Around Town: Kids lacing up for ‘Walk to School’ days Oct. 6 and 13

The city of Costa Mesa, in partnership with Newport-Mesa Unified School District elementary schools will be conducting Walk to School Days Oct. 6 and 13 to promote healthy living and pedestrian safety.

Students and families will be joined by teachers, city staff and leaders, Costa Mesa Police Department employees and members of Costa Mesa’s Bikeway and Walkability Committee members, as they walk to and from school.

NMUSD’s College Park, Kaiser, Woodland, Pomona, Rea, Sonora, Victoria and Whittier elementary schools will mark the occasion on Oct. 6. Students from Adams, California, Killybrooke, Paularino and Wilson elementary schools will participate the following Wednesday.

Now celebrated in 40 nations across the globe, Walk to School Day was established in the United States in 1997.

Today, the event is coordinated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School. For more information, visit walkbiketoschool.org.

Kate Cohen: ‘Explanation of the Doodle’ exhibit

Festival of Arts exhibitor Kate Cohen will have a collection of colorful doodle works on display at the foaSOUTH gallery in Laguna Beach through Jan. 20.

The exhibit is titled “Kate Cohen: Explanation of the Doodle,” a series initially inspired by her effort to find joy while fighting stage IV head and neck cancer.

“It’s truly an honor to be featured at Festival of Arts’ foaSOUTH gallery,” Cohen said in a statement. “To be given the chance to share my work so that a person can get a full understanding of my creative voice … it really does mean everything.

“This is a very personal and vulnerable series for me. My intention when people look at the Doodle Series is that they feel joy, because that’s why I started to doodle. I needed to feel joy and I needed to giggle.”

There will be an opening reception for the exhibit on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. The foaSOUTH gallery, at 1006 South Coast Highway, is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Admission is free.

Orange County Soccer Club receives recognition

Orange County Soccer Club was recognized by the Orange County Board of Supervisors with a resolution during the most recent board meeting this week.

The resolution, presented by Supervisor Don Wagner, pointed to the organization being “a positive, unifying force in the community.”

“These folks have been not just exemplary on the field of play, but out in the community,” Wagner said prior to moving the resolution.

“This is an organization that gives back to the community in many, many ways, inviting young people in, teaching them not just the game of soccer, but the skills to compete in life, and to win and to lose gracefully.”

Jeff Garner, Orange County Soccer Club’s president of business relations, reacted to the news in a statement.

“It is a great honor for the club to receive this resolution from the county,” Garner said.

“OCSC’s primary goal has always been to be a positive force in the community and an asset to Irvine and greater Orange County. To be a vital part of our community, we have always strived to provide not only entertainment, but also valuable services for the soccer community of Orange County and support for the businesses of Irvine.”

Friends of Huntington Beach Public Library plans virtual author event

The Friends of the Huntington Beach Public Library will have a live Zoom talk with New York Times bestselling historical novelist Lauren Willig on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Willig’s book “Band of Sisters,” based on a true story, highlights a group of young women from Smith College who risked their lives working as humanitarians in France during World War I. Free registration for the talk is available on Eventbrite.

For more information on future events, visit fotlhb.com.

Huntington Beach Art Center Family Arts Day upcoming

The Huntington Beach Art Center is holding a free Family Arts Day on Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Family Arts Day will feature hands-on projects, food and beverage vendors, and live music and dance performances. At least eight different arts media projects will be offered for kids.

The Art Center, at 538 Main St., traditionally holds its Family Arts Day in October, as part of National Arts Month.

Newport Beach fire station to host Fire Service Day event

The Newport Beach Fire Department and Firefighters Assn. will be hosting Fire Service Day at Newport Beach Fire Station #7 on Acacia Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 10 in Santa Ana Heights.

The free event coincides with Fire Prevention Week.

Interested visitors will be able to learn about fire safety and see live demonstrations of vehicle extrications and fire-related scenarios and educational booths staffed by community volunteers.

Organizers said there will not be station tours this year in light of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

O.C. Community Foundation’s Branson named nonprofit ‘CFO of the Year’

The Orange County Business Journal recently named Tracy Branson, chief financial officer of the Orange County Community Foundation for the past 30 years, as ‘CFO of the Year’ in the nonprofit category, an award that recognizes those who support excellence in financial reporting and organizational ethics.

Since 1991, Branson has helped OCCF emerge as one of the largest and fastest growing community foundations among a nationwide network of 780.

She has helped the foundation grant more than $200 million in the past two years and has had a hand in awarding a cumulative $830 million to nonprofits in Orange County and around the world.

City of Costa Mesa seeks resident input on Pedestrian Master Plan

The city invites community stakeholders on Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to attend a virtual meeting to discuss proposed recommendations to improve citywide walkability and share what’s most important to them.

Participants will learn more about the Pedestrian Master Plan (costamesaca.gov), the goal of which is to make it easier, safer and more comfortable for people to walk, commute and recreate as they navigate to schools, local businesses and other destinations.

The proposal is intended to address community values around healthy living, sustainability and economic vitality.

Visit online at zoom.us. A call-in option is available at 1 (669) 900-6833, Webinar ID: 982 5155 7097, Passcode: 506054. Live Spanish interpretation will be provided.

—Daily Pilot Staff

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