“Essential workers” celebrated

Patrick “Pat” Catlin, who has been elected to serve a second continuing term as President of the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Association for the 2021-2022 Calendar Year, announced Friday the theme of the 62nd Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, to be held live during Memorial Day Weekend, May 27 – 30,  will be “Celebrating Essential Workers” who have helped us get through this pandemic.

Catlin served his first term as president of GGSFA from 2020-2021.
Catlin said, “We are looking forward to presenting our Festival live again this year in 2022. The Festival was on hiatus both in 2020 and 2021 during the worldwide health crisis with the COVID 19 pandemic, which has never happened since the Festival began in 1958.  Being mindful of the general public’s safety in attending our event this year, we will be installing cleansing stations throughout the festival grounds.”

He added, “With the addition of my son, Billy Catlin, joining me as my Associate in the year ahead, and my mother, Sue Catlin, who is in charge of the VIP Breakfast, three generations of the Catlin family will be working on the 2022 Strawberry Festival concurrently.  My late father, Bill Catlin, also served as a volunteer for the Strawberry Festival for over 20 years.  It is a great honor and privilege to serve as the president of this wonderful organization.” Pat Catlin also oversees Tents and Electrical for the Festival.

Other 2022 GGSFA Officers elected include:  Andrea Perez, President Elect/Community Services/Nominations Chair with Taylor Perez serving as Associate; George Skelton, Treasurer/Donations Committee with Suki Carter serving as Associate; and Christine Ball, Secretary/Immediate Past President from 2019-2020 with Robin Suarez serving as Associate.

2022 GGSFA Directors and Associates will include:

• Dr. Dawn Miller, Special Children’s Day/Donations Committee
• Laura Neuschafer, Cake Cutting with Malu Mendoza as Associate
• Fred Ramirez, Office/Installation with Frederico Ramirez as Associate
• Debbie Mahoney, Scholarships, with Sheri Larson as Associate
• Sue Catlin, VIP Breakfast, with Patti Catlin as Associate
• Camille Garrett, VIP Lunch
• Ben Santos, Environmental (Grounds/Sanitation)
• Jeff Sanders, Parade Coordinator
• Bill Gutaskus, Rentals/Carts/ATMs with Sue Gutaskus as Associate
• Randy Arbgast, Booths and Vendors, with Edi Arbgast as Associate
• Mark Mahoney, Games/Permits/Carnival/Food; with Miles Mahoney as Associate
• Josh Lindsay, Staged Events, with Angel Zaragoza as Associate
• Steve Sanders, Rides and Grounds with Ryan Sanders as Associate
• Scott Weimer, Parking/Fencing with Marilyn Tortolano as Associate
• Heidi Levesque, Contests
• Donald Schlensker, Civic Food Booths/Permits, with Allan Zusman as Associate

In addition, Janet Pelayo serves as the festival’s city liaison with the Garden Grove Community Services Department; Lisa Taylor serves as the festival’s insurance representative; David Sarell of Pageantry Parades serves as parade producer and Steve Moyer Public Relations serves as festival publicist.