The Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce gave special honors to a longtime area business and a citizens group striving to bring stronger public safety to the city at its annual awards ceremony.
Familia Diaz was honored with the Sam Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award and Citizens for a Safer Santa Paula given special recognition with the Community Service Award at the March 18 awards, held at the Limoneira Visitors Center.
Also honored were Citizen of the Year Alex Flores, Large Businesses of the Year California Resources Corporation and Santa Paula Community Bank and Small Business of the Year Fria.
Limoneira President/CEO Harold Edwards said it was a “true pleasure” to welcome the crowd on behalf of staff, management and shareholders.
He noted the company priority is to “preserve and promote the history and legacy” of not only Limoneira but also the community.
“No other entity than the chamber” he noted, embodies the same mission.
Edwards congratulated those being honored at the annual awards as well as the chamber — founded in 1915 — for celebrating 100 years of being “In Business for Business.”
Limoneira, he noted, was founded 122 years ago so, “We’re all old!”
Chamber CEO Fred Robinson introduced Jose Luis Melgar, who presented the Sam Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, named for Edwards father, the late physician, rancher, philanthropist and healthcare activist.
Dan Diaz and Sandi Diaz-Tovias accepted the award noting their father Tony Diaz preferred to stay in the audience.
Melgar noted the fourth generation now operates Familia Diaz which for almost 80 years “has enriched our lives” through it legacy of business and community service.
Started as a small cantina with 20 seats Familiar Diaz now seats 175 and serves “The very best food Santa Paula has to offer,” made with recipes that have been in the family 100 years.
Four generations of family have been involved in the legendary business noted for “its warmth and hospitality,” as well as its famed handmade tortillas.
“Thank you for helping to make Santa Paula the treasure it is,” said Melgar.
Sandi Diaz-Tovias said it was “fitting” that she and her brother Dan were accepting the award noting, “We grew up at the restaurant,” where they were expected to work at a young age no matter the chore or the pay.
She would help her grandparents make corn tortillas while her younger brothers were armed with flyswatters and paid a bounty of 1 cent for each kill.
Although “We both left,” the business Diaz-Tovias said she and Dan could not stay away and not only came back to work but saw their own children and now her grandchildren help at the family eatery.
“Thank you for the memories, good and bad,” and although the business is in escrow Diaz-Tovias urged everyone to “come see us at Familia Diaz … ”
Dan Diaz said their father Tony was only 7 years old when the cantina was opened and it was a different world with no air conditioning, no blenders and no freezers and refrigerators; grandmother cooked and grandfather washed dishes.
Now, “People ask why my family doesn’t take it over — I tell them I don’t want to punish my children!”
Diaz thanked the crowd “For sharing your lives with us,” and noted that although the new owners of Familia Diaz will continue the tradition, “It will be with mixed emotions when we walk away.”
But, he added, “We will hold the good times in our hearts forever ... ”
Connie Tushla presented the Community Service Award noting people have the opportunity to change what is not making them happy.
“That is what Citizens for a Safer Santa Paula set out to do, not fix our police department but improve it,” to better the city with the support and help of the city and citizens.
Members of the group were dedicated to creating, promoting and passing a ballot initiative to better public safety and “Campaigned loud and clear,” the advantages to the community the added 1 percent sales tax would bring.
Tushla noted that such efforts are often a thankless job, “A lot of criticism and not a lot of compliments,” but the measure garnered a majority of votes, although not the 67 percent required.
Most, said Tushla, would rest, “But you never rest,” rather continuing to pursue methods to boost funding for public safety.
“Some people watch what happens,” said Tushla, “but you make them happen … ”
Ronda McKaig acted as spokeswoman for the group, which she said formed last spring in the wake of a rising tide of murders including one woman killed by a stray bullet.
Learning how since about 2010 the Santa Paula Police had become understaffed and under-funded and the needs of fire, as well as seeking relief to batter roads, McKaig said the group formed after Councilman Jim Tovias suggested a ballot measure to generate more revenue.
Although the measure did not pass McKaig said the group discovered “untapped resources” that can be called upon.
“Santa Paula is a great place, not all recognize that,” but McKaig said the effort of Citizens for a Safer Santa Paula “tells the community that trying counts,” and they will continue to try to better the city.
