Newport-Mesa community shares its thankful thoughts

Long life, good friends, much travel

I have lived in the same house since 1958. I am a lady, 94 years old. I have had a good life. I have two children, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

I worked 11 years for the Newport Beach Library system. I was the head librarian for Mariners Library, which opened April 1, 1968, and I am looking forward to the opening of the new library that is bring constructed. I made many friends with the patrons of the library; among them was the movie star, Claire Trevor.

I have traveled to many countries, including New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, Singapore and Tahiti.

During the bicentennial celebrations, six of us flew to New York and spent a month visiting the historic spots of the East Coast. Of the six people who went, I am the only one left of the group. My husband, Cecil H. Manell, now deceased, took many cruises. My son, Harris, and I are going on a cruise to Mexico after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

ADELLE MANELL

Newport Beach

Generations of love

I am thankful for caring, supportive friends, the many freedoms we enjoy in this country, the health and vitality of my 93-year-old mother, the love and caring of my family and most of all for the love of my wonderful, thoughtful daughter.

VONNA HAMMERSCHMITT

Newport Beach

Third-grade gratitude

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Pat McLaughlin provided the following contributions from her third-grade class at Mariners Elementary School.

I am thankful for living right now. Do you know why? I was very small when I was a baby. My weight was 2 pounds, 12 ounces. I am thankful because I am very healthy.

I can do one-hand cartwheels, and if I fall, I just will get up and do it again.

My dad is on crutches, so I help get him food, drinks and fruit. I am thankful that I can help. I can help clean my room, and my dad’s and my brother’s room.

I am thankful that I can do my work in school, and I try to bring my homework on time.

I try to be thankful for everything.

KENDALL ABBEY

I am thankful for my friends, families and the turkey. I am also thankful for nature. I am also thankful for my brother and sister. We’re going to celebrate Thanksgiving together. I am thankful for Thanksgiving.

J.D. STARRETT

My name is Andy, and I’m thankful for food, water and America. I am thankful for books and schools, parks and bikes. But, I am most thankful for my life.

ANDY GUTIERREZ

I am thankful for learning different things and going to school. I try very hard to read a lot of really, really big books.

ANDREW CURTIS

I am thankful for the Army. I am thankful for the Army because I feel safe when they fight for our country. I’m also thankful to the Army because they save our country. But our Army saves all kinds of countries. We have the best militaries. I like Veterans Day because that’s the day we celebrate the Army. Go Army!

SETH ECKBLAD

I am thankful for my family and that I am able to play sports. I am very thankful for my dad. I don’t have a mom -- my dad does everything for me. I mean I love him a lot. He takes care of me. He lets me play soccer. I am glad I have a great life. I am thankful that my dad takes care of me.

COLLIN ROWE

I am thankful for food because we would be starving. I am thankful for my dad because I have a pretty house. I am thankful for my mom because she has been a good mom to me.

JOURNEY IVERSON

I am thankful for food and the people that I meet. I am thankful for my house and my bed. I am thankful for my friends and family. I am thankful that I can read and play. I am thankful for day and night. I am thankful for Thanksgiving Day.

MATTHEW LOBDELL

I am thankful for the people who fought in the war. I am thankful for nature and the people who grow plants. I am thankful for animals. I am thankful for trees because they give us air and food.

COLE CASSIDY

I am very thankful for my friendly family, friends and pets. I am truly thankful for the brave people who fought, and who are fighting, in the battles for our country. I am happy and thankful for my warm cozy house that I live in.

Also, I am very thankful for everybody who has helped me with anything, like my teacher or my family or maybe even a friend.

I am thankful for anybody who has been nice to me or been a friend.

EMMA ERICKSON

I am thankful for my parents, God, Mrs. McLaughlin, my brothers, my grandma, grandpa and my cousins. That’s what I am thankful for.

KATIE DUHOUX

I am thankful for Thanksgiving, turkeys, us, our teacher, our pets, our family, our school, our principal, our friends, for stuffed animals, the people that fought in the Army, the Native Americans and the Pilgrims.

MATT WIESNER

I am thankful for being able to cut the turkey on Thanksgiving. I am thankful for God and for nature too. I am thankful for going to church every Thanksgiving.

QUINTON NGUYEN

I am thankful for people that protect the world. I am thankful for my good report card. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for God. I am thankful for my good life. I am thankful for America. I am thankful for school. I am thankful for my dog. I am thankful for Pilgrims. I love Thanksgiving!

KIERSTYN YARDLEY

I am thankful for having my best friends Mizuki, Megan and Jamie. I’m also thankful for having such a wonderful mom and dad and the rest of my family members. I’m thankful for being an American. I’m thankful for my friends, family and teachers. I’m thankful for America!

SULLIVAN LONG

I am thankful for us living in such a nice state. I think California is the best state in the whole wide world.

I am thankful for having cars, trains, buses and boats. I am thankful for having stores.

The thing I am most thankful for is that we have holidays. We are very lucky.

BRYANT PUTNAM

I am thankful for my mom and dad. I am thankful for my best friends Hannah, Alyssa, Jamie and Sullivan. I am happy and thankful for books and cursive writing. I love and am very thankful for my brother and my whole family.

I am also thankful for trees because they make air. I am thankful for my toys and house. I am thankful for my oldest brother who’s in the Coast Guard.

But, most of all, I am proud and thankful to be an American.

MEGAN MORICCA

I am very thankful for my life and for those veterans that suffered their way through war to keep us alive. I am very thankful for the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, and SEALs.

I am also very thankful for being a winner, not a quitter, just like the saying, “Quitters never win and winners never quit.” I was able to have a victory in my hockey game and make it to the championships.

I am definitely thankful for my family, ancestors, aunts, cousins, grandparents, and my very nice friends. I am also very thankful for Jesus, who kept us living. Again, I am thankful for my life!

KAITLYNN BELL

Civic engagement

A year ago the editors of this newspaper published a commentary of mine in which I listed lots of folks in our area for whom I was thankful. Since that time, though, much water has passed under the bridge -- both literally and figuratively. I’m thankful to have survived rain amounts not seen in this area for 100 years.

Of course, I remain thankful for my lovely and very patient wife, and for my supportive family and friends who tolerate these excursions along the fringe of literary lunacy. The creation of my web log, www.abubbling cauldron.com, earlier this year has tested their patience to a much greater degree.

I’m thankful for the men and women in uniform who volunteer to serve this country in dangerous places around the world and at home. Their selfless sacrifice for the safety of this country brings a lump to my throat as I contemplate those they leave behind, and particularly as this holiday approaches.

I’m still thankful for the folk in our community that keep the wheels of progress rolling, even if I don’t agree with some of them. I’m still thankful for our city staff, and particularly City Manager Allan Roeder, who -- as Byron de Arakal so eloquently stated a few weeks ago in his commentary -- manages to keep this city afloat and on course.

I’m thankful for the few voters who managed to find the time to turn out for our past few elections. Because most of the registered voters chose, for whatever reason, to avoid the polling place, we now find ourselves saddled with a majority on our City Council determined to deny the realities of life today and try to turn the clock back a half century.

I’m still thankful for our neighbors who take the time to follow issues and express themselves in writing to this newspaper and others that serve our communities. I’m grateful to those newspapers, and particularly the Daily Pilot, for the efforts it makes to present viewpoints on all sides of every important issue. Without that balance, few of us would have a clue about important things that affect our lives.

Next year, I hope to be able to reflect on the November 2006 elections, knowing that a record turnout of informed voters made solid choices and returned this city to the hands of mature leaders with the interests of all residents in mind -- not just the self-absorbed, narrowly focused, vocal few.

May your Thanksgiving holiday include a full stomach, a tryptophan-induced stupor and eyes glazed over by too much football. Happy Turkey Day to you all.

GEOFF WEST

Costa Mesa

Turkey Day birthday

I’m particularly happy on Thanksgiving Day because it is my birthday this year and Thanksgiving Day has always been a favorite holiday. I am very thankful for my children, my grandchildren and we all have good health.

BETTY BERISH

Newport Beach

First-grade gratitude

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Miss Jawor provided the following contributions from her first-grade class at Harbor View Elementary School.

I am thankful for my home. I came from Iran. Now I

live in Newport Beach. I like it!

FARBOD

I am thankful for teachers. They are nice to me.

They go to school to teach.

ALEXANDRA

I am thankful for soldiers. They are the

nicest people. They are the greatest.

EVAN

I am thankful for my family. I’m thankful for my

family because they love me. And they cheer me up, and

I like it so much. I cannot believe they do that!

BIANCA

I am thankful for Miss Jawor. Miss Jawor is the best

teacher. She is proud of my work. Miss Jawor is the

best teacher in the whole wide world.

PAXTON

I am thankful for the U.S. Military. Why? Because they

protect us. I think they are brave.

ROBERT

I am thankful for God for making us. He made the trees

and plants. God is very nice because he made us. He

chooses the weather. It could be windy, it could be

sunny, it could be stormy, or it could be a storm with

thunder, lightning, wind and rain.

MAKAELA

I am thankful for my parents because they take care of

me. I love them and they love me.

LUC

I am thankful for my dog because I love my dog. She

plays with me. We like each other.

WILL

I am thankful for my family. My family helps me. My mom

helps me with my homework. My dad helps me with

basketball.

FAITH

I am thankful for my cat! She is nice! I play with my

cat! I love my cat!

FIONA

I am thankful for the ocean. The ocean is nice, and I

like the ocean. I like to go there.

JAKE

I am thankful for my family because I love them. My

family takes care of me. I like my family. My family

likes me.

PETER

I am thankful for school because I love to do math! I

like to read books! I like to learn!

DANIEL

I am thankful for my friends. I am thankful for my

teacher. I am thankful for my house. I am thankful for me.

MASON

I am thankful for my school. My school teaches me. I

have friends at school. I do stuff at school.

HELENE

I am thankful for my nice food because I grow from my

food. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for my

family because they love me.

MICHELLE

I am thankful for the troops in Iraq. You know why I

am? Because I hope the troops will fight really well!

The uniforms show they are the troops.

EMILY

Surviving cancer

I am thankful to my oncologist, Dr. Neil Barth, and his staff for the outstanding care they gave me during my chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. I am thankful that my treatment has successfully placed my cancer in remission. I am also thankful to my husband, Tom, my children, Ryan, Sarah and Andrew, my parents, siblings and friends who have given me the love support I needed to get me through this time in my life. Amen!

RENEE HOOVER

Newport Beach

God and family

I am thankful for so much, but most of all, I am thankful for our family -- Peanut, Emmy and Buddy, our kids who bring us unending joy; Dad, the most incredible husband and father on earth, who works so hard for us and loves us so much; Phyllie and Grommy, who raised Dad and me with strong, loving foundations upon which we have built our family; and to God, whose love surrounds us and who has blessed us with our treasured family.

All my love to each of you,

Mom

KATHY WESTERVELT

Newport Beach

The whole wide world

I’m thankful for family, pets, food and drinks, trees, my house, love from my family and friends, and the world.

MEGAN KEYS, 7

Newport Beach

Lots of things

I’m thankful for my family and friends, pets, hope, peace, home, trees and flowers, animals, and faith and love.

PAGE KEYS, 10

Thankful for the basic needs

I am thankful for my family, food, clothes and toys.

ZACHARY BLAINE, 6

Costa Mesa

Big Easy, big tom

I am thankful the people in New Orleans are doing better, and I am thankful for turkey.

ABBY BLAINE, 4

Costa Mesa

Be thankful for

your mom

What I’m thankful for this year is my mom, because without my mom I don’t know how I could survive. My mom is the most caring and most wonderful mom that any one could have, and I’m glad to have my mom in my life. If you had a mom like mine, you will never hate her even though you say so.

I’m glad that I have my mom by my side to take care of me when I’m sick, make me my food, and tell me to clean my room.

Everyone should be thankful for their mom because she gave birth to you; she also fed you and let you grow in her stomach for nine months. You should always thank your mom.

You should be very thankful that you have a mom because there are some children in the world who don’t. So be very thankful to your mom.

And to a mom, the best present is a hug, because money doesn’t even stand a chance with your love to your mom. Be thankful to your mom.

CYNTHIA VARGAS

Costa Mesa

Joe Ayala, left, and Patti Urquilla register Shalimar residents to receive food boxes and turkeys from CM900 members. 20051124iqfmxhknPHOTOS BY COURTENAY NEARBURG / DAILY PILOT (LA)Ugalia Paz bends kneels to pray over the food brought by CM900 to the Shalimar Learning Center for the neighborhood. 20051124iqfmweknPHOTOS BY COURTENAY NEARBURG / DAILY PILOT (LA)Ugalia Paz bends kneels to pray over the food brought by CM900 to the Shalimar Learning Center for the neighborhood. 20051124iqfmwuknCOURTENAY NEARBURG / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa Planning Commissioner Bruce Garlich lends a helping hand to CM900 in the Shalimar neighborhood Tuesday.