Christmas
Parade of Lights 2014
Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014 at 5:20 p.m. On Broadway between Stowell and Town Center Mall
Presented by:
Santa Maria & nipoMo rotary ClubS
Bring your canned goods to donate to the Salvation Army
Making it happen...
INDEX PAGE A4 PAGE A5 PAGE A6 PAGE A8 PAGE A9
Parade of Lights enters 20th year Rotary Club of Nipomo — Partners in collective impact Rotary Interact clubs Salvation Army collects for needy during parade
PLAY Inc. wishes you a happy holiday season Program helps student veterans stay in school PAGE A10 Breakfast Rotary of Santa Maria — Gifts to our Community PAGE A12 Parade of Lights route map PAGE A13 Parade of Lights List of Entries
PAGE A14 PAGE A15 PAGE A16 PAGE A18
CalStar flyover planned for parade Rotary and the United Nations
| Friday, December 5, 2014 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
Christmas parade flag a longstanding tradition
Thanking our Sponsors
Rotary Santa Maria South – Serving youth and forgotten members of our community PAGE A19 Boy Scouts and our local parks PAGE A20 Rotary Club of Santa Maria
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Contributed
The Christmas Parade of Lights Committee meets regularly throughout the year to plan the parade. From left to right, Co-chair Mike Gibson, Jim Bray, Lisa Long, Ken Parker, Joyce Chrisman, Ryan Heath, Jerry Watson, Tim Seifert, Teresa Rayburn, Co-Chair Dave Wright and Bill Thompson, center front. Committee members not pictured include Tom Martinez, Camille Edie, Judy Henbury and Mike Streator.
PAGE A21 Rotary — Service Above Self PAGE A22 Recreation and Parks in Santa Maria PAGE A23 Parade of Lights 2013 Award Winners
Jim Bray ROTA R I A N
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s an ongoing tradition of the Christmas Parade of Lights, a giant Christmas flag will again be carried down the parade route by Rotarians, their family members and Interact volunteers. It takes approximately 25 volunteers to carry the flag, which measures 40 feet by 60 feet, and weighs approximately 50 pounds. The bright red flag sports a white Christmas tree in the center. Betty’s Fabrics of Santa Maria donated all of the material for the flag’s construction. Spectators, both young and
old, are encouraged to come onto the parade route and throw money into the flag. This helps defer the cost of the parade, which this year is budgeted at $41,500. Last year, money collected in the flag totaled $945. A great way to contribute is to take a dollar bill and fold it around two quarters. That makes the money very easy to toss into the flag. However, donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. When the flag passes your viewing location, please be generous knowing that you are playing a part in helping Rotary produce the Christmas Parade of Lights for our community.
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Parade of Lights enters Kyle Harding K H A R D I NG @ L E EC E N T R A LCOAST N EWS.CO M
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| Friday, December 5, 2014 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
This year marks the 20th Parade of Lights since the Rotary Clubs of Santa Maria and Nipomo took it over. About 20,000 people will line the route along Broadway on Dec. 6, organizer Mike Gibson said. This year will be the sixth parade that State Farm agent Donna Randolph has entered her reindeer-themed float.
“We do it every year,” she said. “We love it.” Randolph’s float will even bring snow to the parade, courtesy of two snowblowers. “We literally have it snowing down Broadway,” she said. He float carries two generators to power the snowblowers and all of her lights. Randolph said she would also hand out thousands of candy canes. “It’s such a joy,” she said.
year food, Gibson said Entries are limited to 105, Gibson said, to keep the parade time down to two hours. “It tends to be kind of cold,” he said. In addition to the Santa Maria Times, the parade is Frank Cowan, Contributor sponsored by Rabobank, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and bring with them. Marian Regional “The Salvation Medical Center. Army comes down First and secondthe parade route place prizes will be right before Santa awarded to entries Claus and people for for best use of can see how lights in commany canned mercial, reliTurn goods have gious, youth to A12 been colnonprofit, for the lected,” Gibnon-youth son said. nonprofit and Parade He said that other categoof Lights the canned ries, as well as route food drive best band and map gives meaning best marchto the parade’s ing group. theme, “The Joy The parade will of Giving.” begin at 5:20 p.m. The donations Broadway will be will provide the Salvaclosed between Enos tion Army with a threeDrive and Main Street to four-month supply of at 4 p.m. Rotary Club member Chuck Halsel moves a piece of lumber as Rotarians prepare their float for the 2014 Santa Maria Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 6.
St. Mary of the Assumption School’s float will feature a nativity scene and 40 to 50 of the school’s students. “Being in the float is a wonderful opportunity for our children to feel like a part of the community,” Principal Michelle Cox said. Child Abuse Listening Mediation will be entering a float for the second year, and hopes that it helps the community learn about their services. “Everybody goes to it,” said Sandra Fuhring, a
development associate. Fuhring said that CALM’s float plan is more organized this year, and includes help from Orcutt Academy students. “We had a lot of fun last year,” she said. Gibson said there would be nearly 3,000 participants in the 105 parade entries. As every year, Santa Claus will bring up the rear of the parade. Just before the end of the parade, the Salvation Army will collect bins of the canned food that participants and viewers
Nipomo Rotary:
Local Dorothea Lange elementary school fundraiser supported by Nipomo Rotary.
PARTNERS IN COLLECTIVE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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otary Club of Nipomo 2014-15 club president Jim Anderson says that what impresses him most about the 36-member club is the total involvement of all of its members with the club’s service activities and social functions. A club known for high spirits and robust camaraderie, the Nipomo Rotary has a healthy regard for family and fun and includes several member family events in it schedule. But its trademark is its broad-based community service, enhanced by partnering with other organizations for increasing impact. Rotary Club of Nipomo maintains a full calendar of barbecuing commitments, which it fulfills in support of a variety of
nonprofits. The club’s BBQ trailer is a common sight on the Central Coast. The late Richard Simons, a beloved club member and BBQ’er-extraordinaire, was a mainstay at almost all of the BBQ’s that were held as club fundraisers or fundraisers for other community organizations. His great Portuguese style sauces were widely enjoyed. Two things are certain when you see the Nipomo Rotary BBQ trailer – the food will be good and the benefit organization will keep more of the funds raised! Nipomo Rotarians have provided BBQs for the Nipomo Chamber’s Octoberfest, and for organizations like Mesa Middle School, 4-H, Dana Elementary School and Lucia Mar Foundation. The club’s signature
BBQ event benefits Wilshire Hospice’s annual fundraiser at the Hearst Ranch. Supporting community young people is a priority of the Nipomo club, which gives about $7000 a year in university, community college and vocational scholarships to High School graduating seniors from the Nipomo area. The club also sends high school students to the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) and sponsors the Nipomo High School Rotary Interact club. A key youth support activity is the Nipomo Rotary’s annual “Taste of Italy” fundraiser with the Nipomo High School Drama Club. The Drama Club provides an entertaining skit and bakes dozens of goodies, while Rotarians garner
Contributed
gift baskets and certificates to populate the silent auction. Nipomo Rotarians also hold work days at the Nipomo Senior Center, host annual Public Safety recognition dinners, pick up trash on Thompson Road, and perform a host of other activities. The annual Veteran’s Breakfast is a popular event, with Nipomo Rotarians encouraged to “bring a veteran” to be recognized for his/her service. Internationally, Nipomo Rotarians participate in Rotary’s worldwide immunization days and host a “Poker Run for Polio” for global polio immunization. A recent partner in a Rotary grant to provide a computer
lab for students in La Paz, Nipomo Rotary has also supported water projects in Mexico and Zambia. The Nipomo club, along with other clubs on the Central Coast, collected office equipment, school supplies and hand tools to fill a cargo container
which will be sent to a school in Zambia for vocational education. All these activities are coordinated through lively, high-energy weekly meetings of the Rotary Club of Nipomo, which meets every Wednesday at 7 a.m. at the Cypress Ridge Pavilion. For more information on the club, contact President Jim Anderson (janders1@p66.com).
Lee Central Coast Newspapers | Friday, December 5, 2014 |
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Rotarians expand community service through
ROTARY INTERACT CLUBS CO N T R I B U T I NG W R I T E R
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ponsored by Rotary clubs, but selffunded and selfgoverning Interact clubs determine their own community service and international efforts. Each Rotary club cosponsoring the Christmas Parade of Lights sponsors a high school Interact club. Interactors benefit from their Rotary affiliation, but give back much more than they receive. Righetti High School Interactors have co-presidents this year: Maria Mendoza and Millicent Angulo. Faculty advisor is Laura Branch, with Michele Jensen being Interact liaison for the
Breakfast Rotary Club, which sponsors the Righetti Interact. Righetti Interactors prepare meals and serve dinners monthly to homeless individuals at the Good Samaritan Shelter. The 35-member club also helps with numerous community activities, such as the Family Day in the Park, the Christmas Parade of Lights, the Breakfast Rotary Luau, and other local events. Projects of the Saint Joseph High School Interact Club, sponsored by The Rotary Club of Santa Maria, have included sending care packages to overseas troops, purchasing bicycles for Homeless Shelter children, and providing wheel chairs for recipients in Peru. Interactors have rung bells for the Salvation Army and provided diapers for that
Righetti High School Interact Club members. Contributed
organization’s diaper drive. In correlation with the Rotary Club of Santa Maria’s project to improve the playground area at the new Salvation Army location, the Interact Club purchased and assembled two benches. Volunteer Interactors help with The Rotary Club of Santa Maria’s annual fundraising event, clean up after
the Christmas Parade of Lights, and assist with Bingo at Country Oaks Care Facility. The 35-member Nipomo High School Interact is sponsored by Nipomo Rotary. Co-presidents are Alex Cunningham and Andrea Lopez. Faculty advisor for the club is Deanna Texeira and Cathy Cachu is the Nipomo
Rotarian serving as Interact liaison. Key activity of Nipomo Interactors this year is the fundraising club members are doing for scholarships to “First Tee”, a youth program using golf to teach values and professionalism. Nipomo Interactors will also help with Nipomo Rotary’s run to eradicate polio and are providing volunteers
to support the Christmas Parade of Lights. Club members sometimes help Nipomo Rotary with roadside clean-up and other events. This year, Nipomo Interact will do a “Beach Clean-Up” in Oceano with a BBQ to follow as a fellowship between Interactors and Rotarians. Maddy Cross is 20142015 president of the Orcutt Academy High School (OAHS) Interact Club. Phil Norton is club advisor. Club liaison is Nicolette Reeves of Rotary Santa Maria South, which sponsors the OAHS Interact. Past Interactor efforts of the 35-member club included a winter clothing drive and providing school supplies for La Paz village students, as well as helping with “Santa Maria Has Talent.” Current activities include writing a successful grant to the Santa Barbara Foundation for school supplies and backpacks that were donated to local school children in need. Club 2015 plans include a community garden and a book drive. Interactors help with the holiday parade, ring bells for Salvation Army, and partner with Rotary Santa Maria South to serve meals for homeless community members.
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Lee Central Coast Newspapers | Friday, December 5, 2014 | A7
Part of your community.
Salvation Army collects for needy during parade
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his is a busy time of year for many, includingThe Salvation Army. But one of the things we look forward to the most is the Santa Maria Parade of Lights.
Along with participating in the parade, we place food barrels along the route. We are reaching out to this generous community for their help to fill these barrels with can goods, baby food and any non-perishable items. Even the seemingly smallest item carries a great importance in what we do throughout the year.
A single can of corn, might be used in our Food Pantry Program, where we serve 80-100 families and individuals on a daily basis. Then there is our Emergency Food Program that service 15 or more weekly. Our Hot Lunch Program services 180 – 200 every day Monday thruThursday 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and breakfast on Fridays
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. These donations will help families with a Holiday Food box. As you can see, what may seem insignificant to some, to many, it means having a hot meal this holiday season.Your donations means so much to those we serve. — The Salvation Army
ut ed
Give the gift of food
Co
rib nt
The elves of PLAY, Inc. wish you a
Program helps student veterans stay in school H A NCO C K CO L L EG E STA F F
Since 2009 more than 1,000,000 veterans and their dependents have enrolled in college. Most of these veterans are relying on the Post 9/11 GI Bill to fund their education. For a veteran with three years of service after Sept. 11, 2001, the Post 9/11 GI Bill provides 100 percent of in-state tuition and fees and a basic housing allowance. Veterans with less than three years of service receive benefits on a sliding scale, bottoming out at 40 percent for those who served at least 90 days. Rotary District 5240 President Loretta Butts made veteran issues a point of focus for the district’s 2014-15 outreach activities. Rotary clubs in northern Santa Barbara County and southern San Luis Obispo County, led by the Santa Maria Breakfast Rotary Club, have developed a new program to help student veterans stay in school. Breakfast Rotary President Tim Seifert approached Allan Hancock College about ways that the club could help these students. “We had $5,000 to apply toward a need for veterans and wanted to find a way to make a lasting impact,” he said. The answer was to fund an emergency loan See GI BILL, A16
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hroughout the year, the elves of PLAY, Inc. are bustling about, rounding up great family fun activities such as the Father/Daughter Dance, softball tournaments, free swim days, Tastes of Mexico, Autumn Arts Grapes and Grains Festival, and much more. In addition, PLAY, Inc. assists with many other community wide events such as the 4th of July Fireworks at the Fairgrounds, the Santa Maria Police Department’s National Night Out, and the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum’s Kite Festival. The PLAY, Inc. elves have also raised tens of thousands of dollars to provide financial assistance for youth, adults, and families to attend recreation programs, sports, and special events. PLAY, Inc. has also been involved in a widerange of services available to the Santa Maria Valley community including: The Tree of Life program. New playground, exercise, and facility equipment for City parks and community centers. The Jean Hagerman Scholarship Fund that provides recreation program financial assistance. Providing financial
support in creating the community’s largest park, Los Flores Ranch Park, which includes eight-miles of biking, hiking, and horseback riding trails. The People for Leisure And Youth, Inc. (PLAY, Inc.) is a non-profit public benefit corporation committed to promoting public welfare and education through the acceptance of contributions for use in enhancing, maintaining, and promoting the recreation, leisure, and parks services offered by the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department. These services offer a multitude of personal, social, economic, and environmental benefits. A COMMUNITY UNITED: Connecting the community through various parks, programs and events is the heart of PLAY, Inc. Members of the community can come together for the enjoyment of leisure activities. This helps bring our diverse population
together with the common goal of having fun. We want to build an enjoyable and cohesive community through people, parks, and programs. VOLUNTEER: We need you! PLAY, Inc. welcomes anyone looking to volunteer their talents at various community events or participate on a committee. MAKE A CONTRIBUTION: Without your generous support, PLAY, Inc. would not be able to provide our community with so many services. To help ensure these services continue for our future generations, please consider making a donation to PLAY, Inc. BECOME A SPONSOR: Your organization can sponsor one of the many PLAY, Inc. events hosted throughout the year. This is a great opportunity for organizations to give back to the community, while developing and
expanding your public relations. PLAY, Inc. was founded in 1997 and works closely with the City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department with the goal of providing opportunities to its community members. Together, both organizations work to improve community parks and leisure services to enhance the lives of local residents. To volunteer, contribute, become a sponsor or learn about special events, please call us at (805) 9250951 x260 or email us at Dsmitherman@cityofsantamaria.org . You can also stay “connected” by visiting our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/playinc. During this holiday season we encourage you to get out and PLAY in some of Santa Maria’s 27 beautiful parks. Happy holidays!
Lee Central Coast Newspapers | Friday, December 5, 2014 |
Contributed
Breakfast Rotary of Santa Maria President Tim Seifert and President of Allan Hancock College and Breakfast Rotarian Kevin Walthers.
CO N T R I B U T I NG W R I T E R
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Breakfast Rotary of Santa Maria
gifts to our community Teresa Reyburn PU B L I C R E L AT I O NS C H A I R
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| Friday, December 5, 2014 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
Someday when we all grow up, most folks want to leave a legacy that makes the world a better place. Particularly during the holidays. We reflect, we give, and we contemplate our humanity. So at this time, we share our pledge to each of you, with gifts and visions of service heard on high. After all, our Rotarian motto is “Service Above Self“. We strive to achieve this mantra and exceed the expectations of the organization only because it is truly our hearts desire to do so. It starts in May when our generous community supports our annual Luau Barn party. This year to
the support equaled and unprecedented $90,000. What happens with this funding? A myriad of positive impacts. These impacts support worthy non-profit agencies such as Special Olympics, the Central Coast Literacy Council, the Santa Maria Valley YMCA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, the Guadalupe Boys and Girls Club Kids Night Out, YMCA’s Family Day in the Park Fishing Derby, the Kiwanis Annual “Atkion Club” Fashion Show, the People for Leisure and Youth, Inc., the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society, the Friends of the Santa Maria Library, Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center, the Santa
Contributed photos
Above: Breakfast Rotary Club members present a check for $1,500 to Los Prietos Boys Camp scholarship program. From left, holding check are Carol Bradfield, member, Jim Clark with Los Prietos, and Tim Seifert, club president. At the podium is a member of the Goleta Rotary Club, Michael Bennet.
Maria Valley Discovery Museum, and the popular Concert and Movies in the Parks series that provide Santa Maria with quality of life opportunities for all ages to enjoy. Last but not least the Breakfast Rotary group serves as the lead for the annual Christmas Parade
Left: Toys purchased by the Breakfast Rotary Club for the toy drive that the club does for the county Probation Department every year. From left are Tim Staffel, member, Carolyn Diaz with the Probation Department and Mike Gibson, member.
and the associated canned food drive. Other endeavors build community through our business members such as the Coca-Cola Company’s communitywide recycling project that raised enough money to sponsor 289 memberships for children at our YMCA. But some acts are not quantified by their dollar amount but by innocuous sentiment. An example of this is amplified in the monthly homeless feeds at the Good Samaritan Shelter during the last Sunday of each month where Rotary provides the meal and the serving. These charitable and earnest actions reminds us of a famous quote from Gandhi “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others”.
Rotary also takes care of their own. It is inevitable in a Rotary Club that some Rotarians or their families will have a catastrophic episode take place in their lives which deeply affects us all. These unfortunate events may include everything from catastrophic illness to devastating fire to an unexpected accident. Our Club has certainly experienced several of these. The Breakfast Rotary Club has developed a Compassion Fund for their members and families. Most recently, a popular member of our Club has spent several months trying to recover from a most unusual and sudden illness at Stanford Medical Center. The outpouring of love and
support and prayers for this member and his wife and son were not surprising. Members may designate there contributions directly to this fund to help members in need. As we enjoy the holiday festivities, we encourage you to look within yourselves and contemplate these famous quotes that offer a direct tie to community service ~ “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” by Charles Dickens and from Winston S. Churchill, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” May you and yours have a blessed holiday season with filled with good health and happiness.
Christmas
Parade of Lights 2014
The Rotary Clubs of Santa Maria and Nipomo wish to thank the following: Major Sponsors: Rabobank Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Dignity Health Hospitals of the Central Coast and Marian Medical Center Primary Sponsors: Santa Maria Times KCOY and KKFX Television High Definition Screen Sponsorship Coca Cola of Santa Maria
In-kind Sponsors: Quinn Equipment Rental PRP Companies - Printing All American Screen Printing
Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department Santa Maria Police Department Santa Maria Fire Department Civil Air Patrol Squadron 101 - Vandenberg and Santa Maria Central City Market and Town Center Mall
Interact Club of Nipomo H.S. Interact Club of St. Joseph H.S. Interact Club of Righetti H.S. Interact Club of Orcutt Academy H.S. Righetti FFA Students from Arellanes Jr. High Students from Lakeview Jr. High Students from El Camino Jr. High Students from Orcutt Jr. High Pioneer Valley High School Marching Band Portable Johns Landmark Square Santa Maria Explorer Scouts Guadalupe Explorer Scouts Straw Hat Pizza and Randy/Mary Wise Del Taco and Martin/Debi Testa Santa Maria Inn Santa Maria Inn Barber Shop Santa Maria Fairpark SLO Grind Coffee Santa Maria Jeep Chrysler
Presented by: Santa Maria & nipoMo rotary ClubS
Lee Central Coast Newspapers | Friday, December 5, 2014 | A11
Parade Sponsors: Daren Gee - Darensberries Milt Guggia Enterprises Toyota of Santa Maria Lemos Pet Supply Pacific Petroleum SEIU Local 620 Streator Pipe and Supply Santa Maria Inn and Radisson Hotel Santa Maria Airport District Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department
And thanks to the many fine organizations below who have helped in one fashion or another to make this parade a great community event:
Parade of Lights Street closed
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Announcer
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Finish
Restroom
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Judges
Broadway
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Main Street
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Staging area
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| Friday, December 5, 2014 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
McClelland St.
Broadway between Enos Drive Cook St. and Main Street will be closed X X beginning about 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. Orange St. Additionally, Stowell Road will X As be closed at 3 p.m. between Broadway and Depot Street on parade day because that is the Boone St. X X area where entrants will line up for the parade. Jones St. X X The closures will be in effect A until the parade ends at approximately 7:30 p.m. Park Ave. X AX For emergency traffic, police officers will be stationed where J Broadway intersects with Morrison St. X J TV X Jones and Cook streets. Other Santa drivers wanted to cross Maria Broadway should use Battles Camino High X Collegio Road on the south or Main Street to the north.
Stowell Rd.
Parade of Lights List of Entries 20 Santa Maria VA clinic
S.M. Youth Football Cheer
Valley Youth Football BULLDOGS
1 Civil Air Patrol and SMPD Humvee
21 KT’s All-Star Gymnastics & Cheer
62 Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley
84 Filipino Christian Church
2 Ernest Righetti High School Cheerleaders
22 Rotary Donation Flag
85 Garcia dance Studio
3 Righetti High School Warrior Marching Band
23 CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation)
63 New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
4 Santa Maria Times
24 Santa Barbara Family Dentistry
rder, O Organization
5 7-Eleven 6 Rotary Club Presidents and District Governor 7 Central Coast Peacemakers Pathfinder Club 8 VTC Enterprises 9 Cub Scout Pack 1538 10 City of Santa Maria—City Council 11 Knight Broadcasting/KUHLAM/Good Samaritan Services 12 Coca Cola Bottling Co. of Santa Maria
14 Santa Maria Touring Elks and Santa Maria Elks Lodge 1538 15 Orcutt Hill 4H 16 Lemos Feed & Pet Supply 17 Orcutt Union School District Junior High Band
26 Iglesia Internacional Casa de Dios 27 Santa Maria Model A Ford Club 28 Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab 29 Mid Coast Veterans Alliance 30 Community Bank of Santa Maria 31 Pioneer Valley High School 32 Pioneer Valley High School Panther Pride Marching Band
The Parade of Lights has only been cancelled once in the 19 years that Rotary has been hosting the event. That happened in one of the early years when the event was much smaller, and it was postponed to the following week. Organizers are of the opinion that given the magnitude of the event now, postponing it for one week is not feasible — too many people, volunteers and participants have already made plans. Every effort will be made to put on the parade even under light rain conditions. However, heavy rain conditions will cause cancellation of the event. Organizers will post a message on the web site at www.smparadeoflights.org if the event is cancelled no later than 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Country 102.5 & 96.1, 99.1 KXFM and 106.7 KSMY 42 Donna Randolph State Farm Insurance Agency
of Santa Maria Valley 51 Aaron’s 52 Paradise British Car Club
64 Santa Maria PAL Robotics 65 Santa Maria High School FFA 66 American Legion Riders Orcutt Chapter 534 / District 16 67 Red Robin 68 Santa Maria High School Cheer 69 Santa Maria High School Saints Band 70 Adobe Nipomo 4H Club 71 Westside Little league 72 Santa Maria Shrine Club
86 Fisher Pump & Well Service, Inc. 87 PROUD Youth Group of Pacific Pride Foundation 88 Back2newmobile detailing 89 Tabernacle Of Praise & Worship 90 Righetti Thunder Drumline and RHS Dance Team 91 Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery 92 Pepsi Beverages Co. 93 OKEY MAGAZINE, Spanish Magazine 94 House Of Faith 95 Premier Auto Body
53 Santa Maria Valley YMCA
73 Cal Skate Roller Derby
54 Smith’s Alarms and Electronics
74 MEGA 97.1 75 PG&E
55 Girl Scouts of Santa Maria
76 Pacific Christian Center
35 Rabobank, N.A.
44 Marine Corps League Coastal Valley’s Detachment 1340
56 Allan Hancock College Youth Dance
77 Lazer Broadcasting Inc.
99 St. Claire Apartments
36 City of Santa Maria Utilities Department
45 Los Prietos Boys Camp
78 Gold Coast Collision
37 VAFB Jets Gymnastics
46 El Camino Junior High Cheerleading
57 Allan Hancock College Police Department
100 Orcutt Academy High School Spartans Marching Band
38 Game Movers
47 El Camino Jr. High Band
58 Allan Hancock College ASBG
80 Santa Maria Girls Fast Pitch Softball
59 American General Media
81 Mayfield Blueprint
33 Camp Fire Central Coast 34 Centro Cristiano De Evangelismo
43 Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Teen Court
18 New Image Thrift Store (In Support of Domestic Violence Solutions)
39 Calvary Chapel Santa Maria 40 Michael B. Clayton and Associates
48 American Cancer Society/ Relay For Life
19 St. Mary of the Assumption School
41 El Dorado Broadcasters: Sunny
50 Boys & Girls Clubs
49 Triple Threat Cheer
60 Los Padres National Forest 61 Santa Maria Youth Football League and
79 Pioneer Valley FFA
82 City of Santa Maria/Special Olympics Host Town Program 83 Santa Maria
96 S & D’s Mr. Nice Cream 97 GTS Tax and Insurance 98 Atrevete La Revista
101 GRL Restorations 102 Central Coast Rescue Mission 103 Fun Bugs of Santa Maria 104 The Salvation Army 105 Santa Claus
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13 Gods Grace Christian Fellowship
25 Righetti FFA
In case of rain...
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CalStar flyover is planned for parade
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he idea of a parade flyover was born from watching the Rose Parade where an F-16 screams over Colorado Blvd. during that New Year’s Day event. Locally based, CalStar (Shock Trauma Air Rescue) will provide
a helicopter flyover for the 2014 Parade of Lights. CALSTAR 7 opened for service on Dec. 5, 2002. It is located at the Santa Maria Airport and serves Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, southern
Monterey, and western Kern Counties. Dedicated to the residents of the Central Coast, CALSTAR recently invested in a brand new Helicopter. They now fly an American Eurocopter EC 135. This new Aircraft enables CalStar to
fly in varying coastal climate conditions with all the latest safety equipment. Inside there is a spacious cabin for two patients, as well as field versions of the See flyover, A16
and the United Nations Antoinette Tuscano Rotary N ews
Women and children are the world’s greatest untapped resources. Helping them is the quickest way to end poverty. When women and children are healthy and strong, entire economies grow.” Nana Taona Kuo, senior manager for Every Woman Every Child
projects scattered around the world. Eliminating extreme poverty, she said, requires making sure girls have access to education and addressing other forms of gender inequality. “Women and children are the world’s greatest
untapped resources. Helping them is the quickest way to end poverty,” said Nana Taona Kuo, senior manager for Every Woman Every Child, an initiative of the UN secretary-general. “When women and children are healthy and
strong, entire economies grow.” By reaching decision makers, Rotary can play a critical role in civil society, said Kuo. Rotary leaders call on members: maintain their dedication Ed Futa, dean of the Rotary Representative Network and a past Rotary general secretary, called on Rotary members to maintain their dedication to polio eradication while working with partners on humanitarian causes. He said that Rotary members can’t rest simply because polio has been 99 percent eradicated. “It’s like running the New York marathon — if you don’t cross the finish line, it’s like that marathon never happened for you, because it didn’t count in the records. We must cross
the finish line. It’s eradicate it all or nothing.” In addition, Futa challenged Rotary members to work for peace. “When it comes time for creating peace, who should we send? We’re sending you,” said Futa. “Each of us can do it and must do it.” Rotary members work in behalf of the global community, not themselves, said Futa. “This is what the UN building is trying to extract from each one of us. As Rotarians, we’re the ones who are going to answer the call,” he said. Rotary International President Gary C.K. Huang agreed. He asked participants to convey what they’ve learned from Rotary Day at the United Nations to their friends. “Create a much brighter world,” he added.
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To strengthen their 69-year-old partnership, leaders from Rotary and the United Nations met this month in New York City for Rotary Day at the United Nations. The two organizations began working together with the aim of maintaining peace after World War II. Today, the relationship has evolved to include humanitarian work in areas like gender equality, child and maternal health, and disease treatment and prevention. While the UN’s Millennium Development Goals are set to expire in 2015, its leaders are preparing for an even more ambitious humanitarian agenda of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030, said Amina J. Mohammed, special adviser of the UN secretary-general on post-2015 development planning, speaking at the event. The UN considers those living on less than $1.25 per day to be in extreme poverty. Around the world, 1.2 billion people fall into this category. “We have the resources in the world to deal with the issues we have today,” said Mohammed. “We need to find a way to unlock that.”
She added that building strong partnerships with organizations that share a similar vision will be crucial to solving the global issues that are related to extreme poverty. As proof of the power of partnerships, Mohammed cited the polio eradication work of Rotary and its global partners. Describing that work, Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair John Kenny, in his address to the meeting, said, “we persist, we overcome challenges, we make progress — and we do not yield.” Nina Schwalbe, principal health adviser for UNICEF, noted that the skills honed in fighting polio — such as identifying the people an infected person has come into contact with, known as “contact tracing” — can be used “as a model to make advances in other global health issues,” such as Ebola. Nigeria’s government stopped its recent Ebola outbreak largely by employing the strong health care systems it had put in place to tackle polio, said Schwalbe. Extreme poverty can be eliminated, insisted Mohammed, but infrastructure must be improved, and not merely through ad hoc
Thank you to our sponsors he Rotary Clubs T of Santa Maria and Nipomo wish to thank the following:
KKFX Television High Definition Screen Sponsorship Coca-Cola of Santa Maria
Radisson Hotel Santa Maria Airport District Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department
Major Sponsors:
Parade Sponsors:
In-kind Sponsors:
Rabobank Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Dignity Health Hospitals of the Central Coast and Marian Medical Center
Primary Sponsors: Santa Maria Times KCOY and
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same medical equipment found in most emergency rooms. At some time during the parade (timing is a surprise since they never know when they may have to take an emergency call) don’t be surprised to see a low flying CalStar helicopter
Darren Gee—Darren’s Strawberries Milt Guggia Enterprises Toyota of Santa Maria Lemos Pet Supply Pacific Petroleum SEIU Local 620 Streator Pipe and Supply Santa Maria Inn and
with night lights shining down on Broadway. They will fly over the route starting from the staging area and then make a second pass in the opposite direction so all participants and viewers will have the opportunity to see their aircraft. “We are very pleased to be a part of the Santa Maria Christmas Parade of Lights again” said Adam Pettit, Chief Flight Nurse for CalStar,
Quinn Equipment Rental PRP Companies— Printing All American Screen Printing
And thanks to the many fine organizations who have helped in one fashion or another
“and salute all the participants, volunteers and parade attendees who we look forward seeing from the air.” CalStar is a nonprofit service committed to saving lives through medical transport, and the Rotary Clubs of Santa Maria and Nipomo salute their efforts, and greatly appreciate their participation in this year’s Christmas Parade of Lights.
to make this parade a great community event: Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department Santa Maria Police Department Santa Maria Fire Department Civil Air Patrol Squadron 101—Vandenberg and Santa Maria Central City Market and Town Center Mall Interact Club of Nipomo H.S.
GI Bill From Page A9
program that would provide short term loan to veterans who are waiting on benefits or find themselves short on cash between semesters. The loan program begins in the Spring semester and will offer short term loans up to $500. To be eligible for benefits, veterans must be enrolled at an accredited
Interact Club of St. Joseph H.S. Interact Club of Righetti H.S. Interact Club of Orcutt Academy H.S. Righetti FFA Students from Arellanes Jr. High Students from Lakeview Jr. High Students from El Camino Jr. High Students from Orcutt Jr. High Pioneer Valley High School Marching Band Portable Johns
Landmark Square Santa Maria Explorer Scouts Guadalupe Explorer Scouts Straw Hat Pizza and Randy/Mary Wise Del Taco and Martin/ Debi Testa Santa Maria Inn Santa Maria Inn Barber Shop Santa Maria Fairpark SLO Grind Coffee Central City Market and Town Center Mall Santa Maria Jeep Chrysler
institution such as Allan Hancock College. “Issues arise between semesters for some vets,” said Hancock President Kevin Walthers, “When school is out the benefits are on hold, but rent and car payments continue.” State law prevents using public funds to pay for daily living expenses – or even books and tuition. Student veterans with cash flow issues may turn to pay-day lenders for temporary assistance, only to find themselves trapped in a cycle of interest and fees for loans that carry annual percentage rates of more than 300 percent. The loan program at Hancock will be interest free and is designed to provide temporary relief. Students will sign a promissory note and see the loan appear on their student account. Once the student’s benefits arrive, the loan is repaid and returned to the account
for use by another student. The program is open to all VA-benefit eligible veterans enrolled in at least six units. “We received a tremendous response to the program at the District Convention and from other clubs,” said Seifert. He noted that the Nipomo Rotary Club and the Santa Maria Rotary Club contributed an additional $1,000 each. Other clubs are in the process of joining the program. “It’s another sign of this community’s commitment to its neighbors,” added Walthers, “As soon as we rolled this out we had great interest in supporting the program from clubs and from individuals.” The Allan Hancock College Foundation established a special account to accept donations. Those wishing to donate can do so by visiting www. hancockcollege.edu/ ahc_foundation.
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Rotary Santa Maria South:
Serving youth and the ‘forgotten’ members of our community
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n January, Rotary Santa Maria South will spearhead a walk benefiting Growing Grounds, a nonprofit program offering mentally ill individuals and recovering substance abusers paid work in the fulfilling environment of a producing farm. According to club President David Bixby, “This is a perfect project for our club — it supports some of the ‘forgotten’ members of our community.” Another club project supporting under-served individuals is volunteer meal serving for Central Coast Rescue Mission (CCRC), which offers meals to homeless and low-income individuals. Club donations support CCRC programs such as a mobile meal service van delivering hot meals to street people and other “forgotten” individuals. Club members also volunteer periodically at
Club President David Bixby, left, with past President Ken Parker at the Discovery Museum.
Rotary South kitchen crew.
Good Sam Shelter. Rotary Santa Maria South members will soon be found serving a Thanksgiving meal to homeless community members, providing turkeys for holiday meals, ringing bells and collecting cans for the Salvation Army, working the Christmas parade and hosting a “Santa” dinner for some Boys ‘n Girls Club invitees. The club sponsors the Orcutt Academy High School Interact club and
Choir, Community Partners in Caring, Fitzgerald Community School and others. Now a collaborative international grant effort, Rotary Santa Maria South’s key international project began years ago in the mountain villages of La Paz, Mexico, with the club providing a shaded lunch area and a library for a village school. In 2013, the club and three partners—Nipomo Rotary, The Santa Maria Rotary Club and Bahia
annually coordinates an essay contest and student scholarships. In 2015, the club will send four students to Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA). Community support the past two years has included contributions to the Orcutt Jr. High robotics, Center for Employment Training, CASA, Shoes for Students, Good Sam Shelter, Orcutt Children’s Arts Foundation, Food Bank, Concerts in the Park, Orcutt Academy
Contributed photos
de la Paz Club Rotario— joined in a grant partnership providing Colonia Diana Laura elementary school with a computer lab and internet access. Grant software now brings tools to the village school equivalent to those in the regular schools of La Paz. In 2015, International co-chairs Ken Parker and Peter Garcia will visit La Paz to monitor grant progress. Parker, founder of the La Paz effort, reminisces about
the club’s past support for the villages. He recalls the club providing sewing machines and fabric and a micro-loan program for village women, and providing school supplies for children. His fondest memory was seeing three former village students who, after sixth grade, received Rotary Santa Maria South bus fare funds allowing them to go beyond elementary school. The three former village students had come back to the village with their university degrees to teach in the village school. Rotary Santa Maria South began as an evening club for professionals and business leaders unable to make daytime meetings. Meetings are the first three Mondays of the month, Santa Maria Inn, 6 p.m. For information, contact Steve Wagner, Membership, 805-361-0737.
Eagle Scout Project Service through Scouting & Rotary In honor of Past Rotary International President Cliff Dochterman “Real Happiness is Helping Others” This site is dedicated to recognition of individual Rotarians who act as a role model and render distinguished and dedicated service to Scouting through active service, leadership, or other exemplary contributions to Scouting. Fostering the idea of service by Rotarians to advance the growth and development of the Scout movement around the world. Dedicated July, 2014 Eagle Scout project by Jason Caldwell, Boy Scout Troup 450, Nipomo CA
The Breakfast Rotary Club at Rotary Centennial Park honors Eagle Scout project.
Contributed photo
Boys Scouts and our local parks Co n t r i b u t i ng W r i t e r
completion of Jason’s Eagle Scout project and help dedicate the new area. Joe Haslett, the Committee Chairman of Troop 450 in Nipomo, was also in attendance for the dedication. Rotary and Boy Scouts share a close and long relationship. Both organizations place a great importance on values of, “Character-building; service to country, to others, and to self; teaching leadership skills; and becoming aware of the world around us.” Another local Boy Scout, Matthew Hoskins, also completed his Eagle Scout project at a City park. He wanted to install predatory bird perches at Los Flores Ranch Park,
6245 Dominion Road. The perches can help keep the rodent population under control and balance the ecosystem, which will create a safer park experience for everyone. An overpopulation of squirrels and rabbits can result in holes along the trails resulting in injuries to park visitors and horses. Matthew worked with Recreation and Parks Department Director, Alex Posada, to locate the best location for the perches. They needed to find an area that overlooked the large valley while providing a commanding view and updrafts that would help the birds hover in flight when looking for prey.
Matthew belongs to Troop 91 and they helped him complete the project, which took several days. The perches were precut and taken to Troop 91’s meeting where all the Scouts helped with assembling. Then on July 12 and 13, 2014, Matthew and 10 of his fellow Scouts installed three perches in the park. Eagle Scout projects must be beneficial to
the community or a nonprofit organization. The projects also go through an approval process before Scouts can start. Both James and Matthew truly embody what it takes to become an Eagle Scout and their contributions will be enjoyed by the entire community. Questions may be directed to the Recreation and Parks Department, 925-0951 ext. 260.
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City parks are often thought of as a great location for celebrating birthdays and family barbecues, but you might be surprised to know that the parks also play a big role with local Boy Scouts. The outdoors is a vital component to the Boy Scouts, and there is perhaps no better place to experience the great outdoors than at the park. Jason Caldwell is a local Boy Scout and wanted to fulfill his Eagle Scout project at a park. He contacted the Rotary Club of Santa Maria Breakfast to see if he could complete his project at Rotary Centennial
Park, 2625 South College Drive. He planned to create the Cliff Dochterman Award Recipients’ Memorial, which would include a plaque and a designated area in the park that honors ‘Service Through Scouting & Rotary.’ Dr. Dochterman is the only living Past Rotary International President and his award recognizes “an individual Rotarian or Rotractor who acts as a role model and renders distinguished and dedicated service to Scouting through active leadership or for other exemplary contributions.” Dr. Dochterman was in attendance on July 31, 2014 to recognize the
The Rotary Club of Santa Maria CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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any people believe that Rotarians are a group of business persons who have lunch every week and write checks to nonprofit organizations. They are unaware that Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self.” The Rotary Club of Santa Maria has been providing service in our valley for over 90 years. The Rotary Club of Santa Maria is the oldest Rotary Club in Santa Maria, having been chartered in 1922. The first meeting was held in the Santa Maria Inn, and the club continues to meet there on Tuesdays at 12:10 p.m. The Santa Barbara Rotary Club sponsored the club, and in turn the Rotary Club of Santa Maria sponsored the San Luis Obispo Rotary Club in 1923, Lompoc Rotary in 1925, the Guadalupe Rotary in 1940, the Santa Maria South Rotary Club in 1973 and Santa Maria Breakfast Rotary in 1984. The Rotary Club of Santa Maria has also sponsored two Interact clubs, the now-inactive Santa Maria High School Interact Club in 1982, and the St. Joseph High School Interact Club in 2007. This year the Rotary Club of Santa Maria has sponsored a Rotaract Club for young professionals. When Cecil B. DeMille was filming “The Ten Commandments” in Guadalupe he regularly attended club meetings.
Serving lunch at an Ampsurf event.
He developed such an affection for the Rotary Club of Santa Maria that he had his Hollywood prop department make a Rotary Wheel for the club, which he presented to club members. This wheel now sits in the Santa Maria Historical Museum.
Contributed
Since 1996 the club has had an annual fundraising dinner/auction. This year’s theme was “Top Gun,” and the event was held on Nov. 1. Monies raised support service projects both locally and internationally. The Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Central
Coast Literacy Council, Luis Oasis Senior Center, Allan Hancock College Scholarship Foundation, and PCPA Theaterfest have benefitted from our fundraiser. At this fundraiser a local organization is highlighted for special consideration. This year, Royal Family Kids was chosen and the club raised over $15,000 for the organization. In addition, a local business is honored with the “Don Melby Business Ethics Award,” and this year’s recipient was Hardy Diagnostics. Every year the club gives dictionaries to all third grade students in the Santa Maria area. The overwhelmingly positive response from students proves the value of the dictionary project. Besides sponsoring the parade, the club has joined with the other local Rotary clubs in the building of Rotary Centennial Park and the Central Coast Literacy Center in the Santa Maria Library. Jointly the local clubs have worked to clean up the Dunes Center in Guadalupe and Oso Flaco Lake, and have sponsored the “Concerts in the Park” during the summer. In 1985, the Rotary International Foundation decided to lead the effort to eradicate polio from the planet. Since then, 2.5 billion children have been immunized. There are only three countries left with polio cases. The Rotary Club of Santa Maria has 260 Paul Harris Fellows who have donated over $301,000.
Jim Bray ROTA R I A N
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otary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build good will and peace in the world. As signified by the motto “Service Above Self,” Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace and throughout the world. Rotary directs its effort in six areas to enhance its local and global impact. Rotary’s most successful and sustainable projects and activities tend to fall within the following areas: Promoting peace; fighting disease; providing clean water; saving mothers and children; supporting education and growing local economies. The world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois
ROTARY: Service Above Self was formed Feb. 23, 1905. Paul P. Harris, an attorney, wished to recapture in a professional club, the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The name “Rotary” is derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices. Rotary’s popularity spread throughout the United States and within five years clubs had formed across the country from San Francisco to New York. Only 16 years after being founded, Rotary had clubs on six continents. As Rotary grew, its mission expanded beyond serving the professional and social interests of club members. Rotarians began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need. During and after World War II, Rotarians became increasingly involved in promoting international understanding.
In 1945, 49 Rotary members served in 29 delegations to the United Nations Charter Conference. Rotary still actively participates in United Nations conferences by sending observers to major meetings and promoting the United Nations in Rotary publications. Rotary International’s relationship with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) dates back to a 1943 London Rotary conference that promoted international cultural and educational exchanges. Attended by ministers of education and observers from around the world, and chaired by a past president of Rotary International, the conference was an impetus to the establishment of
UNESCO in 1946. An endowment fund, set up by Rotarians in 1917 for “doing good in the world,” became a notfor-profit corporation known as the Rotary Foundation in 1928. Upon the death of Paul Harris in 1947, an outpouring of Rotarian donations made in his honor, totaling $2 million, launched the foundation’s first program — graduate fellowships, now called Ambassadorial Scholarships. Since the first donation of $26.50 in 1917, the foundation has received contributions totaling more than $1 billion. ••• In 1932, Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor created the Four-Way Test. This is a code of ethics adopted by Rotary 11 years later. The test, which has been translated into more than
Sunday, December 21, 2 p.m. ETHEL POPE AUDITORIUM Santa Maria High School, 901 S. Broadway Tickets available at the door for $10 and $12
a strong push is needed now to end the dreaded disease once and for all. In more than 34,000 clubs worldwide, with a membership of 1.2 million, you will find Rotarians volunteering in communities at home and abroad to support education and job training, provide clean water, combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, as well as the fight to end polio. The organization’s dedication to serve others is truly expressed in its motto—Service Above Self. To learn more about Rotary visit their website at www.rotary.org.
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Saturday, December 20, 7 p.m.
100 languages, asks the following questions: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? In 1979, Rotary began its fight against polio with a project to immunize six million children in the Philippines. Working in partnership with nongovernmental organizations and national governments thorough its PolioPlus program, Rotary is the largest private-sector contributor to the global polio eradication campaign. Rotarians have mobilized hundreds of thousands of PolioPlus volunteers and have immunized more than 2 billion children in 122 countries. Rotary and its partners are on the brink of eradicating polio, but
Why is it called Recreation and Parks in Santa Maria? Dennis Smitherman CO N T R I B U T I NG W R I T E R
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The common household term is Parks and Recreation, made even more popular by the recent television show, but did you know there are many cities in California that also have the title Recreation and Parks Department; such as Los Angeles, Morro Bay, San Francisco, Bakersfield, Alameda, and many more. The following is how Santa Maria took on the department title of Recreation and Parks. Not long after the City’s incorporation in 1905 did the City of Santa Maria forefathers realize the importance of recreation and parks in the City. While the official hiring of Director of Recreation didn’t happen until 1938, the City’s Board of Trustees realized the need of a “recreation park” in the early ‘20s and purchased the “Baseball Parks,” located on east Main Street for a whopping $4,600. As in current fashion, City Trustees knew the importance of collaboration, especially when it came to large endeavors such as a community swimming plant (pool). On Feb. 1, 1926 the Trustees joined forces with the Kiwanis Club of Santa Maria and
committed the location, equipment, and labor to build the community pool. The Kiwanis Club agreed to raise the funds needed to purchase the supplies required to build the pool, structures, and amenities. This grand design included a substantial building that enclosed the pool, showers and dressing rooms, filtering systems, and tiled floors, which would cost upwards of $25,000. Development of recreation and park opportunities continued to grow, and in 1945 the City established a new park. Several residents, Elizabeth and Edward Rubel and Sadie and C.H. Marriott, could be considered champions for Recreation and Parks as they were instrumental in the creation of Central City Park. On June 4, 1945 the councilmen accepted a granted deed for park, recreational, and other municipal purposes for Central City Park, now known as Rosalind Perlman Park at 100 N. Broadway. Recreation continued to see substantial growth and on July 6, 1959 the councilmen appointed Alice K. Trefts and J.M. “Joe” Hagerman to the newly created Recreation Commission. Later that month on July 20, 1959 the first resolution was presented to
the City Council. It was proposed by the Planning Commission, which resulted in the passing of resolution No. 1277. The resolution provided the first study and plan respecting land use for recreation and parks in the City of Santa Maria. The Recreation Commission added new members on May 28, 1962. Commissioners Joseph White, Arthur Bauer and Louis H. Germann filled additional seats to help perpetuate the importance of Recreation and Parks in the still growing Santa Maria. So you may still be asking why it is Recreation and Parks? In 1942, when the City of Santa Maria’s population grew to more than eight thousand residents , the City’s Board of Trustees title changed to the Board of Councilmen. The councilmen (Clemons, Roemer, Trefts and Rice) fixed the salary of the first full time Director of Recreation at $200 per month (City Resolution No. 638); hence the official beginning of the Recreation Department for the City of Santa Maria. While the Parks had its own division within the city, it was overseen by a Parks Division Foreman and changed to Parks
Division Supervisor in 1958. The Parks Division later combined with the Recreation Department to become the City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department. So which came first, the chicken or the egg? In this case it was Recreation. Jump ahead to 2014, 92 years since the purchase of the first city park, and now the City of Santa Maria has twenty-seven beautiful parks, Los Flores Ranch, nine community centers and buildings, Hagerman Sports Complex, Paul Nelson Aquatics Center, and many sports fields. In addition to the stunning parks and facilities, the Department offers more than 100 different classes, programs, and special events throughout the year. During this winter we encourage you to learn something new by taking a class, visiting a park, or hiking at Los Flores Ranch. Keep busy and warm as you share great experiences with friends and family during this holiday season! For more information about parks, facilities, activities, and events visit the Recreation and Parks Department at 615 S. McClelland Street, check out our website at www.cityofsantamaria.org, or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/csmrpd .
“The common household term is Parks and Recreation, made even more popular by the recent television show, but did you know there are many cities in California that also have the title Recreation and Parks Department; such as Los Angeles, Morro bay, San Francisco, Bakersfield, Alameda, and many more.” Dennis Smitherman
Daniel Dreifuss photos, Staff
Left to right: A Rotary float in the 2013 Parade of Lights. Marching band participants in the 2013 Parade of Lights. Float riders in the 2013 Parade of Lights.
Christmas Parade of Lights Jim Bray ROTARIAN
Getting lights to work and coordinating 30 girls to dance in unison with one another who are used to competing individually were two of the challenges faced last year by the parade’s Grand Prize Winner, Vandenberg AFB Jets Gymnastics. According to Allison Plebger, Director and Head Coach for the Jets, it was a three month effort spent planning the float, designing the costumes and creating the dance routines. Plebger recounted that “We loved working on this project as it is a great way to share something Vandenberg AFB has to offer to the community.” Approximately 30 competing and 20 non-competing gymnasts worked on the float and participated in the parade. Plebger also stated that the Grand Prize money went to the booster club
account to help offset competition costs. “We are really looking forward to being in the Christmas Parade of Lights again this year, and are up to the challenge of outdoing ourselves last year” she added. Many parade participants spend weeks thinking about and creating their Christmas Parade of Lights entries. Some, only a couple of days. It all comes down to lights, imagination, creativity, and a sense of fun in order for the parade judges to decide on the award winners. In the 20-years that the Rotary Clubs of Santa Maria and Nipomo have been sponsoring this parade, the lights keep getting brighter and more creative in their use. This year, $2,700 in prize money will be awarded to parade winners. Categories are organized to recognize different entries according to their particular classifications. The winners for last year’s Christmas Parade of Lights were:
• Grand Prize ($600) – Vandenberg AFB Jets Gymnastics BEST USE OF LIGHTS, COMMERCIAL • Zumba with Jesse and his Z Squad – First Place ($200) • Milt Guggia Enterprises – Second Place ($100) BEST USE OF LIGHTS, RELIGIOUS • Centro Cristiano de Evangelismo – First Place ($200) • Iglesia Monte de Zion – Second Place ($100) BEST USE OF LIGHTS, YOUTH NONPROFIT GROUPS • Adobe Nipomo 4-H Club – First Place ($200) • Santa Maria Recreation & Parks and PLAY – Second Place ($100) BEST USE OF LIGHTS, NON-YOUTH NONPROFIT GROUPS • American Cancer Society Relay for Life – First Place ($200) • Paradise British Car Club – Second Place ($100) BEST BAND • Pioneer Valley High School Marching
Band – First Place ($200) • Righetti High School – Second Place ($100) BEST MARCHING GROUP • Righetti High School Thunder Drumline and Dance Team – First Place ($200) • El Camino Junior High School Cheerleading – Second Place ($100) BEST USE OF LIGHTS, ALL OTHER ENTRIES • Hancock College ASB – First Place ($200) • Santa Maria Model A Ford Club – Second Place ($100) 2014 promises to be even brighter and more fun than ever as parade participants gear-up this year for the challenge of winning the Grand Prize, or one of the many first and second place prizes for the Christmas Parade of Lights. However, the real winners, as always with this parade, are the thousands of parade watchers for whom the Parade of Lights has become an annual tradition.
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AND