Boys & Girls Club of Cypress has been recently selected to receive a $1,000 grant as part of the Restaurant Community Grants program from the Darden Restaurants Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of Darden Restaurants.

Now in its fourth year, the grants program empowers each restaurant in the Darden family of brands to help award a $1,000 grant to support local community programs. The donation will help the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress to provide after school homework help, mentoring and enrichment opportunities for club members.

Darden’s Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, Eddie V’s and Yard House brands participated in the program. Many restaurants and brands worked together to award one non-profit organization with a larger grant and make a greater impact in their community. Non-profits receiving grants support one of Darden’s three key focus area which include education, preservation of natural resources and hunger relief.

In addition to the generous $1,000 donation the club will be receiving, the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress has received donations throughout the year from General Manager Tanya Bullard of Olive Garden #1220 in Cypress. Olive Garden has provided food for various club celebrations and will be donating food when the club hosts other Boys & Girls Clubs for a professional association meeting later this month. The food is always a big hit with all who attend club events.

The financial support of the community helps the club serve families in the community, regardless of their ability to pay. Every day after school the club picks up children from school, provides them with a snack, helps them with homework and offers a wide range of special interest science, arts, sports and leadership activities.

For more information about the Darden Foundation, please visit online at www.dardenfoundation.com. For additional information on Boys & Girls Club of Cypress, please visit www.boysandgirlsclubofcypress.com.

The Boys & Girls Club of Cypress recently selected two members as Youths of the Year for 2014. Sal Villa of the Moody Branch and Imani Austin of Club King were selected for their overall involvement in club programs and for displaying excellent leadership skills.

Imani Austin is a 6th grade student at King Elementary School in the Cypress School District. She has been a member for the past five years and is very respectful to staff,  enjoying helping her peers and staff whenever she can.

“Imani has a wonderful attitude and works really hard,” said Club King Site Director Allison Valois. “She is a positive role model at Club King and is always willing to lend a helping hand.”

Sal Villa is an 8th grade student at Lexington Junior High School in the Anaheim Unified School District. He is a natural leader at the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress and plays an active role in many club programs including the Triple Play Leadership Club, a teen service group within the club. Sal volunteers his time to help with club activities and to coordinate events for the younger members.

“Sal is a great kid,” said Site Director for the Moody Branch Samantha Johnson. “He has shown great improvement and really come out of his shell since attending the club. We are so proud to have him represent our club as Youth of the Year.”

Both Imani and Sal will be recognized at the Orange County Youth of the Year recognition event on March 27.

Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. It recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club, as well as overcoming personal challenges and obstacles.

Youth of the Year encourages club members to reach their full potential by achieving academic success, leading healthy lifestyles, and contributing to their communities. Youth of the Year honorees such as Sal and Imani are shining examples and living proof that great futures start at Boys & Girls Clubs.

La Palma Neighborhood Watch honored its district coordinators and block captains at its 30th Annual Appreciation Banquet on Feb. 5 at the La Palma Recreation Center.   Currently there are 36 district coordinators and 164 block captains who help to deliver the La Palma Police Department Community Newsletter, The Source, every month.  Of the 200 volunteers who deliver the newspapers door to door on their streets, about 100 people came to the Appreciation Banquet to enjoy a delicious dinner catered by Jay’s Catering and to receive certificates of appreciation.

The city of La Palma is relatively small in size in miles, but is known for its active community. The Appreciation Banquet gathered many people who are active in different groups in the city to jointly honor La Palma’s volunteers.

District Coordinators of the Year Mary Anne and Willie Ortega called the gathering to order. Ortega is also a Board member of the Neighborhood Watch.

Members of La Palma Explorers Color Guard presented state and national colors with solemnity and precision plus led the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Invocation was offered by Block Captain Bill Meil who dressed in his uniform as a Volunteer in Policing (VIP).  Meil is the 2015 Americana Award Winner for the city of La Palma.

La Palma’s Mayor Peter Kim introduced his fellow city council members, city staff members  and other dignitaries including La Palma Police Department Chief Eric Nunez who was the keynote speaker.  He said that there has been an increase in criminal activity in our state and throughout our nation.  However, he said that the La Palma Police Department is committed to keeping La Palma a safe and welcoming community. He also said the police department is working hard to stop crime in La Palma. He thanked everyone for being part of Neighborhood Watch, and for alerting the police if they saw anything suspicious. He said that the police would rather check on many false alarms rather than have a burglary or other crimes go unreported in La Palma. Nunez had said previously in The Source in January, “If you see something, say something.”

After Nunez spoke the buffet dinner prepared by members of Kennedy and Whitney High School Key Clubs under the direction of Banquet Committee Chairperson Jan Jensen they served Jay’s Catering. The Key Clubs not only helped to serve food and drinks, but also helped with cleaning up the kitchen.

Following the dinner Board Member Noella Lew thanked Board Member Gail Poan for all her work for Neighborhood Watch.  She presented glass plaques to Mary Anne and Willie Ortega for being District Coordinators of the Year. She also presented a glass plaque to Corporal Paul Bracciodieta for being the Most Valuable Police Officer at Neighborhood Watch meetings.  Bracciodieta  often gave important information and advice on how to recognize and prevent crimes.

District coordinators and block captains then received their certificates of appreciation from District Coordinators and Board Members Gail Poan and Sally Hawkins, and also District Coordinator Gil Suniga.

The highlight of the evening was the drawing of the winners for silent auction prizes that were donated by businesses and community members as well as individuals who were acknowledged in the program for the Appreciation Banquet.  The drawings for the donations received for the silent auction, and the 50/50 drawing have been used in the past to defray some of the expenses incurred for Appreciation Banquets or other Neighborhood Watch expenses not funded by the La Palma Police Department and the city of La Palma.

This year the top silent auction prize was a 42 inch television donated by EDCO Waste Management Company. Neighborhood Watch Block Captain Cordell Porter won the television.

The lucky winner of this year’s 50/50 drawing for $215 was Linneta Ruth of La Palma.

As a result of the generous donations and support of the community, the La Palma Neighborhood Watch plans to award a $250 scholarship to a student at Kennedy High School for the first time this year. It will be awarded to a student who volunteered or did community service in the school or in the city. Board members hope to continue to present a scholarship of similar amount each year with successful fundraisers.

La Palma Neighborhood Watch was established in 1983 by residents of La Palma who believed in the slogan, “An Investment in Time for Peace of Mind.”  It continues today with residents taking the time to deliver the community newsletter to all residents of La Palma, and to those attending the monthly meetings of the Neighborhood Watch.

The Neighborhood Watch works with the City of La Palma, especially the La Palma Police Department to help prevent crime in La Palma. They work together to keep residents informed about city news as well as other important events such as new laws, emergency health alerts, police department incident reports, and the dates/times of La Palma City Council meetings. The La Palma Police Department sends representatives Captain Jim Engen or Corporal Paul Bracciodieta as liaisons to these meeting to educate residents about police activities in La Palma.

The La Palma Neighborhood Watch Board members invite residents of La Palma to come to their monthly meetings on the second Wednesdays of the month at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers in La Palma City Hall at 7822 Walker Street in La Palma. For more information about La Palma Neighborhood Watch, please contact Board Member Gail Poan at 714-821-8042 or email her at sr*****@***il.com.

Former Los Alamitos Police Chief Robert Cabot, who served the City of Los Alamitos during the 1970’s, died from natural causes at the age of 90 on Jan. 28.

Cabot had a distinguished law enforcement career that began in 1948 with the Long Beach Police Department. He was hired in 1957 at the rank of Sergeant by the City of Garden Grove when they formed their own police department, and was promoted to Captain only after two years. At times he served as Garden Grove’s acting Chief of Police.

Cabot joined the Los Alamitos Police Department (LAPD) in 1970 when he was hired as Assistant Chief under Chief Roy Kundtz. In 1974, when Kundtz accepted the police chief’s position in Carlsbad, Cabot became the LAPD’s third Chief of Police, a position he held until his retirement in 1979.

During his entire tenure with the LAPD, Cabot and his wife, Faye, chose Los Alamitos as their home to raise daughters Lori and Becky in the Suburbia Estates neighborhood.

Not only known as a dedicated professional throughout his law enforcement career, Cabot was regarded by those he worked with as a devoted family man. When speaking of his former boss, retired Commander Gary Biggerstaff said he always had a fond friendship with Cabot, and respect for him that that extended well beyond the job.

Current Los Alamitos resident Marillyn Whitman, who was Cabot’s secretary at the LAPD recalled, “He was the sweetest, gentlest man. I really enjoyed working for him. He was a good one.”

Stellar philanthropic youth shined at The Youth Center’s 3rd annual A Night Among the Stars “Together We Make A Difference” awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Marina Center in Seal Beach.

More than 130 people gathered to recognize the outstanding achievements of 16 young community volunteers who all received certificates and letters of recommendation from The Youth Center along with State Senate certificates presented by local city dignitaries.  Two stellar volunteer nominees were recipients of $500 scholarships each.

“Making a difference in the lives of youth can only be deemed a worthwhile endeavor, yet when youth such as these become involved with and give back to those from which they receive, that is stellar,” said Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme. “Our nominees truly make a lasting difference in the lives of our community. Volunteers are so important.  You are never too young to make a difference”

Marty Thompson of the We Care Family Resource Center in Los Alamitos said she thought the awards ceremony is awesome as she had a nominee, Jaelyn Sagen, who at age 6 was concerned for the homeless. She then went on to raise more than $5,000 at a lemonade stand over the last four years to benefit them.

Another nominee was Yasmine Goulhiane who helped the Seal Beach Lions Club by giving the gift of sight to the needy. She was involved with helping them provide free eye exams and glasses.

Yet another nominee was Girl Scout Daisy Allison Head who made a difference in the lives of military service kids by helping to send toys, snacks and care packages to them. Her fellow Girl Scout Junior Hannah Grace Sokol also helped to provide 275 pounds of food donations to the Orange County Food Bank as well as food for the We Care Family Resource Center in Los Alamitos.

The 2012 stellar volunteer scholarship award winner, Evan Jenkins of the Seal Beach Leo’s, then presented this year’s scholarship winners, Andrew Turner and Jennifer Lang, with checks for $500 at the awards ceremony. Turner spoke of his “Suzie Project,” fondly. He said he was in a Starbucks in 2012 when he was feeling loss in humanity after the Sandy Hook tragedy, when a woman came from out of nowhere and gave him $20. The random act of kindness inspired him to pay it forward and help low-income people along a local bus route by giving them care packages.

The Youth Center congratulates all 16 nominees including Allison Head of Los Alamitos (Girls Scouts Daisy), Andrew Turner of Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos High School), Brook Denny of Los Alamitos (Casa Youth Shelter), Erin Henkhaus of Rossmoor (Girls Scouts Ambassador), Gustavo Hernandez of Cypress ( Grateful Hearts), Gwyneth Poetsch of Los Alamitos (Girls Scout Cadette), Hanna Grace Sokol  of Rossmoor (Girls Scout Junior), Jaelyn Sagen of Los Alamitos (We Care Family Support Center), Jaymn Singh of Cerritos (The Youth Center), Jennifer Lang of Long Beach (Seal Beach Lions Foundation), Melissa O’Gorman of Los Alamitos (Casa Youth Shelter), Miranda Keller of Los Alamitos (The Youth Center), Shannon Kilmarx of Long Beach (Precious Life Shelter), Siobhan Allen of Seal Beach (Los Alamitos High School), Victoria Elias of Stanton (Los Alamitos High School), and Yasmine Goulhiane of Whittier (Seal Beach Lions Foundation).

Los Alamitos Mayor Richard Murphy and Seal Beach Mayor Ellery Deaton were in attendance. Murphy said he was happy to be involved in the awards ceremony and that anytime the community has young people succeed, that everyone wants to be involved in recognizing them.  He also said that he thought that the Youth Center played an important role in the development of youth, and that recognizing the youth for all the work they do is important. Also in attendance were Los Alamitos Mayor Pro Tem Troy Edgar, Los Alamitos City Council Member/Youth Center Board of Director President Shelley Hasselbrink and Council Member Dean Grose.

Los Alamitos Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Sherry Kropp said of the awards ceremony, “What I love is recognizing young people who have such big hearts in giving back to the community. I love it, and it’s a privilege for me to be here for this celebration.”

LAUSD Assistant Superintendent of Education Services and Los Alamitos High School Principal Joshua Arnold was also in attendance and said “A big part of education is what you do with it. It’s really incredible what these young people give back to the community. It’s really cool, and we will see them continue doing this for years to come.”

The Youth Center wishes to give a special thanks to the Seal Beach Lions Club for hosting this year’s award night, and who volunteered more than 120 hours to bring this beautiful event to the community.

The Youth Center has started accepting applications for nominations for A Night Among the Stars 2016. For more information, contact Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme at li**@************er.org.

Cypress Mayor Rob Johnson delivered his State of the City address and presented Business of the Year awards at the Cypress Community Center on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

The California Federation of Women held its district council meeting on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim. In addition to organization business, the Greater Federation Women’s Club/California Women’s Club announced the winners of its statewide photography contest. The Woman’s Club of Cypress took home 40 percent of the awards. Winners include:

Gina Cheifer – 1st Place: Living Things – color

Judy Wagner – 1st Place: Living Things – black and white

Gina Cheifer – 1st Place: Scenes – color

Carol Marsh  – 1st Place: Still Life – color

Judy Wagner – 3rd Place: Scenes – color

“It was very exciting to have five members from our club recognized for their outstanding photography skills,” said President Joyce Grohmann.

Nancy Soltes, a Gold Star Mother and Director of Fisher House, was the guest speaker. She discussed how for more than 25 years, Fisher House has without charge helped families of returning veterans including:

Facilities designed as “houses” that feature private bedrooms and communal areas for families to stay together while a loved one is being treated at nearby locations.

Comfort homes when the Fisher House cannot accommodate everyone in need.

Its Hero Miles Program is where passengers donate frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members.

The Hotels for Heroes Program is where guests can donate hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers.

And to grant programs that support other military charities as well as scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans.

About Woman’s Club of Cypress

The Woman’s Club of Cypress is a member of General Federation of Women’s Clubs, California Federation of Women’s Clubs, and its Orange District. For more information about joining, please contact Joyce Grohmann at wj********@***oo.com or 714-827-2966.

Cypress Mayor Rob Johnson delivered his State of the City Address and presented Business of the Year awards at the Cypress Community Center on Jan. 21.

Mayor Johnson’s speech recounted many of Cypress’ strengths including a 17 percent year-over-year drop in serious crime as well as a vibrant, thriving business base with strong leadership and city management reflected in the city’s conservative fiscal policies and prudent budgeting.

In 2014 the City of Cypress was ranked as the eighth best place to raise a family in Southern California by an online financial advice website.

Johnson’s address focused on the long-standing tradition of dedicated volunteerism in Cypress. He highlighted residents and community volunteers from the Cypress Senior Center, the Cypress Community Festival Association and other groups such as the Friends of Cypress Recreation & Parks, Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club.

“Corporate volunteerism is also alive and well in Cypress,” said Johnson who recognized Van’s volunteer efforts and Bandai’s generous contributions to community non-profit groups. Johnson also recounted his work on the Habitat for Humanity project in Cypress, and thanked Habitat for its efforts to provide homes to deserving families.

He commended the various groups of volunteers that support city services.  The Volunteers in Policing (VIP), Chaplains, and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) contributed more than 4,000 hours in 2014.

“I would like to thank these volunteers for their efforts,” said Johnson. “They contribute immensely to the overall safety of the community and save thousands of taxpayer dollars.”

Three businesses were honored during the event with the Annual BRACE, AGENT, and SPIRIT Business of the Year Awards.  Additionally, Johnson awarded a special recognition to Yamaha Motor Corporation in honor of their 35th anniversary in Cypress.

The recipient of the BRACE Business of the Year Award was Los Alamitos Race Course. In attendance to receive the award was Dr. Edward Allred.

Los Alamitos Race Course recently expanded its operations to include thoroughbred racing and brought fame to the community as the home of California Chrome, 2014 Horse of the Year and winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Los Alamitos Race Course also contributes to the community through its annual sponsorship of the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress’ Fundraising Event and provided seed money to establish the Challenger Baseball program in Cypress.

The AGENT Business of the Year Award was awarded to SoCal Office Technologies.  President David Riener was in attendance to receive the award. SoCal Office Technologies is an industry leader and has been providing document asset management solutions since 1977. SoCal Office Technologies pioneered the PrinteGration™ Workflow Assessment and has an expanding presence in the fields of digital imaging and 3D printing.

The recipient of the SPIRIT Business of the Year Award was Brain Rehabilitation and Injury Network (B.R.A.I.N.). Founder and President of B.R.A.I.N. Sue Rueb accepted the award on the organization’s behalf. B.R.A.I.N. is a non-profit organization with the mission to advance the highest level of research, recovery and residual care for adults who have sustained a brain injury. They provide services without regard for a client’s ability to pay for service.

“Clearly this is a phenomenal organization that not only services its client’s needs but also exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism that we are recognizing today,” said Johnson.

He concluded the event with a presentation of special recognition to Yamaha Motor Corporation in honor of its 35th anniversary in Cypress.

Yamaha constructed its national corporate headquarters in Cypress in 1980. They were the first corporate tenant in Cypress’ business park and laid the foundation for its future development.

“I am honored to recognize the anniversary of this milestone achievement and thank Yamaha for its commitment to the Cypress community and wish them continued success,” stated Johnson.

For more information regarding the City of Cypress, the BRACE, AGENT, and SPIRIT programs, other city services for the business community, or for information on how to relocate your business to Cypress, please contact Redevelopment Project Manager Steve Clarke at 714-229-6728.

A video of the Mayor’s State of the City Address can be found on the city’s website at www.ci.cypress.ca.us.

Highlights of the past year were the focus of the Los Alamitos State of the City Address on Jan. 27, but it was a video produced by the staff and students at Los Alamitos High that stole the show.

It was a song and dance number set to the music of the Meghan Trainor hit song, “All about that Bass.” The chorus of the song was altered to “All About Los Al, ‘Bout Los Al, Go Griffins!” The video included the students, sports teams, and even a singing and dancing Principal, Joshua Arnold.

The school gave the original version to city staffers who added some highlights of the city, including the City Council doing the wave across the chamber Dais. The video is viewable on YouTube. While the video provided the best entertainment, Mayor Richard Murphy provided the city highlights.

Notables for the city in the past year included the opening of 96 new businesses, a ranking of 9th best cities for families and successful parks and recreation activities for the community. Among them would be the annual Winter Wonderland event, Fourth of July celebration, Trunk or Treat Halloween event and the Easter Egg Hunt.

“Recreation and community services is really what this city is all about,” Murphy said.

Winter Wonderland, in it’s second year, drew a huge crowd this year, and grew to include a full street of food, entertainment, child play activities and the return of the snow play area. The Christmas Tree lighting also gave the community a focal point of the holiday season.

“Winter Wonderland was just beyond belief this year,” Murphy said.

Murphy noted that the city also issued 369 new building permits last year, saw an increase in property values of $106 million and a 40 percent reduction in Part 1 crimes. The Los Alamitos Police Department continues to work on self improvement, as noted by Murphy, who said that all of the sworn officers on Los Al PD now hold bachelor’s degrees and three have attained their master’s.

Murphy also said the city was able to pay down its pension liability in the past year, paving the way for a better fiscal situation for upcoming years. Last year also saw the completion of phase I of Los Alamitos Medical Center’s expansion. Murphy said the start of phase II speaks to the continued growth potential of the city. Murphy closed his remarks by noting the contribution of the many volunteers within the community, who work to keep the city moving in a positive direction. He noted the volunteer group who spent many years trying to save the St. Isidore Plaza as part of the city’s heritage. That group was finally able to secure purchase of the property from the Diocese of Orange, and insure that local residents will maintain control of its future.

“It shows what a small group of committed citizens can do,” Murphy said.

Link to LAHS video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZdiFuGu9rA

The Youth Center in Los Alamitos announces Scott Newton as chairman for their 18^th Annual Community Support Campaign which kicks off on March 31.

“I am honored to be selected as this year’s Campaign chairman,” said Newton. “I have been involved with The Youth Center in one way or another for more than 17 years, and this year I get to share many of my great experiences with the community.”