East County community partners were among those recognized at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office’s second annual Community Partnership Awards, the agency announced Friday. The ceremony took place Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Mickey Cafagna Community Center in Poway.
Anne Stapleton of Grace Communion Lemon Grove and Larry Yafuso of Viejas Tribal Security were among five Community Champion Award recipients. Amber Thomas of Chick-fil-A Spring Valley received the Corporate Partnership Award, recognizing the role of local businesses in supporting public safety and community connections.
The Ramona Chamber of Commerce received the Youth & Education Partnership Award, with board President Vincent Ciampoli representing the organization. The Ramona Rodeo Foundation also received a Certificate of Recognition. Those honorees give East County residents several local connections to an event that recognized partners from across the county.
Sheriff’s employees nominated the recipients. The agency said the awards recognize support for its programs, public safety initiatives and community engagement. Other recipients included Kitchens for Good for its work helping people returning from incarceration build employment skills.
Source: San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, Nov. 6, 2026.