By Robin GOLDSWORTHY
The stars came out on Thursday – well, at least the stars of the Crescenta Valley when the CV Chamber of Commerce held its annual recognition banquet at the La Cañada Flintridge Country Club.
The annual event is a chance to salute those within the foothills community who invest their time (and, for some, their money) to make the Crescenta Valley the highly sought-after place in which to work and live.
Honorees this year were Battalion Chief Ron Larriva of the L.A. County Fire Dept., Officer Kenneth Enger of the California Highway Patrol, Dep. William Michael Fillpot of the LASD – Crescenta Valley, Officer Petros Kmbikyan of the Glendale Police Dept., Daniel Ghazarian – Student of the Year, First Baptist Church of La Crescenta – Beautification Award recipient, Prom Plus – Organization of the Year, John Giblin – Volunteer of the Year, Dr. Cynthia Livingston – Educator of the Year, Straw Hat Pizza – Business of the Year, Mary O’Keefe – Woman of the Year, Mike Baldwin – Man of the Year and Vito Cannella – Don Carpenter Award recipient.
The evening began with a presentation of colors under the direction of Lt. Col. David J. Worley by the CVHS AFJROTC. The flag salute was led by Mike Baldwin and the invocation by Warren Boehm. Steve Pierce, CV Chamber president, and Chris Aristo, honorary mayor, welcomed guests and introduced the presenters of the evening’s awards.
The presentations provided the audience with a glimpse into the accomplishments of the awardees, whether recognizing them for heroic deeds or for overcoming personal challenges, making it clear why every recipient deserved the recognition. And though few were known for speaking publicly, each honoree gave a moving acceptance speech that reflected how much the award was appreciated.
As stated by Pierce, “It is those we recognize tonight who make our community such a wonderful place to reside and work.”
The next event hosted by the chamber is the Taste of the Foothills on Nov. 12 at the Marketplace Shopping Center (Ralphs), 2629 Foothill Blvd. in La Crescenta. Tickets will be available at the event or by calling the chamber office (818) 248-4957.