Singling out single dads

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- When Anthony Walker tries to do something fun with

his daughter, Jasmine, the 4-year-old’s quick to make suggestions.

“I like to go to the pool!” she yelled as she climbed over her dad’s

sofa.

The ocean’s OK, too, but “I don’t like salty water, I like clean

water,” she said.

Walker, who’s divorced from Jasmine’s mother, spends time with his

daughter twice a week and every other weekend. While he lived in San

Clemente, it wasn’t hard to arrange outings with friends and their kids.

But when he moved to Newport Beach a couple of months ago, he began

digging around for single dad groups -- and couldn’t find any.

“There are lots of things for singles, single women and single moms,”

he said. But nothing for the likes of him.

He checked on the Internet and called the Newport Harbor Chamber of

Commerce. He talked to someone at the city’s community resources

department who could point him to recreational activities. Nothing,

though, that’s specifically geared toward single dads and their kids.

That’s when he decided to take the initiative. He’s made reservations

at West Coast Highway’s Margaritaville for May 21 and hopes other dads in

similar situations will come along to share ideas.

Walker hopes to make outings a central component of Single Dads of

Newport Beach.

“It would be fun to just get together,” he said. “Meet some guys, pool

our kids and have fun.”

He also thinks the group could offer a forum for lone fathers to

exchange information on child care.

From his own experience, he knows that men who become single dads

after a divorce struggle with legal issues. Others, who might find

themselves alone with their kids after the death of their spouse, likely

face the challenge of managing their kids’ lives and taking care of their

medical problems.

While the first meeting’s simply that -- a chance to meet -- Walker

plans to set up regular sessions and invite doctors, lawyers and folks

from the city to talk about concerns of single dads.

“Maybe I’ll get a huge response,” Walker said. “We’ll see.”

FYI

Walker’s Single Dads of Newport Beach group will have its inaugural

meeting at 7 p.m. May 21 at Margaritaville, 2332 W. Coast Highway.

Information: (949) 307-8542.