Chamber honors members
Thana
Robinson received the prestigious Vincent B. Evans Award Dec. 12 during
installation ceremonies for the Buellton Chamber of Commerce officers. The
annual event, held this year at the Marriott Turf Room, featured a buffet and
ballroom dance lessons with David and Marie from King’s Dance Studio. More than
50 members and guests attended.
Robinson
has served on the Chamber board in various positions since 1979, when she was
elected secretary-treasurer. She has been president three times, and chamber
representative to the Santa Ynez Valley Advertising Committee and Coordinating
Council for the past six years. Currently she holds the position of
secretary-treasurer with the chamber, and has served 11 years.
As
one of the founders of the Jonata Summer Recreation
Program and the Buellton Incorporation Committee, Robinson served as a Buellton
planning commissioner for four years and was a grant writer for the region’s
senior center, raising $350,000 to purchase the thrift shop and computer lab.
She also helped establish funding for Meals On Wheels
and other senior programs.
The
award is named after Vincent B. Evans, who owned Pea Soup Andersen’s from 1965
until he was killed in an airplane accident in 1980. The Chamber began
presenting the award annually in 1991.
Buellton’s former mayor Diane Whitehair
installed the chamber’s 2008 officers during the evening. The 2008 Buellton
Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors include Theresa Strong, president; John
Petersen, vice president; John Curran, secretary-treasurer; Bob Blokdyk, past president; Rudy Henderson, military affairs
chairperson; Mayor Victoria Pointer, ex-officio director; and Patricia Beltranena, Cindi Hunter, Ricardo Recinos and
Curt Cragg, all directors.