BEHIND THE SCENES

The people working to make our community better.

As I sat across the table from Nick Montano, I recognized that youthful smile he had when I first met him some 17 years ago.There he sat in his smart-looking blue-and-gold Army jersey and I was reminded of that day long ago when his father, Nick Sr.,had brought him to a Kiwanis meeting.

Nick Sr.or "Papa" Nick and I were both members of the Canoga Park Kiwanis at that time. "Papa" Nick believed strongly in community service and belonged to two clubs -one here and one in Tijuana.

When I asked the younger Nick why he is so involved in the community, he said he learned it from his father. He told me that "Papa" Nick had always said, "Take care of the community ... and they will take care of you."

"Papa" Nick is no longer with us, but his love of community lives on in his son, who is now in charge of the family business, Los Toros Mexican Restaurant. Nick is a savvy businessman, a U.S. Army veteran, a true patriot, and a community leader.

But most importantly, he is a loving family man with a beautiful wife, Lucia, two sons, Nick and Eddie, and a daughter, Alex.

Nick Montano, Los Toros, and the Chatsworth Community are almost synonymous. Nick and his restaurant are a Chatsworth treasure.

Not only do they serve the best chili rellenos but they sponsor youth teams in the area and hold an annual golf tournament that benefits the schools in the Chatsworth area. Chatsworth High School, Cleveland High School, Chatsworth Elementary, Superior St. Elementary, Germain Elementary, Lawrence Middle School, and CSUN are among the learning institutions that have benefitted from this fund raiser and Nick's commitment to community.

Nick is more that a successful restaurateur and caring father. He recently retired from the U.S. Army reserve after 23 years of combined service to our country. FirstSgt. Nick Montano spent 13 months in Iraq with the 137th Quartermaster Company.

You may ask, "what did he do there" and my answer is "what else... Nick provided service."

I'm sure that as a person that lives and breathes service to others that it was a perfect fit for Nick and for the Army. Nick was in charge of four units that were tasked with supplying our fighting men and women with laundry services and hot showers.

They also repaired uniforms and participated in some troop transporting. Nick saw these services as helping to build or maintain troop moral. He was proud that he was able to provide some basic comfort to the tired and dusty warriors.

Now safely back home and after being feted as a hero with a gigantic banner that was draped across the outside of his restaurant by adoring patrons, Nick has settled into coaching a flag football team that Eddie plays in, being president of his Kiwanis Club, and playing a weekly game of golf.

Not that he's slowing down or anything like that. Nick is still the driving force behind the Chatsworth Holiday Parade that he ressurrected about 14 years ago. The Chatsworth Chamber had previously sponsored the parade for several decades, but had been unable to put on the parade for a couple of years when Nick stepped in.

Somehow Nick also finds the time to to volunteer at St. John Eudes Church and he recently co-ordinated an effort to help the Kids Drama Company by replacing the stage curtains in the auditorium at Chatsworth Park South.

The new curtains were installed just prior to their production of "Grease."

Nick's service with the Kiwanis is impressive and it is also a family tradition. Nick joined the Canoga Park Kiwanis shortly after his first visit. Back then, we "nick" named him "Little Nick," in difference to Papa Nick.

Little Nick left that club to become the founding president of the Chatsworth Kiwanis. He went on to served as Lt. Governor, a position where he was over a zone full of Kiwanis clubs and was recognized for his exceptional leadership when he was designated a "distinguished" Lt. Governor.

Nick has told me that he was greatly inspired and influenced by long time Canoga Park Kiwanians like Howard Shirley, Don Stout and Leo Sommers. Nick was awed by their energy and their unending commitment to making the community better.

I believe the future will produce at least 3 more examples of the Montano family's commitment to community. Alex, now 25, has started managing the restaurant while Nick, 15, and Eddie, 11, help their father on fundraisers and events.

I'll let the food critics extoll the gourmet qualities of the Montano family business. However, whenever I crave good food presented by really good people, I'll head straight to Los Toros and order the 19th Bull and that's no bull!

Note: This is the second in a series of articles to highlight the good people in our community that truly are making a difference. If you know someone like Nick Montano and you would like to see them recognized for their hard work, please write to me in care of this publication or contact me at A1blarney@cox.net.