“Wally for the last seven years has been a model Rotarian,” serving in various capacities on the Rotary Board of Directors and heading numerous committees with his usual dedication and enthusiasm. Slated to be the incoming president, Bobkiewicz will be missed, said Mobley, but “We know you must follow your career path, and the dedicated service you gave to the city and community was truly outstanding. No one worked harder to keep Santa Paula on the map,” as well as to ensure the city had a strong spot in the line of federal and state grant money.Mobley noted that since the Paul Harris Fellowship Award was Bobkiewicz’s second, he also received a pin with two sapphires noting the multiple honors.Anderson and Aguilar, who received the Santa Paula Rotary Club’s special Community Service Award, have been the faces of Cruise Nite since it was founded 11 years ago. Sponsored by the Santa Paula Police Officers Association and the Chamber of Commerce, Cruise Nite grew from just a few blocks of displayed pre-1975 classic and vintage vehicles to a display now stretching along Main to 7th Street, with side streets also utilized for car eye-candy.Cruise Nite season is April through October and now draws thousands of visitors to the city who enjoy the historic downtown and benefit the city through awareness and spending at local merchants and restaurants. Although unable to attend the Rotary meeting, Mobley said Anderson and Aguilar “are still at it today,” and continue to coordinate the event that is the most popular place in Ventura County to be on the first Friday of each month during Cruise Nite season.
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(Left) Henry Aguilar and (right) Dave Anderson received the Santa Paula Rotary Club’s special Community Service Award from (center) Rotary Club President Mike Mobley, have been the faces of Cruise Nite since it was founded 11 years ago. Sponsored by the Santa Paula Police Officers Association and the Chamber of Commerce, Cruise Nite grew from just a few blocks of displayed pre-1975 classic and vintage vehicles to a display now stretching along Main to 7th Street, with side streets also utilized for car eye-candy. (Photo by Brian D. Wilson) |
Bobkiewicz, Wilson and Cruise Nite’s Anderson, Aguilar honored by Rotary
July 15, 2009
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesRotarians Wally Bobkiewicz and Chris Wilson as well as Cruise Nite organizers/coordinators Dave Anderson and Henry Aguilar received high honors from the Santa Paula Rotary.At the June 29 meeting Club President Mike Mobley presented Wilson, a third generation Rotarian whose grandfather Roy Wilson Sr. was a club founder, with the Rotarian of the Year Award.A Santa Paula native, “Chris served as the host” with his wife Yvonne at the couple’s famous Trulli home in the Oaks “and as the chairman of the New Teachers Barbecue, did the monument signage for the Ebell Park” Rotary restoration project, and helped construct the pergola at the site. In addition, Mobley said Wilson was co-chair of the Pumpkin Patch, and “Using his tremendous talent he inherited he built the trebuchet,” much like the old wooden weapons of war used to catapult destructive devices at the enemy, but for the Pumpkin Patch used as a pumpkin hurling fundraiser.City Manager Bobkiewicz, who is leaving the city to lead Evanston, Illinois on July 17, was honored with another of the Santa Paula club’s highest honors, the Gale Mason Award, which also includes the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship Award, the latter named for the Rotary founder.The late “Gale,” known as Mr. Santa Paula Rotary, “served as president and was club secretary for 27 years.” His devotion to Rotary, said Mobley, was legendary.
