Who is your Community Hero? Who has made a difference in our lives? Sometimes it is a quiet person who works behind the scenes. Sometimes it is obvious. The Aptos Chamber of Commerce wants to recognize those people who make our lives better.
The Chamber is accepting nominations for Man, Woman, Organization, and Business of the Year for 2017. Please download a nomination form from our website, AptosChamber.com, and recognize someone, or a business, or an organization that has done something outstanding or deserves to be recognized in our community.
Together we can make a difference
Are you tired of visiting our beaches and parks and finding trash piled everywhere, including in front of the garbage cans? Help us to create a slogan that encourages visitors and residents to be responsible and to clean up after themselves. The breaches have been overwhelmed with trash since Memorial Day. Folks leave beach chairs, towels, rafts, barbecues and, of course, garbage at the beach, on the beach and around the trash cans that are provided. State Parks picks up the trash cans seven days a week all year but cannot possibly keep up with the amount of trash people are leaving. “Pack Your Trash” is no longer something people do.
People have advocated for more trash cans, but there needs to be other solutions as it seems people will fill up the trash cans, no matter how many State Parks put out, and half the trash is not even in the trash cans that are available. People even bring trash from their homes and vacation rentals to deposit at the parks.
We’re hoping that a cute poster using the image of an Otter with a slogan that people can identify with, will help some people to consider their actions, especially if their children understand the message and help to remind their parents. We understand that Carmel does not seem to have this problem and they have many visitors to their beaches.
Do you remember, “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute,” with a cute owl or Smokey the Bear and “Only You can Prevent Forest Fires”? As children, we took these slogans to heart. Now it is our turn to help our oceans, beaches and parks.
So, send your ideas to us and if you are artistic help us design a poster or bumper sticker we can use to get our message across. Maybe the Highway 17 sign could be used to notify visitors. But let’s work on this together. Thanks for your help. We are a great community.
Fourth of July update
It takes a village to have a Fourth of July celebration in Aptos.
We were blessed this Fourth of July with great weather, and fantastic people who came together to celebrate: from pancakes to parade to “Family Day in the Park,” thousands of people enjoyed our Aptos celebration. Special thanks to our committee: Rob Morse, Kiss Catering, Michael Gardner, David Lompa, Matt Walthard, and Burger restaurant, who helped to make the Pancake Breakfast a fabulous success. We also want to acknowledge Whole Foods, Safeway, Seacliff Inn, and Erik’s Deli Café of Aptos for the food donations. We served about 1,000 breakfasts and there were many compliments from our breakfast goers. We also want to thank Starbucks of Aptos for supplying the coffee and Gizdich Ranch for the apple juice. We had three new residents from Italy helping serve. They loved the parade and learned all about America’s celebration here in Aptos. They moved here about three months ago and are already a big part of our community.
The parade had 80 entries from dance groups, to dogs, to our fabulous bands, and so much more. Special thanks to the California Highway Patrol, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department, the Aptos/La Selva Fire Department, and Earthworks for keeping us safe. Thanks to Bob Norton and his team of volunteers who kept the parade moving and people marching. The parade was over in record time. Thanks to Steve Allen and Allen Property Group for hanging the parade banner on the trestle.
Thanks to Coldwell Banker for hosting the parade judges who had a difficult job. Please see the list of parade winners. If you are one, come pick up your beautiful ribbon at that Chamber office.
Thanks to “Extra Large” for the music at “Party in the Park.” Thousands of people danced, ate and celebrated living in Aptos.
This year our parade was listed as one of “America’s Most Unique July Fourth Celebrations” by Land’s End Journal. Thanks to all of you who make Aptos such a special place to be. Together we can keep our traditions alive.
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Karen Hibble is co-executive director of the Aptos Chamber of Commerce.
