the finalists -- all your stories are an inspiration to us.''

Arabian, who will be feted at a dinner in February, said it was a beautiful feeling to be recognized for something done without any expectation of praise.

``Then you know you have touched someone and made a difference,'' he said.

Arabian and the four other finalists were honored at the $100-a-plate dinner attended by hundreds of business and government leaders. Besides Arabian, the finalists were prominent community volunteers Jill Banks Barad, Dorothy Jean Jauck, Ed Rose and Pauline Tallent.

Arabian of Tarzana has been a Municipal and Superior Court judge in Van Nuys, an associate justice to the Court of Appeal and a member of the California Supreme Court. He created the sexual assault victim counselor privilege now embodied in the California Evidence Code and adopted by 28 other states.

Barad of Sherman Oaks is the founder and chairwoman of the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils.

Jauck of West Hills has volunteered for 40 years, working with the Girl Scouts and YMCA and contributing to efforts to document the history of the San Fernando Valley.

Rose of Mission Hills is the co-founder of Meet Each Need with Dignity, a nonprofit social service agency in the northwest Valley that distributes 1,000 food baskets to the poor each Christmas.

Tallent of Winnetka is a three-time Fernando Award nominee who has worked with the U.S. Marine Corps' Toys for Tots program and helped establish the Winnetka Community Foundation Inc.

The award was established in the late 1950s to recognize the contributions made by Valley residents, and it has been presented each year to leading business and community leaders who have dedicated themselves to helping the community.

Brad Rosenheim, president of the award foundation, said each of the nominees have dedicated decades of their lives to helping others -- and their work represents the heart of the Valley.

``The number of outstanding volunteers who give of themselves to the San Fernando Valley is truly remarkable,'' he said.

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Armand Arabian, right, is seen with Brad Rosenheim, president of the Fernando Award Foundation, during the 48th annual Fernando Award finalist dinner at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills on Friday night.

Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News