A team of health care workers responsible for administering thousands of COVID-19 vaccine doses in eight months and others who stepped up in various ways during the pandemic shared the spotlight in the Lompoc Valley.
Six awards were handed out at the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet on Wednesday recognizing people from various sectors for their roles during the public health crisis.
“We felt it absolutely necessary to highlight and celebrate those who went above and beyond during this pandemic to meet the needs of the Lompoc community,” said Devika Stalling, the chamber’s chief executive officer. “These amazing individuals remind us that action leads to great impact, and I am so grateful that they are a part of our village.”
For the Health Care Sector award, the Lompoc Valley Medical Center’s COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Team was honored, with members spanning all of the hospital staff, including registered nurses, medical assistants, physicians, volunteers and others.
“Many of them worked the vaccination clinic schedule in addition to their own daily workloads,” the citation noted. “On some days, up to 400 people queued up at the hospital for a vaccine.”
And they haven’t stopped administering vaccines. The clinic remains open every Friday afternoon with appointments scheduled through the state’s MyTurn system.
Lompoc Valley Medical Center is the sole hospital in Santa Barbara County still administering COVID-19 vaccinations to the public via regular clinics.
Other awards and recipients were:
» Small Business Sector — Kim Blea, who has owned Tom’s “Home of the Educated Hamburger” since 1979. Chamber officials said she has continually donated to and helped the community over the years, and especially during the pandemic. That included donating and delivering food to law enforcement officers, firefighters and health care workers. She also prepared reduced-priced dinners for the YMCA’s First Responders child care program to help families in need.
“Kim believes in her local community and gives so generously because she cares so much, and we are all so appreciative for everything she has done for our community,” chamber officials said.
» Education Sector — Bree Valla, deputy superintendent for the Lompoc Unified School District. The Cal Poly graduate was recognized for working tirelessly on nights, weekends and holidays, reaching out to staff and families about vaccination opportunities.
She also served as an advocate to ensure access to food during the school closures.
“She went above and beyond for our local families in ensuring that they were taken care and safe,” chamber officials said.
» Retail Sector — Aaron and Alix Crocker of Lompoc Grocery Outlet. The Crockers delivered food to individuals who couldn’t make it to the store and raised more than $70,000 for the food pantry, all while navigating the ever-changing regulations and mandates.
“The Crockers continue to give and be doers in the Lompoc community, and we are so very thankful for them,” chamber officials said.
» Nonprofit Sector — Jamie Diggs of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. Diggs oversaw the food truck deliveries to seven sites in the Lompoc area. In addition, she assisted getting meals to senior citizens in need.
Diggs connected with local nonprofit organizations, churches and low-income housing to establish emergency distribution sites, which provided food for more than 3,000 families on a weekly basis.
“Jamie has a true love for the people in her community and it shows through her ongoing hard work and efforts to ensure that our community stays fed,” chamber officials said.
» Nonprofit Sector — Shelby Wild, Route One Farmers Market executive director. The farmers market opened in spring 2019 and continued despite the challenges brought by the pandemic.
“Shelby led Route One through the resulting restrictions, safety challenges, loss of vendors and transitioned to curbside contactless pickup, all while remaining relevant and available to the community in a time of need,” chamber officials said. “These efforts that she has made has solidified Route One as a stable point for safe and equitable food access as well as a reliable outreach point for community connection during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Route One Farmers Market is held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays in the parking lot of the Vandenberg Village Community Services District office, 3745 Constellation Road.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.