KING CITY — King City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture honored the 2023 winners of the organization’s business and community awards on Saturday.
This year’s Annual Awards Dinner took place Feb. 17 inside the Orradre Building at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City. Chamber President Krysta Eddington and Master of Ceremonies Rob Cullen provided welcoming remarks to commence the evening’s program.
The 2023 honorees were Alice Eddington Haskins for Citizen of the Year, Sun Street Centers for Business of the Year, Teri Storelli for Friend of the Community, and Thomas Storelli with the Hermie Robles Youth Award, each of whom were individually recognized during the ceremony.
Citizen of the Year
Haskins, who was born and bred in King City, is a 1973 graduate of King City High School. After high school, she worked as the city’s recreation director and was integral at establishing team sports for local youth.
“This was the start of King City’s recreation program and Alice’s lifelong commitment to providing recreational activities to the King City community,” according to her bio in the awards program. “She still volunteers for little girls’ softball and runs concessions at youth games.”
Haskins worked as a teacher’s assistant at both Santa Lucia and Del Rey schools from 1973 to 1994. She also became a recreation leader and coordinator for King City, assisting with the planning, organizing and running of after-school and vacation programs.
Today, Haskins remains active in the production of special events, including the Poker Run benefit and the annual July 4 Car Show. As an avid and skilled golfer, she is the special event coordinator for King City Women’s Golf.
Haskins also performs outreach for King City’s elderly, providing company, a helping hand and rides to medical appointments. She is active in Silver Kings & Queens, and for many years she chaired the role of shift organizer for seniors acting as hosts at the Salinas Valley Fair’s exhibit buildings.
“If need be, she works a shift herself if there’s a no-show,” her bio stated. “Alice is always willing to take part in any committee or activity that benefits the Silver Kings & Queens.”
In addition, she is an active parishioner at St. John’s Catholic Church, treasurer of the St. John’s Guild and a vital member of its fundraising group. She also participates in the Catholic churches in Greenfield and Soledad.
The 2023 Citizen of the Year Award was presented by Robert Eddington.
Business of the Year
Sun Street Centers CEO Anna Foglia and Chris Graveline, Director of Residential and Outpatient Services in South County, accepted the award on behalf of the nonprofit organization.
In 2016, King City Council convened a Task Force to intervene with local youth to combat violence, alcohol and drug abuse in the community. One outcome was to invite Sun Street Centers, an addiction treatment center based in Salinas, to open programs in King City.
Two years later, in 2018, the organization partnered with Monterey County Behavioral Health, California Board of State and Community Corrections and Central California Alliance for Health to buy and renovate the King City property at 641 Broadway St. for a new South Monterey County location. The City of King and Four Cities for Peace initiative provided additional support.
The Broadway site included a run-down motel that was gutted and remodeled into residential treatment units; an old, brick-and-stucco party store remodeled into a welcoming lobby, group room, offices, treatment rooms and a Youth Center with transitional housing above; some storage structures replaced by a community meeting room; and a dilapidated residence replaced with a new sober living facility.
The Darlene Acosta Youth Center opened for programs in 2023 with “strong community support,” according to Sun Street’s bio in the awards program.
“King City Rotary Club raised funds to completely furnish the student activity room; South County donors equipped the Food Pantry and built a beautiful Dress for Success room to provide teens professional clothing for job and education interviews,” the bio continued.
The Youth Center provides a safe environment with activities that support positive youth development and reduce high-risk behaviors, such as the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco and violence.
The 2023 Business of the Year Award was presented by Bob Brunson.
Friend of the Community
Teri Storelli, a native of South Monterey County, is the mother of Thomas and JB Storelli, whom she shares with her husband Anthony Storelli.
As a member of the steering committee for South Valley MOPS, she helped the group of civically minded moms transition the organization to South Valley Mom2Mom. She also ran the Children’s Ministry at First Baptist Church of King City for many years, while at the same time she finished her degree in early childhood education and earned her preschool certificate.
Over the next many years, Teri Storelli became a foster parent to five children through Monterey County, helped teach foster parenting classes for new foster parents and served as a Foster Parent Support Group co-facilitator.
“Anyone who knows Teri knows that her kids are her world and that she’s been very involved in their education since day one, serving as a member of the King City Arts Magnet PTO, Secretary of the Del Rey PTO and spent a term as a member of the Del Rey School Site Council over their years in elementary school,” according to her awards program bio. “She was also an active volunteer in their classrooms.”
Not only does she love spending time with her own children, but Teri Storelli also enjoys working to encourage youth throughout King City and the surrounding communities.
In the King City Rural 4-H Club, she serves as Co-Community Club Leader, Poultry Leader, Industrial Arts Leader and Cloverbuds Leader. For the past five years, she has been sitting on the board of directors for the Monterey County Dance Foundation, including three years as president.
“From designing Nutcracker posters and writing grant proposals, to creating props and lighting furnaces, she is hands-on in productions and fundraising to support the youth dancers of Southern Monterey County,” her bio stated.
In addition, Teri Storelli is a board member of the SOMOCO Center for the Performing Arts, which supports the preservation of the Robert Stanton Theater, and an active member of the King City Rotary Club, in which she has chaired the Surf and Turf fundraiser and assisted with the Rotary Flea Market as well as other events.
Currently, she is a commissioner on the King City Planning Commission. She also has been homeschooling both of her children since 2020, and is substituting at local elementary schools as a paraeducator in TK or helping students develop a love of reading as a reading tutor.
The 2023 Friend of the Community Award was presented by Anthony Storelli.
Hermie Robles Youth Award
Thomas “Tommy” Storelli is a sophomore at Yosemite Valley Charter High School, where he takes a class load and a half each year while maintaining honor roll. He is an avid reader and enjoys playing electric bass guitar.
As a member of the King City Rural 4-H Club since 2015, he has shown chickens and pigs, for which his efforts have resulted in numerous Weight Champions and Reserve Weight Champions. He has been a Junior Leader, Teen Leader, Recreation Officer, Outreach Officer and County Liaison Officer, and was just appointed Youth First Vice President of the Monterey County 4-H County Council.
Tommy Storelli holds the 4-H Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Stars, and is the first King City Rural 4-H member to ever achieve their Emerald Star. He reached his Emerald Star through his 4-H Book Barn initiative, which placed free lending libraries throughout Monterey County to encourage reading and community, and to promote the 4-H program.
He has helped for years at Farm Day at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds to show third graders what 4-H is all about, and has gone to many classrooms in King City as well as San Lucas to read with his chickens for Read Across America Day, even delivering free books to the schools.
Outside of 4-H, his community involvement includes volunteering at the King City Fire Department’s Rib BBQ; helping at many workdays with King City in Bloom; participating in the Children’s Ministry at First Baptist Church; and staying active in the YMCA soccer league and the First Tee golf program.
He also is currently a member of the Youth Group at the King City Bible Church.
“Tommy is always eager to lend a hand or lift something heavy for you, and he does it with a smile,” according to his bio in the awards program. “When he’s not volunteering, you can find him walking neighborhood dogs and house sitting or on the airsoft battlefield.”
His parents, Anthony and Teri Storelli, along with his sister JB Storelli are proud of him.
“They are so proud of all he has accomplished and can’t wait to see what’s next for Tommy,” his bio stated.
The 2023 Hermie Robles Youth Award was presented by Carla Ackerman.
After the introductory speeches about the winners, they each received an engraved glass award, as well as certificates of recognition from local dignitaries for their contribution to the community. Among those present were Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez and King City Mayor Mike LeBarre.
“These awards were well earned by each of these individuals who make our community a better place to live, work and enjoy,” Lopez said on social media afterward. “Congratulations to all and thank you for inviting me to participate!”
In addition to the awards presentation with emcee Cullen, the evening featured a catered dinner by King City Young Farmers, a no-host bar by the Knights of Columbus, silent and live auctions with auctioneer Butch Lindley, music and dancing.
Professional live art entertainer Amy Burkman, who grew up in King City, also returned this year to perform speed painting on stage.
The Annual Awards Dinner is King City Chamber’s premier fundraiser, with proceeds going toward chamber events and services for the business community.
