I would like to ask that we adjourn tonight’s meeting in memory of Steve Schmidt, a longtime Santa Clarita resident and community activist who recently passed away at the age of 72.
Steve was born in San Francisco and grew up in the Bay Area and before moving to Pasadena.
He attended UC Davis and graduated with a degree in Philosophy in 1976.
Right after graduation, Steve moved to the Santa Clarita Valley to join The Newhall Land and Farming Company as Senior Vice President for Community Development.
Over the next 25 years in Santa Clarita, he became involved in a number of non-profit and community organizations, promoting the health and well-being of residents of all ages.
In addition to serving as Vice President of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley, he also became the Director of the American Red Cross and was a founding board member of the Association to Aid Victims of Domestic Violence.
Other organizations that had received the benefit of Steve’s service were the Samuel Dixon Family Health Center, the Foundation for Children’s Dental Health, the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Health Foundation, the Santa Clarita Community Development Corporation and the Anti-Gang Task Force.
These are just some of the groups Steve worked within the Santa Clarita Valley.
Over a long career of service to the community, he was named Volunteer of the Year by the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services in 1994.
He was also named as Santa Clarita Valley’s Man of the Year in 2001.
Steve dedicated his personal and professional life to ensuring that those in need would be cared for, and we are grateful for the legacy he has left in Santa Clarita.
In addition to his work in the community, Steve was also known for his love of horse racing, serving on the Fans’ Committee at both Santa Anita and Hollywood Park.
We are saddened by Steve’s passing, and our thoughts are with his wife, Sara, as well as his family and friends during this time.