Thanks for all your help

At the Costa Mesa Senior Center, we strive to make a difference in the lives of others. Our resolution is to continue working hard to make our seniors’ lives happier and healthier.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our donors who helped us financially during the year: Adele and Craig Alterman; Ms. Audrey Steele Burnand; Mrs. Frances Burton; the city of Costa Mesa; Comcast Cable; the Daily Pilot; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Folino; Mrs. Paula Fowler; the William Gillespie Foundation; Arlene Hazelrigg Risk Management Services; the Department of Community Medicine at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian; Ms. Leslie Holland; Ms. Edie Kemp; Mrs. Ron Linsky; Ms. Ida Mendoza; the Newport Harbor Lions Club; Richard Reinhardt; the Richard and Elizabeth Steel Foundation; Richard and Emiko Schowengerdt; Surat Singh of Angels Auto Spa; Mr. Bill Turpit; and the many others who contributed to make our annual campaign the best it has ever been: We raised $86,000. Please remember us in the year 2006 as we start our annual campaign, and watch for our upcoming fundraising events.

Thanks to everyone who helped make our Christmas brunch such a success. We served approximately 200 seniors. Brunch was prepared by Mike Schaefer and Bruce Garlich and staff. This year the seniors had fun being served by the firefighters from the Costa Mesa Fire Fighters Assn.

Also a special thank you to those who contributed to our fourth annual Christmas gift chest. Every senior went home with a gift for the holiday. Thanks to the Associated Students of Orange Coast College, for all the warm blankets; Kline Private School, for taking the time to bake such wonderful boxes of cookies; Costa Mesa city staff for collecting gift certificates; and Mr. Surat Singh for delivering a beautiful Christmas tree. Gift certificates came from George Cote, Emery Financial, Bruce Garlich, Del Heintz, Scott Roberts and family, and Joan Weeks.

The center will be closed Jan. 16 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

* AVIVA GOELMAN, the executive director of the Costa Mesa Senior Center, will write occasional columns about the center, its members and senior issues.

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