Side Notes

Independent staff

NEW MARKET SITE

Beginning Jan. 7, the Huntington Beach Farmer’s Market and Craft Fair

will move to Pier Plaza. The Friday afternoon event is now held on Main

Street in downtown Huntington Beach. The popular event’s new location is

at the corner of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway.

The Farmer’s Market will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 in celebration of

the holidays. For more information, call (714) 536-5542.

WATER WORKS

Earlier this month, the board of directors of the Municipal Water

District of Orange County announced their support for the Safe Drinking

Water, Clean Water, Watershed Protection and Flood Protection Act. Known

officially as Proposition 13, this act will appear on the March 7 ballot

and will focus on a variety of water management and environmental

enhancement programs throughout California.

The $1.97-billion bond will dedicate some 60% of various funds to

Southern California. The Santa Ana Watershed, which includes parts of

Riverside and San Bernardino counties and northern portions of Orange

County, will benefit from $250 million in water quality and water supply

projects and programs. The bond will help clean up Upper Newport Bay.

Flood control in the Santa Ana River Mainstream project is also on the

list.

HOLIDAY HELP

The Catholic Charities of Orange County are looking for participants for

this year’s Adopt-A-Family for Christmas. The organization is asking for

donors to provide gifts for their “adopted” family, along with the

makings of a Christmas dinner. The Catholic Charities will also be

holding a Children’s Day Christmas Party, where they will be handing out

gifts to more than 500 children. For more information, call (714)

668-1130.

MASON ASSISTANCE

The second half of the Huntington Beach Masonic Lodge No. 380 food drive

will be held Saturday at the lodge, 601 Palm Ave., Huntington Beach. The

lodge is asking for unopened cans and packages, as well as clean and

usable clothing. All donations will be given to the Episcopal Service

Alliance, a nondenominational charity that donates to the needy. For more

information, call (714) 841-3131.

SEASON FOR FITNESS

Bally Total Fitness is promoting the season of giving this year with its

contributions to the Toys for Tots campaign. Bally’s is offering a 30-day

guest pass to any of its 360 fitness centers with a donation of a new toy

at a Bally’s center before Tuesday.

Bally’s toy drive will serve as collection points for the Marine Corps’

annual Toys for Tots. Bally’s support of this year’s campaign is a part

of the organization’s ongoing program, dubbed “Stronger Communities.”

Through this initiative, Bally’s has donated $10 million worth of

reconditioned fitness equipment, unused fitness apparel and club

memberships to inner city schools, youth-at-risk programs, boys and girls

clubs, police athletic leagues and other community service organizations.

“Our employees and members are always very generous in supporting

community service organizations through grass-roots programs in our

clubs,” said Sonny Reser, the company’s vice president of western

operations. “We’re happy to offer people who are doing a good thing for

other people something good for themselves -- an easy way to get started

on a fitness program.”

Locally, new and unwrapped toys can be dropped off at Bally Total Fitness

Center, 17091 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach. For more information or

other locations, please call (800) FITNESS.

SANTA’S HELPERS

The Fountain Valley Library’s Operation Santa Claus is offering the

opportunity for residents to give back to the community. Donors can take

an Angel Tag from the gift tree and provide a gift to a needy infant,

child, young adult or senior citizen. The gifts will be given to children

who are unable to spend the holidays with their natural families for a

variety of reasons, including neglect, abuse and abandonment. Senior

citizens in need of some friendly cheer and handicapped persons who have

no family or friends will also benefit from donations.

The library asks people to stop by at 17635 Los Alamos St. pick an Angel

Tag from the gift tree and return the tag with an unwrapped gift or check

by Wednesday. For more information, call (714) 962-1324.

FREE BIRDS

Disc-O-Tires -- 17131 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach -- will raffle off

free 10-pound turkeys Saturday. No purchase is necessary and only one

entry person will be accepted. Members of the community can enter the

contest between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. until

drawing time Saturday, at Disc-O-Tires. Winners will be drawn at noon.

For more information, please call (714) 596-0951.

CLASSES AT COMPUTER CENTER

The Computer Training Center of the Huntington Beach Adult School is

taking registration for their next session, which begins Jan. 3. Classes,

geared to meet the needs of novice and experienced computer users, are

offered morning, afternoon and evening. They are offered in either a

lab-style or teacher-directed format. The center is at 16666 Tunstall

Lane, Huntington Beach. Senior discounts are offered for anyone 55 and

older. Call (714) 842-4779 for more information.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Sts. Simon and Jude’s Music Ministry will present their third annual

Voices of the Season Concert. It will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Conducted by Dr. Gary Busby, the program will include a chamber

orchestra, the 80-voice parish choir, children’s choir, the parish hand

bell choir and children’s hand bell choir.

This year, the ministry will introduce its recently formed senior hand

bell choir -- The Golden Bells. After the concert, spiced holiday

wassail, hot chocolate and homemade Christmas cookies will be served.

Tickets may be purchased in advance from the parish office for $10, or $5

for children, and they will also be available at the door.

Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic church is at 20444 Magnolia St., Huntington

Beach. For more information call the parish office at (714) 962-3333.

CELEBRATE WINTER SOLSTICE

Come join in the sacred journey of bringing in the new year and sending

this one off with love ad appreciation. The evening will focus on coming

together as a collective consciousness that can and does make a

difference -- to the world and in our individual lives.

The evening will consist of sacred drumming, a medicine wheel ceremony,

meditation, chanting and toning. The celebration will be held from 7 to 9

p.m., with registration at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Big Spirit Longhouse,

210 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach.

The cost is $10 per person preregistered, $15 per person at the door.

Presenters will be Jim and Anne Kinney of Expanding Visions, Karen

Kauffman of Sacred Inspirations and Julie Johnson of Rainbow Healing. A

percentage of all proceeds will be donated to Big Spirit Longhouse and

Arnie Franke Foundation World Limb Bank. Call (949) 722-1962 for more

information.

GIRL SCOUTS ADVISORY

Girls, age 5 to 17, are welcome to join one of the several Girl Scout

troops of Orange County. Through the Girl Scouts, girls learn

self-esteem, leadership skills and social responsibility, as well as how

to make friends and create lasting memories. Adults are also welcome as

leaders, guest speakers, special event assistants and several other

positions. For more information, call (714) 979-7900.

HELP SEXUAL VICTIMS

Sexual assault can be detrimental to a person’s stability. The California

Service Programs’ Sexual Assault Victim Services and Prevention program

is looking for volunteer sexual assault counselors. With a $35 materials

charge, volunteers receive a 48-hour state-certified training in crisis

intervention, medical procedures, law enforcement procedures, legal

procedures and cultural diversity. Training will be conducted from Jan. 4

through Jan. 25. For more information, call Ronnetta Johnson at (949)

756-0677.

NEW HOURS

The Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has initiated

new office hours. The office will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through

Friday, and the staff will be available on normal work days from 9 a.m.

to 5 p.m.

PARADE THEME

The 96th annual Huntington Beach Fourth of July Celebration has received

a name for this year’s parade -- “Parade 2000, Celebrating the Century.”

The Parade Executive Board announced this year’s theme last month, and

members are asking community members to submit creative logos that best

represent the theme.

Submissions must be in an 8 1/2-by-11 format. The winning entry will

receive $500. The deadline is Jan. 10. Entries should be sent to Fourth

of July Executive Board, Community Services Department, 2000 Main St.,

Huntington Beach 92648. For more information, call (714) 536-5486.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Because the needs of hospice patients and families is growing, the

Companion Hospice of Orange is looking for more volunteers. They are

looking for people with an open smile and caring attitude. For more

information, call Director of Volunteers Jerry L. Peay at (714) 560-8177.

NEW HOME

The Pazanti Home Mortgage company has relocated to its new

state-of-the-art location in Huntington Beach. Pazanti Home Mortgage is

known for providing personalized, hassle-free loans to Orange County

customers. The new location is at 301 Main St., Ste. 207. Family-owned

Pazanti Home Mortgage is dedicated to providing home purchases as well as

refinancing existing homes. For more information, call (714) 969-6000.

COASTAL CALENDAR

In an effort to bring the warmth of the beaches to people every day of

the year, the California Coastal Commission is offering a coastal

calendar featuring award-winning photographs of the California coastline.

The California Coast Year 2000 Calendar features winners from the

California Coastal Commission photography competition. Money raised will

benefit marine and coastal protection and education. Calendars are now on

sale for $10 from the Bolsa Chica Interpretive Center on Warner Avenue.

To have the calendar mailed, the cost is $11. For more information, call

(714) 846-1114.

Several new species of plants were added to the Outer Bolsa Bay wildlife

community thanks to money donated by the Aera Energy LLD. The Bolsa Chica

Conservancy used the $1,500 to plant vegetation like Salicornia

virginica, distichlis spicata and Juncus acutus. The conservancy is also

looking for more volunteers and $1,500 matching funds to enlarge the

revegetation project.

For more information, call (714) 846-1114.