At the 49th Sebastopol Community Awards
The Russian River Vineyards patio was packed with locals eager to celebrate the people and businesses that make our community work
A scorcher of a day drifted into a cool evening as the 49th Sebastopol Community Awards, hosted by the Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce, got underway on Tuesday evening.
The event, which was a genuine celebration filled with belly laughs and heartfelt adages, felt to this reporter like the season finale of the “Sebastopol Reality TV Show,” since so many familiar faces—who are also key characters in the town—showed up at the event.
After all, where else could you overhear Peacetown Director Jim Corbett, City Manager Don Schwartz, HopMonk executive Bill DeCarli and Police Chief Ron Nelson entertaining the idea of creating a public drinking zone in Downtown Sebastopol?
If the vibes were elevated, then so were the food options. Eleven food sponsors in all—including El Coronel, Fircrest Market, Pacific Market, Osito Style Tacos, Goatlandia Kitchen, HopMonk Tavern, Three Leaves Heritage Food, Patisserie Angelica, A&M BBQ, Acre Pizza and Victorian Farmstead—contributed to a glorious and free banquet spread.
After an hour of mingling, the program began when Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Myriah Volk addressed the crowd.
“What I love about Sebastopol is that we are a close knit community,” she said. “There are so many people here tonight that I have known for so many years, and you all know each other. This has become one of my favorite nights of the year.”
The notion that Sebastopol is a uniquely close town was one shared by many attendees and award winners.
Below are the recipients of the awards, along with snippets on why they were selected, according to the speeches either they or those who introduced them gave. (Our paper has also reported on some of these projects and people, so we’ve linked those articles below.)
Service to Youth—Jennifer Roventini
Roventini was honored for the Clothing Closets at both Laguna and Analy High Schools.
“The Clothing Closet is kind of a thrift store for students, meant to help some of the students who struggle to afford clothing for school. But it’s become much more than just a store,” said Adam Parks, a board member of the Chamber of Commerce who introduced Roventini. “It has become a hangout where kids feel comfortable to be themselves and maybe find a cute new outfit too.”
Fire Service—Pattie Murphy
Murphy is the Senior Administrative Assistant for the Sebastopol Fire Station.
“Pattie was selected for this prestigious recognition due to her exceptional dedication and invaluable contributions to the department,” said Dave Bray, Sebastopol’s Interim Fire Chief. “Pattie has consistently gone above and beyond in supporting the volunteer firefighters, offering her time, energy and expertise whenever needed. She’s been a steadfast resource for the volunteers, addressing concerns and helping them navigate challenges and unwavering commitments, whether providing logistical support for training sessions, organizing public events or ensuring smooth operations.”
Service to Animals—Deborah Blum
Blum runs the Goatlandia Farm Animal Sanctuary as well as the newly opened Goatlandia Kitchen in Sebastopol. Reede Shadbourne, Goatlandia’s Director of Operations, introduced Bloom by speaking to her character and impact she’s had on others. Blum gave Shadbourne a job (and a room in her house) during COVID and hired her again when she graduated from college.
“I just want to say thank you to Deborah for giving me the opportunity to be here and for everything you do for the community, for people, for the animals and for the planet,” Shadbourne said. “You're awesome.”
Outstanding Youth—Stella Finley
Stella was honored for her work creating a nonprofit, Nourished, which seeks to educate people on the reality of eating disorders. After her father Shane Finley spoke for nearly 5 minutes in what may have been the longest speech of the night, Stella came up to the stage and joked about her father’s long-windedness. It got one of the biggest pops of the night.
“It's funny to think that I'm getting an award for Nourished,” Stella went on, “because it really just started because I was frustrated that there weren’t resources for eating disorder prevention. What I saw instead was that the resources that were presented in healthcare settings or in schools were sometimes promoting disordered behaviors, and I know that they had been part of the reason that I have struggled so much, and I just wanted to stop that. I wanted to be a voice for the opposite and to share resources of a different alternative.”
New Business—A&M BBQ
A&M BBQ, which has taken Sebastopol by storm with its oft-sold-out offerings and lines out the door, was an obvious choice for new business of the year. Both Kris Austin and Marvin McKinzy, who merged their businesses this year to create A&M, remarked on how Sebastopol is a community which epitomizes the culture of barbeque.
“This community has been very welcoming,” Austin said. “It is not the same where I'm from in Mississippi, but it’s the small town feeling that’s the same. We have Friday night lights, we play football, and we go to local stores and other places around town, and we know anybody that’s there. So we just want to thank you for the opportunity to be here, and we look forward to all of you coming down and seeing the faces as you come in and try our food at the restaurant again.”
Police Service—Ron Nelson
When Police Captain Jim Hickey introduced Chief Nelson, he did so with admiration, noting that Nelson is a family man who firmly embodies the values that Sebastopol holds dear. Nelson took over the Sebastopol PD after the department had sifted through several different chiefs in just the span of a few years.
“He truly is a leader that this town needed at a time that this town didn't know they needed it,” Hickey said.
“I am proud to say I will consider myself an honorary Sebastopolian for the rest of my life,” said Nelson, who is set to retire in a couple of weeks. “This town has done nothing but welcome me, been supportive of me and our department. This is the most amazing community that I could ever have hoped to be a part of.”
Volunteer of the Year—Don Canardo
Canardo, pictured above with his energetic granddaughters, was honored for his decades of service to the Gravenstein Lions Club and his recent volunteering trips to Nicaragua.
“I've been in the Lions for 45 years and helped with many other organizations over the years and never thought much about it,” Canardo said. “It’s what we’re just supposed to do. Our Lions motto is we serve….That’s what why a lot of you guys are here, so you know all about service…If you are not volunteering for something, you’re missing out on great opportunities, not only for others, but for yourself.”
Business of the Year—HopMonk Tavern
Bill DeCarli accepted the award on behalf of HopMonk Tavern, which has been in Sebastopol for 16 years now. Myriah Volk introduced DeCarli, noting what HopMonk has done for the community in the form of giving young people jobs and partnering with local charities.
“We’ve had numerous hosts and bussers who worked their way up and through serving finally find themselves into management, and now they have careers,” DeCarli noted, including the fact that he himself started out as a bartender within the company and now is the director of “HopMonk Presents.”
Apple Blossom Volunteer—Summer Rodgers
Kelly Back, VP of the Chamber of Commerce, introduced Rodgers, a Sebastopol native, for this relatively new award.
“Summer Rodgers is always willing to help and does it with a smile on her face and an amazing attitude,” Back said. “A couple of years ago, she started helping out the Apple Blossom Festival during a wine shift. That shift has now turned into an entire weekend. This year she came in on Friday to help out, and she never left until the festival was done. People like her are few and far between.”
Service to Seniors—Diane Singleton
Singleton has been a volunteer with the Sebastopol Area Senior Center since 2021, where she’s answered the phones, connected seniors with events and with each other, and driven seniors to their medical appointments.
“If you go to the Senior Center, you probably recognize her as the face of the front desk,” said Katie Davis, the Executive Director of the Senior Center who introduced Singleton. “She’s always picking up extra shifts. She makes people feel so welcome and like the most important person in the room.”
Nonprofit of the Year—Food For Thought
Food For Thought started off as an AIDS service organization 35 years ago. Ten years ago, they expanded their offerings to people with other medical conditions, including pregnant women who are food insecure and those with kidney disease.
“We, of course, invite you to volunteer if you're looking for something to do, because, as everyone says, you get a lot out of it, and perhaps more than even the effort you put into it because it is a spiritual act to give food to people that need it,” said Ron Clark, the Executive Director of Food for Thought, when he accepted the award.
Citizen of the Year—Linda Pelliscini
Pelliscini was honored for the over 70 years in which she has been an engaged resident of Sebastopol. Over the years, she has volunteered for many programs such as Miss Apple Blossom Pageant and Miss Sonoma County. She also owned Tombe Realty and was one of the first business owners in the city to install fire sprinklers and make their buildings ADA accessible.
“I'm really humbled,” said Pelliscini, who was joined at the event by several family members. “I would never move, that’s for sure. I think I’ve touched some lives and made some differences.”
Hall of Fame—Sebastopol Rotary Club
The Sebastopol Rotary Club was honored at the end of the event, where the club’s president, Cindy Carter, called upon all of the attending members to stand up. Carter noted initiatives the Rotary Club has taken on over the past few years, including installing smoke detectors for seniors, holding learn-to-swim classes, reconditioning public spaces and buildings, and leading events and youth summer camps. “Our club is very proud of its 100 year history,” Carter said.
I would like to nominate the "Sebastopol" Chamber of Commerce for the Tone-Deaf Award. The city is in a financial crisis. The direct cause is declining sales tax revenue, and they take the celebration of Sebastopol's finest to Forestville?