CHANNEL ISLANDS : Texaco Honored for Visitor Center Work

The Ventura offshore operation of Texaco U. S. A. has received a state award for helping the maintenance division of Channel Islands National Park build a visitor center on Santa Barbara Island.

Texaco is one of 42 winners statewide of the 1992 Take Pride in California awards given by the Department of Parks and Recreation, parks spokesman John Arnold said.

Recognition is given each year to those individuals and groups that make outstanding volunteer efforts on behalf of the state’s public and private lands, he said.

The winners were chosen from 68 nominees.

Texaco donated its leased vessels to haul 200,000 pounds of construction material to help the parks agency build a 1,700-square-foot visitor center on Santa Barbara Island.

The facility will also be used as a ranger residence and bunkhouse complex on the island, which is 42 miles off the coast of Ventura County, Arnold said.

Over the past two years, Channel Islands National Park has saved about $40,000 because of Texaco’s volunteer effort, he said.

Texaco officials will be presented with the award in a ceremony in Sacramento this month, Arnold said.