I applaud the Simi Valley Community Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce for honoring the Rev. Dr. Frank Witman with the Strathearn Lifetime Achievement award. Dr. Witman has given tirelessly of his talents, time, energy and human spirit to the betterment of Simi Valley for almost 40 years.

Dr. Witman, a third-generation United Methodist Church minister, moved to Simi Valley in 1969 as a senior pastor of the United Methodist Church. He immediately became involved in the community affairs of Simi Valley.

A few short months after arriving in town he joined the Simi Valley Rotary Club and has been a dedicated Rotarian for all these years. In 1972, he inspired the Ministerial Association to fight at the ballot box to keep organized gambling from taking over Simi Valley.

Dr. Witman founded the chaplain program for the Simi Valley Police Department and has served as senior chaplain for more than 30 years. Due to his steadfast dedication, he received the Simi Valley Police Department Volunteer of the Year Award in 1997, and in 2007 he was awarded a Lifetime Service Award from the department. In April 2008, the City Council recognized his service to the police department with a public proclamation honoring him.

Dr. Witman participated in the founding of the steering committee for Leadership Simi Valley and was a charter member of the Simi Valley Hospital Board Strategic Planning Committee. The hospital awarded him Volunteer Chaplain of the Year in 1995.

For eight years Dr. Witman served as president of the Samaritan Center, serving the homeless in Simi Valley. In May 1990, Congressman Elton Gallegly selected Dr. Witman for the prestigious and rare honor of being guest chaplain of the United States House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

In 1997, Dr. Witman retired as senior pastor of the Methodist church after 28 years in Simi Valley and 40 years as an active ordained minister. At the time of his retirement the local Methodist church named their Fellowship Hall "Witman Hall" in his honor.

I moved to Simi Valley 40 years ago this month. In all my years as a resident, I cannot think of a more deserving individual to receive the Strathearn Lifetime Achievement Award than Frank Witman.

With all my heart I salute Dr. Frank Witman as Simi Valley's citizen extraordinaire. Robert O. Huber Simi Valley