As Soboba Tribal Council Vice Chairwoman Geneva Mojado welcomed hundreds of guests to the annual Lip Sync Contest presented by Soboba Casino Resort and the Soboba Foundation, she reflected on how it all began. “None of this would be possible without Rose Salgado who started this event 15 years ago and was one of the first performers, lip syncing to a Supremes tune,” she said.

Soboba Foundation President Dondi Silvas echoed the tribute to Salgado by saying she had the vision to support many nonprofits in the valley that needed help with funding for their services and support. “Rose envisioned bringing the community together for a fun, friendly night of lip-sync competition,” Silvas said. “Organizations could compete for cash prizes and bring awareness to the community of the services they have to offer.”

In the beginning, the event was held at AC’s Lounge at the old Soboba Casino. Rose entertained everyone with memorable performances and co-hosting antics with her friend Andrew Vallejos, who co-hosted this year’s event with Soboba Foundation Vice President Catherine “Cat” Modesto.

A dozen nonprofits got to show off the culmination of hours of rehearsal in front of a packed Soboba Casino Resort Event Center and four judges. Julie Arrietta-Parcero serves as Soboba Foundation treasurer and has always been passionate about giving back to the community. Soboba Casino Resort Assistant General Manager Jason Cozart was looking forward to seeing which nonprofit would come out on top. Soboba Tribal Executive Officer Steven Estrada appreciates the creativity demonstrated by the performers. Michelle Modesto returned by popular demand as one of the most charismatic judges in Lip Sync Contest history. Having previously served on the Soboba Foundation board, she knows the importance of community involvement.

Participants were American Cancer Society-Relay for Life, Boxing for Christ, EEK Fitness, EXCEED, Global Society for Female Entrepreneurs, Greater San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce, Hemet-San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce, Let Them Be Little Feline Rescue, MilVet, San Jacinto Education Foundation, San Jacinto Unified School District and Valley Community Pantry.

To add to the evening’s excitement, 15 lucky audience members won cash when their ticket numbers were randomly called during the night. They won $100 to $500 each, based on their blind envelope selection. As in previous contests, there were many raffle prizes available but this year, drawn numbers were posted in the lobby and winners picked up their prizes at the SCR Gift Center.

Each organization performed in random order and gave their all during their time on stage. The first-place winner of $10,000 was American Cancer Society-Relay for Life. The popular group also earned the $1,000 Crowd Favorite award, voted on through QR codes available at each table.

Cathi Hill, Senior Development Manager for ACS-Relay for Life, said her heart skipped a beat with the greatest feeling ever when the announcement was made. “I truly believe that being named people’s choice is by far the top award a team can win; such an honor.”

The group put together an intricate and fun skit that featured several music genres from the past and played homage to the “Back to the Future” film franchise. The act was created by Daniel Aponte, who “retired” his “boy band” routines that consistently placed first through the years. This year, the foursome included Ralph, Samuel and Travis but the overall skit showed the added talents of Roman Gutierrez as Dr. Emmett Brown and Fel McCoy who played Marty McFly.

Judge Modesto said, “I love to laugh and I’m literally in tears right now – you did a great mash-up of songs with movie moments in between.” Arrietta-Parcero said, “You brought a great act back and you are always entertaining.”

Hill said when Daniel decided to retire the act last year, she just couldn’t let him and the boys go. “With a lot of pleading and his big heart for the American Cancer Society, Daniel made the decision to come back in a different way, and that he did,” she said.

Aponte said the decision to retire was because he didn’t want people to get tired of the act and it takes a lot of time and work to put these shows on. “I decided to come back because I love performing and being creative and most of all the feeling of helping American Cancer Society raise money is priceless,” he said. “I have lost family members to cancer, so this means a lot to me personally.”

Hill said the group’s winnings will go to the mission of the Society for research, education, patient services and advocacy.

Second place and $5,000 was awarded to MilVet, a nonprofit that provides resource information, veteran assistance and military care packages to deployed troops. Performing “The Greatest Showman,” Daniel “DJ” Aponte took the role of ringmaster and led this group as well. Others were Jackie Aponte, Danny Kessler, Aika Kessler and Mayra Lewis.

Modesto said, “Every single one of you owned your spot; this is what we came for.” Estrada said from their costumes to their facial expressions, everything was on point and Cozart said it was amazing and they just set the bar for the evening.

Raven L. Hilden, MilVet Founder and CEO, said the winnings will help the organization continue shipping military care packages to deployed men and women serving our country overseas. “We send care packages every month to more than 100 individuals in all branches of the military, filled with special request items and letters from youth and the community,” she said.

This was the nonprofit’s third year competing in the contest, which placed fourth during their first and second appearances. Hilden said they look forward to doing even better next year.

“I love that Soboba supports local nonprofit organizations through this event. All of the performers are always so entertaining, and we appreciate the opportunity to take part in such an amazing event,” Hilden said. “We all had a great time while supporting such important causes in our valley.”

Third place and $2,500 went to Let Them Be Little Feline Rescue who performed a steamy version of “He Had it Coming” from the musical “Chicago.” Diane Hockenberry, Christine Bauder, Diana Serrano, Maria Serrano, Dina McLain and Carol Orozco each took a front-and-center solo. Orozco said Diane Hockenberry loves the song and thought it would wow the crowd, which it did. “As for the props and dancing, others within our group were giving us ideas on props, Dina worked on our moves to sync to the song at the end, and each performer came up with their own moves during their part,” she said.

Once they decided on the song, they rehearsed twice a week after work. Orozco said the winnings will be used to spay and neuter felines within the rescue to get them ready for adoption. This is the group’s third year competing and first time making the top four.

“The highlight for us is getting together as a group to raise money for the rescue that we all are involved with and having family and friends supporting us,” Orozco said. “After we performed, we all thought, this is something we never thought we would do for our foster kittens – being up on stage and performing for over 600 people. As for most of us, it’s out of our comfort zones, but we will continue to submit every year. We all love the energy from all nonprofits and the overall show. Every group brings everything to the stage.”

Fourth place and $1,500 was earned by the Greater San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce. Taking on Bruno Mars, they brought their “Uptown Funk” to the stage and wowed the crowd. There were eight performers in all: Rick Baker, Valerie Vandever, Sharon Durbin, Veronica Hawkes, Gerry Castro, Clarisa Sanchez and the husband-and-wife team of Ed and Brenda Krietz.

Rehearsing the moves crafted by Baker, the group spent 125 hours rehearsing every Wednesday night since January. “We plan on using the $1,500 towards office supplies and scholarships for local high schools for 2024 graduates,” Vandever said.

Judge Arrietta-Parcero said they “brought a lot of energy to the room” and Cozart commented they “blew it out of the water” with their performance. “We loved the audience response to our song and enjoyed the judges’ reaction and positive feedback,” Vandever said. “We are already putting together 2024’s lip sync act, so watch out! We plan on going from fourth place to first!”

Those who didn’t place in the top four received $500 and a certificate for what made them stand out. Boxing for Christ, Most Entertaining; EEK Fitness, Best Song; EXCEED, Most Original; Global Society for Female Entrepreneurs, Best Choreography; Hemet-San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce, Most Creative; San Jacinto Education Foundation, Best Props; San Jacinto Unified School District, Best Costumes; and Valley Community Pantry, Most Dramatic.

The Hemet Concert Association submitted an application to appear in the Lip Sync Contest for the first time, but President Tom Garnella said two ladies who initially were interested and willing to perform decided it was more than they would feel comfortable doing once they realized all that was involved – choreography, props, costumes, etc. “The HCA is busy preparing for its 50th Anniversary season with our first 2023-2024 concert on Oct. 15,” he said.

This goes to show the dedication of all the organizations that were able to put in the time and effort to entertain everyone at the 15th annual Lip Sync Contest.

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From relevant song choices to synchronized choreography and spot-on costuming, all 13 nonprofits vying for prize money at the Soboba Foundation & Soboba Casino Resort’s 14th annual Lip Sync Contest made an impact on the 600-plus guests in attendance. A spectacular buffet offering a variety of fresh foods lined the Event Center lobby. Guests enjoyed a feast of fine dining capped with an over-the-top dessert bar pleasing those with even the most discerning sweet tooth.

The entertainment spectacular attracted an enthusiastic audience to the Soboba Casino Resort Event Center on June 17. Co-hosts Andrew Vallejos and Catherine “Cat” Modesto kept the show moving while soliciting comments from judges and others after each performance. Everyone was raving about the quality of the acts and had many positive things to say, even for those that were competing against the nonprofit they were there to support.

“I really enjoyed the show behind the show,” Tony Davalos, who drove in from Cathedral City again this year to support the event, said. “Watching Andrew’s face as he reacts to things unfolding live on stage is so much fun. Between him and the acts themselves, it’s impossible to look away; thoroughly entertaining.”

Returning judges Bella Da Ball and Debby Alexander both are very well known in the Palm Springs area for their many community contributions. Soboba Tribal members Michelle Modesto and Joey Placencia have been involved with the competition in the past and know what it takes to engage the crowd in a fun and meaningful way. Joe Hallgren was the fifth judge.

This year’s performers went into the competition vying for cash prizes that the Soboba Foundation members decided to double right before the show started, giving the groups even more incentive to pull out all the stops.

Soboba Foundation President Dondi Silvas thought all the acts were well thought out with each organization bringing out their passion and leaving it all on the stage.

“Andrew, of course, was on point,” she said. “Being a former judge myself, it isn’t an easy task. Newcomer Michelle Modesto with her charisma and passionate comments was a breath of fresh air.”

When everything was said and done, first place and $10,000 went to the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre. American Cancer Society, Relay For Life earned $5,000 for second place and third-place honors and $3,000 was given to Boxing For Christ. There was a tie for fourth place of MilVet and Valley Community Pantry who partnered with Veterans Mobility Project; both groups received $2,000 each.

New this year was a $500 Crowd Favorite award, in addition to any other cash prize they received. Each table was given a QR code to scan so they could vote as many times as they wanted for and the American Cancer Society, Relay For Life team won with 1,178 votes.

“Having the crowd vote for their favorite was the perfect addition to the night,” Silvas said.

Cathi Hill, Senior Development Manager for American Cancer Society Inc. West Region, said this year’s lip sync battle was epic as always.

“Each year the Soboba Foundation and the Soboba Casino Resort, along with the amazing Andrew Vallejos give the audience a show that people can talk about until next year,” she said. “I could not have been prouder of ‘my boys’ (as I call them) for bringing in the second-place win along with the fan favorite. Winning the fan favorite was a perfect way for the boys to feel the love the audience has for them. Congratulations to the Ramona Bowl for their first-place win and to all the performers of the night on rocking the Lip Sync stage.”

All other contestants received $1,000 each and were noted for their special contributions. The groups competed in random order. San Jacinto Unified School District offered “The Thriller Experience” with their own rendition of Michael Jackson and his zombie dance troupe. They were awarded “Most Entertaining” by the judges who also applauded their great costumes and makeup.

“What an exciting way to kick off this beautiful event,” Bella Da Ball said.

Gale Hill, who is the district’s Executive Assistant to the Superintendent & Board, said this is one of her favorite events.

“I was really proud of SJUSD; I thought they did a great job,” she said. “The whole event is fun and you never know what to expect. Andrew and Cat are the best and I love their sense of humor.”

Global Society for Female Entrepreneurs inspires, empowers, mentors, educates and connects women so they can learn from and support each other. Lip Syncing to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” Rose Royce’s “Car Wash” and “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer while dancing up a storm, the two performers were awarded “Best Choreography.”

Judge Joey Placencia thought their outfits were great and Debby Alexander liked how well they played off each other throughout the routine.

Let Them Be Little Feline Rescue is a San Jacinto Valley nonprofit that works to reduce euthanasia rates by rescuing underage and at-risk cats and kittens and placing them into loving foster homes until they are ready to go to their forever family. They performed “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass and captured the “Best Costumes” award.

Judge Michelle Modesto is a big cat lover and thought the song choice and routine was great as it stressed the importance of adoption.

The Hemet San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce was awarded “Most Creative” for their rendition of “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus. Line dancing Chamber members stole the show while stepping out in their blue jeans, chaps, cowboy hats and boots.

“I could tell you were all thrilled to be up there and not afraid to move on that stage,” Bella said. An audience member commented that their act made her want to get up and dance.

Karena Zermeno was one of the backup dancers who got lots of positive feedback from the judges and audience. She said, “Performing for a great cause that benefits nonprofits here in our valley has become in my opinion the staple of our community. Soboba has done an amazing job putting this together for the past 14 years and every nonprofit in the valley looks forward to either participating or attending this great event. I am very grateful to have such a great supporter of our valley as Soboba is and has been.”

The San Jacinto Education Foundation was chosen as having the “Best Props” as they depicted a baseball game between the San Jacinto High School Tigers and crosstown rivals, the Hemet High Bulldogs. “Singing” John Fogerty’s “Centerfield,” Foundation president Jerry Peebles was able to defeat the opposing team with his amazing catch.

“This was so much fun and I love the great message, especially for the education foundation that takes care of kids and teachers; you all showed great passion,” Bella said. Michelle Modesto added that she loved seeing all the alumni on stage as she herself attended local schools “from Hyatt Tigers to San Jacinto Tigers.”

Vallejos was in the audience and asked Cyndi Lemke, Hemet San Jacinto Chamber Executive Director, for a comment. She said that being a Hemet Bulldog in high school, she felt like she was in the game with this performance.

Harold W. Hyland American Legion Post 53 helps all military veterans receive healthcare and file necessary claims with the Federal government. They give guidance to all vets and made their point by performing Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero” which was voted “Most Dramatic.”

“Holy Moly! Great job, great song,” judge Hallgren said. Bella told lead “singer” Valerie Vandever that she loved the energy and could see the passion on her face. “Another great message song that tied into all our great heroes,” she said.

The Post’s Commander and Hemet City Council Member Joe Males thanked Soboba for the great job they did for everyone that competed. “I am not a performer and was participating for our brothers and sisters of the American Legion to do my part in bringing in the funds that help our veterans, but I enjoyed myself very much,” he said, adding that the entire event was “A+ entertainment and should have been televised.”

Vandever returned to the stage to front the team representing Soroptimist International San Jacinto Hemet Valley to perform “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” by Selena. With a name that translates from Latin to mean “best for women” the Soroptimist group brings together girls of all ages, empowering them to be the best they can be. The group was given the “Most Original” award.

The Greater San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce had Sharon Durbin take center stage alone to perform a stirring rendition of Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance.” Her performance was given “Best Song” honors.

“Bravo to do a ballad like that,” Placencia said. Bella said she could feel the emotion and said, “For you to represent your entire organization in front of hundreds of people, I salute you.” Debby Alexander said she started to think she was a real singer and Hallgren said she “nailed it.”

The top winners put on remarkable performances and were justly rewarded for their efforts. The Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre is preparing for the 100th season of the Ramona Outdoor Play in April of 2023. The Amphitheatre board stays busy all year long with seasonal and entertaining events at the iconic venue in the Hemet Hills. Frank Jaramillo, who has shared his incredible dance moves for many years on the Lip Sync stage, scored this year with his presentation of Queen’s classic song, “Another One Bites the Dust.”

Frank was applauded by the judges for his stage presence and connection with the audience. “He is a superstar, this is what it’s all about,” Michelle Modesto said.

Males said, “I enjoyed being around fun people who were in it to win it. I couldn’t believe the acts that performed; they put so much into their performances. But when Frank Jaramillo with the Ramona Bowl performed ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ by Queen, he set the house on fire.”

The fan favorite Smooth “boy band” that has represented American Cancer Society, Relay For Life and won first place in past contests, gave their farewell performance with a medley of songs. The Society’s mission is to save lives, celebrate lives and lead the fight for a world without cancer. The Relay for Life of Riverside County East will be Sept. 24.

Their rhythm and blues flavored dance routine was a big hit. The foursome said they started putting the act together about two weeks after last year’s show and practiced once a week for three months to get it perfected.

“This year when I stepped into the grand ballroom, my emotions were all over the place,” Hill said. “My boys had made the decision to retire the act. As I watched the acts perform, I knew the competition was going to be tough this year. All the acts really brought their A game to battle it out, and it showed. My boys never disappoint and take control of the stage each year, and this year was no different. I watched them with such pride and gratitude in my heart.”

A quartet of talented ladies brought sass and confidence to the stage to score a knockout for Boxing for Christ, a program and curriculum that focuses on character and leadership development.

“I think you gave the boy band a run for their money,” Cat Modesto said. Alexander said their performance was impressive with all the different dance sequences they utilized for each song which was a medley of inspiring tunes.

The nonprofit’s founder, Sonia Ramos, had competed under other nonprofit’s umbrellas in the past but said it was a great feeling to be able to participate for the first time for Boxing for Christ and take third place.

“We really worked hard,” she said. “This is one of the biggest events in the valley that brings nonprofits and the community together to let loose and have a good time. You get to see the fun part of people and not just all business. Overall, it’s an amazing event and we will definitely be participating next year. A big thank you to Soboba for bringing the whole community together to have a good time.”

MilVet supports active-duty men and women overseas and veterans and their families in Riverside County. They expertly transitioned for a medley of songs, including “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes that tied into their ongoing project of sending care packages to troops.

After thanking them for their service, Hallgen said, “I love how you picked songs that parlayed into your mission. You obviously spent a lot of time on your choreography.” Judge Alexander agreed the synchronized group dancing was on point and thought their use of props was truly amazing.

The Valley Community Pantry is going on its 57th year of serving those in need. During the past two years, they have provided more than 1.2 million pounds of food to clients as well as more than $200,000 in rental, utility and other assistance. They partnered with Veterans Mobility Project for their second appearance, which is committed to helping soldiers regain some of the freedom they fought so hard for. The organizations teamed up and feel blessed and honored to be able to serve the valley and do God’s work. This was reflected in their rendition of “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me.

“Last year we were awarded ‘Most Original’ which we thought was great for our first time,” Valley Community Pantry Executive Director Jim Lineberger said. “We did not think we would win as all we try to do is get our message out and it must have had an impact as we took the fourth-place award. This event not only provides some type of monetary donation, but it is a great event in regards to having fun and seeing some great talent.

“Many nonprofit organizations are very blessed to have the support of the Soboba Foundation, which I like to refer to as the Soboba Family,” he said. “What an honor in memory of Rose Salgado, who started this event 14 years ago, to continue this fun and exciting event. We plan on being back next year.”

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Heading into the competition on Aug. 20, participants were expecting to receive $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second, $1,500 for third, $1,000 for fourth and $500 each for the rest. After the first few acts showed they had put a lot of thought, time and effort into their performances, the Soboba Foundation board members decided they deserved more and doubled each payout.

The judges had a tough time ranking the acts as each one offered great themes, talented “singers” and dancers, and amazing energy. Monica Herrera served many years on the Soboba Tribal Council and the Soboba Foundation Board and is an experienced advocate for others. Bella da Ball, a recipient of a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, is widely recognized for her work as a champion of human rights. Debby Alexander owned and operated the iconic Peabody’s Cafe and Bar in Palm Springs for over 28 years and has hosted many events in support of charities. Comedian Amy Ashton has appeared on HBO Comedy Central and is a regular at major comedy clubs. She also speaks and performs empowerment comedy to inspire and entertain kids at schools across California.

The first-place prize of $10,000 was awarded to American Cancer Society-Relay for Life with their “boy band” pop mash-up. Members of this year’s talented group were Andre DeJesus of Apple Valley, DJ Cordova of Victorville, Daniel Aponte Jr. of Menifee, Sam Gutierrez of Fontana and Ralph Conley of Beaumont. They practiced every week for the past four months via Webex to accommodate their day jobs and the distance between them. After their crowd-pleasing act, judge Debby Alexander asked them when their first tour date was going to be. Amy Ashton said the performance was “professional from beginning to end.” Bella da Ball said they “blew it out of the water.”

Second place of $5,000 was won by American Legion Post 53, performing “Candy Man” by Christina Aguilera. Bella said, “I love Big Band music and I love Swing and you had so much fun up there.” Monica Herrera said, “You had really good moves and I loved the ending.”

San Jacinto Unified School District, with its salute to KISS, earned third place and $3,000. Bella said their performance was “extra super fabulous” and “over the top” with great costumes and energy. Debby said, “I’m a little impartial because I’m part of the KISS Nation and I’ve had a pair of platform shoes.”

MilVet, a nonprofit that provides military and veteran support services, took home $2,000 for its fourth-place finish. A rousing patriotic blend of songs that ended with Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” had the crowd waving mini flags that MilVet had provided to all the guests. Many audience members were on their feet by the end, saluting the large flag being waved on stage. Monica said, “You did an awesome job. That last song was so touching and meaningful; it always makes me want to cry.” Bella said the dramatic patriotic songs were beautiful, adding “Thank you for bringing your energy and message to all of us.” Amy said, “You did make me cry. Thank you for doing this – it was very spiritual and made us realize that there are things that are bigger than us.” Debby pointed out that “the crowd was moved by that song because of how you presented it.” Vallejos said the performance pointed out that even if we have problems and disagree about something, “we can come together in the end.”

All other participants received specialty awards and $1,000 each. Most Original was given to Valley Community Pantry who partnered with Cloverlane Foundation to present “I Will Follow Him” from the Sister Act movie. Judge Amy said, “This was A-level entertainment that kept us going.” Most Creative was Rotary Club of Hemet who took on George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog.” Competing for the first time, Bella complimented them for having a group of 12 people “pulling together and working on such a great song.”

Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre, which has been part of the Lip Sync Contest since its inception, received “Most Spirited” for its take on Lakeside’s “Fantastic Voyage” using a Pirates of the Caribbean theme. “I really enjoyed the combination of pirates and disco together – they will be forever together in my mind,” Debby said. Best Props were awarded to T.H.E. Center for its fun rendition of “We Are” from the Ice Age movie. Amy said, “I like the way you represented every different background and brought us all together with your entertaining and lovely performance.”

Let Them Be Little Feline Rescue, another first-time participant, was given “Best Costumes” for its “Stray Cat Strut” performance. Amy thought the group performed at “Broadway level” and should be very proud of themselves.

Best Song choice went to the San Jacinto Education Foundation for its Meatloaf ballad of “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” which was expertly “sung” by Scott Cozart and Jerry Peebles with some assistance by Evan Pagay.

The Miss Hemet/Miss San Jacinto Scholarship Program, which performed after a brief intermission in the three-hour show, got Most Dramatic for their salute to Britney Spears.

The Greater San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce earned Most Entertaining for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and they certainly did. As the final act of the program, they were given a thumbs up for their 80s-era costumes and for having so much fun.

“I always enjoy a night out with my family and we had such a great time,” Soboba Foundation President Dondi Silvas said. “It was great to see everyone in the room having so much fun, too. And knowing that it was all in support of such worthy local nonprofits is just the best feeling.”

Soboba Foundation Vice President Catherine “Cat” Modesto said she was happy to see all the entries “stepping up their game” and was glad to see such a good turnout. Sally Moreno-Ortiz serves as Soboba Tribal Council Secretary and is a member-at-large for the Foundation and said the event was “fun and entertaining and Andrew did an awesome job.” She felt “KISS rocked it” and enjoyed the performance by MilVet.

Joey Placencia assisted Vallejos by taking comments from the audience after each performance. Everyone seemed to enjoy the show and had positive things to say, even about those that were competing against the nonprofit there were there to support.

Monica Herrera said she was happy to be part of the contest and felt like all the groups took it seriously this year, which made it more competitive. “Everything was meaningful especially with everything that’s going on in our country right now,” she said.

Soboba’s Rose Salgado pioneered the Lip Sync Contest in 2008 to unite the community in a fun and competitive spirit of giving to those in need. Although she passed away earlier this year, she was remembered by many throughout the night. Rose was instrumental in the creation of the Soboba Foundation as well. She wanted to help her people contribute to neighboring communities by way of sponsorships for their special events and programs. The annual Lip Sync Contest quickly became a must-see show that sold out every summer. The performances became more elaborate, the rewards became greater, and the entertainment value went through the roof.

Linda Krupa performed with the Rotary Club of Hemet because she promised Rose she would, San Jacinto Unified School District gave a shout-out to Rose who has supported its many programs and projects for so long and Herrera said she was missing Rose.

“It’s not the same without her here but I’m sure she’s proud of how much it’s grown,” she said. “I think she would have liked the line up we had tonight and the overall outcome.”

Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians | Contributed

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