OUR MEMBERS
Our coalition is growing every day—adding business owners, ranchers and others that care about the long term view of our economy and the sustainability of local resources. Here are a few stories about some of our members. Don't forget to add your name to our growing list by getting involved!
My husband Mike and I live on the Orradre Ranch just south of San Ardo where we raised our five children. Our son, John, works with us and his family also live on the ranch. Our family has lived and farmed here since the Salinas Valley’s founding. Throughout our time owning and operating Orradre Ranch and its properties we've found the value in contributing to our community.
We have done so by supporting organizations focused on education, cultural history and maintaining healthy communities. We're proud to have supported the important work of groups like: 4-H, FFA, Monterey County Adg. Education, Grower/Shipper's AgKnowledge Program, Santa Clara University, The Panetta Institute for Public Policy, Salinas Valley Memorial Health System, Kinship Center and other charitable organizations.
- Mary Orradre
We've had our roots in San Ardo for a long time and during that time we've seen the benefit that active industries can have in their communities. We know that a community that works together and activates its members, businesses and representatives to support one another is a community that will prosper.
As a fifth generation San Ardo resident and an avid volunteer in our community, I see the positive impact vibrant rural communities create every day. San Ardo residents are part of a local community that supports its businesses. Our agriculture and energy companies provide jobs, philanthropic support, and their employees give back by volunteering their time to improve the community.
Personally, I have been on the receiving end of the dedicated philanthropy of our local companies in several of the organizations to which I belong. St. Matthew’s Church, the San Ardo Grange, and the San Ardo Volunteer Fire Department have all received donations from local companies and employees of time and money for needed repairs and supplies for needy families. As the President of the Board of Trustees for the San Ardo Elementary School District we have received not only a substantial amount of money from Chevron ($150,000) but most importantly the guidance and moral support we needed when we were going through a difficult public funding period. Chevron helped bridge the gap.
San Ardo is a great example of a local community continues to be vibrant and sustainable because of the companies that help drive the economy and residents that help build and maintain our sense of community.
- Kaeda Barrios
My name is Gordon Rosenberg. My family bought this land in San Ardo in 1873. I started farming here after World War II. My farm is located adjacent to the San Ardo Oil Field and continues northwards to the edge of San Ardo town and we are downstream from the oil fields. Chevron has several water injection wells that are physically located on our land. We lease part and farm part of this land.
Our tenant as well as our whole family have always had the full cooperation from Chevron as to any concerns we may have had over the years. Most importantly, I do not have any concerns regarding the quality of our drinking water because I know that it is not impacted by the oil field operation. I know this because after drilling a new domestic water well I thought it would be a good idea to have the water tested to know what we would be drinking in our home. Then, I got the idea to buy a bottle of spring water from a local store so I could compare our new well water with the bottled spring water. Guess what? Our well water was better quality than the bottle of spring water I bought in the local store."
- Gordon Rosenberg