LOCAL NEWS
PAGE A6 THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013
St. Michael’s plans birthday celebration
when disaster strikes and you’re not home
Does your car have a survival kit? BY EMILY SORENSEN
BY ELIZABETH MARIE HIMCHAK St. Michael’s Catholic Church will celebrate its pastor’s 75th birthday with a gala benefiting the Holy Family Center fund. Monsignor Neal Dolan, St. Michael’s pastor since 2001, will be the third annual gala’s honoree. The Saturday, May 18 black tie optional event will start with 6 p.m. cocktails followed by a 7:30 p.m. formal dinner and dance in the Holy Family Center. Gala Chair woman Janice Griffing said others in the community who would like to honor Dolan are welcome to the gala. Among those who have purchased tickets are some of his former parishioners in Lakeside. Tickets are $75 per person. They can be purchased through Wednesday, May 15 by calling the parish office at 858-487-4755 or going to the office at 15546 Pomerado Road in Poway. Besides the dinner, dance
POMERADO NEWSPAPER GROUP
Monsignor Neal Dolan, St. Michael’s pastor since 2001, will have his 75th birthday celebrated at a May 18 gala. Photo provided and cash bar, the gala will also include live and silent auctions. Griffing said silent auction items include 15 items Dolan collected worldwide during his almost 50 years as a priest. “They are from his travels to Jerusalem, France, Rome and Spain,” she said, adding one item dates back to the 1800s. Live auction items include trips to places such as Cabo San Lucas, a football autographed by Charger Philip Rivers and Padres baseball tickets for seats behind home plate. Attending the gala is not
required to have a chance to win in the opportunity drawing. The 500 tickets available will be sold up to the gala, Griffing said. They are $100 each. The first and second prizes are $5,000 each, and third through 12th prizes are $100 each. Contact the parish office to purchase. Griffing said the goal is to raise at least $50,000, which will go toward paying the parish’s more than $1.2 million debt to the Diocese of San Diego. The money was borrowed to build the center used for parish, St. Michael’s School and approved nonparish events.
What happens when an emergency occurs and you’re not in the safety of your own home? Are you prepared to deal with an emergency situation while on the road? Preparing an automobile survival kit was the topic of the May 2 Poway Neighborhood Emergency Corps (PNEC) meeting, with presentations on what should be in your car survival kit given by PNEC committee members Merrilee Boyack and Steve Sprigg. Sprigg and Boyack each demonstrated their own car survival kits’ contents, and gave suggestions as to what people planning on building their own might find most useful, including tips to keep your car in the best shape possible to help you handle an emergency situation, the best kind of backpack to use and what you’ll need to survive both in your car, and on foot. Sprigg suggested never letting your gas tank fall below half empty, as gas stations might be out of order, and emergencies can cause huge traffic jams, which can use up gas faster than usual. Sprigg said he was stuck for hours on the freeway during both the recent power outage in San Diego, and back during the LA riots, and spent hours traveling only a few miles, draining his full gas tank to half empty simply by idling in the traffic jam. Sprigg said you should also have basic knowledge on how to do minor repairs and maintenance on your vehicle, like changing a tire, as well as carrying necessary tools and equipment for maintenance in case of a flat tire or other problem during an emergency,
when assistance may not be able to come out and help you. Sprigg suggested buying and keeping in your car a decent tool kit, fix-a-flat, jumper cables, and a fire extinguisher. When it comes to your car survival kit, both Boyack and Sprigg said it was important to choose the right kind of backpack, one that is sturdy, with padded straps for comfort, and meant for hiking. Boyack suggested buying a backpack from a military surplus store, which is both sturdy and can hold a large amount of items. The list of survival items that Sprigg and Boyack suggested be kept both in your survival kit and car was extensive. “I want my vehicle to be a rolling vehicle I can live in,” said Boyack. Both Boyack and Sprigg suggested building your own first aid kit to keep in your car, as store-bought first aid kits are often not stocked to handle emergencies. Boyack also suggested keeping a change of clothes and tennis shoes, in case you are forced to leave your car and walk to safety, as well as water, food, flashlights and a warm, waterproof jacket. For a full list of car survival kit suggestions and more information on PNEC and emergency preparation, visit www.powaynec.com. The next PNEC meeting, to be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 11, will be on communication during an emergency. The meeting was Boyack’s last, as she and her family are moving out of state. According to Joann Whetstine, a member of the PNEC committee who handles the group’s communications and social media, the meetings will now be led by a rotating group of members.
Dog Day is Coming! Raffle Prizes, Vendor Booths and More
Make It Special For Mom...
ribbons awarded For 1st, 2nd & 3rd Mayor Don Higginson Celebrity Judge
(Child under 16 years)
Several Dog Rescue Organizations will be present for Pet Adoptions Sponsored By:
Delicious three-course Brunch $29 and Dinner $39 per person
Children's menu also available. Drink specials all day. Make reservations NOW on Open Table or LaBastideBistro.com
Happy Hour:
Drinks & Appetizers 4pm-6pm including Saturdays & Sundays
Best Dog Trick Best Pet Costume
in Poway
Beauty and the Beast Pet
GROOMING Presented by:
Free Fun Events Pet Vendor Booths Food Provided by: Kiwanis Club of Poway The Sheriff Dept. K-9 Unit
Saturday May 18, 2013 10am-3pm FREE ADMISSION Dog Park at the POWAY COMMUNITY CENTER/PARK For more information contact:
David McKenzie (858) 880-8419 powaykiwanisdave@cox.net
Dog Who Most Looks Like Owner Best Talking Dog Biggest Dog Smallest Dog Cutest Dog Cutest Puppy
DOG SHOW EntrancE FEE $10
for each category
Proceeds Benefit: Rady Children’s Hospital and High School Scholarship Programs
All donations are tax deductible
Entertainment by: Ballistic Racers