Conejo Valley residents receive spirit awards

COMMUNITY SPIRIT- Battalion Chief Ken Maffei and Thousand Oaks Fire Chief Mike LaPlant receive praise for their contributions to the community at the annual Spirit of Community Awards.

Representatives of the Conejo Valley gathered to support the community and honor local leaders at the fifth annual Spirit of Community Awards Celebration presented June 8 by Amgen and the Thousand OaksWestlake Village Community Foundation at the Los Robles Greens Banquet Center in Thousand Oaks.

Awards were presented during a two-hour dessert reception. The awards honored area educators, a local community volunteer, law enforcement agencies, fire protection agencies and armed forces for contributing their time and effort to making the cities of Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village better places to live and work.

Special award of Community Volunteer of the Year went to Gloria Rocca of Westlake Village.

Representatives from the Armed Forces, including the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines, were also recognized for their service and dedication.

Fire stations serving Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village received gift baskets and legislative certificates, which were also presented to representatives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Thousand Oaks Police Department.

The awards for Teacher of the Year from the two school districts serving the cities of Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village were, from Las Virgenes Unified School District, Evie Klein from Lindero Canyon Middle School; and, from Conejo Valley Unified School District, Amy ReedLeBeau from Newbury Park High School.

For more information, call the Thousand Oaks-Westlake Village Regional Chamber of Commerce at (805) 370-0035 or visit www.towlvchamber.org.