Farm workers attend 37th Annual Appreciation Breakfast

This morning a special event took place in Calexico to show appreciation for farm workers in the community.

It was the 37th Annual Farm Workers Appreciation Breakfast that takes place every year. This year they planned on feeding over 3,000 farm workers.

“The most important thing is that it’s a way to acknowledge and appreciate the farm workers of our community and what they contribute not only to our economy, but the economy of California and basically feeding the world,” said Cathy Vizcarra, Program Manager of Employment Development Department.

The event is sponsored by various local organizations and agencies who are proud to fund the event every year. The idea for the breakfast began in 1979 with simple coffee and sweet bread and has been growing ever since.

“It feels very nice for people to appreciate the work we do because it is very little people that acknowledge field workers. I don’t think they realize when they serve their tables it’s the crops we cultivate,” said Angela Soto, farm worker for 57 years.

Farm workers not only get tamales but care packages to keep warm are given too.

“This year and for the last five years we’ve collected socks from the state and different agencies here in the county and we were able to put a clean pair of socks for them, so once they leave the fields with their wet muddy feet, they can change into a clean pair of dry socks,” said Elvira Anaya, Director of Center For Employment.

“Here there is nothing more and most of us are not prepared, most of the people who immigrate start in the fields and work their way up,” explained Ricardo Camarena, farm worker for 30 years.

The appreciation breakfast takes place every year on the first Friday of December and last till 5 a.m.