Winemaker Mark Cargasacchi has been nominated for Lompoc’s 2014 Valley of the Flowers Peace Prize.

Cargasacchi and friends staged the first Lompoc community welcome celebration for the AIDS LifeCycle riders since they began bicycling through Lompoc in 2002.

Day Five, the Santa Maria to Lompoc stretch of the ride, is known as Red Day. On that day (in 2015 it will be June 4) local observers witness a stunning ribbon of red-clad riders trailing from Lompoc north along Highway One as far as the eye can see. Last year there were 2,300 riders, with an equal number of outriders and automobiles. Last year’s ride raised $15 million for the fight against AIDS.

Other towns along the route stage events to welcome the riders, but Lompoc never had. In 2014, Cargasacchi’s Lompoc Welcome group posted welcome signs along the Lompoc portion of the route and organized transportation from campgrounds at River Park back into Lompoc so riders could attend to shopping and banking. Cargasacchi’s party at Jalama Wines’ tasting room was well attended.

“Some of the riders were friends of mine,” Cargasacchi explained simply. “It’s a long grueling ride and I wanted to celebrate their success and provide a little entertainment.”

“People came together around Mark,” added Nick Cooper, a member of the local group.

Cargasacchi is a Lompoc native who opened Jalama Wines 12 years ago. Before returning to Lompoc, he spent several years in San Francisco and Texas working as an environmental chemist. On his return, he learned winemaking from Fess Parker.

“We’ve just released our popular La Presa Syrah,” he quipped in a commercial aside.

Cargasacchi joins eight other nominees, including assistant school superintendent Sid Haro, volunteer Jon Vanderhoof, community discussion convenor Lauren Pressman, musician Bill Carlsen, gardener Jan Martinez, writer Luciana Gallegos, chef Norma Anderson and cooperative organizer Raquel Ceja-Gonzalez.

The Peace Prize will be awarded on Sunday, Jan. 25 at Valley of the Flowers Church.

— Allie Kay Spaulding represents Valley of the Flowers Church.