Community Volunteer Awards

What does it mean to be a Neighborhood Champion?

Every great team needs that one player who makes everyone around them better. Someone who sees the whole court. Someone who doesn’t just score points, but sets up assists, calls the plays, and keeps the team connected.

In the Rio Del Oro neighborhood here in Rancho Cordova, that player is Judy Ho.

From the moment she moved into this growing community, Judy didn’t sit on the sidelines. She stepped onto the court ready to play. She made it her mission to engage, connect, and learn — and she’s been running full-court ever since.

She sharpened her game through Leadership Rancho Cordova. She suited up for the Rancho Cordova Police Department Citizen Academy to better understand public safety and city services. She studied the playbook, learned the system, and invested in being an informed, engaged leader.  She serves on the Cordova Recreation and Park District Foundation Board of Directors.

And when the City introduced her to the Neighborhood Engagement Program? Judy didn’t wait for a pass — she called for the ball.

But what truly makes Judy a Neighborhood Champion isn’t just participation — it’s execution.

Nothing to do in her neighborhood? Judy hosts Movies in the Park at Gold Rush Park — turning an ordinary evening into a community slam dunk under the stars. She organizes neighborhood potlucks — because great teams bond off the court as much as they compete on it.

She even opens her own property to host Rio Del Oro’s National Night Out — creating a home-court advantage for connection, trust, and safety.

That’s not just showing up. That’s leadership.

In her professional life, Judy is a Certified Financial Planner, so setting the stage for success is what she does.

Judy sees the open teammate. She makes the assist. She brings neighbors into the game who might otherwise stay on the bench. She understands that community, like basketball, is a team sport. She stays informed, shares updates, creates spaces for conversation, and builds chemistry. Just like the best captains, she leads by example.

In a city that continues to grow and evolve, champions like Judy are the glue players — the ones who keep the team together and moving forward.

Judy is the point guard of the Rio Del Oro neighborhood — orchestrating connection, creating opportunities, and keeping the momentum going. Because of Judy, her neighborhood isn’t just a collection of houses. It’s a team.

Thank you for playing with heart, vision, and generosity. It is with great pride that we present the Neighborhood Champion Award to Judy Ho — a true MVP of Rancho Cordova.