COMMUNITY NEWS
County Donates $100,000 to Gutzwiller Memorial
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By Kieran Kelly
eviewing the County’s budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to allocate $100,000 in support of the memorial for Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller at Willowbrook County Park.
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The funds will help support efforts to build a memorial seating area, flagpole, a more accessible playground and other improvements throughout the park. Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was killed in the line of duty on June 6, 2020, and he
Boardwalk Donates $5,000 to Willowbrook Park Project
he Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is making a $5,000 donation to the Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller Memorial Project at Willowbrook County Park in Aptos. “The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is honored to support Sgt. Gutzwiller’s legacy,” Boardwalk spokesperson Kris Reyes said. “Our hope is this park can be an eternal reminder to our community of his service and sacrifice.” Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was killed in the line of duty on June 6, 2020. Last month, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted to officially rename Willowbrook County Park as “Willowbrook County Park in Honor of Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller” and unveiled the
park’s new signs at a ceremony marking the 2nd anniversary of his passing. “The Boardwalk has long supported the community efforts and has always supported our local public safety agencies,” said County Supervisor Zach Friend. “Building this park in honor of Damon will require a community wide effort and the community has responded in a very powerful way.” Lt. Nick Baldrige of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said, “We are appreciative and humbled by the $5,000 donation made by the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and many others like it. Donations like this are what is going to make this project become a reality so that Damon’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.” n
is survived by his spouse and two young children. Damon lived with his family near the Willowbrook neighborhood and he used to frequent the park with his beloved dog, Shasta. Given his strong connection to the park, it seemed a natural site for a memorial in his honor. “In less than a year, our community in partnership with your County government have come together to turn a vision toward reality. These funds will bring the memorial area to the park and will continue the progress toward reimagining Willowbrook for Damon,” said Supervisor Zach Friend, who represents Aptos and the Willowbrook neighborhood. In May, the Board voted to officially rename the park “Willowbrook County Park in Honor of Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller.” On June 6, 2020, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office held a ceremony to unveil the park’s new signs and mark the second anniversary since Sgt. Gutzwiller ’s passing. “I want to congratulate my friend, Supervisor Friend, for the designation of Willowbrook Park in honor of Sgt.
Damon Gutzwiller,” said 5th District Supervisor Bruce McPherson. “What a great way to honor his legacy.” The Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association is working with County Park Friends, a local nonprofit, to raise funding for the memorial site and associated improvements to the park. Although more than $250,000 has been raised, park funding goals have yet to be met. The campaign goal is $805,000. n ••• Donors can sponsor individual bricks and pavers for the memorial seating and detailed renderings can be found at https://www.countyparkfriends.org/willowbrook.html.
Watsonville Community Hospital: Local Group $12 Million Short
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he local drive to raise money to buy Watsonville Community Hospital and prevent a shutdown by the outof-state corporate owner, got $25 million from the state — which closed its fiscal year with a record surplus — bringing the total in hand to $49 million. But it’s still not enough — and an Aug. 31 deadline is approaching for the fate of the hospital, which filed for bankruptcy late in 2021 and got approval from the court for a sale in February 2022. The Pajaro Valley Health Care District, the nonprofit formed to make the purchase offer, is still $12 million short, according
to Santa Cruz County spokesman Jason Hoppin. The goal is $61.7 million. Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) and Assemblyman Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) secured the state funding, which is included in the 2022-23 budget. In Laird’s announcement, he said, “This historic investment by the State of California for healthcare access in the Watsonville region will pay significant dividends to the region for decades to come.” He pointed out the hospital not only provides medical care to tens of thousands of Pajaro Valley residents but also employs hundreds of people.
If the hospital were shuttered, it would leave Dignity Health Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz as the only hospital in the county with an emergency department. Organizers are contacting potential funders daily to bring in that $12 million. “It is critical that every resident,
regardless of where in the state they live, has access to comprehensive health services including important preventative and emergency care,” Rivas said. n ••• For more on the health care district, visit PVHDP.org.
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / July 15th 2022 / 9
