Don Urbanus

Don Urbanus, Chairperson 209/772-3451

Urbanus to lead Valley Springs parade
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When it comes to helping a community grow, Don Urbanus can help in more ways than one.

The Burson nursery owner will lead the Valley Springs Area Business Association's Holiday Spirit Parade as it steps off at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, on Daphne and Pine streets.

Urbanus was chosen as the Citizen of the Year for 2004 by the VSABA, said President Shirley Chantri.
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Urbanus and his wife Kiko moved to Jenny Lind from Morgan Hill in the early 1990s.
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"My family had a cabin up in Blue Lakes Springs," Urbanus said, saying he has always loved the foothills of Calaveras County."I was always coming through Calaveras County."

Then the earth shook and the Urbanuses decided to move.

"There was an earthquake and it damaged the Anderson Dam," Urbanus said.He learned that his home was in the flood zone for Anderson Lake, the largest reservoir in Santa Clara County."We also wanted more land, so we moved."

"We were building a house and starting the nursery," Urbanus said.One day he would be pounding nails the next, planting shrubs.

Initially, Rising Sun Nursery focused on the wholesale market, growing plants and trees for nurseries in the Bay Area, where Urbanus learned the trade as a production manager at a Morgan Hill nursery.

In 1997, Urbanus switched gears and opened a retail store in Burson and the company quickly sprouted.Just over two years ago, Urbanus purchased nine acres of land in town and expanded his operation again.

"We don't grow for the wholesale market any more," he said.
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As if keeping things green and healthy wasn't enough, Urbanus finds time to give to several area charitable organizations.He is a member of the Valley Springs Boosters, which stages the fireworks show over New Hogan Reservoir every summer.

"I've been the chairman for the Octoberfest for the last two years," Urbanus said.The fall event is a fund-raiser for the boosters.

Urbanus has been an active member of the VSABA for years, even serving as president for two consecutive years.
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And Urbanus is active with the Friends of the Library chapter in Valley Springs.He has written melodramas for the group that are performed each winter to raise money for a new library in town.

In late February and early March, another Urbanus play will be performed at the Veterans Hall.

"It's called ‘Save Us from the Lawyers, or What Did You Eggspect?'" Urbanus said."It's creative fun.There will be a lot of chicken jokes."

About ,9,000 is raised each year for the Friends of the Library, Urbanus said.There is about ,85,000 in the group's bank account, ready to be put to use for a new facility.

"We are trying to work with the (Calaveras Unified) school district to create a joint-use library," Urbanus said.

Rising Sun Nursery customers also get a taste of Urbanus' writing style as he pens single-page stories that incorporate the seasons of the year.This month's tale involves Santa Claus working at the nursery for an afternoon.

"The customers love it," Urbanus said.

He even writes a monthly column, called the "West County Corner," for the Enterprise.

"I like writing the column," he said.
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"Don is just a really hard worker," Chantri said.