News release
The College of the Canyons Foundation recently honored community leader and emcee Ed Masterson with the Silver Spur Award.
More than 180 friends, family members, colleagues and distinguished guests gathered at the Sheraton Universal Hotel on May 30 recognize his decades of service to the Santa Clarita Valley, said a news release from the college. The event exceeded fundraising expectations, raising more than $130,000 for the foundation, the nonprofit that raises funds for the college.
“The Silver Spur Award is a longstanding tradition for COC and is regarded as one of the most prestigious awards given throughout the Santa Clarita Valley,” the release said.
This year’s award – the 34th in foundation history – recognized Masterson’s two decades of work with more than 25 local organizations, including the College of the Canyons Foundation, Valley Industry Association, WiSH Education Foundation, Child & Family Center, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Guild, and the Boys & Girls Club of the SCV.
Event emcee and last year’s Silver Spur Recipient, Marlee Lauffer, began the program with a tribute to Masterson, sharing “what makes Ed so deserving is not just what he does, but how he does it — with compassion, humility, and a genuine desire to uplift others. He is a leader, a changemaker, a community icon … and frankly, the only person who could get us all onto the 101 on a Saturday evening.”
The evening featured a “Fund-A-Need” paddle raise benefitting COC’s newly established recording studio. Guests contributed nearly $50,000 to the “Voice of Santa Clarita” Endowment, created in tribute to Masterson’s decades of nonprofit service as a master of ceremonies.
An emotional video featuring student and faculty testimonies emphasized the endowment’s role in expanding opportunities for students pursuing careers in the recording arts, the release said.
“Tonight’s Fund-A-Need embodies Ed’s passion for opening doors and creating opportunities, and the arts, which are a critical, but sometimes overlooked, component of education,” said COC Superintendent President Jasmine Ruys. “The arts create opportunities for expression, storytelling, collaboration, and belonging. And through those opportunities … the arts become the place where students truly find themselves and their voice.”
The celebration also featured dinner with panoramic views of Los Angeles and live entertainment from COC’s student band Hipified Records. Speeches from CEO of SOS Entertainment, Derek Sage, and president of the Valley Industry Association, Kathy Norris, highlighted the philanthropic impact Masterson has had throughout the SCV, the release said.
The event concluded with a fan-favorite tribute video celebrating Masterson’s life and work, and the ceremonial presentation of the Silver Spur Award.
Gary Horton, chair of the foundation board, reflected on the evening: “I think everyone at the event left happier and more joyful and motivated to do good. I feel [Ed] absolutely glued COC into the community … [last Saturday] sent a clear message that COC is a great force for Santa Clarita and a wonderful resource for all our people.”
