In case of emergency

Congressman Mike Thompson presents Julie Atwood with a Congressional Recognition Certificate, one of many honors bestowed at The HALTER Community Preparedness Awards in Santa Rosa.

The 4th Home & Ranch Readiness Day ended with a gala evening, “The HALTER Community Preparedness Awards”, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds Showcase at the Racetrack. The recipients were recognized for their efforts inspiring action to awareness and preparedness throughout their communities.

The evening began with Supervisor Susan Gorin, Sonoma County District 1, declaring May 17-23 “Sonoma County Home & Ranch Readiness Week.” This represents the first time county government has recognized the importance of community preparedness outreach, and, the five years the Home & Ranch Readiness Day events have been produced by The HALTER Project.

Supervisor Gorin also presented Challenge Coins to 14 groups (including non-profits, agencies, and businesses) on behalf of her district.

Another highlight was the surprise attendance of Congressman Mike Thompson, who took the stage to present Congressional Recognition Certificates to every award recipient, to Supervisor Gorin and her staff, and, to The HALTER Project of Sonoma Valley.

These wonderful -and unexpected – honors elevated the evening and highlight the importance of Individual and Community Awareness & Preparedness, Atwood said.

The gala was the final event of the three-day Home & Ranch Readiness Summit, which offered free First Responder trainings, workshops for community leaders, and seminars and demonstrations for everyone in the community. The event was started by The HALTER Project in Glen Ellen in 2014, and 2018 marks its fifth year in Sonoma County.

The HALTER Project is dedicated to supporting training to enable first responders to safely assist animals in emergencies, and, to promote community safety and preparedness for everyone. It is a home-grown, entirely self-funded Sonoma Valley program, with a staff of two.