PV Chamber Announces Community Awards

COMMUNITY NEWS PV Chamber Announces Community Awards

The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture announces the 59th Annual Award honorees.

The Annual Awards Dinner will take place outdoors at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 31, at the Santa Cruz County fairgrounds in Watsonville. The Theme is “An Afternoon in Paradise.” Tickets are $100 per person at EventBrite.com.

••• Lifetime Achievement Ken and Anne Dobler Family

AWatsonville native, Ken Dobler at age 12 joined his father and brother at Dobler & Sons produce company which this year celebrates 70 years of farming in the Pajaro Valley.

His wife Anne Lukrich, also a Watsonville native, become a registered nurse and worked in the Surgery and Emergency Departments of Watsonville Community Hospital. Ken served in the Army Reserves and, in 1964, he and Anne married.

Their children are Steven, Deanne and Craig. Through the years they have supporting multiple local organizations, foundations, churches, schools and youth sports program, often behind the scenes, buying hot dogs for the Little League home team, for example. Ken was a board member of The Grower Shipper Vegetable Association and The Watsonville Community Hospital Foundation.

He is an active member of the Knights of Columbus and serves on the Board of the Pajaro Valley Historical Association where he was vice president. He’s member of the Watsonville High School Hall of Fame. While their children attended Moreland Notre Dame, Anne devoted herself to being a volunteer participating on the Mother’s Guild, volunteered as school nurse and serving as Room Mother. She helped raise money for Omega Nu and Children’s Home Society, volunteered for the Red Cross Blood Bank and served on the board of the Watsonville High School Foundation.

Both Anne and Ken are active volunteers with the Pajaro Valley Historical Association. Their children and grandchildren are following in their footsteps by collectively supporting the community as board members of Moreland Notre Dame School, Saint Francis High School, Salsipuedes and Pajaro Valley Little Leagues, The Jean & Ed Kelly Foundation, Grower Shipper Association, Knights of Columbus #958; coaching local Little League baseball and YMCA basketball; leader for the YMCA Adventure Guides program; and assisting at Loaves and Fishes.

Read More About The Dobler Family at: https://tinyurl.com/PVCA-Dobler

Man of the Year Chuck Allen

Chuck Allen has worked with local farming and food processing companies with real estate services for more than 50 years and has actively served on many nonprofit boards. As president of Landmark Real Estate Co./Heritage Development, Chuck and his local investor team worked to develop the

Chuck Allen 150-acre assembled residential land served by Ohlone Parkway from Beach Road to Harkins Slough Road, and develop and build the 95-room Red Roof Inn, today known as Roadway Inn. He and his wife Ramona managed the Red Roof Inn for a decade and received national “guest satisfaction” awards.

After selling the hotel in 2009, Chuck and Ramona became associated with the International Keller Williams Realty, as its Santa Cruz/Monterey County industrial and agricultural agent. He is vice president of the Pajaro Valley Historical Association and president of the North Monterey County Foundation, an active member of the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation, and charter member of the Agricultural History Project board of directors. He is an active Watsonville Rotarian for 40 years and was a member of the Watsonville Salvation Army Advisory Board for 25 years, serving as chairman.

He was a board member of the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture in the 1970s. Other organizations he’s served: Pajaro Rescue Mission, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, 17 years; Watsonville Antique Fly In, board chair for 3 years; director, Watsonville Food Processor’s Association, 10 years; Santa Cruz County Visitors and Convention Bureau board, 5 years; Christians in Commerce, 32 years; and Casa de la Cultura (Sister Rosa Delores), board member.

Chuck and his wife also operate a Christian-based “sober living environment” home for 15 men in Watsonville. Chuck has been married to Ramona for 35 years and between them have 5 children, 12 grandchildren and 4 great granddaughters.

Read More About Chuck Allen at: https:// tinyurl.com/PVCA-CAllen

Woman of the Year Stephanie Fontana

Stephanie Fontana worked tirelessly 12-to-15-hour days from August through October as the livestock coordinator for the CZU Lightning Complex fire evacuees. A volunteers for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) in Santa Cruz County, she was the livestock coordinator for fire, overseeing evacuations from day one.

Fire evacuee Brian Smart said she had a welcoming demeanor and mitigated issues in a calm, caring and Stephanie Fontana professional manner. Fontana has been the governor’s appointment on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds board of directors for nine years and currently chairs the board.

She was a 4H camp counselor for 10 years and was a program representative for eight years as a board member serving Santa Cruz and San Benito counties through the University of California. When her grandmother, Estell Fontana, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Stephanie left her career to care for her.

Stephanie volunteers at Resurrection Church of Aptos, helping the Homeless Shower Project, assisting with food, clothing and necessities. She is an advocate for the Watsonville Pride Project, volunteering in their community awareness campaign.

Read More About Stephanie Fontana at: https://tinyurl.com/PVCA-SFontana

Business of the Year Monument Lumber

In 1952, Red Shugart and Harry Stephenson opened Monument True Value Hardware and Lumber and the store remains in the original location almost 70 years later. Now under the management of Red’s sons, Calvin and Mark, Monument Lumber treats customers like family.

At 96, Mrs. Shugart still comes in Tuesdays to counts the True Value inventory.

Monument Lumber has sponsored local youth sports for the last 69 years including Little League, Pony League and Babe Ruth baseball, YMCA basketball, indoor soccer teams and an independent girl’s softball team. Their generosity goes well beyond sponsorships; they have given to countless youth programs, churches, missionaries and schools. In July 2019, they received the Beautification of the Month Award from the City of Watsonville.

Last year, with the CZU fire destroying so many homes and displacing people and animals. Calvin heard about the need for supplies to help the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds take care of families and their animals, so they opened up the store for those supplies, just like his father would have done.

Read More About Monument Lumber at: https://tinyurl.com/PVCA-Monument-Lumber

“PV Chamber Awards” page 13