• Melissa Whitacre is served by Carpinteria Lions bartender Lin Graf at the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 56th annual Community Awards Banquet, held at the United Boys & Girls Club of Carpinteria. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Pat Kistler of the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce gets a photo opportunity with Junior Carpinterians of the Year Gabriela Mendoza, left, and Andrea Delgado. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Patsy and Rich Medel, the now retired longtime director of the United Boys & Girls Club of Carpinteria. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • New Carpinteria Valley chamber board chairwoman Terry Hickey Banks, left, with event chairwoman Karen Graf. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Attorney Beth Collins-Brugard, left, of event sponsor Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck with Ann Collins-Brugard. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Tom Ligare, the Carpinteria Valley chamber’s outgoing board chairman, with chamber president and CEO Lynda Lang. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Cate School’s Jazz Ensemble provided live music at the festivities. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Carpinteria Valley chamber Ambassadors Robin Karlsson, left, and Kathy Ornelas sold drink and raffle tickets. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Anna and Tom Gil-Nangle represented event sponsor Hollandia Produce. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Ian Livett of sponsor Venoco with wife Allison, left, and Sally Green. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Carpinteria Valley chamber board chairman-elect Jim Drain with wife Jane. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, with Carpinteria Unified School District Superintendent Paul Cordeiro. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Mary Zeoli, left, and Patricia Albert with Junior Carpinterian Audrey Lent, center. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Lou Panizzon accepts the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Carpinterian of the Year Award. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)
  • Event chairwoman Karen Graf takes to the podium to welcome guests. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk)

Bill Macfadyen is Noozhawk’s founder and publisher. Contact him at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com, and follow him on Instagram: @bill.macfadyen. The opinions expressed are his own.