Martha Sodetani presented award for children's advocacy

Dorothy Pemberton, Martha Sodetani and Roger Bradley at Thursday’s gala event.

CERRITOS — Downey civic leader Martha Sodetani was presented the Protector of Children Award at a gala fundraiser Thursday at the Sheraton Hotel in Cerritos, recognizing her decades of work on behalf of children.

Sodetani and her late husband fostered nearly a dozen children, adopting three. She also spent 17 years on the Downey board of education.

Eric Pierce, editor of the Downey Patriot and a board member with Community Family Guidance Center, presented the award to Sodetani.

“When there was a child in need, Martha opened her home,” Pierce said. “Oftentimes the children were sick or had behavior issues. Martha never hesitated to take in a child at their most vulnerable moment in life.”

The event raised nearly $150,000 for Community Family Guidance Center, a non-profit that provides mental health services to kids and young adults in Southeast Los Angeles County.

In attendance were Mayor Mario Trujillo, Councilwoman Dorothy Pemberton, City Manager Roger Bradley, City Attorney John Funk, school board member Jose Rodriguez, and Downey Unified assistant superintendent Alyda Mir.

Members of the Miss Downey Court also attended.