 On The Line -- Issue 689 -- May 30, 2008  Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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On The Line -- Issue 689 -- May 30, 2008 Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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It is difficult to realize that 12 years have passed since the first annual San Benito County Spotlight on Hollister Expo and Job Fair was staged at the Veterans' Memorial Building in downtown Hollister; however, the calendar does not lie and the 13th was held on Thursday afternoon, May 15.
Spotlight on Hollister's theme this year was Green With Envy, employing a color that has gained much significance in the past decade. Co-chairing the event was Bonnie Flores-Voropaeff who said 100 businesses were participating. The original show was the idea of Al Martinez of the county Economic Corporation although he insists, "Many people worked hard and came up with many ideas that have kept it going over the years. The EDC is a co-sponsor of the job fair and trade show along with the county and San Juan Bautista chambers of commerce, the City of Hollister and the Hollister Downtown Association. The backbone of any successful operation is the time and effort its staff members and volunteers put into it. Many of the volunteers have been with Spotlight and have a familial feeling for each other. Although Martinez is retiring in June, those who know him well are sure they can always get his counsel in future shows. It is that kind of organization, and its members work well together because they enjoy serving the public through their efforts. Among the reliables of Spotlight on Hollister team is Sue Rocha. You can recognize her by her smile, which she habitually wears as she checks out many details of any project she works on. And wherever there is a community service project underway, the odds are that Denise Cauthen-Wright will be working on it. Someone once described her as an artichoke: just as it seems one knows her well, another leaf appears. Brenda Weatherly was on hand, too, as she has been for many other enterprises that serve the community. Like those already mentioned, she makes tasks seem so easy that many people think they are easy, when a great deal of work usually accompanies them. Others whose contributions have benefited the program and the community over the years include Geri Johnson, Lori Van Bebber, Mike Estrada, Baldo Salcedo, Donna Holmes, Mary Gibson and Jessica French. Among businesses or institution staffing booths this year were the county Grand Jury, Dassel's Petroleum, Hope Services, Jovenes de Antano, the county library, Casa de Fruta and many more. Volunteers answered questions of the visitors, and often distributed literature to give them a fuller scope of what the organization does. Many also gave away candy or other items, such as pens. It was good to see Gary Anderson again. He is with the county Grand Jury and is very well knowledgeable about its duties and methods. Anderson's career with the Hollister Police Department gives him a deeper insight into branches of the law. It is always a pleasure to talk with Ed Bless. He and wife Neda not only preach the green life, they live it in their home where they have long had solar panels and employ other methods of conserving energy and finding alternate sources of it. Bless is often invited to conferences looking to the use of hydrogen-powered automobiles in the future. The only emissions they will produce are a bit of water vapor, which will greatly reduce the amount of hydrocarbons in the air. Helen Chouinard was a participant again, with her booth displaying photographs taken at Chouinard Studios. She good-naturedly smiles when a friend repeats year after year, "Helen knows how to create a favorable image." Cilly Fisher, another ardent volunteer, was at the table to welcome guests as they entered the building. Many she knew by name and exchanged pleasantries. Special friends Jack and Francene Markle and Ed and Rose Ford traded smiles with her. Jim and Gayle Sleznick are involved in many projects and when they are not they enjoy looking over what other people are doing. They apparently appreciated most of what they saw. Michael Monteleone saw an old fellow apparently needing a place to sit, and found him a folding chair. Frankie Arballo came over to check on his condition as he looked pale. She got him a Gatorade and he felt better very quickly. Tony Ruiz roamed through the hall looking at the many exhibits and frequently talking with people staffing the booths or being stopped by other guests who talk about politics with him. Ruiz is a political activist and a stalwart of the local Democratic community. Pauline Valdivia was right where one would expect her to be -- at the booth for Jovenes de Antano (Youth of Yesteryear). No one has done as much for as long as she has for the county's senior citizens. The show included a mixer with food provided by Ridgemark Golf & Country Club. San Juan Oaks, Margot's Ice Cream (from San Juan) and Elegant Touch. Everyone who visited those booths went away with a smile. A number of visitors left shortly after the food was served as they had been invited to the alley adjoining Maddux Jewelry a couple of blocks away. The occasion was the unveiling of a mural that had been painted on the wall of the building. Carol Huboi, sister of local architect David Huboi, had worked on it for a number of weeks after being awarded the job. It showed an apricot orchard beginning to bloom amidst a field of yellow plants. It provides a cheerful scene to passers-by, and the audience at the unveiling was laudatory of her work. There are a number of murals in the downtown area and they do much to brighten the scene. Among viewers were Huboi, beaming at all the compliments paid his sister, Sharlene Van Rooy, Robert Scattini, the Sleznicks, Mary Zanger, Scott Fuller and Dave Emerson, as well as pedestrians who stopped on their way elsewhere. Spotlight on Hollister is among the annual institutions that have grown through the years and is properly appreciated. Murals are also appreciated and people see them every day of the year. |
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