Randon act of kindness
This past weekend, my sister-in-law and I rekindled our past, and we dined at Walt’s Wharf on Main Street. After picking her up from the Long Beach Airport, we made our way to Seal Beach.
After dinner, we took the little one to the park on the sand where I would take my two adult children when they were young.
I commented that of all the beach communities in Southern California, Seal Beach is my favorite.
The people are a tight-knit community of caring residents who welcome visitors. It is a friendly and quaint town with great food, too. My statement proved itself to be absolutely right!
I happen to be a schoolteacher who teaches in La Habra. Before heading to work on Monday morning, I noticed my keys were not in my purse. I hoped that I had left them in the classroom, but when I arrived, they were missing-in-action. I survived morning duty without my keys, and I knew that I’d have to make do for the afternoon duty. While holding my own on the playground, my tall and lean principal headed toward me stating that something very unusual had just happened.
A young gentlemen walked into the office with a set of keys he’d found in Seal Beach. He took them home and looked up the school’s name that was on the lanyard.
This extraordinary soul drove more than 20 miles to drop-off my missing keys. Yes, Yes, Yes, those keys were mine!
What a beautiful gesture and real life story of giving to share with my students. We teach the children to respect one another, and we also use Covey’s 7 Habits for Children to help inspire them to be caring and responsible citizens. Unfortunately, one thing was missing, his name.
The giver quietly exited the office with his job completed. Since I don’t have any way of contacting the fine gentleman, I wanted to write to The Sun Newspaper to get the word out. It’s a treasure to be touched by a generous soul. Thank you for your act of kindness. It put a smile on my face and was a lesson learned for 30 children.
Lydia Nielsen
Fifth-grade teacher
Whittier
Altruism Knows No Age
Autumn is here and school is back in session. Even after an event-filled summer of movies in the park, picnics and beach bonfires, everyone at Casa Youth Shelter has been as busy as ever.
Please read below to find out about a special little girl’s donation and how you can help her pay it forward. Learn how we prepare our shelter teens for school and instill them with skills that will last a lifetime. Lastly, get geared up for our 11th Annual Youth Leadership Conference coming up this month. Warm your heart by reading this inspiring story how 8-year-old Phoebe and how her mobile fruit stand raised money for “kids with no homes.”
“My name is Phoebe. I am 8 years old. But I can still make a difference.”
Phoebe thought of a wildly creative way to raise money for Casa Youth Shelter. Her tiresome efforts raised $32, which she gave in full to those less fortunate.
This month we will accept matching gifts of $32 to supplement Phoebe’s generous donation. Please contact agency@casayouthshelter.org to learn more.
Casas Youth Center
Los Alamitos
Donate to Los Alamitos Education Foundation
An average of 78 percent of students graduated from high schools across California last school year. Locally, 99 percent of Los Alamitos students graduated from high school.
What’s the difference? Our outstanding teachers and District Office, of course, as well as involved parents. However, the Los Alamitos Unified School District has one more tool in their education toolbox: LAEF – Los Alamitos Education Foundation.
LAEF was established to supplement the Los Alamitos Unified School District.
Our mission is to generate significant, sustainable and allocable resources to support LAUSD and to deliver opportunities for every student to connect to the four A’s: Academics, Athletics, Arts, & Activities. LAEF provides both significant funding to the district in critical areas impacting all students as well as educational enrichment opportunities for every student.
Donations from the community enable LAEF to assist in providing funds to have targeted teachers in every elementary school in the district and provide specific fundraising support for special projects.
We offer year-round academic and enrichment programs and provide scholarships for qualifying families. If your child attends school in this district, you will have already received a pamphlet in the mail that describes what you can do for LAEF, what LAEF does for students and the district at large, and what YOUR help can do for LAEF. Even if you don’t have a child attending school in the district, you are still able to donate to LAEF.
The support of the community is what makes LAEF possible and what helps make LAUSD one of the most successful districts in the State of California, making our community a great place to be. Donate today!
For more information on how to donate or to help get involved in the Los Alamitos Education Foundation, call (562) 277-6876 or visit www.laef4kids.org.
Janine Ingram
LAEF Executive Director
Los Alamitos
Make addition to Sunset’s community building sign
At our last Sunset Beach Community Association meeting when I submitted a petition to you to take action and to place in your records. I talked about the petition that I put together regarding our community association building sign addition; I left out a couple of important parts in my presentation. I don’t believe I made it clear to the board and our attendees that the petition did not state that the present sign was to be eradicated, but that Sunset Beach was to be added to the building sign.
Also, I collected 170 names and signatures within our community and a number of Surfside residents, by myself in only a four or five day period.
This petition was in agreement to what I believe is a larger number of people than voted in total for the current board members who were placed on our community association board.
I was to believe that the board was developed to represent our community and what they want when it is brought to the board’s attention. I cannot believe there would be any Sunset Beach resident opposed to putting the name of our community on the building and center. Both are Sunset Beach properties and should be declared as Sunset Beach’s. The building as well as the center is the pride of our community and I believe by the community’s positive response to the petition that a majority percentage of people in our community agree.
I urge the SBCA board to do your fiduciary duty to take action on behalf of Sunset Beach community members and heed our request of the following as detailed in the petition:
Petition for a prominent and permanent sign stating “Sunset Beach” to be added to the exterior face of the community building on 12th Street
We, the undersigned, do hereby petition the Sunset Beach Community Association Board to add and prominently display “Sunset Beach” on the exterior sign of the community owned building, originally known as the Sunset Beach Volunteer Fire Station located on 12th Street in Sunset Beach California.
Our reasons for the proposed addition of “Sunset Beach” to the sign are:
1. Maintain the spirit of the original intention for which the fire station lot was purchased- originally and recently.
2. To clearly express our entire community’s involvement in volunteering & historic community efforts.
3. Create a welcoming and harmonious environment for the entire community for the community building and lot.
4. Clearly identify our unique community to visitors.
Otto Brown
Sunset Beach
Safety is a priority
This week the Seal Beach City Council voted to underground the electric lines along Seal Beach Boulevard, south of PCH. Thank you, council members.
This will ensure that residents, of the Hill and Old Town along with the million-plus visitors to our Main Street and beaches can safely evacuate in case of a disaster.
I have a pre-school that educates 2- to 5-year-old children. There is another pre-school on 12th that also cares for our very young children. You have shown that the safety of our children, residents and visitors is an important priority.
Seretta Fielding
Food Finders fall outlook
Once again, summer came and went, in a flurry of food drive activity.
We are happy to report that our Third Annual “Summer To End Hunger” drive was a huge success! In the communities we serve, many children rely on the Federal school breakfast and lunch programs, so this effort helped those children who find themselves without a stable source of food during summer when school’s out.
A big “thank you” goes to all those who participated, including local Federal offices, Signal Hill Library, the many businesses that hosted a food drive, and friends who dropped off food at our office. We collected at total of 10,818 pounds of non-perishable food— more than double what we collected in 2012.
On to the holidays! As you are reading this, we have kicked off our annual Holiday Food Drive, which runs through Dec. 31. Already, Weight Watchers Long Beach jumpstarted our drive, and the momentum builds around town. So, how can you help make the holidays brighter for people in need? Host a food drive in your community, club or school.
Shop for a little extra and drop off at our offices. Bring a bin to your Thanksgiving dinner and ask friends and family to donate a canned good or two.
We provide collection bins and signage wherever you need it.
Drop off or mail gift cards from local grocery stores so we can purchase turkeys to pair with our family meal boxes.
Or, for some hands-on fun, join us at our annual pack and sort the Friday before Thanksgiving at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Los Alamitos.
We hope to see you there.
Diana Lara,
VP of operations
for Food Finders
The opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of the Sun. The Sun welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 300 words maximum. Letters should be e-mailed, signed by the author and include the author’s address and phone number (the latter two are for verification, not publication). The Sun reserves the right to accept, edit, or reject letters for any reason. Unless otherwise indicated, all letters sent to the Sun are understood to be intended for publication. E-mail letters to: dennis@sunnews.org.
