Serving for Santa

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Volleyball players fill Santa’s sleigh with gifts for the Spark of Love toy drive, led by the fire department.
Volleyball players fill Santa’s sleigh with gifts for the Spark of Love toy drive, led by the fire department.

Almost 100 players participated in the Polar Bear beach volleyball tournament and toy drive at Main Beach this past Saturday, Dec. 9.

With a toy as entry fee, players filled five large boxes with gifts for children for the fire department’s Spark of Love drive, says tournament organizer Kirk Morgan in a statement.

“We’re proud to partner with the Laguna Beach Fire Department for the fifth year on their toy drive,” said Morgan, who thanked community services staffers Alexis Braun and Adam Gufarotto and others for assistance.

A division winners, from left, Milos Rousek, Paul Ocker and Jessica McLeish with Fred Heim
A division winners, from left, Milos Rousek, Paul Ocker and Jessica McLeish with Fred Heim

Winners of the “A” division were Milos Rousek, Fred Heim, Jessica McLeish and Paul Ocker, who received highly coveted reindeer antler hats of champions. Winners of the social division and the equally prized reindeer baseball caps were Niv Caviar, Mark Loper, Sue Williams and Jillian Wenk.

Even sponsors included Skyloft, First Bank, Inn at Laguna, Stan Shuster, Blair Applegate and many others.

Social division winners, back row from left, Dean Steidle, Mike Finn and Mark Loper; front row, Lisa DeGroot, Therese DeGroot, Sue Williams, Jillian Wenk and Niv Caviar.
Social division winners, back row from left, Dean Steidle, Mike Finn and Mark Loper; front row, Lisa DeGroot, Therese DeGroot, Sue Williams, Jillian Wenk and Niv Caviar.
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  1. A big thank you to the City for all they do to support beach volleyball in Laguna, especially the storied Laguna Open Men’s and Women’s pro tournaments in May and June. The men’s tournament is the world’s longest running Open, or highest level, beach tournament and will celebrate its 64th annual contest on June 2 & 3. The Women’s Laguna Open will celebrate 45 years on May 12.
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    Organizers offer “A thousand thanks to the tireless work by Alexis Braun and Adam Gufarotto at Community Services. And to the added support of Christa Johnson, Patty Slowsky, Mariann Tracy, Steve Dicterow, Kelly Boyd, Toni Iseman, Rob Zur Schmiede, Bob Whalen and Patty Quilter all help us put on events the community can be proud of. We’re proud to partner with the Laguna Beach Fire Department for the 5th year on their toy drive and thank you to Pat Cary of the LBFD. “Our community and tournaments couldn’t exist without the support of local businesses and groups and so a great big thank you to Jonathan and Simon at Skyloft Bar and Restaurant for always supporting our programs.”

    The organizers went on to offer gratitude to Therese DeGroot and First Bank for sponsoring teams, The Inn at Laguna that provides rooms for the Open champions, plus a big thank you to Stan Shuster, Blair Applegate and Pacific Coast Wealth Management and the hundreds of big and little things he does, Lindy and Jolyn Clothing, Tina Durham and the good folks at Tommy Bahamas, Dave Kamena and Plastic Clothing, Krysta Higuchi and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Marivon and Jessica at HighBrew Coffee for their delicious coffee drinks, Mark Christy & The Ranch and Hobies, Dan McInerny and The Ama Olukai Foundation, The Deck on Laguna Beach and Pacific Edge Hotel, JJ Ballesteros of the Ballesteros Group, Brian Lewis, Greg and Barbara McGillivray, Neil Olson and Mago Hot Sauce, Scott Sanchez and The Firebrand Media Group, Chris and Amy (and Rocco!) Keller at Case del Camino and the Marine Room, Rado Dvorsky and delicious Tatra Tea. A special thank you to Mike Finn, Mike Garcia and the Garcia Family, Fahim Fazli, Dean Steidle, Amy and Micah Abbott (the scoreboard angels), Laura Buckle and Laguna Beach Luxury Events and so many others.

    Winners of the hotly contested Open or “A” division were Milos Rousek, Fred Heim, Jessica McLeish and Paul Ocker, picking up the highly coveted Reindeer Antler Hats of Champions. Winners of the Social Division and the equally prized Reindeer Baseball Caps were Niv Caviar, Mark Loper, Sue Williams and Jillian Wenk.

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