NEIGHBORS

Bleu Cotton and Alison Pierce of Blue Cotton Photography in Costa Mesa

were invited as the keynote speakers to the Federation of Filipino

Photographers’ PhotoWorld 2000, a convention held in Makati City. Cotton

and Pierce participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the event’s

opening with Philippines Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. ... Girl

Scouts Troop 2331 of Costa Mesa provided food for the volunteers working

at the Wallace Avenue site of a Habitat for Humanity construction

project. Among those lending a hand were troop leaders Laura Wells and

Tiffany Gecsey, and scouts Priscilla Avila, Madison Gecsey, Rachelle

Wells, Lauren Kipp, Kylie Crivello, Michelle Eastman, Blaire Paiso, and

Nina Wood. ... The “Evening of Memories” gala that was held earlier this

month to honor Maureen Reagan raised $90,000 to provide services for

Orange County families affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Honorary

co-chairs of the event were Lori Warmington of Newport Beach and Peter

Villegas of Los Angeles. ... The presidential campaign of Sen. John

McCain (R-Arizona) in Orange County has chosen Laura Dietz of Corona del

Mar to head its effort in Newport Beach, Corona del Mar and Newport

Coast. Dietz was a member of the national campaign staff for President

Richard Nixon from 1971-1973 and is active in many Republican women’s

organizations ... The Garden Grove Unified School District has appointed

Newport Beach resident Virginia Lombardi principal of Santiago High

School. Lombardi replaces George Willson, who is retiring after 41 years

with the district.

* NEIGHBORS spotlights achievements in the community. Please direct

noteworthy information to Alex Coolman via fax at (949) 646-4170; or send

e-mail to o7 dailypilot@latimes.comf7 .