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MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2009
Volume 8 Issue 255
Santa Monica Daily Press LASTING LEGACY SEE PAGE 14
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THE FIRES ARE BAD ISSUE
Issues surround locality of vendors BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer
MAIN STREET With the launch of a citywide campaign this year to urge consumers to buy from local businesses, one merchant association is hoping the neighborhood Santa Monica Farmers’ Market also follows the same philosophy. On the list of about a dozen non-agricultural vendors at the Main Street Farmers’ Market, selling everything from French crepes to tamales to Louisiana hotlinks — is one participant — Groundworks — who also maintains a business on the commercial corridor where the weekly street fair is located. Gary Gordon, the executive director of the Main Street Business Improvement Association, said that there used to be a practice that if a Main Street restaurant wanted to participate in the prepared foods section of the farmers’ market, it would get in. “Over time that practice seemed to have evaporated,” he said. The situation first arose about two years ago when Euphoria Loves Rawvolution inquired about becoming involved but was initially turned away because organizers were in the middle of rewriting rules for the entire organization and drafting a new request for proposals (RFP) document that included a scoring system for applicants, Jonathan Kalan news@smdp.com
SEE MARKET PAGE 11
LOCAL LINKS: Most of the non-fresh produce vendors who call the Main Street Farmers’ Market home are not based in the shopping district.
COMMUNITYPROFILES ROBERT AMONIC
Local plastic surgeon is the face of service BY EMMA TROTTER Special to the Daily Press
MID-CITY It’s been a lifetime of service for Santa Monica plastic surgeon Robert Amonic. “I have always thought it’s very important to give things back to the community,” he said. “It’s just something you just do — it’s not even optional.” Amonic’s latest chance to serve comes with his election to the position of chairman of the board of directors of Red Cross of Santa Monica. John Pacheco, branch CEO, said it was “rare” for someone who has only been on the board for a few years, like Amonic,
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to be elected chairman. “He’s been involved in just about everything,” Pacheco said, citing fundraising, blood services, disaster preparedness and youth services. “He’s a real asset to the community. Take what you expect a board member to do, go six steps ahead and there’s Rob Amonic out there doing it.” Amonic said he puts in so much time and energy because of his passion for the non-profit’s mission. “The Red Cross is one of the most under-appreciated organizations in the U.S.,” he said. “No one acknowledges it until they need it.” Whether it’s an earthquake, a fire or a terrorist attack, Amonic continued, the Red Cross wants to be ready.
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Amonic, who lives with his family in Brentwood, previously served on the Saint John’s Health Center board of directors, which oversees the daily operations of the hospital. For more than 20 years, he has been a trustee of the hospital’s foundation, which raises money to cover expenses for more far-reaching projects. The foundation’s most recent achievement is helping to raise the $530 million required to repair damage done by the Northridge Earthquake in 1994. The Keck Diagnostic and Treatment Center was just completed. Wearing several hats has long been a part of Amonic’s
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