A trick was played on Lisa Mantarro Moore Friday night - but for good reason.
To prevent her from knowing that she was the recipient of the annual "Citizen of the Year" honor, Chamber of Commerce officials engage in a little deception at her workplace. Moore, a representative of Rep. Dennis Cardoza, would have known about the honor since she gives congressional recognition to award recipients at public functions. However, fellow co-worker Brenda Herbert prepared a fake certificate with the name of Dave Chapman to throw Moore off.
As soon as Stan Sinclear, the 2011 honoree, began releasing snippets of details about Moore's background, the light came on. She was more than surprised to learn she was the honoree as a crowd frolicked with laughter and applause.
Moore was cited for a lifelong career of service, which started as a student body officer at Ceres High School. She served as vice mayor of Ceres and has been involved in the Ceres Street Faire Committee for over 10 years, working as chairperson, secretary and treasurer and entertainment chair.
Moore was also cited for working tirelessly on behalf of women through the Soroptimist International of Ceres. The community has benefited from her leadership, which has included forming a Ceres Youth Commission, working to preserve the Whitmore Mansion, and campaigning for passage of school bonds in Measures J and U as well as the Measure H half-cent sales tax for public safety.
Following the tragic shooting death of Sgt. Howard Stevenson in 2005, Moore was instrumental in forming a support group for the families of police officers and firefighters. She also worked with Police Chief Art deWerk in setting up community meetings with minority groups to explain the shooting and police crackdown on gangs.
With her federal connections she helped get the state to name the Whitmore Interchange after Sgt. Stevenson.
"I'm very privileged to be able to do what I get to do," Moore told the audience.
Deputy Chief Mike Borges asked Moore to represent Ceres for the creation of the Child Abuse Interview, Referral and Examination Center. That led to the development of the Family Justice Center of Stanislaus County.
Moore also has a fond place in the hearts of Cary and Nancy Pope, who 21 years ago encountered problems while trying to adopt two children in Romania. As a staff member of then Congressman Gary Condit, Moore was able to use an obscure legal tool called "humanitarian parole" to get around the denial of visas for the children. Moore said she has used the law to aid in the securing in 14 other adoptions since that time.
Besides being a wife to officer Randy Moore, and mother to students Aiden and Austen Moore, Lisa serves on the Sam Vaughn and Mae Hensley Junior High School Site Councils and is a parent volunteer for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges at CHS. She also serves on the Habitat for Humanity board in the county.
Volunteer honored
Rocky Fisher, a member of the Ceres Lions Club member for 30 years, was honored as the "Volunteer of the Year."
"This guy volunteers for everything," noted emcee Eric Ingwerson, who added Fisher has done "just about every duty a Lions Club member could ever do."
Fisher works the Ceres Street Faire every year, and cooks and cleans for club functions. He also volunteers for events of the Salvation Army, the Arrowhead Club, Old Fisherman's Club, Tuolumne River Lodge and Soroptimists.
Fisher, served as a youth baseball coach in the 1980s, came to Ceres in 1957 and was a 1969 Ceres High School graduate. He retired in 2004 after 33 years in the work force.
"When not volunteering - which is not much of the time - and socializing - which also is not much of the time - he loves traveling and camping with his family and friends," said Ingwerson of Fisher.
"Volunteering, to me, is the thing you ought to do," said Fisher. "You help the community and the people that you love and are around. People need the help. If you can do it, don't worry, just do it. Have fun and make fun out of it."
"Rockster, you're my hero baby," said state Assemblyman Bill Berryhill. "I love this guy. Across America, our communities are only as strong as the character of the people who make them. And the character of this community, that makes Ceres an amazing town, is displayed by the Rocky Fishers of the world where they're always willing."
Distinguished Service Award
Mary Lopez and Tracy Maciel were honored with the Chamber of Commerce's "Distinguished Service Award."
"Tracy and Mary, they are a team," said Bertie Plante in giving the award. "They are both just the awesomest people I know."
Lopez, a former Ceres Walmart store manager, has pledged a lifetime of service in the Chamber's margarita booth at the Street Faire.
Maciel is a Chamber board member and ambassador.
Installation of Chamber board
The banquet included the installation of Chamber officials, including President Dustin Pack and board members Bertie Plante, Nancy Pope, Jay Simmonds, Mary Lopez, Reg Evans, Robert Yockey, Shane Parson, Julia Fatheree and Tracy Maciel.
Incoming President Dustin Pack was handed the president's gavel by outgoing president Cary Pope.
Pack noted the struggles of the Chamber over the last couple of years but noted that the Chamber in the past year has "really changed course and climbed out of financial holes" due to hard work.
He suggested the Chamber needs to be engaged for success, and "actively find more strategic ways to engage not only our business community but the community in general to enhance Ceres as the first place to do business." Pack said the Chamber needs to serve the community "while highlighting and resourcing the many other services that are available within our city to meet the needs of business and our consumers. We want business to thrive in our community and the Chamber be a leading advocate and partner to assist in this accomplishment."
To prevent her from knowing that she was the recipient of the annual "Citizen of the Year" honor, Chamber of Commerce officials engage in a little deception at her workplace. Moore, a representative of Rep. Dennis Cardoza, would have known about the honor since she gives congressional recognition to award recipients at public functions. However, fellow co-worker Brenda Herbert prepared a fake certificate with the name of Dave Chapman to throw Moore off.
As soon as Stan Sinclear, the 2011 honoree, began releasing snippets of details about Moore's background, the light came on. She was more than surprised to learn she was the honoree as a crowd frolicked with laughter and applause.
Moore was cited for a lifelong career of service, which started as a student body officer at Ceres High School. She served as vice mayor of Ceres and has been involved in the Ceres Street Faire Committee for over 10 years, working as chairperson, secretary and treasurer and entertainment chair.
Moore was also cited for working tirelessly on behalf of women through the Soroptimist International of Ceres. The community has benefited from her leadership, which has included forming a Ceres Youth Commission, working to preserve the Whitmore Mansion, and campaigning for passage of school bonds in Measures J and U as well as the Measure H half-cent sales tax for public safety.
Following the tragic shooting death of Sgt. Howard Stevenson in 2005, Moore was instrumental in forming a support group for the families of police officers and firefighters. She also worked with Police Chief Art deWerk in setting up community meetings with minority groups to explain the shooting and police crackdown on gangs.
With her federal connections she helped get the state to name the Whitmore Interchange after Sgt. Stevenson.
"I'm very privileged to be able to do what I get to do," Moore told the audience.
Deputy Chief Mike Borges asked Moore to represent Ceres for the creation of the Child Abuse Interview, Referral and Examination Center. That led to the development of the Family Justice Center of Stanislaus County.
Moore also has a fond place in the hearts of Cary and Nancy Pope, who 21 years ago encountered problems while trying to adopt two children in Romania. As a staff member of then Congressman Gary Condit, Moore was able to use an obscure legal tool called "humanitarian parole" to get around the denial of visas for the children. Moore said she has used the law to aid in the securing in 14 other adoptions since that time.
Besides being a wife to officer Randy Moore, and mother to students Aiden and Austen Moore, Lisa serves on the Sam Vaughn and Mae Hensley Junior High School Site Councils and is a parent volunteer for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges at CHS. She also serves on the Habitat for Humanity board in the county.
Volunteer honored
Rocky Fisher, a member of the Ceres Lions Club member for 30 years, was honored as the "Volunteer of the Year."
"This guy volunteers for everything," noted emcee Eric Ingwerson, who added Fisher has done "just about every duty a Lions Club member could ever do."
Fisher works the Ceres Street Faire every year, and cooks and cleans for club functions. He also volunteers for events of the Salvation Army, the Arrowhead Club, Old Fisherman's Club, Tuolumne River Lodge and Soroptimists.
Fisher, served as a youth baseball coach in the 1980s, came to Ceres in 1957 and was a 1969 Ceres High School graduate. He retired in 2004 after 33 years in the work force.
"When not volunteering - which is not much of the time - and socializing - which also is not much of the time - he loves traveling and camping with his family and friends," said Ingwerson of Fisher.
"Volunteering, to me, is the thing you ought to do," said Fisher. "You help the community and the people that you love and are around. People need the help. If you can do it, don't worry, just do it. Have fun and make fun out of it."
"Rockster, you're my hero baby," said state Assemblyman Bill Berryhill. "I love this guy. Across America, our communities are only as strong as the character of the people who make them. And the character of this community, that makes Ceres an amazing town, is displayed by the Rocky Fishers of the world where they're always willing."
Distinguished Service Award
Mary Lopez and Tracy Maciel were honored with the Chamber of Commerce's "Distinguished Service Award."
"Tracy and Mary, they are a team," said Bertie Plante in giving the award. "They are both just the awesomest people I know."
Lopez, a former Ceres Walmart store manager, has pledged a lifetime of service in the Chamber's margarita booth at the Street Faire.
Maciel is a Chamber board member and ambassador.
Installation of Chamber board
The banquet included the installation of Chamber officials, including President Dustin Pack and board members Bertie Plante, Nancy Pope, Jay Simmonds, Mary Lopez, Reg Evans, Robert Yockey, Shane Parson, Julia Fatheree and Tracy Maciel.
Incoming President Dustin Pack was handed the president's gavel by outgoing president Cary Pope.
Pack noted the struggles of the Chamber over the last couple of years but noted that the Chamber in the past year has "really changed course and climbed out of financial holes" due to hard work.
He suggested the Chamber needs to be engaged for success, and "actively find more strategic ways to engage not only our business community but the community in general to enhance Ceres as the first place to do business." Pack said the Chamber needs to serve the community "while highlighting and resourcing the many other services that are available within our city to meet the needs of business and our consumers. We want business to thrive in our community and the Chamber be a leading advocate and partner to assist in this accomplishment."
