Hard-working women recognized
Barbara Diamond
Six outstanding Laguna Beach women took well-deserved bows Monday
at the annual dinner sponsored by the Laguna Beach Branch of the
American Assn. of University Women.
Iris Adam, Marsha Bode, Julia Johnson, Jeannette Merriliees, Irma
Ronses and Marilyn S. Thomas were honored for their contributions to
the community.
“We like the honorees to fit into the AAUW categories of have
exemplary characters, charming personalities, good looks and
humility,” said outgoing branch President Carol Reynolds, who founded
the Women of Achievement Awards. “We did a wonderful job in selecting
these people.”
Adam was honored for her accomplishments as an artist and teacher
of art, for her long service to the city’s arts commission, as a
founder of the Laguna Outreach Community Arts and as savior of the
Art-A-Fair Grounds. The grounds serve as an art venue and the site of
many community events. The awards dinner was held at Tivoli Too on
the grounds.
“I was astounded when Carol [Reynolds] told me about this honor,”
Adam said. “But now it’s here. Seeing all of you out there. Oh Wow!
I haven’t done anything more to deserve this than a whole bunch of
art people.”
Vera Martinez, director of Orange County Headstart Inc. introduced
Marsha Bode, whose name is almost synonymous with community service.
Bode first surfaced as the director of the Episcopal Service
Alliance center, serving lunch everyday for 20-30 homeless people.
She later became the director of the Laguna Fire Relief Coalition
that evolved into Laguna Beach Resource Center.
She served two terms as President of the Laguna Beach Woman’s Club
and started a holiday program that gives food and presents to 250
adults and children annually.
Education honoree Julia Johnson was recognized for her work in
literacy and reading programs. She was introduced by Janette Mestre
Johnson started the Sunshine Readers program when her daughter,
Candace, was in the National Charity League, a mother/daughter
philanthropic organization. The program now has 200 teenage members
trained by Julia to go to libraries, hospitals and homes to read to
children, the elderly, the handicapped, pregnant women and the
hospitalized.
“If you could see her in her Halloween ‘jammies reading to a group
of enraptured children, and beyond to their parents, you would know
we made an excellent choice tonight,” Mestre said.
Mary Fegraus, the 1999 honoree for her environmental efforts,
introduced 2002 honoree Merrilees, a retired attorney and a
relentless advocate for the environment.
“You don’t just wake up one morning and say, ‘I’m going to save
trees,’” Fegraus said. “You don’t become a conservationist overnight.
“One of Jeannette’s first projects was Crescent Bay Park,” she
continued. “Did you all think it had always been there? It hasn’t.
Then she took on the Brinderson project, now called Smithcliffs.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t. But the project is better for
her efforts.”
Most recently, Merrilees successfully battled the development of a
pricey resort at Crystal Cove.
“Nobody does this kind of project by herself,” Merrilees said.
Honoree Ronses was a shy, timid lady who spoke little English when
incoming AAUW branch President Carol Redford first met her. That is
long behind her.
Ronses graduated from the La Playa Center at St. Mary’s Episcopal
Church, which teaches English to Laguna’s Spanish-speaking residents.
“She went from there to the PTA and then the Cross Cultural Task
Force,” Redford said. “Now she is co-manager of the day labor site.
No matter what she takes on, she makes it bigger than it was.”
Medical services are being introduced at the day labor site and
English as a Second Language classes began Monday.
“Thank you for this honor,” Ronses said. “I want to contribute
even more. Laguna Beach has offered my family so many opportunities.”
Thomas was a teacher for 30 years, and that experience carries
into her volunteer work. She taught at the Ocean Institute children’s
lab, took exhibits in the institute’s Ocean in Motion van to children
with special needs in schools throughout Southern California, wrote
songs for the K-3 program and performed them on her autoharp.
She is a member of the Laguna Beach Police Department’s Citizen on
Patrol program and has taught safety in Laguna Beach schools. She was
awarded the department’s medal of merit.
Thomas also tutored in the El Morro Elementary School bilingual
program.
She also worked with her husband, Les, and Arts Commissioner
Emeritus Doris Shields to establish Concerts in the Park Inc.
“Volunteerism isn’t all about me,” Thomas said. “It’s all about
the team.”
“It’s been said that it takes a village to make a child; well, it
takes a village to make a village,” Reynolds said. “The AAUW was
founded in 1881 to promote equity for all women and girls, lifelong
education and positive societal change. Tonight we are all living our
mission.”
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