The Ramona Chamber of Commerce recognized more than a dozen individuals and organizations for their community contributions at the annual Community Awards and Installation Gala on Jan. 31.

The “Diamonds and Denim” event was held at Lavender and Olive in Ramona and catered by Off the Vine Dining with Carolyn’s Confections serving desserts.

In addition to an awards ceremony, the evening featured the installation of the Chamber’s 14 directors who will serve throughout 2026. This year’s Chamber president is Vinnie Ciampoli. The directors were sworn in by Andrew Hayes, county Supervisor Joel Anderson’s taxpayer advocate.

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Kristina Ramirez

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Volunteers, first responders, educators and business and nonprofit groups were recognized for their community contributions at the annual Community Awards and Installation Gala. (Kristina Ramirez)

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Individual awardees included Visionary Leadership Award winner Robert Krysak, who also had a day named in his honor in  Anderson’s District 2.

Chamber Vice President Karen Domnitz said during the event that the Chamber would not be what it is without Krysak’s ideas and his “passion to chase them down.” Krysak created the Ramona Leadership Council, where community leaders with similar goals for Ramona “come together as one voice,” she said.

“He serves on the boards of seven — maybe eight — Ramona nonprofits (we’ve honestly lost count and I think he has, too). He is one of the most generous Ramona businesses and community members and few people know that,” she said.

Domnitz said Krysak believed in his community and pushed its residents to think bigger. And now, he is heading into retirement later this year — trading board meetings for back roads and setting off to see America by RV, she said.

“Bob, your vision built momentum here that won’t slow down when you hit the highway,” she said.

Others being honored were Ambassador of the Year Lori Garrow, Citizen of the Year Lora Yule, Certificated Educator of the Year Don Wiseman and Classified Educator of the Year Gina McManama.

First responders being recognized were Firefighter of the Year Fire Apparatus Engineer John Denhalter, Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Cascioppo and Senior Volunteer Deputy of the Year Senior Deputy Richard Wang.

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Courtesy Perla Martinez

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Longtime Ramona resident Perla Martinez won a Volunteer of the Year Award. (Courtesy Perla Martinez)

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Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Wayne Channon “Wayne the Barber” and Lennie Baker.

Domnitz highlighted Channon for more than “six decades of cuts, trims, conversations, laughter and care.” Becoming a barber was a family tradition – following in the footsteps of his grandfather, uncle and brother, she said.

“In 1966, he became a volunteer firefighter, and there are plenty of stories of Wayne running to help, mid-haircut when a call came in, a customer still in the chair,” Domnitz said during the recognition ceremony.

“He was a Little League player agent, a fire commissioner, a Rotary Club president, a swine leader for 4-H for the Ramona Paisanos and Ramona Wranglers, and a Chamber of Commerce member for 45 years,” she said

Baker, the other Lifetime Achievement Award winner, was lauded as “someone whose name is inseparable from the place he calls home.”

Born in 1930 and raised in Ramona, Baker is a member of the San Pasqual Band. Except during the time he served his country in the Korean War, Ramona has been his home, Domnitz said. He graduated from the local high school in 1948 and began what would become a lifetime of service to both his community and his country, she said.

“Lennie started his fire service career in the backcountry with Pamo Hotshots before joining the California Division of Forestry at the Campo Fire Station,” Domnitz said. “When the Korean War began, he answered the call — serving in heavy artillery and later in military intelligence, carrying critical information straight from the front lines.

“When he returned home, he didn’t slow down. He went right back to work, protecting the land and people he loved. Over the years, Lennie worked at fire stations throughout San Diego County, rising to the rank of fire captain.”

The Chamber’s Business of the Year was awarded to Kahoots Ramona and Nonprofit of the Year was awarded to the Ramona Senior Center.

Special recognition was also given to longtime Ramona resident Perla Martinez, who was awarded Volunteer of the Year.

Although Martinez was a candidate with three others for Citizen of the Year last year, this was the first time she won a Chamber award. Last year, Martinez said she knew she was nominated but this year she didn’t know in advance that her name was in the hat for Volunteer of the Year.

“It was a huge, huge surprise,” she said of winning the 3-D glass plaque. “It was really nice. I’m so thankful and grateful.”

Martinez said she mainly won the award for her contributions of bartending at the Chamber’s annual Motorcycle Rally and the Ramona Country Fair in addition to bartending at the Chamber’s Mixer events. She said she keeps the tips she receives at the Mixers but her rally and fair tips are donated for student scholarships.

She also volunteers for Ramona Food & Clothes Closet’s Share Your Christmas program, the Mountain View Community Church’s food ministry held in conjunction with Feeding San Diego, and helps out with fundraising for FORUS schools nonprofit and Operation Love Global.

“It’s very rewarding and joyful to volunteer,” said Martinez, who often brings her husband, Jaime, and three children ages 15, 19 and 25 with her on her volunteer missions. “It’s always been a family affair. We gotta give back to the community. Everything I do, we do it together.”