Feedback -- There’s always someone missing from DP 103

Every year, you guys never cease to amaze me with your decision-making

regarding the DP 103. First of all, I didn’t know that the definition of

people was shark -- or well maybe it could be if you wanted to use it in

the reference to a lawyer. The thing that’s beyond my understanding is,

how is it you have missed all of the great teachers we have in the

community?

You have two great police officers that you have in here, but you have

them down so far on the list it’s not even funny when they should be at

the top. You lack any realism when it comes to influential people, or do

you know what the definition means? People who influence people are

teachers of the world. People who donate money are philanthropists.

That’s grand, but it’s the people who really do a good job for our

kids and things, the parents of those kids, the people who help out at

the schools. All of those people are the ones who need to be recognized.

PAUL DAVIS

Newport Beach

My wife and I have been meaning to submit the name of Debby O’Connor,

executive director of FISH-Harbor Area, for the past several years. Debby

has been the director for some 10 odd years and seen it grow from a small

three-person operation to one that now employs about 9 or 10. About 500

volunteers assist the paid staff to accomplish the organization’s

mission.

Although FISH has not been as visible as some of the other social

welfare organizations in the area, it has been serving Newport, Costa

Mesa and Irvine communities since 1968.

During the past several years, Debby has directed a major expansion of

the Mobile Meals program, which was instituted with Hoag Hospital a

number of years ago. The program now provides meals every day to some 90

elderly homebound individuals.

Also, Debby was an important element in the formation of a coalition

(FISH, SPIN, Human Options and Mercy House) that desired to avoid

duplication of services and provide their clients with a full range of

services provided by the coalition’s agencies. Some of these services

include: programs for those in need of addiction rehabilitation; spousal

abuse; utility and rental assistance to prevent homelessness;

transitional housing; distribution of food, provide in-home financial and

job counseling to jobless and low income families and individuals;

transport elderly to medical facilities; and conduct holiday “adopt a

family” programs.

We believe many of the current and past board of directors and/or FISH

volunteers would concur with our nomination of Debby O’Connor.

KAM and BETTY GLEASON

Newport Beach

I feel you’ve overlooked, for many years, Anthony S. Manrique,

Executive Director of the All American Boys Chorus. Tony, along with

Music Director David T.R. Alublario, manage and run a tuition-free

program that provides boys ages 8 through 15 with unbelievable

experiences and training.

Presenting hundreds of professional concerts each year, it is the

training in discipline, altruism, community service, mentorship, personal

responsibility, patriotism and morality that makes the program they run

so noteworthy, in my opinion.

Right now, the touring chorus is in the Southeast part of the United

States fulfilling their commitments to the tour, which had been scheduled

prior to Sept. 11. If you’ve ever heard them sing “God Bless America” or

“I’m Proud to be an American,” you know this tour is bringing their

audiences together in an inspiring way. Tony and David are the selfless

foundations of the chorus.

Check out the Web site at o7 https://www.allamericanboyschorus.orgf7

for more information. (The Chorus headquarters is in Costa Mesa at the

Orange County Fairgrounds). I feel honored to know these men and truly am

grateful that one of my sons is a member of the chorus.

ELLEN MILLER

Newport Beach

Pastor Chuck Smith lives in Newport Beach with his wife of 52 years,

Kay. He is the founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, which began

in 1965 and is now considered one of the 10 largest churches in the U.S.

From this original church, more than 1,200 other Calvary Chapel churches

have started throughout the country, as well as several hundred more on

six continents. Calvary Chapel is a nondenominational church movement and

is considered to be one of the largest church groups in the United

States.

Pastor Chuck is a world recognized speaker and author. He can be heard

on his daily radio show, “The Word For Today,” on hundreds of stations

throughout the world and also hosts a daily radio call in program called

“To Every Man An Answer.”

Calvary Chapel has its own radio station, KWVE, which has been

consistently rated as one of the top religious broadcasting stations

(teaching/music) in the country by Arbitron. They also have established a

satellite radio network (CSN) with over 300 stations throughout the

country.

Pastor Chuck is also president of the Calvary Chapel Bible College in

Murrieta, which has more than 600 students on its main campus and several

thousand more at extension campuses throughout the U.S. and world.

I consider Pastor Chuck Smith to be one of the more influential people

in the country and thought he should have been included on your

Untouchables list.

BONNIE O’NEIL

Newport Beach