Children enjoy a summer day at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Imperial Valley’s Brawley facility during a presentation by the California Highway Patrol.

On a hot summer day in Brawley, a group of children sat quietly in a cool gym, their attention on a California Highway Patrol K-9 Unit officer and his dog. Officer Bobby Gonzales talked to the kids about his work in the K-9 unit and his longtime canine partner. The children marveled at the animal, especially when it showed off its search skills and its ability to take down an assailant.

The kids were all members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Imperial Valley, as was Gonzales when he was growing up in Brawley.

He said the Boys & Girls Clubs made a difference in his life during the years he attended, and it was an honor to be able to come back and

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Darletta Willis, chief executive officer of the El Centro Chamber of Commerce, is pictured in the chamber’s lobby. She and her staff focus on building strong relationships with the chamber’s membership.

Drive along the Highway 86 corridor in northern El Centro, and you’ll see the growth of the auto dealership industry with both Rogers & Rogers and El Centro Motors expanding. Both have launched new construction projects as their vehicle lines expand.

Darletta D. Willis, chief executive officer of the El Centro Chamber of Commerce, takes pride in such growth.

“It is a great indication of our economy improving,” she said. “Residents have jobs, and are able to spend their money.”

When any of her chamber members succeed, it means a great deal to her.

“It’s just really good watching people you

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Calexico Community Services Director Sandra Tauler is pictured at the Camarena Memorial Library. In her role, she is responsible for the city’s library, recreational and cultural services.

Sandra Tauler is a woman whose mind is constantly focused on the future. In her own words: “I am always running to the future because I am always thinking ahead.”

In her work for the city of Calexico, she has to concentrate on the future. It’s how she prepares programming to meet the needs of residents of all ages in a city where the population tops 35,000 and is growing.

Tauler is the city’s community services director, a role that has her in charge of the Calexico library, cultural arts center and recreational services. She and her staff serve thousands year-round. Non-stop work that requires managing the city’s resources, securing grants and donations and developing new ways to serve the Valley’s most southern city

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