To celebrate those who helped keep the community safe throughout the year, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Santa Maria Police Department are teaming up to host the annual police awards luncheon. The event will honor police officers, support staff, and outstanding citizens, and take place at the Elks Lodge at noon on May 23.
Community members will have the opportunity to express their appreciation by sponsoring an officer—or however many they wish—with a $20 lunch, said the chamber’s events and marketing coordinator, Marcy Lariz. Any surplus of donations will be given to the police department.
“We’ll be putting it all in the funds so officers won’t have to pay,” Lariz said.
The main focus of the event will be the awards ceremony, with a four awards being presented by the police department: Officer of the Year, Supervisor of the Year, Dispatcher of the Year, and the Life Saving award.
The chamber’s president and CEO Bob Hatch will emcee the event, Lariz said, and the police department’s color guard will lead the ceremony after some brief remarks.
“It’s just a big thank you and acknowledgement of the police department and the police officers there,” she explained.
Reservations to attend are due by May 17. To make your reservations and/or sponsorships, visit santamariavalleychamber.chambermaster.com/events.
This article appears in May 16-23, 2013.
