Foothills Sentry June 2021

Foothills Sentry Page 10 June 2021 From left, Elks Brian Fitzpatrick and Exalted Ruler Paul Pelasky with Sam Johnson. Tustin Dems to host DA candidate Pete Hardin, a former judge ad- vocate in the U.S. Marine Corps, deputy district attorney, and spe- cial assistant U.S. attorney, will talk about his campaign for Or- ange County district attorney at the June 22 Zoom meeting of the Tustin Democratic Club. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. It will also feature Tustin’s own Lee Fink, a longtime voting rights advocate and lawyer, who will talk about the upcoming con- gressional and legislative redis- tricting, and how the community can make sure that the Citizens Redistricting Commission draws districts that truly represent Tus- tin’s values. The club had a busy spring informing Tustin citizens how to access the vaccine. To connect with fellow Democrats, see Tu- stinDemocraticClub.org. Foothill students commemorate AAPI Heritage Month The Foothill High School Stu- dents Activist Club created 10 posters for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, which were displayed on all school campuses in the Tustin Unified School District during the month of May. Each poster included an image of an important figure, a motiva- tional quote and a brief caption. The figures on the posters cov- ered a wide variety of achieve- ments, including those in the fields of business, film, govern- ment, music, science and sports. To celebrate cultural diversity, club members also included the national bird and flower of the Asian country from which each figure received their heritage. All posters were original and designed by Foothill club mem- bers to celebrate the diversity within the TUSD community and encourage students to reach their fullest potential, especially aca- demically. The Foothill Students Activist Club consists of over 60 students who encourage their peers’ inter- ests in a wide variety of social is- sues. Through passion and team- work, the club’s goal is to create a more inclusive environment in the Tustin Unified school com- munity. The poster project was coordinated by Club President Bella Noriega, a junior. Irene Gardner, a resident of Orange since the 1950s, celebrated her 99th birthday with a friends and neigh- bors drive-by, May 15. Gardner is known for handing out treats to the neighborhood dogs along the route she traverses using her walker. The pups joined in the celebration. Irene and her husband purchased their home on Rose Avenue when it was surrounded by orange groves. She has been a local celebrity ever since. Despite the pandemic, Villa Park High School French Club students, under the direction of teacher Madame Fatima Pazargardi, coordinat- ed their 15th annual French Wedding, al fresco, in less than 10 days. The event, conducted completely in French, was replete with flowers, confections, crepes, ring bearers, a flower girl, music and pageantry. As “father of the bride,” Principal Dr. Kenneth Miller escorted Jar- etzhi Reyes down the aisle to meet her groom Meena Salib. The event included a speech by French Club President and coordinator Emily Vu, music by the VPHS Madrigals and Brianne Kang. Maid of honor was Gillian Pascual; bridesmaids included Vu and Colette Enge; best man was Thomas Wheelock; groomsmen included Nathan Jones and Ian Jones; Madame Marx acted as mother of the groom; Gwen Hodson was the officiant. Seen here, bride Jaretzhi Reyes and groom Meena Salib with Madame Fatima Pazargardi. VP Rotary announces essay winners Chad Zimmerman, Youth Ser- vices chairman for Rotary Club of Villa Park, announced the winners of the organization’s an- nual essay contest. Middle school students are invited to submit an essay on “What the Rotary Four -way Test Means to Me.” The Cerro Villa Middle School winners were: Jocelyn Huang, first place, $200; Cardin Chiem, second place, $150; Piper Yohm- an, third place, $100; and Hana Mohammad and Nicole Najera, honorable mention, $50 each. Elks help veterans Elks Lodge 1475 works with the Orange County Rescue Mis- sion to aid men, women and chil- dren from many walks of life. Some are highly educated; many are survivors of abuse, addiction and abandonment. The people at the Rescue Mission could be a former neighbor, coworker -- or perhaps a family member. The goal is to treat each person with respect and dignity. Fifteen of the lodge members prepared a barbecue dinner for the mission families, including lemon chicken, burgers, beef hot dogs, and a selection of sides and desserts. The Elks also provided games and educational toys for the children. The Elks National Veterans Service Commission awards Freedom Grants of $2,500 to 350 Elks Lodges for projects or dona- tions that will serve veterans and active-duty military members. Orange Elks received the grant, and donated $2,500 to the Orange County Rescue Mission. Each year, the Orange Elks Lodge Veterans Committee pres- ents a scholarship to help a veter- an with education expenses. Sam Johnson, an Army veteran work- ing on his master’s in theology, was the recipient of the $1,475 scholarship check this year.