Group picture of Monte and Ted Pistoresi attending appointment of new Warden at CCWF, Deborah Johnson

Monte and Ted Pistoresi, with wives Leona and Patty, enjoy the company of CCWF Prison Staff at the recent Swearing In dinner for Warden D.K. Johnson. The night’s events included the swearing in of Warden DK Johnson, as well as the telling of many “stories” about Warden Johnson by friends, family, and staff members. The evening was enjoyed by a ‘full house’ at the local golf course in Madera. It was quite evident that Warden D.K. Johnson is loved and respected by her family and friends in attendance. The evening was completed with music, dance, and fun.

Monte Pistoresi of Pistoresi Ambulance throws a frisbee to Victoria Fierros on Thursday during the Madera Chamber of Commerce’s Business Extravaganza and Trade Show. Local businesses hosted booths in Hatfield Hall at the Madera District Fairgrounds.

Named after the late Curtis Collier, a World War II veteran who established the first Madera chapter of the NAACP in the 1950s, the banquet serves as a fundraiser for scholarships for local high school seniors. This year, NAACP was able to increase the number of scholarships given out.

Madera High School scholarship recipients were Mikayla Alene Griggs, Candance Vaughn and Tianna Williams. Madera South High School’s recipients were Marcos T. McCoy, Shantavious Hollins and Sade McAlister. All received $200 and certificates. Graduates Carlese Laurent, from California State
University, Fresno and David Martinez, from Milan School of Cosmetology, were also recognized.

The NAACP presented six awards to community members who demonstrated service on behalf of the NAACP or have done “good deeds” in the community, according to Michelle Alexander, the chair of legal redress, criminal justice and fundraisers for the chapter. The 2012 NAACP honorees were Sheriff John Anderson, Public and Community Spirit Award; Elce Murphy, Member of the Year; Monte Pistoresi, Community Business Owner of the Year; Rev. Robert L. Walker, Humanitarian of the Year; and Virginia Lee Rose, Community Volunteer of the Year.

Pistoresi was pleased to receive his recognition. “It’s very special to be honored by the NAACP. I appreciate it very much and especially because I know a lot of people associated with the organization and I just love to be here having a great time,” he said.

Monte Pistoresi shown with his Family and grandchildren

Congressman Jim Costa, D-Fresno, and representatives of state senators also attended the banquet.
“I think it was a huge success. I think it went off without a hitch and I’m very happy about the individuals who showed up and being able to honor our honorees,” said Alexander.

Madera Community Hospital’s “InTouch Newsletter”

Monte Pistoresi is the owner of Pistoresi Ambulance and for many years has been actively involved in fund raising efforts for Madera Community Hospital. Ted Pistoresi is the operations manager of Pistoresi Ambulance and is following in his father’s footsteps by joining the MCH Foundation. Both father and son continue to support and attend hospital events. It has been over 46 years since Monte ran his first ambulance call. He was overwhelmed at the impact it made on him in being able to help someone in need.

Monte is a true humanitarian and has been recognized by many organizations for his outstanding
contributions to the community. Pistoresi Ambulance began operation in 1981 and has served the citizens of Madera for over 27 years. Pistoresi Ambulance serves Madera County and the surrounding areas. Monte served on the MCH Foundation from 1990-1998. He was President from 1995-1997. He has been the Master of Ceremonies at several Foundation events. In 1998 he was asked to be a member of the MCH Board of Trustees, he has served as President of the Board of Trustees and currently remains an active member.

Ted Pistoresi joined the MCH Foundation in 2006. Ted willingly volunteers for all Foundation events. He supports, sells, attends, and works at all fundraising events. He is a model Foundation member. He is a true ambassador for Madera Community Hospital.

Both Monte and Ted have been instrumental in their fundraising efforts. In addition to the generous monetary donations as event sponsors, they are both eager to give their time for events, fundraising campaigns and the organization necessary to ensure successful fundraising for the hospital.

Dear Friends of Madera Community Hospital,

As the year comes to an end we find ourselves reflecting on things that are important to us, our family, friends and our health. Madera Community Hospital opened its doors on October 1, 1971 and for the last 39 years has provided quality healthcare for the community of Madera and surrounding areas.

This year we will celebrate our 40th anniversary. We would like to offer you an opportunity to invest in your community by supporting an important partner, your local hospital. Madera Community Hospital has a lot to celebrate. We are very excited about the purchase of two new “state of the art diagnostic machines; a new MRI and a new Digital Mammography Unit.

Your generous donations helped make these purchases possible. Please join us in continuing a legacy which will be carried by future generations. Your generous donations help make a difference by giving all of us a chance to give back to our community.

Ted Pistoresi
MCH Foundation President

Lifetime Achievement Award
2008 Honoree

Monte Pistoresi

Helping people is tantamount to Monte Pistoresi.  Born in Miramonte, California to Pete and Irene Pistoresi, he spent his childhood growing up in Madera County.

In 1942, the owner of a mortuary company who ran a local ambulance service asked Pete Pistoresi, if they could leave their ambulance at his automobile dealership and towing service.  In doing so Pete would also need to operate the ambulance service for “a few weeks”.   The “few weeks” stretched into months and months into years.  Monte Pistoresi left home to attend the University of Santa Clara and to serve in the United States Army. Upon his return he started working at the family’s Chevrolet dealership where he was the business manager and took on the responsibility of running the ambulance service. In 1981, Monte became the sole proprietor of Pistoresi Ambulance Service and has served the citizens of Madera with great care for over 26 years.

Throughout his career there have been countless stories of great meaning to Monte. Most often it has been those patients who were in cardiac arrest and responded to his treatment resulting in recovery. In 1984, a friend of his collapsed; her heart had stopped.  Monte provided treatment, she fully recovered and for many years, on July 27, they would get together on her birthday to celebrate the life that he had saved.

Pistoresi expresses that his success is due to the many blessings that God has provided him throughout his life which includes his tremendous family:  Leona, his wife of 48 years, and his four children:  Tim, Michael, Patti, Ted and their families which include seven wonderful grandchildren.  He also acknowledges with gratitude the importance of his friends, great employees, and the ability to work together with all the organizations that make up the Madera emergency response and healthcare system.

Over 45 years ago when Monte ran his first ambulance call he was overwhelmed at the impact it made on him in being able to help someone in need.  He knew at that very moment that he would give of himself to others and that this would be the key to a fulfilling life.  Through his inspiration and contributions he has become a ‘heartbeat’ of our community.

Monte Pistoresi has unselfishly established himself as a true humanitarian of our community through his active involvement and generosity.  He has been involved with a  number of organizations including but not limited to: Madera Chamber of Commerce, Madera Community Hospital Foundation from 1990-1998, Madera Community Hospital Board of Trustees 1998-2008, Madera Kiwanis Club, Golden Valley Chamber of Commerce, Chowchilla Chamber of Commerce, Madera Elks, Madera Chapter of the NAACP, Madera County Emergency Medical Care Committee, Madera Linkage Foundation, Madera County Action Agency, Women’s Prison Citizens Advisory Committee, and the City of Madera Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.  His community activities include the Madera Academic Decathlon, MLK, Jr. Celebration Committee, Children’s Hospital Central California Kids Day and Holiday Toy Drive.  He has also been an active sponsor of Madera Babe Ruth League, Madera Little League, Madera Youth Soccer League, Madera Bobby Sox, Madera High School Football and Baseball, Madera Police Officers Association, Madera Community Hospital Foundation, Second Missionary Baptist Church Scholarship Fund, Jesse Owens Games, Madera City & County Firefighters, Sober Grad, Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, Trees for Charity, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and the Alegria Guild.

His dedication to Madera and giving to others has not gone unnoticed.  Monte has been recognized  and received accolades as:  the 1995 Madera Chamber of Commerce Salute to Education’s Businessperson of the Year; the Apostolic Blessing Support of St. Joachim’s in 1996; 1996 Citizen of the Year by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 1997 Madera Elks Distinguished Citizenship Award; Kiwanis Distinguished Service Award in 2000; the 2001 Valley Children’s Kid’s Day Award; the 2001 Chowchilla Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award; received the Humanitarian Award by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee in 2003; and was the 2005 Volunteer of the Year awarded by the City of Madera Parks and Recreation Department.

As a youngster growing up, Monte may not have known how he would bring such happiness to others, but there was one thing he did know — the game of baseball.  Since 1963 he has been involved in coaching Little League and for the last 25 years has been an umpire.  His passion for the game is evident in the many hours he has spent coaching, umpiring, and passing on his love of the game.

Through Monte’s care and compassion, his love for helping others, has touched and strengthened the very heart of Madera.  Our vital signs are good.  Thanks to his continued care of our community the beat goes on.

Students from the Madera High School special education class and their teachers take a photo with Pistoresi Ambulance Employees Association officers,  who donated $500 Tuesday for the class’ trip to Disneyland.   The leave  at  10:00 am today.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom is about to be invaded by 22 special education students from Madera. “Only two of my students have ever been to Disneyland,” said Scott Sweazy, special education teacher at Madera High School.

At 10 a.m. today, 11 students and 11 chaperones are leaving Madera for Anaheim and Disneyland.  The trip has been in the planning stages for more than three years.  They are taking two vans, with Sweazy driving one and teacher Nancy Burgess driving the other. 

“We take a field trip every year,” Sweazy said. “When they were freshmen we went to Monterey. It was the first time many of them had seen the ocean.”  He promised the students  that in their senior year, they would make an overnight trip to Disneyland. Fundraising efforts for the project were given a boost when a small story about the project appeared in a Fresno newspaper.  

Donations came from as far away as Springfield, Ill., Carlsbad and Riverside.  “All I can figure is that people read the story online and mailed us checks,” he said.  “One lady sent us $3 with a note that said she hoped that would help.”  Some of the donations received were substantial. Pamela Green donated disposable cameras so each student could have one. Her friend, Kathy Chandler, arranged for a donation from the Walgreens photo department to process the film when they get back, he said.
The Pistoresi Ambulance Employees Association made a $500 donation Tuesday. President David Sims, Vice President  Chad Murdoch and secretary Lonel lHarris delivered the check. The students also got to see their ambulance, up close, with lights flashing.  

 What initially started out to be an overnight trip ended up being a three-day, two-night excursion. The organizers had hoped to collect enough money to provide each student with about $50 spending money. People have been so generous that each student will have $100 to spend on souvenirs for the trip, Sweazy said.

 They have also been able to add some extras to the Disneyland experience, beyond the $31 group rate admission ticket. One night they will attend a pirate themed dinner.  The next morning they will have breakfast with Disney characters.

What they thought would be a pizza night has turned into a nice dinner at the House of Blues restaurant while they are in Southern California. On the way home they plan to stop in Venice Beach.  “I want them to get to feel the sand and the ocean,”  Sweazy said. 

On Tuesday, the rolling backpacks, donated by United Education Institute College of Fresno, were packed and ready to go. On Thursday when they are in Disneyland students will be wearing neon green shirts, purchased with donations.

(click on photo below to enlarge)

At its annual Community Awards Dinner, local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1981 honored 11 people in nine categories.  Merits of recipients ranged from life-saving accomplishments to writing and speaking well. Post Commander Bill Jones introduced attending honorees to about 170 people during the VFW’s monthly social on Thursday after dinner.  Friends and families of recipients cheered them on as they walked onstage to receive their awards.  “We’re a family oriented post so this is what it’s all about,” said Jones.

The Paramedic of the Year Lance Hoffrage knows first hand what helping people directly is all about. Hoffrage, who has been a paramedic for Pistoresi Ambulance for 15 years, resuscitated Madera resident Carol Adams after she had a heart attack  in her home last July. “Lance was there within four minutes after the call came in.  He came in and found her really, clinically dead.  She was not breathing, she had no heart beat.  So they started CPR, they started an IV, put an airway down, defibrillated her three times and on the third defibrillation he got a pulse back,” said Monte Pistoresi, owner of Pistoresi ambulance.   Adams hugged, kissed and thanked Hoffrage onstage.

Recipients were as follows: Voice of Democracy essay and speech winner Alejandra Galindo; Patriot Pen Essay winners Gabriela Hernandez and Jasmine Castillo; Teacher of the Year Linda Ogle; Student scholarship winner Kevin Bursey; Boy Scout of the Year Kristofer Padilla; Law Enforcement of the Year Madera Sheriff Josefina Roderick:  Firefighter of the Year Joseph Maleski

Paramedic of the Year Lance Hoffrage; Madera Tribune Employees of the Year Tami Jo Nix and Wendy Alexander.  Galindo, a sophomore at Madera High School, was joined onstage by her history teacher Mike Hinton who is a former two-time Teacher of the Year honoree. She was presented an award and stipend.  Castillo,  who was one of the two winners for the elementary school essay contest, also won first place in District 11 which is comprised of Kerman, Chowchilla, Fresno, Mariposa, Madera and Biola.  

 Another local and district winner was Boy Scout of the Year Padilla. Padilla’s win in the district automatically makes him eligible to compete statewide, said VFW member Ramiro Gutierrez.  The Madera High School senior collected more than 800 suitcases in a drive he organized last year to donate luggage to foster home children.  Padilla’s community service project fulfilled requirements to become an Eagle Scout.  “When foster kids are removed from their homes a lot of times they’re forced to put their things in plastic trash bags because that’s all they have to carry their stuff,” said  Padilla. “So I chose to do this project because I wanted to help people more directly.”

Pistoresi Paramedics asks…is your career “secure” ?  (click on picture for larger view)

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Answers to the age old question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  took center stage on Thursday.  Thomas Jefferson Middle School hosted its fourth annual Patriot Career Fair in the B.J. Robinson Gymnasium.  Guidance counselors Melissa  Cato and Trino Cadaoas invited local businesses, government agencies and area colleges to offer career information and advice to about 500 eighth graders.

Additionally, 30 seventh graders in the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program were allowed to attend. “AVID is a program that helps prepare students for college,” said Cato. “It is an elective class that is also offered in high school, so the goal is that the students in the AVID class here will continue to take it in high school.”   The curriculum teaches the students organizational skills, study habits, and makes sure they are taking the correct classes for a career path that matches their interests, she said.

“We believe we need to get the kids to start early thinking about a career,” said Cadaoas. “We hope to show them there are a million things out there they can do.” Because Madera is a small town, many of the students don’t know there is a big world of opportunities out there for them, he said.

“We really appreciate the community involvement, people donating their time to talk to our students,” Cato said.  In the 45 minutes allotted during the four sessions, students had to talk with at least  three different businesses and ask the presenters five questions.  In addition to the typical questions such as what the job pays and what kind of benefit package the companies offer, the students also needed to find out what certificates or licenses the jobs require and what the employers are looking for in a worker. The business representative then had to sign off proving the student had spoken with them. The AVID classes are taught by Tom Holt in seventh grade and Anthony Trentacosta in eighth grade.

“The class gives the students background information on many different careers so they can start planning for their futures,” Trentacosta said.  Aspiring journalist Abraham Zurita enjoys working on the school newspaper, the  “Patriot Pride,” with Hal Raines as the teacher. The studious young man said he enjoys writing sports stories and stories about what is going on in the school.

“Each story starts with an outline, then the rough draft, several edits and the final draft,” Zurita said.  Digital photography is also part of each assignment. To make an interesting photo the Rule of  9 is employed, he said.  Also known as the rule of thirds, the principle states that  a rectangular photo is  considered broken down into nine segments with the most interesting parts of the photo placed along the two horizontal lines.

Uniformed law enforcement officers from both the Madera police and sheriff’s departments, as well as the Department of Corrections and the California Highway Patrol talked to the students about the duties of their offices. Representatives from the Madera Superior Court, court reporter Linda Howden and the court interpreters distributed literature on the job opportunities they offer.  Colleges in attendance included California State University, Fresno, Fresno City College and the Madera Community College Center.