LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – People who help others and work to make Lake County a better place to live were honored for their efforts at the Stars of Lake County Awards ceremony on Saturday night.
The 16th annual celebration this year was held for the first time at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport.
Tickets were sold out for this year's event, organizers reported.
The event once again featured the music of David Neft during the reception hour, with Tony Barthel of Featherbed Railroad providing music during the awards ceremony and the video of nominees.
Congressman Mike Thompson was on hand for the 16th year in a row, presenting every award recipient with a special certificate from him acknowledging their accomplishments.
Two of the Stars recipients had very recently died, and so family accepted the awards in their memories.
Nani Phillips-Blair accepted the Arts Amateur Star Award for Joshua Phillips-Blair, her 21 year old husband who died unexpectedly. She was accompanied on stage to accept her husband's award by their 2-year-old daughter Olive Ruth.
Dana Jefferson accepted the Agricultural Award for her father Ken Fountain, who also died unexpectedly in October.
Lake County Chamber Chief Executive Officer Melissa Fulton said the organization is very proud to have initiated the Stars Awards 16 years ago.
“We feel honored to have acknowledged over 1,600 nominees and presented 319 Stars Awards during this time,” she said. “None of this would have been possible without the residents of Lake County sending us their nominations through the years. Looking over the names for the 16 years of Stars, there are many people that were unknown to the Chamber and the community at large until the nominations were received.”
Fulton said the Stars Selection Committee, which has the task of determining who the recipients will be each year, has the toughest assignment of all.
The chamber offered special thanks to the Soper-Reese Community Theatre; Jackie Hansen of Lakeport Grocery Outlet, who sang a tribute to all the Stars nominees; sponsors; and community members who sent in the nominations.
Congratulations to all the nominees and award recipients.
2013 STARS OF LAKE COUNTY RECIPIENTS
- Humanitarian of the Year: Michael Vandiver
- Senior of the Year: Linda Burton
- Volunteer of the Year: Esther Stone
- Female Student of the Year: Michelle Page
- Male Student of the Year: Erick Pelayo-Moreno
- Youth Advocate of the Year – Volunteer: Roscoe Thomas
- Youth Advocate of the Year – Professional: Franklin D. Gudmundson
- Agriculture (posthumously): Ken Fountain
- Organization of the Year – Nonprofit: Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic
- Organization of the Year – Volunteer: South Lake Fire Sirens
- Environmental Award: Greg Dills
- New Business of the Year: Cheese’s Main Street Pizza
- Small Business of the Year: Middletown Florist
- Large Business of the Year: Twin Pine Casino & Hotel/Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians
- Best Idea of the Year: Bountiful Gift Baskets/Lake County Hunger Task Force
- Local Hero of the Year: Tim Biasotti
- Arts Award of the Year – Amateur (posthumously): Joshua Dylan Blair
- Arts Award of the Year – Professional: Amber Sheridan
- Woman of the Year: Jennifer Strong
- Man of the Year: Wally Holbrook
- Female Lifetime Achievement: Beverly McVey
- Male Lifetime Achievement: Griff Ratterree
- Spirit of Lake County: Mark Cooper