Examples of what makes Laguna go

OUR LAGUNA

Teddie and Michael Ray are choice examples of Laguna Beach

residents who fulfill their commitments to whatever cause they

espouse.

“We are so lucky to have Teddie and Michael in our world,” said

Councilwoman Toni Iseman. “They contribute so much, not just to our

community, but outside it as well.”

Last week, Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino

counties honored the Rays with the Choice Award, presented at a

reception at the Hyatt Newporter hotel

“The award is not given every year and only to those who perform

‘above and beyond the call’ in support of our mission,” chapter

President Jane Egly said. “Teddie’s forte is increasing funding and

awareness of our education programs.”

Programs include a teen hotline, a Web site, which offers medical

information on pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, and

alternative methods of birth control, including abstinence. There is

also a teen outreach group.

“Michael actively supports Democratic candidates who are on record

as pro-choice,” said Kim Custer, the counties’ chapter vice president

of community affairs.

Former U.S. Surgeon General David Sapcher was the guest speaker at

the event.

“He is the one who issued the report on the need for education,”

Egly said. “His contract was not renewed.”

Sapcher’s study stressed the importance of comprehensive sex

education for teenagers, Custer added.

This year, for the first time, the chapter sent out questionnaires

to school board candidates requesting their position on sex

education. Responses were few, Custer said.

The question was not brought up in the recent election, although

school board candidates’ positions on choice was raised at the Laguna

Beach Woman’s Club forum.

“Everyone favored it as public policy,” Anne Johnson said.

Sex education is taught in Laguna Beach schools at all levels.

“I wouldn’t call it comprehensive, but it follows state

guidelines,” said Steven Keller, assistant school district

superintendent.

The chapter also conducted a survey of voting parents with

children in public schools. More than 73% of those who completed the

survey supported comprehensive sex education in public schools,

Custer said. The survey also indicated that 87% would vote for a

candidate who supported sex education.

“The notion that this area does not want comprehensive sex

education is just balderdash,” Egly said.

Egly attended the annual reception with her husband, retired Judge

Paul Egly. The guest list also included board member Janice Johnson,

Steve Miller, Kate and George Eastman and former board member Sandra

and Harold Price, Lagunans all.

BOOK OF GOLDEN DEEDS

The Exchange Club of Laguna Beach will honor car dealer Donnie

Crevier with the 2002 Book of Golden Deeds at a luncheon set for

noon, Nov. 21, at the Hotel Laguna.

More than a few nonprofit groups in Laguna Beach have had auction

proceeds pumped up by the donation of a year’s lease on a BMW,

provided by Crevier. He currently serves on the board of the Boys and

Girls Club of Laguna Beach and is spearheading the club’s capital

campaign.

“He was a member of the club when it was on Main Beach, and our

organization is dear to his heart,” Bali Thorn said. “He has brought

us near to our capital campaign goal.”

The public is invited to the luncheon in his honor. Tickets are

$16.50.

Today is the deadline for reservations. Call Katy Moss at 494-4281

or Sandi or Hal Werthe at 494-6016 and indicate if you would like to

contribute a story or memory to the tribute to Crevier.

The Exchange Clubs of America are dedicated to the prevention of

child abuse. The local chapter also helps fund community service

projects.

CAN’T TELL A BOOK BY ITS COVER

No one would think that Bette Anderson’s soft voice, sweet smile

and demur demeanor could harbor notions of mayhem and murder.

“People have layers,” said Anderson, whose thriller, “Close-Ups,”

was recently published.

The heroine of “Close-Ups” is Chris Maple, a freelance

photographer in Laguna Beach with a penchant for resisting advice,

even the most well-meant, that would have kept her pretty nose out of

a murder investigation that is nearly the death of her.

Although the book is set in Laguna, it does not include thinly

disguised local characters, except for the heroine.

Those who know Anderson can easily recognize her personal credo

about the environment mirrored in the person of photographer Maple.

Some of Maple’s strongly held convictions about women’s equality also

have a familiar ring.

Anderson has a succinct way with words. She originally majored in

journalism in college, but later switched to English. She worked as a

librarian in Michigan and at the Newport Beach main library after

moving to California. That is where Anderson met Marianna Hof, now

head librarian in Laguna Beach.

In the book, Maple goes to Newport to do some research, rather

than visiting the Laguna library.

“I regretted that after I wrote it,” Anderson said. “It’s just

that Newport is a city library and it does have a bigger budget, but

not a better staff.”

“Close-Ups” is Anderson’s first novel.

Her short stories have been published in the “Maryland Review,”

“Santa Barbara Review” and other literary magazines.

“I pretty much wrote the book in my head first,” Anderson said. “I

am a photographer and I knew I wanted to use that. I love Laguna and

I wanted to use that.”

The book was a year in the writing. A first version of the book

got tossed.

Anderson does her work in long hand, transcribes it onto the

computer and then edits it.

She belongs to an Irvine Valley College Emeritus writer’s class

that meets from noon to 3 p.m. Thursdays at the Laguna Beach Senior

Center.

“It is billed as a class, but it is really a workshop,” Anderson

said. “We write and then critique one another’s work. It is great to

have a friendly, safe -- by that I mean there are no attacks --

supportive atmosphere.”

The class usually starts with 25 members, but attrition whittles

it down to about 22.

Anderson also belongs to the League of Women Voters and is on the

boards of the Laguna Beach Woman’s Club and Laguna North, the

non-political neighborhood association. She has been a member of the

Laguna Canyon Conservancy since Lida Lenney founded it and a member

of Village Laguna for more than 10 years, the past two as president

of the board.

Green politics is a subplot of “Close-Ups. “

Anderson has lived in Laguna Beach for 15 years with her husband,

Kenneth, to whom she has been married for “more than 45 years.” She

declines to be more specific.

“I think you can get stereotyped,” Anderson said.

Tough to do in her case.

“Close-Ups” was published by Writer’s Showcase, an imprint of

iUniverse Inc., an affiliate of Barnes and Noble.

The 197-page book is $13.95 in paperback, $23.95 in hardback, for

sale at Latitude 33 on Ocean Avenue, Barnes and Noble, Borders and on

the Internet. It is also available at the Laguna Beach Library.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite 22;

call 494-4321 or fax 494-8979.