:::: COMMUNITY STUFF Beth Am Preschool Honors Guard
Wishing For Mommy, HU Lee Foundation and ATA granted an award to Deborah Gibson, a guard who has been at Beth Am Preschool for over eight years, and was nominated by the student body. This is the first time a school nominated a mother with breast cancer. The Wish Warriors have been traveling nationwide performing for Pink Belt to raise fund for Wishing For Mommy. Mike Chat, Blue Power Ranger and founder of XMA, Channah Zeitung, youngest champion martial artist from San Diego, known for her TV debut on the Katie show in 2013, and Rayna Vallandingham, the youngest world champion with eleven titles, gave a pink belt demonstration before the grant is awarded. Master Shannon Coffee was also there representing ATA and the HU Lee Foundation.
Olympic Athlete in the Making
Katrina Schaber, a sophomore at Canyon Crest Academy (CCA), was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a young age. She overcame the disability by skiing as a way of physical therapy. She couldn’t imagine that she would one day be able to go to the Winter Olympic Games. Thanks to a special mentoring program by TD Ameritrade, Katrina is looking forward to experiencing what it’s like to be at the Olympics, meet other athletes, and see their experiences. You can help by using the hash tag #itaddsup on Twitter. Every mention of #itaddsup gets athletes like Katrina one mile closer to Sochi. “Athletes often say their first Olympic Games is overwhelming, because they’ve never experienced it before. We want to give that experience to these seven young athletes, so when they hopefully make the team in 2018, they can solely focus on performance and celebrate the little steps it took to get there,” said Denise Karkos, Chief Marketing Officer, TD Ameritrade, Inc., a broker dealer subsidiary of TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation. Learn more about Katrina’s story on www.itaddsup. tdameritrade.com/young-athletes/katrina-schaber.
Volunteers Wanted at Ocean Air Rec Center
If volunteering is what you seek, then what better place would there be to look than your neighborhood recreation centers? But it’s not just volunteering, it’s making a difference in your community. The Ocean Air Recreation Center is looking to replenish their volunteer pool this year. People of all ages and abilities are welcome to come and help with a number of programs, special events, and grounds maintenance. You can come to help individually or as part of a group. Students who need credit for completing community service work can have their hours verified for services provided to the recreation center. Applications are available to pick up at the Ocean Air Recreation Center, and the minimum age to volunteer is 13. Come make a difference in your community today by becoming a Parks and Recreation Department volunteer. For more information, call 858-552-1687.
32 • 92130Magazine.com • February | March 2014
Bocce For A Cause
Preparations are in full swing for the Del Mar-Solana Beach Rotary’s 18th Annual Turf Bocce Ball Tournament at the Del Mar Horse Park on March 23. Everyone is encouraged to save the date for this annual fundraiser and family day, targeted to raise over $50,000 for youth and humanitarian programs. Rotary Club members are currently signing up sponsors and auction donors. The title sponsor is the Essick-Sims Wealth Management Group at Merrill Lynch, but other sponsors are still needed, from court sponsor to VIP sponsor. “Although many people have said that they don’t know how to play bocce, it is amazing how only a few games will lead them to want a bocce set for a birthday or holiday present,” said Vicky Mallett, Bocce Tournament 2014 Co-Chair. All proceeds raised by the bocce tournament go to worthy activities, most of which benefit youth programs. This year, the two major beneficiaries are Reality Changers and Just In Time. For more information, see www.dmsbbocce.com or contact Vicky Mallett via vicky.mallett2@gmail.com.
Donate to the Nancarrow Healing Garden
Long time San Diego news anchor, Loren Nancarrow, passed away on Dec. 28 after a ten-month battle with brain cancer. Before his death, he and Susan Taylor, Executive Director of External Affairs at Scripps Health, came up with the idea to name the Healing Garden at the Scripps Radiation Therapy Center, “The Loren Nancarrow Healing Garden”. They have raised $108,000 out of the $500,000 needed to re-name the Healing Garden. There will be two benefit concerts to raise money: Feb. 9 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach and Feb. 21 at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. To donate and see the video that Loren’s family created, visit www.scripps.org/loren.
Little Jumps, Big Changes!
During the month of February, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego will hold its 3rd Annual Little Jumps, BIG Changes campaign. Little Jumps provides lessons and knowledge to club members about how to lead active and healthier lifestyles, while also raising funds to support the Clubs’ three priority outcomes: academic cuccess, character development and healthy lifestyles. According to the Boys & Girls Clubs, this campaign is very important, given the alarming national statistics of childhood obesity and the serious health risks our youth face, such as diabetes and heart disease. They are asking everyone to make a minimum $15 donation to support the 25,000 youth served annually by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego. To make a donation or for more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Diego head over to www.sdyouth.org/littlejumps.aspx.