Fall in Love
I’m in love with fall - the weather cools, little ones return to school, college football is in full swing, and I feel again inspired to write. I’m back after a few month hiatus to share with you the exciting events that have occurred with the LBPC.
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| Rapunzel - OC Royalty |
Most recently, of course, was the club’s 5th Annual Halloween Walk that boasted record turnout and a run on food. You may be thinking, “Who says it’s a good thing to run out of food?” I can explain. The food shortage was an indicator that the sheer number of families that showed up to Main Beach far exceeded our expectations. Which is a good thing! Thankfully, there’s never a shortage of cellphones so calling for a speedy delivery of pizza resolved the problem in no time!
A special thank you to this year’s Grand Marshall, Laguna Beach’s Mayor, Steve Dicterow, for leading the parade alongside everyone’s favorite town greeter, Michael.
Since my last entry, we held our first Gala and Silent Auction to benefit Laguna’s CSP Youth Shelter, Dad’s Night Out at Big Fish for NBA playoffs, Family Olympics for our budding Olympians, candlelight yoga and Strong(her) workshop, summer Friday nights in the park, and a newcomer that did not disappoint, Oktoberfest!
We held three workshops - Infant CPR and Safety with Michelle Smith, LPN and Infant Specialist, Natural Remedies with Jodie Meschuk, and Baby Sign with Bethany Sloan. We’ve raised money for charity, donated bag loads of candy to Oak/Brooks streets, and made some furry friends happy with our donations of pet supplies. And the year’s not done yet!
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| LBPC Wins! |
Also, in case you missed Tommy Benson at the Walk, you’ll be proud to know that the Laguna Beach Parents Club was recently voted Greatest Group for Moms and Dads in Socal by Red Tricycle! Thank you to those who participated and for making this club something else I love.
Happy Autumn everyone!
Ali Del Rosso
UPCOMING EVENTS
Operation Gratitude
When: Tuesday, Nov 1 - Nov 9
Where: LBPC Playgroups
The week following Halloween, playgroups have been asked to participate in Operation Gratitude. Operation Gratitude collects extra (or unwanted) wrapped candy to send to our troops serving overseas. More>>
Pie Baking Fundraiser
When: Thursday, Nov 3, 2016, 6:00-9:00pm
Where: Three Arch Bay Clubhouse
We’re getting our “Pie-on” this Thursday night, November 3 (6pm-9pm) at the Three Arch Bay Club House. That’s right, we will be baking holidays pies to freeze and sell to friends, neighbors, family, and (when all else fails) yourself to raise funds for the club. These fundraisers are vital to the LBPC and help us to provide resources and amazing family events. More>>
Sawdust Tree Holiday Craft
When: Saturday, Nov 6, 2016, 10:00am-12:00pm
Where: Bluebird Park
Contact: Ali Del Rosso, alexandria_sue@hotmail.com
Next Sunday, November 6 we will crafting this year’s holiday ornaments for the Sawdust Community Tree. Join your friends at Bluebird Park for a morning of paint, glitter, and early holiday cheer. More>>
WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING
Halloween Walk
October 26, 2016, marked the 5th Annual LBPC Halloween Walk. And Kat Gianesin, you have certainly outdone yourself this year! We had local families turn out in record numbers. I could hardly believe my eyes…
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| Oh, My! |
There were princesses, ninjas, and the Wicked Witch of West. Oh, my! There was a baby-wearing robot (Hollywood set design is calling you), a mariachi band, and a gumball that was 38 weeks and 5 days pregnant. This year’s costumes were incredible!
LBPC would like to thank the following members who came together to plan, prep and make this a memorable afternoon: Kelly O’Brien, Bry Dariush, Emily Raudorf, Jill Epple, Tala Brinderson, Corrina Thavirat, Michelle Cornell, Jen Leonti, Andrea Ballesteros, Tina Steincke, Andrea and Doug Oyen, Lisa and John Beery, and Anya Daurskikh.
Many thanks go out to the local businesses on Forest who took the time to help us trick-or-treat. Our sincere appreciation goes out to Laguna Beach’s Mayor, Steve Dicterow for leading the charge, the Laguna Beach Police Department for escorting our children safely and for providing “McGruff the Crime Dog,” as well as a police car, Tommy Benson, our Master of Ceremonies, for bringing enthusiasm and cohesiveness to the event, the Boys and Girls Club of LB and Lion’s Heart for the fabulous high school volunteers, Waste Management for supplying the trash truck and for allowing the kids to blow the horn, Bale Ready Mix for providing the cement mixer for the kids to climb in, Katie Reynolds from OC Royalty for supplying the best princesses in all of Southern California, “Crunchy the Carrot” from Art of Fitness for dancing with the kids, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center for providing “Sammy” and “Selena” the sea lions, Michael our fearless Greeter, and Tara Manera from SOC Photography for capturing images of the day..your pictures speak a thousand words!
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| Halloween Walk '16 (Photos courtesy of SOC Photography) |
Oktoberfest
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| Prost! |
On a warm afternoon in September, the LBPC hosted Oktoberfest at the Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach. With an outdoor biergarten, live entertainment by Brian Rourke onstage, hot dogs and brats chased down by cold beer (Laguna Beach Beer Co. and n/a craft beer provided by our very own Phil Brandes), a brightly colored bouncy house, fall crafts, face painting, a photo booth, and games for the kids, Oktoberfest was an afternoon delight for children of all ages.
Oktoberfest would not have been possible without the funds raised from the Gala. Our sincere appreciation to the families who attended and so generously donated. Lastly, I cannot go without mentioning the volunteers who helped make Oktoberfest happen: Lisa Roberson-Beery, Jill and Andreas Epple, Courtney Roach, Bry Dariush, Andrea Ballesteros, Tala Brinderson, Andrea and Doug Oyen, Jen Leonti, Kat Gianesin, Megan Cauley, and Lenora DeMars.
Prost!
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| Oktoberfest 2016 (Photos courtesy of SOC Photography) |
Family Olympics
In honor of 2016 Olympic Games, the club hosted an olympic event of its own. In June, families from all over Laguna met at Moulton Meadows for fun and games. (Oh, and beer, too!)
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| Family Olympics - Obstacle Course |
We had an insane obstacle course, kids yoga by Jennifer Grzeskowiak, giant bubble popping, a jumbo ball race, a towering ring toss, a flag craft, and ice-cream cone torches. The LBPC Family Olympics was a great kick off to summer!
1st Annual Gala + Silent Auction
Roll out the red carpet, here we come! The LBPC hosted its first ever Gala and Silent Auction for Laguna’s CSP Youth Shelter. Kristin and I were overwhelmed by the generosity that flowed through Moulin Newport Beach that evening.
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| LBPC rolls out the red carpet for a good cause (Photos courtesy of SOC Photography) |
Wine was poured freely as we listened to live music, dined on fabulous food, and heard moving stories from teen graduates of the CSP program. We were inspired to bid generously for a great cause - helping local teens get treatment to overcome their afflictions. Together, we raised over $4,000.00 for the shelter!
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| CSP Youth Shelter |
We would like to thank the following businesses for graciously donating: Beach Feet Spa, Broadway Restaurant, Chris Gwaltney (artist), Laguna Playhouse - Youth Theatre, Maro Wood Grill, Pop Cycle 2.0, Pure Pilates, Quiksilver/Board Riders Club, The Ranch, Megan Cauley for Rodan and Fields, Salt Optics, SOC Photography, Travis Mathew Active Wear, Tutu School of Laguna Niguel, MMA - Beneil Dariush, and Anita Wang, MD.
It was an evening to remember! Check out more about our Gala sponsors (here).
New Volunteers
Jen Leonti’s house was nearly bursting at the seams for our October meeting. We had a huge showing of people - a great mix of the regulars and newcomers. With that came fresh ideas and even some new volunteers!
I am so pleased to announce that we have 3 women who will be sharing the job of Families Helping Families (FHF) Coordinator. Thank you to Anya Daurskikh, Lourdes De Quillen, and Elizabeth Hanauer for stepping up to the plate. (No pun intended, I promise.) For those who are unfamiliar with the program, FHF is a free meal delivery to proud new moms and dads in the club.
A giant thank you goes out to Jill Epple for helping to split the oh-so-important task of Sponsorship Coordinator with Nancy Fisher. This job is right in Jill’s wheelhouse and there’s no doubt they will make a great team!
Jen Leonti is at it again. We are so grateful to Jen for heading up the club’s first Big Kids group for those with older children. And we’ve had a Book Club revival with thanks to Tiffany Crawshaw. We’re looking forward to some good reads.
This club is entirely run by volunteers and we couldn’t do it without the amazing women and men who offer to help!
AND, DON'T FORGET...
Birth Announcements
Have a new baby and want to share your excitement with the club? Email Ali Del Rosso at alexandria_sue@hotmail.com to have your announcement appear in our next newsletter.
Meals for New Parents
We offer a free meal to the parents of any LBPC family bringing home a new baby. Parents can choose from several restaurant and menu options. The Club takes care of ordering the food and delivering it to your doorstep. Contact Nancy Fischer at nshehadey@yahoo.com for details.
When: Thurs, Jan 26 (8-10pm)
