Dixon Chamber of Commerce held its annual “Celebrate Dixon” event on the evening of March 14. Among those honored, Don and Wendi Hendershot were recognized as the 2025 Citizens of the Year. Photo by Nicolas Brown

DIXON, CA (MPG) — Dixon Chamber of Commerce held its annual “Celebrate Dixon” event on the evening of March 14 at the Dixon May Fairgrounds, where community members gathered to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that contribute to the city’s vibrancy and growth. The event, which took place from 5 to 9 p.m. in Madden Hall, included dinner, a raffle and multiple auctions, culminating in the presentation of prestigious community awards.

Ben Ernest, the executive director of Montessori Charter School, served as the master of ceremonies. Chamber Manager Sara Echarte led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Devon Camara-Soucy, Chamber Vice-Chair of the Board, delivered the opening remarks.

“Being nominated means somebody in the community noticed your impact, your dedication and your hard work,” said Camara-Soucy.

The event celebrated various individuals and groups through a series of awards, including the 63rd Annual Citizen of the Year, 30th Annual Business of the Year, 3rd Annual Nonprofit of the Year, as well as the Ambassador of the Year, Veteran of the Year, and Firefighter and Police Officer of the Year. In addition to these, the event also introduced two new awards: the Dixon Educator of the Year and the Dixon Coach of the Year.

Dixon Mayor Steve Bird and members of the City Council were in attendance alongside well-known names including John Garamendi, Lori D. Wilson, and the 2024 Citizen of the Year herself, Angela Meisenheimer (right). Meisenheimer was joined by Kathy Ernest (left) of Ramtown Karate. Photo by Nicolas Brown

Dixon's Mayor, Steve Bird, and members of the City Council were among the dignitaries in attendance, with representatives from California State Senator Mike Thompson, Congressman John Garamendi and Assemblymember Lori Wilson present to show support for the event. Past Citizen of the Year recipients were also honored with commemorative badges, acknowledging their continued contributions to the community.

The evening featured a catered dinner by Bud's, with drinks served by Dixon's Rotary. A range of fundraising activities included a silent auction, a hat raffle and a dessert auction, with items such as a Ramtown Karate interactive workshop, dinner at the local fire station and horse trail rides provided by Almond Tree Mortgage. Local businesses like Dixon Community Theater, Sourdough and Co., Yard Love Dixon and Best Western donated forty-three raffle prizes.

“I’m excited to see it all come together,” said Angela Meisenheimer, last year’s Citizen of the Year. “It’s nice to see all these amazing people being recognized. But I have to relinquish my crown now!”

Anderson Elementary PTO was crowned as the 3rd Annual Nonprofit of the Year. The honor was presented by Cookie Powell of Dixon Family Services, the 2nd Annual Nonprofit of the Year. Photo by Nicolas Brown

The evening’s most anticipated moment was the announcement of the award winners, each of whom was recognized for their outstanding contributions to the community. The 63rd Annual Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Don and Wendi Hendershot, while Jill and Ray Orr, owners of Dawson’s Bar & Grill, were honored with the 30th Annual Business of the Year Award. The 3rd Annual Nonprofit of the Year Award was presented to Anderson Elementary PTO. Sara Echarte was named Ambassador of the Year, and Martin De Venuta was recognized as Veteran of the Year. Steve Krebs, an Advanced Placement teacher at Dixon High School, received the Educator of the Year (DUSD) Award. Captain Andrew Tomelloso of the Dixon Fire Department, a three-time winner of the Firefighter of the Year Award, was honored for his outstanding service. Officer Jake Curry received the Police Officer of the Year Award, and Devon Pitto of Tremont Elementary was named Dixon Educator of the Year. Lastly, Didi Cordova was named Dixon Coach of the Year.

Cordova reflected on the significance of the award.

Said Cordova, “Congrats to all the nominees. At the end of the day, we all won. As long as you're uplifting the younger generation, you're doing good.”

Sara Echarte, a standout herself, reflected on the success of the event.

“It feels good, it feels exciting, a little overwhelming, but very exciting. We sold out, so that’s huge,” she said.

Table sponsors for the evening included Western Health, Budget Blinds, Harvest at Dixon, Bank of Stockton, Cal-Water Services, First Northern Bank and Castillo’s Legal Life Support. The evening’s door prize was sponsored by First Northern Bank.

The evening featured a catered dinner by Bud's, with drinks served by Dixon's Rotary. A range of fundraising activities included a silent auction, a hat raffle, and a dessert auction. There were 43 donated raffle prizes overall. Photo by Nicolas Brown

As the night concluded, the community of Dixon celebrated its rich tradition of civic engagement and the people who make a difference every day.

For more information, visit dixonchamber.org or call 707-678-2650.