Santa says ‘thank you’

In December 1979, the Santa Food Drive helped three local families in need. As of December 2005, through monetary gifts and donated turkeys, groceries, grocery store scrip, toiletry items and other gifts, we have helped over 21,000 families including those in Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Westlake Village, Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, East Los Angeles, Camarillo and Oxnard.

Other food donations went to battered women and children and victims of AIDS in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Optimist Boys and Girls Home, Rancho San Antonio Boys Home in Chatsworth, Guadalupe Center Food Pantry, Manna Food Pantry, Children of the Night and the men and women serving in Iraq.

We wish to acknowledge the following for their generosity and support:

The Acorn newspapers—Jim and Lisa Rule, Steve Holt, John Loesing, Sylvie Belmond, Dan Wolowicz and the entire staff.

Adelphia Cable Television— Allan McDaniel, Carlos Williams and Erik Sorensen.

Westlake Village Mayor Susan McSweeney, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Bruno and councilmembers Robert Slavin, Mark Rutherford and Philippa Klessig; Agoura Hills Mayor Dennis Weber; Calabasas City Councilmember Jonathan Wolfson; Los Robles Medical Center, Kris Caraway Bowman.

Westlake Village Costco—Scott Jacobs, Greg Bond and their entire staff; Kurtz Food Services—Ed and Bernie Kurtz; Agoura Valley Woman’s Club; Agoura Hills 4-H Club.

Agoura Hills Do-It Center— Jess Ruff, Mike Mauck and Ken Lorenzo; Agoura Equipment Rental—Mel Adams Sr., Ruth Adams, Mel Adams Jr. and Larry Adams; Starbucks Agoura Hills; Western Bagel Westlake Village— Phil and Kathy Black and family.

Carol and Howard Rosenberg; Woflson Family Foundation; Whizin Enterprises—Pat and Vance Moran; Phil Black, attorney at law; State Farm Insurance—Don and Mary Liebman.

Trader Joe’s Westlake Village—Johann Patterson; Trader Joe’s Camarillo—Kelly Heinrichs; Trader Joe’s Simi Valley— Jeff Campbell.

Farmers Insurance Co.— Steve Bonifede; GI Industries; Mission with Bicycles—Mark Blum; Ann and Bob Houseal; Patty Wolfson; The Pfizer Corporation—John and Carol Preston; Agoura/Oak Park/Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce—Alex Soteras; the Tangkilisan Family; First Federal Bank of California Agoura Hills—Carol Salgado.

Joanne and Stan Benson; Dr. Steve Iceland; Mary and Steve Soelberg; Dr. Laurie Robinson; Dole Food Company—David Murdock; Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station—Capt. Tom Martin, Dep. Dave Bates; Dr. David Halpert; Harrison Hanley; Shayna Turk and Talia Turk.

Ralph’s Agoura Hills—Denise Spaulding; Margarita Corral, Barbara Delts and Mary Sandoval; Money Wise; Megan’s Magnificent Magic; Conejo Valley Congregational Church—Carol Cusanovich; the parishioners of St. Maximillion Kolbe Catholic Church; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints in Newbury Park and Oak Park; Church of the Epiphany in Oak Park; Oak View High School in Oak Park; Joyce Thompson and the Brookside Elementary School Chorus; and the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Brownies and Cub Scouts.

Thank you to everyone for becoming involved. You have helped make a difference. Sincerely, George and Charlotte Annino and family, the Agoura/Las Virgines Optimist Club, and the entire staff of Santa Comes to Agoura