Charity League daughters thank their moms

OUR LAGUNA

“Thanks for the Memories” could have been the theme song for the

local National Charity League’s annual luncheon held at the

Ritz-Carlton.

Tributes paid by senior daughters to their mothers highlighted the

afternoon, which is a culmination of six years of collaborative

community service. Jennifer Elizabeth Hart, Katherine Anne Olsen,

Melanie Taylor, Alexandra Lele Phelphs, Ashley Lauren West, Natalia

Lucia Browne and Shannon Elizabeth Fuszard of Laguna Beach were among

the 20 seniors in the local chapter who presented roses to their

mothers and expressed their love and appreciation for years of

guidance and support.

The National Charity League is a philanthropic organization of

mothers and daughters who donate a certain number of hours of service

to the community each year. Mothers are called Patronesses, daughters

are Ticktockers.

In the 2002-03 service year, members of the Laguna Beach chapter

donated time to such local organizations as the Boys and Girls Club,

the Laguna Beach Youth Shelter, Senior Nutrition, Meals on Wheels,

the Laguna Art Museum, Sunshine Readers to children at the library

and Friendship Shelter.

The coveted “Merci Award” for the most hours donated over the

annual requirement was presented to Laguna Beach High School

10th-grader Katherine Gordon at the luncheon.

“Charity work is a blessing for both those receiving and those

donating their help,” ’Tally’ Browne said.

Browne participated in track at Santa Margarita High School and

played American Youth soccer. She also plays the piano. She was the

recipient of the school’s Benedictine Award for overall kindness and

generosity toward others and the league’s Yellow Rose Award.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sean Browne.

“The most important thing about NCL is learning to be

compassionate and humble through the experiences you have with those

who are less fortunate,” Hart said. “NCL has given me an opportunity

to make a difference in the lives of others.”

Hart played tennis at Laguna Beach High School for three years,

one of them on the varsity team. She was a member of the

Environmental and Community Service clubs, the People’s Awareness

Group and Laguna Club for Kids.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Hart.

“Giving back is good,” Olsen said.

She was a cheerleader at Laguna Beach High School and a member of

the yearbook staff and attained the rank of Senior Girl Scout, a

12-year commitment. She was a scholar-athlete for two years and

earned awards for her league activities.

Olsen makes her own jewelry and has worked at the Bead Shop in

town for the past 2 1/2 years. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

Kurt Olsen.

Phelps’ activities at Laguna Beach High School included varsity

tennis on the California Interscholastic Federation championship team

and junior varsity track, while earning National Honor Society

grades. She was a member of the Interact Club for Community Service

and the Surfrider and Journalism clubs. Allie Phelps also served as

an elementary tutor and reached the rank of Senior Girl Scout.

Her honors included a Golden State Exam Award winner for written

composition and the Principal’s Award.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter M. Phelps Jr.

West made the honor roll at Laguna Beach High School for four

years and was the recipient of the Golden State Award for U.S.

History, Varsity Golf Top Player Award, Coaches Award, Computer

Graphics Reaction to 911 Award and the league’s Yellow Rose and

Mother / Daughter awards.

She represented the school in golf for four years and served as

Associated Student Body senior commissioner of special events, the

Junior Commissioner of Athletics and the school representative on the

city’s HIV Advisory Board. She participated in Peer Counseling for

three years.

“Reading to the children at libraries was the most memorable

[league activity] because it was very fulfilling to see their little

faces light up as I read to them,” West said.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anton West.

Fuszard also found reading to children to be rewarding.

“[It] helped me understand that you should be yourself in any

situation,” she said.

Fuszard was a member of the Laguna Beach High School Equestrian

Team for four years. She was the Equestrian League Competition junior

varsity champion in 2001 and Grand Cheval Show Circuit First Level

Champion in 1999 and 2000. She placed in the California Dressage

Society State Championships in both of those years and in the Galway

Downs and Copper Meadows events in 2001.

The league has awarded Fuszard five Rosebuds, four Mission Bells,

a Yellow Rose and the Heart of Gold Award.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Fuszard.

Taylor is a lifetime member of the California Scholarship

Federation for grades she earned at Santa Margarita Catholic High

School. She spent her junior year in Paris as a student at the

American University. Taylor served as student body commissioner and

participated in Orange County Country Club Volleyball.

During her years as a Ticktocker, she enjoyed providing weekly

dinners at the Youth Shelter.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Taylor.

All seven Laguna Beach seniors will make their debuts in December.

Vaughan Speare will chair the ball.

The luncheon also included the introduction of the provisional

class of Ticktockers. New members included Kendra Arnold, Kira

Cahill, Hannah Dawe, Molly Flynn, Lauren Reid, Natasha Shulman and

Desiree Staples of Laguna.

EVER VIGILANT

The Laguna Beach Peace Vigil will sponsor a presentation on

“Nuclear Weapons in the New American Empire” at 7 p.m. Wednesday at

the Neighborhood Congregational Church, on St. Ann’s Drive at

Glenneyre Street.

Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of Physicians for Social

Responsibility, will make the presentation. For more information,

call 494-8061.

* 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, CA 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite

22; call 494-4321 or fax 494-8979.