August 2009 Archives
Help Somebody Ministries sponsors a clothes giveaway every other month at 2091 Lewis Ave. in Long Beach. On Aug.22, we sponsored a Clothes and School Supplies Giveaway. God truly blessed us to be a blessing ... we gave out 85 backpacks and school supplies, along with many, many clothing items and shoes. You can see our Web site at www.helpsomeministry.com.
... Pastor Kimberlyn Jones
Members of the Long Beach Fire Department Kid's program, composed of on-duty and off-duty members, participated in the annual Beach Fest Day at Miller Children's Hospital.
A large conference room was transformed into a tropical beach setting, with the backdrop of a sizable screen projecting moving fish amongst a coral reef. There were balloon dolphins floating through the air, plastic lobsters and crabs on the tables, kiddie pools on the floor, and even food shaped like sea creatures.
Members from the LBFDKid's and Miller Hospital greeted the children wearing straw hats and leis, and then escorted the children to various activities. Their first activity was to pick either a visor or plastic fire helmet to decorate, which they wore throughout the event, and to receive their very own book bag, with ``goodies'' provided through the generous donations received by the LBFDKid's. Pictures were then taken in grass skirts, between two blown up palm trees, and some of the children chose to hold or pet one of the two ``comfort dogs'' in their pictures
Kids played games, stopped at a face- painting station, and even saw a large blown bubble presentation. This is a fun event for young and old, and the hospital staff was very gracious in expressing their gratitude for the LBFDKid's participation at this event.
The next scheduled LBFDKid's event is the Halloween Trick or Treat Day on Oct.31 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
LBFDKid's volunteers visit the rooms of all the children and then lead a parade throughout the hospital, where children dressed in their costumes trick or treat throughout the facility.
Former residents of Long Beach and Lakewood Marks Lee and Dorothy Willett, were honored in an open house reception held in the Oregon Medford Masonic Lodge on Aug. 15.The event was given by their four daughters, Jackie Reichard, Jo Bonde, Margaret Alfaro, Marsha Marolda, and granddaughter Gina Healey. Also present were five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
The Willetts were raised in West Virginia, where they were married on Aug. 20, 1939. They moved to Long Beach in 1946 and raised their family. In 1973, they retired and moved to Cave Junction, Ore.
The Crazy Horse Monument, still under construction, looms behind Darlene Kribell of Long Beach and her granddaughter, Ashley Kribell of Lakewood. They were visiting the Black Hills of South Dakota in July.
Darlene Mee and Peggy Folger Miller have been best friends since Rogers Middle School days, and they took a recent journey to New Zealand. They're checking out the steaming mud flats in Rotorua, at the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland Park.
Lauren and Matthew Harting and Shannon Flynn celebrate the Lakers NBA championship during a stop in front of the Maryland State House in Annapolis on their annual history-themed trip. George Washington came before Congress there to resign his commission in the only state Capitol building that has served as the nation's Capitol.
This is a story of love on several levels.
My son and grandson, John and Joey Murtaugh, had their heads shaved on St. Baldrick's Day at Recreation Park to help raise funds for children's cancer research. They were motivated to join the campaign by Joey's St. Cyprian schoolmate, Aaron Rutz, whose story as a pediatric cancer survivor has been in the Press-Telegram in the past. This is John's second year of sacrificing his locks. Joey, 10, is looking forward to doing it for six more years so that he can then become a Knight of St Baldrick's. Mmm-mmm, love is wonderful.
... Shirley Murtaugh, Signal Hill
This is a photo of our grandson, Gabriel Murphy, who was 19 months old at Christmas time. He is watching his father, his grandfather and his great-grandfather put together his new wagon. It appeared to me as though he was the one supervising the project. This is a very special glimpse of four generations all working together, and I call it "The Murphy Men at Work.''
... Pamela Martin
Here I am in June, visiting the Neolithic Village, Skare Brae, dating to before the pyramids at 3100 B.C., on Orkney Island in the United Kingdom. It was very beautiful ... the ocean was blue, the sky was blue and the grass was very green. Just lovely!... Shellie Low, Bellflower
The Murray Family of Long Beach traveled to Washington, D.C., for spring break. Ali and Aidan Murray are on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, with the National Mall and Washington Monument in the background.
Roy Hansen of Lakewood and Shirley Reinhart of Huntington Beach view the ancient ruins of Ephesus in Turkey, one of many interesting historical sites visited on their recently completed 12-day vacation that began in Rome and included a 10-day cruise of the Greek Isles.
Kenneth and Jennifer Koh visited their daughter, Tricia, at Mililani on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Here they are at the Mililani Town Center on June 8.
Spring Break in Machu Picchu, Peru. Back row, left to right: Luis and Olga Rivas of Downey, Mark Veal and Liz Bonnaud of Long Beach, Juan and Ruben Trejo of Bellflower, Myrna Foster of Hesperia and John Trejo of Bellflower. Front Row: Patty Trejo of Bellflower and Stephanie Rodriguez of Downey.
The Los Altos Cal Ripken Dodgers battled through the top three teams from Simi Valley and Los Altos to win the TOC for 2009. Eight of the 12 players will be moving on to the next level of baseball as they leave a program that some have been playing in for eight seasons.(Left to right) Back row: Coaches Paul Semonsen, Chris Whitt and Manager Ben Goldberg. Center row: John Leonard, Jake Oliver, Christian Skinner, Josh Goldberg, Treavor siebert, Donnavan Shipley. Front row: William Semonsen, Caleb Smith, Jimmy Martin and Max Whitt.
Our "furry therapist'' Moo Moo enjoys watching over her humans from the safety of her cat perch in our living room. The nightly ``Moo Moo Show'' involves chasing toys, invisible monsters, and defending our home from dogs that dare to walk by her window.
Most of the time this is the angelic face we see. She brings us hours of laughter, love and peace.
... Martee and Steve Nott, Long Beach
Lawrence and Lillie Mae Brewer will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary Friday. They were childhood sweethearts and married at the age of 20 and 18. They lived in Amarillo, Texas, for the first 13 years and had 4 children. In 1952 they moved to Long Beach, and in 1954 they bought their Long Beach home, where they continued to raise their four children and where they still reside. Their oldest daughter, Ora (known as Sugar), lives in Long Beach; their oldest son, Jim, lives in Thailand; their youngest daughter, Serita, lives in Laughlin, Nev.; and their youngest son, Robert, passed away in 1999.All four of their children graduated Lakewood High. They have 12 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.
Richard and Pamela Kelly of Long Beach, recently visited Malta. Here they are in front of a cathedral in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk (Mar-zuh-shlock).
Joan Delgado of Paramount in front of the visitors center in Vancouver, British Columbia, in October of last year.
The Quinteros in Hawaii for St. John Bosco's first game of the season. 
Susan Golden, daughter of Sara Colon and Steve Shumaker, was taken at the Great Wall of China in March during a family vacation. 
This is our little firecracker, Chico. We adopted Chico on May 23, and he is our little star in our lives. He is a rescue dog, and we love him lots.
... Irene Oliger, Lakewood
Kimberly Lovejoy, second row center, spent her last day visiting Agape Home adn School in Kenya "watching my guys" win a soccer tournament.
Well my friends, I have returned to our USA safely after six weeks in Kenya. For those of you who didn't know, I extended my stay a few weeks.
Although I'm ``home,'' it feels I've left a portion of my heart in Kenya with a group of boys that simply won my heart and a soccer game on my final day that I will not forget. My last day in Kenya was spent watching my guys at the Agape Home and School win a soccer tournament in their final game, 7-2, that will take them to the finals. They played with such spirit and truly ``showed off'' for me, the Mazungu (white person), who did her best Swahili cheers indeed.
Some of the boys wrote me letters that I wasn't to open until on the plane. They made me tear up, and wouldn't you know, I'm sitting next to the cutest guy from London with an argyle sweater tied around his neck. It was like a scene from a comedy. I'm sure he thought something tragic had just occurred in my life and was so kind to me, offering me his pillow, blanket, Kleenex, anything I'm sure to get me to stop weeping next to him.
I look forward to catching up and sharing with all of you my adventures! Thank you again for your support, prayers and encouragement on this life-changing journey. I will never be the same!
... Kimberly Lovejoy
Students at Stowers Magnet School of International Studies entertained more than 500 people at their second annual International Festival with food booths, crafts, a silent auction and entertainment representing the seven continents. Since all students at Stowers learn Spanish, the kindergarten students showcased their internationalism by performing the Mexican Hat Dance, as the community came out on May 29 to share in this special event.... Coletta Preacely-Garcia, Magnet Coordinator and Assistant Principal
From left to right, former Lakewood residents Dan and Connie Pritchett, now of Texas; Gary and Barbara Long of Lakewood; Donald and Karen Long of Bellflower; and John and Eleanor Mehler of Lakewood; visit the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand, during a recent trip to Australia and New Zealand.
Alex Johnson of Long Beach is a second- grader at Kettering Elementary School. Here he is visiting Osaka Castle in Osaka, Japan, in April.
Elaine and David Karber of Long Beach took a moment during a recent New York City trip to stop by this sycamore tree that stood in the courtyard of St. Paul's Chapel. It was uprooted during the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.
Mary Kelly of Long Beach and Luz Shaw of Lakewood, during a sunset at Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, in March.
