Shirley Wild: Ronald McDonald House raises more than $450,000 at polo party

Partners of Parks Long Beach hosted a fundraising lawsuit connected Sept. 18 astatine the El Dorado Nature Center.

More than 130 assemblage members attended “Sowing the Seeds,” a peculiar after-hours Nature Center event. Community members and organizations were recognized for their important interaction connected Long Beach parks and neighborhoods. The lawsuit raised $22,000 for Long Beach parks programs.

A bidding warfare betwixt Trina Schoonmaker and Trinka Rowsell occurred erstwhile some wanted a lighthouse coating by Parks Director Brent Dennis. It was resolved with some receiving a 2nd archetypal by Dennis.

Trina Schoonmaker, Parks Director Brent Dennis and Executive Director Trinka Rowsell astatine the Partners of Parks Sowing the Seeds event. (Courtesy of Partners of Parks)

Under the harvest moon, the Nature Center’s amphitheater provided an elegant parkland backdrop for guests who enjoyed vino samplings, trade brew samplings from Steady Brewing Long Beach, delicious charcuterie boxes from Primal Alchemy, tasty cookies from Willmore Baking Company and euphony by the Jazz Angels. The lawsuit besides featured a soundless auction, vino propulsion and networking with city, vicinity and assemblage leaders.

Honorees were recognized for their outstanding assemblage enactment implicit the past year.

They received a $500 concern assistance to assistance money aboriginal assemblage efforts. Honorees were Harry Saltzgaver, enforcement exertion of the Grunion Gazette; a posthumous grant to Larry Curtis, longtime person of the Long Beach Municipal Band; and the AOC7 Neighborhood Group. 

Junior League of Long Beach and the Willmore City Heritage Association were besides recognized and thanked arsenic the assemblage groups who sold the astir tickets to the event.

“We sincerely admit the assemblage enactment and privation to admit our outstanding sponsors,” Dennis said. “We enjoyed celebrating our astonishing honorees, our organization’s maturation and the aboriginal of Long Beach parks.”

Partners of Parks is the Long Beach nonprofit that helps subsidize parkland programming and activities, and supports vicinity groups who money and big events successful Long Beach parks.

The enactment besides works with donors to money caller histrion plantings, caller amenities, and caller programming benefitting teens, seniors and families-in-need. Since 2014, the Partners of Parks Youth Scholarship Program has awarded much than $50,000 to alteration qualified LBUSD students to be fee-based recreation classes and camps astatine nary charge. Information: partnersofparks.org.

Seen astatine the scene: Councilman Daryl Supernaw, Councilwoman Stacy Mungo Flanigan, Councilman Al Austin, Former Director of Parks, Recreation, and Marine, Phil Hester, Current Parks Director, Brent Dennis, Parks Commissioners Susan Redfield, Mariela Salgado, Ron Sievers and David Zanatta. 

Young Horizons Wine and Cheese Summer Fest

On Sept. 16, the Young Horizons held their yearly Wine and Cheese Summer Fest astatine The Grand Event Center. Like galore groups, the turnout was little than accustomed due to the fact that of the coronavirus pandemic but the 40 attendees helped auctioneer Randy Gordon rise much than $17,350 during the unrecorded donation “ask.”

Overall, the evening, sponsored by Marathon Petroleum, netted adjacent to $32,000.

Olga Chavez pictured with Cindy Smith holding the YH Sponsorship grant astatine the Young Horizons Wine and Cheese Summer Fest. (Courtesy of Young Horizons)

The wealth volition assistance enactment Young Horizons’ Early Learning and Literacy Programs. Young Horizons is 1 of the largest childcare providers successful Long Beach. As a nonprofit enactment with 5 centers, they service much than 400 children (ages 6 months to 5 years). The programme provides a “home-away-from-home” successful a caring, loving and learning environment.

The Grand provided delicious wine, cheese, assorted meats and effect platters, portion the Jazz Angels provided the amusement with inheritance music.

There was an Opportunity Drawing for a assortment of prizes, including an Anchors Away Duffy vessel thrust with a Tantalum acquisition card; Apple AirPods and a Taco Maria (a Michelin prima restaurant) acquisition card. There was besides a video of genitor testimonials.  

Seen astatine the scene: Randy Gordon, Stakeholder Engagement Representative for Marathon Petroleum Olga Chavez, Executive Director of the Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation Julie Meenan, Israel and Ruth Garcia, Board Chairman Roger Scott; committee members: Jake Mooney, Alejandra Albarran Moses, Ph.D. and hubby Ken Moses, Kris and Maria Gragson, Frank Gutierrez, Danita Humphrey, Abigail Mejia, Jessica Schumer, M.D., Executive Director Sarah Soriano.

Long Beach Retired Teachers Association

September has often been called the “School Month,” due to the fact that its the astir communal period for teachers and students to instrumentality to classrooms for the caller schoolhouse year.

Thus, Sept. 17 was cleanable for the archetypal “in-person” gathering since January 2020) of the Long Beach Association of the California Retired Teachers Association.  

Yellow-clothed tables with ceramic centerpieces of a schoolhouse autobus filled with yellowish daisies greeted the 34 members attending.

Karen Larson, Marlys Sams, C.J. Sams, Katie Cavera, and Frank Dayak astatine Long Beach Retired Teachers Association meeting. (Courtesy of Long Beach Retired Teachers Association)

It was a delight for President Julie Mendell to witnesser the blessed reunions of the members anterior to the meeting. She thanked Past President and State Officer Becky Carroll, Sandy Shelly, Mary Ann Erdman, Becky Carroll, and Janet Wilcox for their assistance. Others called upon were Bob Hedges, Tony Diaz, Janet Wilcox and Toni Tawzer. New members Janet Fettig, Bea Almada and Judy Logue were introduced.

Scholarship Chair Barbara Ellis reported that $30,000 was awarded to 19 students who are studying to go teachers oregon nurses at CSULB, LBCC and Cerritos College.

Additionally, The Laura E. Settle assistance gave $3,000 to 2 recipients and the Mabel Outler Scholarship awarded $750 to 4 students. 

Program Chairman Frank Dayak introduced the entertainers, tuba subordinate C.J. Sams and banjo creator Katie Cavera, an inter-active duet. They played and sang on portion encouraging the assemblage to articulation successful singing acquainted tunes. Loud applause followed.

Complimentary desserts featuring a assortment of ample cookies and beverages ended the meeting, arsenic members continued visiting connected the St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church patio.

Seen At the Scene: Cynthia Clark (provided centerpieces), Jean Bakke, Jean Dayak, Emiko Furuta, Helen Hagen, Bob and Carmen Hedges, Dwayne and Karin Larson, Marnos Lelesi, Nancy Martinusen, John Mendell, Jim and Joy Mullen, Mary Ann Stien, Ruby Suguhara, Joyce Webster, Barbara Harris, Susan Chadbourne, Pam Sich, Judith Kaho, Jerry Wilcox, and Pat Montague.

Ronald McDonald House Polo Party

On Sept. 19, 400 guests enjoyed a time of indulgence astatine the Will Rogers Polo Club successful Pacific Palisades, wherever they watched 2 exhilarating polo matches, enjoyed gourmet nutrient and beverages, participated successful the accepted Champagne Divot Stomp and Hat Parade, each portion raising much than $450,000 (and counting!) for the Long Beach and Westside Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House programs.

Seen astatine the scene: Bob and Nancy Foster, Gary and Dawna DeLong, Henry and Erin Walker, Mari Hooper, Ron and Nancy Piazza, Mimi Brascia, Sofia Riley and Jennifer Peterson.

Upcoming societal events

Oct. 2: Children’s Benefit League, Quartermania Shopping Spree, Long Beach Yacht Club, 6201 E. Apian Way. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 562-883-1584.

Oct. 4: Memorial Care Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, Long Beach Hospital Foundation – Champion’s Golf Tourney, Virginia Country Club, 4602 N. Virginia Road. 10:30 a.m. bit.ly/championsclubclassic.

Oct. 6: Long Beach Camerata Singers, “Return to the Stage” Gala, Terrace Theater lobby, 300 E .Ocean Blvd., Suite 300. 6 p.m. 310-686-5833.

Oct.  9: Musical Theatre West Footlighters, “Music successful the Morning,” Holiday Boutique, the Grand, 4101 E. Willow St. 10 a.m. 562-498-7030.

Oct.  11: Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, Phil Trani’s Golf Tournament, El Dorado Golf Course, 2400 N. Studebaker Road. 9 a.m. bgclublb.org.

Oct. 25: Steel Magnolias Golf Tournament, Old Ranch Country Club, 3901 Lampson Ave., Seal Beach. 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. 562-331-8007, hold 3.

Oct.  25: Assistance League of Long Beach’s Holiday Shopping Spree with refreshments, Philanthropic Center, 6220 E. Spring St. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 562-627-5650.

Oct. 30: Historical Society of Long Beach, 25th Annual Cemetery Tour, Sunnyside and Municipal cemeteries, 1095 and 1151 E. Willow St. 8:30 a.m. hslb.org. 

News of Social events with charitable purposes whitethorn beryllium sent to Shirley Wild astatine spwild@verizon.net oregon by fax to 562-594-9468. Please see a interaction telephone number. Send high-resolution jpeg photos, by attachment, to spwild@verizon.net and see radical sanction and recognition of individuals from left. Call Shirley astatine 562-594-9468 for much information. 

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