COMMUNITY SERVICES
Shipley Nature Center 1st Annual Spring Festival - On Saturday, April 29, the Friends of Shipley Nature Center will host the First Annual Spring Festival at the center beginning at 9 a.m., and admission is free. Activities include a continental breakfast ($5 donation suggested), California native plant sale, information fair with displays, demonstration gardens dedication, and music by the Fifth Wheel Bluegrass Band. A habitat tour begins at 12:30 p.m., and the festivities last until 2 p.m. The nature center is located at 17829 Goldenwest Street.
Junior Lifeguard Program Tryouts - Tryouts for boys and girls ages 9 through 17 for the Junior Lifeguard Program will take place at Fountain Valley High School Pool from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., on May 6, 13, 20, and 21. Applicants must have a basic swimming ability and be able to swim 100 yards in less than a minute and fifty seconds, tread water for five minutes, and swim underwater for approximately ten yards. The Junior Lifeguard Program begins in June.
Easter Hunt - Successful! - On Saturday, April 15, the Community Services Department and the Huntington Beach Kiwanis Club hosted the 16th Annual Easter Hunt. The event drew large crowds with approximately 5,000 people attending. Children up to eight years of age collected 1,500 pounds of candy. There were also wonderful displays by several departments within the city. Children were invited to climb on various equipment and vehicles provided by the Public Works, Fire, Marine Safety, and Police Departments. The City Clerk's Office, Municipal Employees Association, and Fire's Hazardous Materials Division had displays and information. Various games, prizes, and crafts were available for children of all ages. The Shorelife Church Band provided entertainment throughout the day. A visit from the Easter Bunny, along with Sparky and other characters, made it a perfect day for the children. The threatening clouds disappeared, and it turned out to be a beautiful day in Central Park. Everyone is looking forward to next year!!!
Holiday Meals - On Easter Sunday, nine senior services volunteers delivered a holiday meal to 70 frail or elderly clients who were alone on the holiday. Norm's Restaurant provided a delicious ham meal at cost. The National Charity League gifted each senior with a goodie-filled Easter egg, and local Girl Scout Troops crafted Easter cards. The seniors appreciate the brief visit and smiles of the volunteers and their families as much as the special meal. One senior called to thank the volunteers for the meal and said, "I loved the meal and the Easter kisses in my egg and it was really sweet that the little Girl Scout signed my card!" Huntington Beach Senior Services deliver Holiday Meals on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Easter. The Handy Crafters and the Huntington Beach Council on Aging fund the meals program.
Earth Day Beach Cleanup - On Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to noon, volunteers will be meeting on the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier to help clean the city beach. Free parking will be available at First Street and Pacific Coast Highway. Simple Green, co-host of the beach cleanup, will be holding a raffle for all volunteers at the end of the day. Simple Green has sponsored the Adopt-A-Beach Program for the last 20 years, and on Saturday representatives will be awarding $1,000 checks to the 19 non-profit groups that have been cleaning the city beach for the last five months. For more information on volunteering for Earth Day Beach Cleanup, please call Tim Turner at 536-5614.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Fire at Hebrew Academy - Employees of the Hebrew Academy School located on Willow Street noticed that their playground equipment had been damaged by fire. The Rabbi contacted the Police Department to investigate the scene, and after they arrived they requested the assistance of a Fire Department investigator. Together with assistance from the patrol officer and their crime scene investigator, they determined that the fire was intentionally set. Evidence was collected at the scene and booked into evidence. Possible suspects were seen in the area by the school's security cameras. The playground equipment was approximately five years old and cost $50, 000. Approximate damage from the fire to the equipment was estimated at $5,000. The investigation is continuing.
PUBLIC WORKS
Reminder - Earth Day/Arbor Day Is This Saturday - This Saturday, April 22, the city's Public Works Department and the Huntington Beach Tree Society are commemorating Earth Day and Arbor Day with a project to beautify our city. The beautification project is scheduled for Saturday from 9 - 11 a.m., at 18381 Goldenwest Street (Disc Golf parking lot). The community is invited to participate. Eagle Scouts will be planting 66 trees and dozens of native plants along Goldenwest Street between Ellis and Talbert Avenues. Public Works, the Huntington Beach Tree Society, West Coast Arborists, and the county of Orange will be conducting conservation demonstrations and distributing "green" information to the public. Plan to stop by and help with the planting or visit the information booths. Volunteers should wear clothes appropriate for gardening, and closed-toe shoes are mandatory (no flip-flops please). Volunteer registration starts at 8:30 a.m. For more information, please contact Debra Jubinsky at 374-5321, or Randy Menzel at 536-5480
Weekly Report Archive 2006 2005 2004
