By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
Vicki Vargas is an amazing individual who consistently spreads joy throughout the community. For that and for much more, she has been declared Volunteer of the Month by the Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club.
Vargas moved to the mountains after years of teaching students with special emotional and learning needs. She was experiencing a complete change of life – new home, new location and new direction for her life as a single. She soon joined the Crestline Connect networking group and, after meeting the community and networking, she opened a new business in Lake Gregory Village she called Designed by Faith.
Lori Curtis-Wickes, Candace Pearson, Crestline’s 2025 Citizen of the Year Carrie Forbear and Vicki Vargas as elves. (File photo)
During those Connect meetings, Vicki offered help or assistance in many areas and slowly became very involved in many community activities and efforts, including decorating her business for the holidays and helping individuals she met.
Vargas works well with others and is a self-motivated Energizer bunny. Through her involvement with the Crestline Chamber of Commerce, she became a community supporter of activities. To support the community, for several years in a row, she dressed up in a duck outfit to sell Duck Derby tickets. Then, she led the countdowns to the duck race releases and encouraged the crowds to cheer their ducks on.
Vargas is very enthusiastic about everything she supports. She became well known for her public face supporting all businesses. Though her new business, How Money Works, she educates others of all ages through her seminars on being intelligent about their finances.
This last year, Vargas involved several of her friends and kayaking buddies from the Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club, and they decided to dress up as elves in colorful costumes and surround Allen Mairs as Santa in numerous “Holidays in the Pines” activities in Crestline for the community and the kids. They were at the Goodwin’s bonfire and community tree lighting, bringing smiles to all ages for the past two years. These elves brought a sense of joy and fun to the events, led by Vargas. She is the one who first encouraged Allen Mairs to become Santa.
Vicki Vargas with other volunteers packing up the Holiday in the Pines décor. (Photo by Rhea-Frances Tetley)
During this year’s Holidays in the Pines, Vargas personally coordinate Foxhound Studios having Santa sit in their lobby for four consecutive Saturdays; she and her elves set up in the lobby with letters to Santa and a sleigh and carousel pony for the kids to enjoy. She created the entire 10-foot-long Christmas village in the lobby from her own collection.
To complete the Holiday in the Pines community event, she spent a day picking up the holiday ornaments that had been set up all through the community, packing them up and putting them into storage with the help of a couple of other volunteers.
This month, Vargas is being recognized as Volunteer of the Month for the Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club because she is always at the forefront of many of their fundraisers and events. She was co-activities director for the seniors, alongside Lori Curtis-Wickes, this past year. Both of these ladies are experienced coordinators, known for creating enjoyable experiences and assisting at the monthly membership lunches. Last year, she came up with the idea and coordinated the fashion show luncheon and the Mother’s Day Tea for the seniors and more.
Vargas is always involved in valuable activities, helping the Crestline community. She can always be found at the senior center, doing something that needs to be done or making valuable suggestions at the board meetings. She is being honored by the seniors this month as they greatly appreciate her outstanding volunteer work, and they are pleased to shine a spotlight on her.
0 Comments