If residents see some city staff and police officers with questionable facial grooming hygiene during the month of November, they shouldn’t be alarmed. In an initiative to raise awareness of cancer, men’s health, and to support charities related to cancer research, the Laguna Beach Police Department and some City Hall staff are participating in “No-Shave November” with the endorsement of the command staff and city manager.
The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing men’s hair, which many cancer patients lose, by letting it grow freely. It aims to educate others about cancer prevention, saving lives, and aiding those who are currently fighting the battle with cancer. No Shave November will contribute to aiding three different charities: Prevent Cancer Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer, and St. Jude Children’s Hospital. For more information, visit no-shave.org.
Pam Estes Honored at Laguna Hero Fest
The chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach received the 2019 Community Hero Award from the My Hero Project last weekend. It was the 12th anniversary of the Laguna Hero Fest, which honors individuals and organizations who have made contributions to the Laguna Beach community
Since Estes joined the Boys & Girls Club in 2001, the number of youths served has risen from 850 to more than 4,000. She and her 50-person staff have created a safe space for local school kids to learn, play and grow, a statement from the Club said. The Club offers team sports, gardening, art education and STEM programs. Summer camps and field trips are designed create a sense of community and promote a love of learning.
The event included art activities, live performances and the screening of this year’s winner of the People’s Choice Award at the My Hero International Film Festival, ‘Made in Madras,’ the story of a teenage soccer player living on the streets in India.
Boys & Girls Club Seeking Holiday Donations
The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach invites the community to participate in their Holiday Blue Door campaign. Photo courtesy of Boys & Girls Club
The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach invites all to participate in their Holiday Blue Door campaign. “Our Holiday Blue Door campaign is a special time when we ask the community to contribute to the amazing impact our Club has on the lives of kids and teens,” Pam Estes, chief executive officer of the Club said. Those interested in contributing to can visit www.bgclagunabeach.org or call Michelle at 949-715-7584 to make a tax-deductible donation.
Laguna Local Honored at National Philanthropy Day Awards
The Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) recently announced that Laguna Beach resident Keith Swayne, board member and chair from 2017 to 2019—was honored as Orange County Philanthropist of the Year at the OC Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ National Philanthropy Day Awards luncheon on Nov. 14.
“With a warrior’s heart for the most vulnerable in our community, Keith has been a vanguard of Orange County philanthropy,” said Shelley Hoss, OCCF president and chief executive officer
Swayne grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Santa Ana and was first in his family to graduate high school and attend college. He served four years as a Navy officer, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. Following his military service, he built a food company, Case Swayne, which later became a subsidiary of Bestfoods/Unilever. As chief executive officer at Case Swayne he strove to provide economic opportunity to others—including starting a scholarship program available to the families of employees.
After his corporate career, in which he served on several nonprofit boards, Swayne and his now late-wife Judy founded the Orange County Community Foundation in 1989 and formed The Keith and Judy Swayne Family Foundation in 2005. Since then, the Swayne family has made grants supporting Orange County organizations committed to creating improved opportunities and addressing inequities, including OC Human Relations, Human Options, Boys & Girls Clubs, and OCCCO, among others.
In recent years, Swayne has focused on supporting efforts to identify a cure for Alzheimer’s; his wife died in November 2014 after a prolonged battle with the disease. After personally experiencing the toll that Alzheimer’s exacts on both patients and families, Swayne collaborated with UCI MIND to work toward a cure.
Public Invited to Hear ‘Blues for Hard Times’
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Laguna Beach (UUFLB) invites the public to join its members on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 10:30 a.m. as Peter Dobson performs soulful blues on his guitar and brings new insights to the topic of hard times and the blues as expressed through music. Dobson is a virtuoso guitarist and long-time Laguna resident. UUFLB is located at 429 Cypress Drive. For more information, visit www.uulagunabeach.org.
Shop Local on Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday will take place Saturday, Nov. 30, in Laguna Beach. The shopping holiday is aimed at supporting small businesses during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. For a list of participating local businesses, visit www.thinklagunafirst.org/participants.html.
PTA to Host Night of Wellness Dialogue
The Laguna Beach Unified School District, in partnership with the Challenge Success Student Club, invites parents and students, grades 6-12, to a discussion on Dec. 4 about topics related to student wellness, providing parents with student perspectives on sources of stress. The evening offers a forum to brainstorm ways of de-stressing students’ lives. LBHS library doors open at 5:30 p.m. and refreshments will be served. The discussion begins at 6 p.m. RSVP to [email protected].
R Star Receives Gift from Philanthropists
The Laguna Beach Soroptomists, a nonprofit that promotes education for girls, has awarded $1,000 to the R Star Foundation. “The work of R Star is quite similar to Soroptomists by those we help and work with here and abroad,” said R- Star founder and Laguna local Rosalind Russell. “We are like-minded in our goal of eliminating the heinous sex trafficking trade and lifting women and children while providing education and better living.”
Soroptomist president Michaela Jeppson presented the award to Russell at the club’s Nov. 18 meeting. A brief presentation was given by Russell, who was dressed in a kurta swari, authentic Nepalese clothing. She invited the Soroptomist Club members to volunteer in a number of capacities with R Star.
Russell can be reached at 949-497-4911 or [email protected].
Brooks Street Postponed Until 2020
Organizers have announced that the waiting period for the 56th running of the annual Brooks Street Surfing Classic has officially closed for the year, as the surf conditions never materialized in order to run the classic. The annual Brooks Street Surfing Classic will look to resume in the summer of 2020 with the waiting period for the 56th running re-opening on June 1. Call 949-497-0788 for more information.
