Voting for the Orange County Register Holiday Spirit Award is always, dare we say, spirited.
You’ve already read about Betsy Perry, owner of Cameron Welding Supply in Stanton, who received the most reader votes for the 2009 Holiday Spirit Award.
But there are so many deserving nominees that each year we give special recognition to second- and third-place vote getters.
Victoria Alberty
Some Huntington Beach residents and business people think Victoria Alberty is a member of every group in town.
“I’m sure the Energizer Bunny has nothing on her,” said Barb Donohue in nominating Alberty.
She won ambassador of the year for the Huntington Beach Chamber so often, the group made her a lifetime honoree and ineligible for future awards.
Alberty helps with every event from the Lions Club Crabfest to the city’s Green Expo. She was the 2009 chairwoman of the Huntington Beach Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.
Her own business is running TheLocalHB.com, HuntingtonBeachGreenGuide.com, SurfCitySavings.com and LocalSealBeach.com promotional web sites.
“I live Huntington Beach so I wanted to do the Web site,” she said. “I don’t make a lot of money doing this, but I just love doing things for people.
Josh Vecchione, the owner of Toy Town in Ladera Ranch, is also loved in his community for his generosity to local causes and cheerfulness to every customer, said nominator Diane Miller, president of the Oso School PTA.
Josh Vecchione
“Josh has generously given toys, prizes and money to us for Jog-a-Thons, Read-a-Thons, school picnics and other school events, year after year,” she wrote.
Bush customers can call the store, and Vecchione will meet them at the curb with their purchase ready to go. He keeps extra diapers for young customers “because accidents happen,” he said.
But the recession and big competitors took their toll and Vecchione couldn’t make the rent. He thought about closing the store earlier this year.
The community rallied behind Toy Town, shopping more often in the store and donating money to replenish the inventory.
“My philosophy is,” Vecchione said, “if you only give when times are good, that’s not giving.”
So he continues to have fundraisers for neighbors battling cancer and donating toys to families in need.
