The voting is over and the community will have to wait until Friday, Jan. 17 to find out who will be honored at the Ceres Chamber of Commerce’s 56th annual Community Service Awards & Installation Dinner Banquet.
The event at the Ceres Community Center will begin with social hour at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and awards at 8 p.m. on Friday evening, Jan. 17.
The banquet is the Chamber’s premier business event, highlighted by the recognition of outstanding members of the Ceres community who have made extraordinary contributions in service.
It also serves as the changing-of-the-guard of the Chamber’s key volunteer leaders.
The award categories and the nominees are as follows:
• Distinguished Service – Doug Wallick,
• Volunteer of the Year – Cortney Mann, Kayla Martinez, Persephone Guild of Ceres and Nasson Sanchez.
• Young Citizen of the Year – Evette Garcia and Jamie Padilla;
• Small Business of the Year – All Valley Pool & Spa, Ceres Pediatric Dentistry and K3 Dental.
• Large Business of the Year – Howard Prep and UPS Ceres Distribution Warehouse
• Legacy Award – Jack’s Automotive, Lou Toste and West-Mark. The Legacy Award honors individuals and/or businesses that have contributed through service, support or volunteer efforts to the Ceres community for more than 40 years.
Nominations were due at the end of November and voting took place through on Dec. 31. Nominees will be announced next week.
“Citizen of the Year” nominees are staying under wraps, with the choice made by past recipients of that award.
All the nominees will be invited to the Chamber’s banquet, which features a no-host bar, dessert, auction and 50/50 raffle.
Tickets are $50 per person or $400 for a VIP table of eight and are available at the Ceres Chamber office, 2904 Fourth Street in downtown Ceres or online through the Chamber website at www.cereschamberofcommerce.org.
For more information about this or other upcoming events, call the Chamber at (209) 537-2601 or visit the Chamber’s website at www.cereschamberofcommerce.org
Here is a recap of the nominees:
Doug Wallick has been a Ceres Lions Club member for 10 years and is actively involved in their events. He has served as a club officer and is currently president.
Wallick chairs the club’s summer County Fair parking efforts which financially supports many Ceres youth groups. He is at the fair tirelessly for the 10-day run, supervising the parking operations and usually last to leave at midnight. He is active in the Lions’ Pancake Breakfast which supports the Cub and Boy Scouts programs. He collected pull tabs for recycling to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Wallick is chairman of the Lions BBQ crew which cooks at many school functions, fundraisers, community events such as Love Ceres, memorials and other causes for individuals in need.
Wallick has supported the Ceres Education Foundation and voluntarily works the bar area at their annual dinner. He has been a supporter of Relay for Life through the Lions cooking team. Recently Wallick and the Lions cooking crew cooked upwards of 40 turkeys for the Turlock Salvation Army’s annual Kettle Kickoff Dinner.
Wallick is also active in the Ceres Street Faire and served as chairman for the 2024 event. Doug very rarely turns down an offer to help in Ceres.
Cortney Mann is vice president of the PTC at Patricia Kay Beaver Elementary School where she also sits on the School Site Council and the Wellness Committee. Mann has been involved in the community since she was young and is always willing to help in any capacity at her boys’ school. She attends school activities and serves on planning committees for many of the activities such as Fall Festival, Breakfast with Santa and eighth grade dances to name a few.
Kayla Martinez volunteers at numerous Ceres events through multiple organizations, including Soroptimists, Ceres Chamber of Commerce and youth sports organizations. She also was recently re-elected to a second term as the city treasurer.
She often steps up when needed at events like Trunk or Treat and the “Bridging the Gap” business forums.
Despite being a mom to three young boys and wife to husband Daniel Martinez, a member of the Ceres City Council, she is still able to be a great contributor to the success and growth of Ceres.
The Persephone Guild of Ceres is a woman’s volunteer organization established in 1938 serving the Ceres area. Members give scholarships for the Ceres high schools, groceries for families at Thanksgiving, and donate money or items to local charities. For example, the club purchased bullet proof vests for the Ceres Police canine Unit, a cement park bench at Persephone Park, books to the local library, and backpacks for the older kids leaving foster care.
The ladies have created blankets for veterans and often make a quilt and sell raffle tickets and an occasional drive-thru dinner fundraising.
Nasson Sanchez has organized several events and has shown interest in helping with “Love Ceres.” He organizes a block party during National Night Out, organized a group and attended the Ceres Chamber of Commerce Movie Night and was behind the Halloween Neighborhood Pumpkin Carving Contest at Ochoa Park. He also organizes various car shows. He is a ready help when asked and he and wife Sonia attend many events even if not organizing it themselves.
Evette Garcia is involved in a myriad of Central Valley High School leadership and activities as a member of the National Honors Society (NHS) and H&M and is secretary of the campus’ chapter of the California Scholastic Federation (CSF) which works to raise funds for scholarships for deserving and hardworking members of the club.
Garcia belongs to the CVHS color guard winter team. Outside of school she volunteers at Kaiser Hospital working with patients and their families. She is also a Khair intern in the Jakara Movement meant to bring drug awareness to the community and bring awareness to recourses such as Narcan and suicidal prevention courses.
As the 2026 class president, Garcia has volunteered at different elementary schools hosting fall festivals and leadership trainings and empowering middle school students suffering with mental health.
She also has volunteered to interact with residents at a senior living center in Manteca.
She has helped with a candle lighting ceremony at the Salvation Army Red Shield Center to remember the homeless people whom have passed away within that year.
Jaime Padilla helped organize and decorate for the 2021 Modesto vigil honoring homeless persons who passed away. The vigil took place at The Salvation Army’s Berberian Shelter and remembered 121 people who died in 2020 and 2021. His goal was to reflect and raise awareness about homelessness.
As a participant in CUSD’s shooting simulation events, Padilla has collaborated with local first responders, school staff and students to enhance emergency preparedness.
As a proud member of the international thespian society and CV theatre program, Jaime has hosted events for middle schoolers as a welcome and introduction to the environment of our campus.
He is consistent in weekly voluntary tutoring in the AVID program, providing academic support and mentorship to students.
Padilla helped run a Ceres-based small business as manager of an Agua Fresca stand, working shifts of over 14 hours at various events across the Bay Area.
As a member of the CVHS Leadership program, Padilla has participated in community service projects like catering food at a fundraiser for the Ceres mayor. Jaime also plans to partner with the Common Ground Society to support families with loved ones who have unique needs.
He is involved with AP Spanish Literature Club, Mock Trial Club, Criminal Justice Club, the NAMI Club, CSF Club, FFA club, Red Cross Club, the Environmental Conservation Club (ECC).
Through the Student Educator Program (STEP) and Theatre Club, he engages in mentoring and educational activities that benefit younger students and the community. Jaime’s participation in the Ping Pong Club, and Pet Advocacy Club includes organizing events and advocating for causes.
Lastly, Jaime is the vice president of the Central Valley Ping Pong and Red Cross Club, leading initiatives that directly benefit our community. The Red Cross Club includes organizing blood drives, planning community service events and coordinating student volunteers to support these activities.
As the social media manager for the Central Valley High School Theatre Club, he managed the club’s online presence by creating posts about upcoming performances, rehearsals and club events.
All Valley Pool & Spa is a business which creates opportunities by hiring young high school students so they can gain practical knowledge in customer service, teamwork, and time management. They often support and participate and contribute to community events, such as Trunk-or-Treat. The nominee’s contributions extend beyond business services; they are deeply invested in their local community.
Ceres Pediatric Dentistry has shown a commitment to improving the health and lives of children in Ceres. They offer dental screenings for Ceres Unified School District Educational programs to teach children how to properly care for their oral health. They support sports teams and the CVHS and CHS Boosters. Ceres Pediatric Dentistry also supports several Ceres events such as Trunk-or-Treat and the Ceres Street Faire.
K3 Dental’s Dr. Gurminder Uppal and staff attended the Healthy Aging for Senior Citizens in October to perform oral cancer screenings for about 200 seniors. Dr. Uppal is happy to do for her community and its citizens. When staff realized that the regular mail carrier was in need of dental assistance, Dr. Uppal stepped in and provided a full mouth construction without charge.
Howard Prep (formerly called the Howard Training Center) educates the community to value and contribute to people who are differently-abled. They advocate for their rights and report mistreatment, abuse or neglect. They promote successful inclusion and opportunities for people with disabilities facilitating advancement, achievement, and joyful lives. Howard Prep has been involved in many events in 2024 including a Ceres Chamber mixer and the River Classic Golf Tournament.
Howard Prep recently renovated and made available its Witmer Hall as a community event venue.
UPS Ceres Distribution Warehouse serves the Valley with reliable distribution and has also been recognized for maintaining a diverse workforce and demonstrating positive policies. They strive for employee retention through ongoing training and benefits.
UPS as a whole employs an average of 500,000 employees and continues to create jobs and opportunities with a focus on veterans which earned them the 2022 Veteran Employer of the Year by the California Employer Advisory Council.
Jack’s Automotive has been a fixture in downtown Ceres for nearly 50 years. Ceres residents Jack and Sophie Parnoutsoukian opened Jack’s Texaco Automotive in 1977 and the business is still family owned and operated to offer outstanding customer service. Jack’s sons learned the trade by working alongside their dad and continued after his passing.
Jack’s Automotive today is operated by Jack’s son John Parnoutsoukian and continues to offer the same care and support to the community.
Luciano “Lou” Toste has been affiliated with Ceres Youth Soccer Organization for over 40 years, most of those years as president. He has spent countless years working on bringing the Ceres River Bluff Regional Soccer Complex to Ceres. When he started with CYSO many of the games were played at local school fields. Lou also is a youth referee administrator with Cal North CYSA’s District 8. He and his wife Joann have been familiar faces at many events over the years, attending fundraisers to help support the community. Lou was named “Volunteer of the Year” by the Ceres Chamber of Commerce in 2016.
West-Mark, which is a family owned and operated business since 1967m moved to Ceres in 1969 after originating in Modesto. The company manufactured and repairs tank transportation equipment for the dairy industry. Having established a reputation for excellent workmanship and the use of light weight equipment for sanitary products, West-Mark began to produce transport tanks of all types by 1973. West Mark employs many local people as it now manufactures many different types of trucks and trailers that meet the transportation industry’s needs with the most extensive facilities of its kind in the western United States. Future plans include continued expansion by providing the same customized quality equipment and personal service that has won the respect and trust of their customers. Increased volume, due to customized quality equipment and dedication to customer service, necessitated that they move in 1969 to the present site in Ceres.
Since 1969, the Ceres Chamber of Commerce has recognized individuals for their service to the community; business and civic attainment on a local, state, national or international level; leadership; awareness of the needs of others; and distinctive accomplishments that have brought favorable attention to Ceres, their industry or organization.
