San Diego Off-Highway Vehicle Enthusiast Receives Prestigious State Award
Auburn, Calif. (Oct 31, 1997) - Sherri Kukla, editor and publisher of the San Diego Off-Road Magazine, recently received the California Off-Highway Motor
Vehicle Recreation Commission's prestigious "Best Volunteer of the Year" award during ceremonies in Auburn.
Competing with off-highway vehicle colunteers throughout California, Kukla, of Chula Vista, was singled out for her untiring efforts to educate OHV enthusiasts and the general public about the importance of keeping public lands open for the public and her assistance in securing more riding opportunities for some 50,000 enthusiasts in San Diego County.
"This volunteer achievement award is a reflection of Sherri's hard work and dedication to our statewide Green Sticker program," said Don Amador, the State's OHV Commission chairman. "Through her quality magazine, her timely articles in local newspapers, and her appearances at local events, Sherri has been an inspiration to all of us who have such a passion for the sport."
Kukla explained that she was introduced to off-roading at age 16 when she made a purposeful trip to a motorcycle area to meet Steve, one of the dirt bike riders, who would a short time later, become her spouse. The two were married in 1974 and in the past eight years they have adopted four children: Charlie-18, Byron-15, Christi-10, and Margie-9.
Jim McGarvie, president of the San Diego Off Road Coaliution, calls Kukla the "voice of the off-highway vehicle recreation community in Southern California. Her editorials emphasize the importance of Christian family recreation, proper safety equipment, appropriate safety rules and the improvement of the OHV community image."
Kukla said she started her publication in 1982 in an attempt to attract more visitors to local car races. She said the track did not succeed, however, she received enough positive comments, that she decided to "make a go" in the publications business. In the beginning, she published a simple 8x11 newsletter distributed to potential race fans and today her widely read tabloid magazine, San Diego Off-Road Magazine, has a circulation of 2,000 and is distributed throughout the United States.
"When the San Diego Board of Supervisors announced a meeting to discuss the off-highway vehicle plan for the county," said McGarvie, "Sherri mailed flyers to all of her subscribers at her own expense and helped attract more than 300 OHV enthusiasts to that important meeting."
In addition to home schooling all of her children, publishing her magazine, cheer leading for her husband at local motorcycle races, Kukla still finds time to be an active member of the San Diego COunty Christian Writers' Guild.
Story originally published in the Winter, Issue No. 13 1997/98 "Green Sticker Vehicle".
Last Updated March 1, 1997