Special Olympics Santa Barbara County Region is proud to announce Lt. Ugo Peter “Butch” Arnoldi as the organization’s Community Service Award recipient.
He will be honored for his dedicated support at the organization’s seventh annual Inspire Greatness luncheon this Thursday, May 28, at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Sunken Garden.
Arnoldi, a Santa Barbara native and 41-year veteran with the Sheriff’s Department, has been a volunteer and champion of Special Olympics for more than 30 years. He organized Santa Barbara’s Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run in 1982 — and continued the tradition every year since — and his support doesn’t stop there. He is also a long-standing member of the Special Olympics Southern California Law Enforcement Torch Run Council.
From helping coordinate fundraising events to serving as a member of the organization’s Leadership Council to volunteering at sports competitions, Arnoldi demonstrates his passion year-round.
“Lt. Butch Arnoldi has been the guiding force for over 30 years in making the Law Enforcement Torch Run fundraising component of Special Olympics Santa Barbara Region very successful,” said Gina Carbajal, regional director. “Butch continues to provide stellar support in ensuring that law enforcement officers not only provide support in fundraising, but are present at events to cheer on athletes, give high fives, and honor the athletes with giving out awarded medals.”
Arnoldi’s diverse service to Special Olympics has also played a significant role in the growth of the organization. He recruits and motivates law enforcement volunteers to participate in Tip-A-Cop fundraisers, which help raise critical funds for the nonprofit organization. As chair of the Santa Barbara County Torch Run Committee, Arnoldi also unites officers from law enforcement agencies and manages the Santa Barbara County leg of the annual Torch Run.
“Special Olympics is an outstanding organization, it allows people of all ages with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to compete in various sporting events that truly make a difference in the lives of not only the Special Olympics athletes and their families, but for all of us,” Lt. Arnoldi said. “It is extremely rewarding to be directly involved with the Law Enforcement Torch Run Mission which is a partnership of communities, law enforcement agencies and Special Olympics programming with the goal of raising funds and public awareness for Special Olympics Southern California, while enhancing the quality of life of our athletes.”
As the longest-serving lieutenant in department history — 18 years and counting — Arnoldi has worked throughout the county, from Santa Maria to Carpinteria, and is the only sheriff’s lieutenant having served as the station commander at every station in the South County. He served as a countywide patrol operations watch commander for five years, as the sheriff’s adjutant to Sheriff Bill Brown for over three years, and is currently the chief of police for the City of Goleta, the largest contract city within the County of Santa Barbara as well as the Goleta Valley Patrol Bureau commander, a position he has held since August 2010.
In addition to Arnoldi, Special Olympics will also honor four other individuals with awards at the Inspire Greatness luncheon, including local Special Olympics athletes Lamarcus Briggs and Jerry Raffealli (Athletes of the Year), Cameron Woods (Outstanding Youth Volunteer) and Dan Weiner (Outstanding Adult Volunteer).
To RSVP for the luncheon or for more information about Special Olympics Santa Barbara County Region, please call 805.884.1516 or click here.
— Daniella Alkobi is a publicist representing Special Olympics Santa Barbara County Region.