Meet Eddie
I was born in San Benito County and raised in a rural area of San Juan Bautista off Flint Road. One story I like sharing is that I had the largest front yard around, as we grew up on a sod farm. The San Benito River was a place to fish and swim and part of our extended back yard. Growing up surrounded by open space and nature gave me a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors and the distinctive character of our rural community. I attended San Juan Elementary School up until the sixth grade before moving to Hollister. Fortunately, I still remember the special afterschool programs afforded me in San Juan Bautista and school half-days to attend catechism class - and not forgetting to pick up a pastry from the San Juan Bakery before checking in to class! I remember El Teatro Campesino performances at the San Juan Bautista State Historic Park Plaza, and the old Fiesta Rodeo below the Old Mission San Juan Bautista and up until recently the annual bonfire during the holidays. It is these fond memories, my large extended family here and my deep roots that brought me back to San Juan Bautista – the small community I am proud to call my home. My immediate family includes my three adult children who all attended San Juan Elementary School and graduated from Anzar High School, and my wife Kimberly.
As a member of the San Juan Service Club, I am currently involved in town beautification projects. I believe partnerships between service organizations, local businesses, and residents can create meaningful opportunities for public engagement and give our community a stronger sense of ownership in its future.
I also help my wife with her small business, Kimba’s Cozy Creations, and throughout the year we attend craft fairs throughout the Bay Area. Visiting other communities and seeing how they welcome visitors has given me new ideas for San Juan Bautista. From a vendor’s perspective, I see firsthand how small, well-planned events can bring people together, support local businesses, and encourage visitors to discover what a community has to offer.
San Juan Bautista has given me a lifetime of memories, friendships, and family connections. I am proud to call it home, and I believe in giving back to the community that has given so much to me.
Giving back to San Juan Bautista has always been important to me. While my children attended San Juan Elementary, I volunteered at special events, served as a classroom aide, and helped with school clean-up days. As my kids grew older, I became Cubmaster for our local Cub Scouts, then an Assistant Scoutmaster and eventually Scoutmaster for Troop 428. Both of my sons went on to achieve the highest rank attainable in Scouts BSA—the rank of Eagle Scout. I am incredibly proud of them and grateful that I had the opportunity to be part of their journey. Some of the young people in town may still remember me simply as “Coach” from Little League.
You can often find me at the San Juan Bautista State Historic Park orchard on Wednesday mornings, volunteering on beautification and maintenance projects and helping with upcoming improvements. I also enjoy jogging around the outskirts of town most mornings and hiking the DeAnza Trail on weekends.
