Conejo Valley Days gets cash, needs more
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

Marty Campbell

Conejo Valley Days, a community festival that provides family fun while raising money for local charities, needs help.

If there is going to be a CVD parade this year, the group will need a sponsor to pay $15,000. Without an angel to protect the Thousand Oaks tradition, families will not be able to sit on the curb and watch young people march in bands, ride horses or wave from floats as they move along Thousand Oaks Boulevard celebrating their community, hobbies and talents.

Thanks to the city's donation of $35,000 and the Conejo Recreation and Park District's donation of $15,000, CVD organizers can start reserving large tents and entertainment acts.

"We are so excited and grateful for the city's and park district's support," CVD chair Marty Campbell said.

Campbell, a local realtor, has volunteered with the CVD for more than 30 years. She's done everything from serving sticky buns for charity years ago to being the grand marshal with her husband, Paul, in 2002. She's also been an on-site chair and the off-site chair before being named the overall chair this year. She's given a lot of time and does so gladly because she said she feels the carnival is a very important part of the community.

"I brought my four children there, and now that they are grown they bring my five grandchildren to the carnival," Campbell said.

It's a family tradition that almost washed away when rains came a few years ago and put the nonprofit group association that runs it in the red about $127,000. Since then, they've cut back and reinvented the event to make it better attended and more profitable. Last year, however, they didn't end up with a profit they could use as seed money to reserve big tents and top-notch entertainment, she said.

Now, with donations from the city and the park district, organizers can get started. They still need more sponsors to realize their dream of another safe, well-attended, family oriented community festival that makes money for local charities.

In January the group will be passing out packets of information throughout the community, seeking businesses and individuals who would like their names prominently displayed as sponsors for just about anything at the carnival. This includes the tents, events and carnival rides such as the Ferris wheel.

For those who would like to help right now, call the CVD office and leave a message at (805) 371-8730.