Volunteer groups honored
CONEJO VALLEY DAYS:

Five recognized for achievements at annual luncheon.
By Philippe Shepnick
Ventura County Star writer
Friday May 5, 2000

Five service and volunteer groups were recognized for their achievements Thursday at the 30th Conejo Valley Days Inter-Service Club Luncheon at the Hyatt Westlake Plaza.

Many of the 280 at the awards ceremony kept the Conejo's Western spirit alive by sporting Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots and hats. Some wore vests dotted with pins from every Conejo Valley Day festival they attended.

"Buffalo"Bob Rickards, a city planner for Thousand Oaks and Kiwanis Club member, had a yellow ribbon from 1961 -- his oldest. To collectors in Thousand Oaks, his pins are valued at $1,500, he said.

"But they wouldn't be worth more than a nickel in Simi,"he joked.

For Jerry Oberle, general chairman of Conejo Valley Days, the luncheon is a good way to catch up with old friends and show community spirit.

"Everyone pulls together at this time of the year,"he said.

The Triunfo YMCA was named the outstanding youth club of the year. Tyler Wright, its executive director, accepted the award.

The Mad Attic Thrift Shop was named the best volunteer organization with fewer than 50 members. The thrift shop is celebrating its 40th year, said Mad Attic President Bill Funk, who received the plaque.

"And some of the original members are still with us, working at the store whenever they can,"he said.

Mike Mathews, president of the board, and Ed Troupe, executive director of the Hospice of the Conejo, received an award on behalf of the hospice as the best volunteer organization with more than 50 members.

The Conejo Valley Rotary Club was recognized as the service club of the year with more than 50 members. Del Craft accepted the plaque.

Several members from The Westlake Women's Club came to the stage to accept the service club of the year with fewer than 50 members.

The awards are a good way to give local organizations a pat on the backfor their work, said Vern Ogden, an Agoura Hills resident who is the off-site chairman for Conejo Valley Days.

"There's a lot of great people in the Conejo Valley,"he said. "I wish we could honor everyone every year."

-- Philippe Shepnick's e-mail address is pshepnick@insidevc.com.