Dynamic duo of leadership at the Senior Center

AVIVA GOELMAN

Each year the Costa Mesa Senior Center relies on our annual campaign

to raise a significant percentage of our operating revenue. That’s

why the leadership provided by the annual campaign’s chairperson is

so important. This year, we are thrilled to have John Hensley, chief

of the Costa Mesa Police Department, serving as our campaign chair.

Supporting Hensley’s leadership is our co-chair, Dr. Gwyn Parry,

director of community medicine at Hoag Memorial Hospital

Presbyterian.

This magic duo, I am certain, will bring the energy and enthusiasm

necessary to help us reach our campaign goal of $100,000. Hensley is

a 29-year law enforcement veteran who began his career in the U.S.

Army as a military police officer, serving tours of duty both

overseas and here at home. Hensley is a genuine American hero, having

received commen-

dations from the attorney general, as well as the South Bay Medal

of Value. Hensley has also been awarded Officer of the Year and

Employee of the Year honors in the various jurisdictions he has

served.

Parry is also a hero. In addition to his duties as director of

community medicine at Hoag, he also serves as director of the

community benefit program for the hospital. Parry’s commitment to the

community is most outstanding at Hoag, where he has served in various

leadership positions, including chief of staff and a 17-year member

of the hospital’s board of directors.

I always refer to Parry as the senior center’s guardian angel. My

friendship with Parry began my first day on the job as the senior

center’s executive director, and I have enjoyed working with him on

many rewarding and beneficial projects since that time. As busy as

Parry is, he finds time to serve on many boards. This past year, we

were honored and privileged to have him jointly serve on the senior

center board of directors.

Parry generously primed our annual campaign this year with a

$10,000 donation. He challenges any corporation, organization or

individual to match the amount. We are grateful to C.J. Segerstrom

and Sons who were the first to take up the challenge and matched the

amount of $10,000. With the help of our team leaders, Hensley and

Parry, we are confident we will reach our goal of $100,000.

I invite our readers -- indeed, challenge them -- to help the

senior center continue with our vision of enhancing seniors’ quality

of life, promoting dignity and respect, nurturing talents and skills,

fostering social interaction and supporting independence and

self-determination. We are making a direct appeal to you to assist us

in raising funds for our senior programs. With your contribution to

our annual campaign, we can continue to meet the need of the seniors

in our community.

This past week we held our second annual evening of Fine Wine and

Fast Cars event at the Automotive Road of Dreams Classic Car Museum.

It was a marvelous success, due in large part to the Orange County

Marketplace, the support of the Teller family, Ryan Miller and family

and our own staff. The attendance at the event was double that of the

previous year, and we intend to keep doubling every year. Our deepest

thanks go to all the vendors who participated through their donations

to our silent auction. We were especially proud to have the Artisans

Crafters’ Corner of the Orange County Marketplace join us, too.

We will be holding our third annual Flea Market from 8 a.m. to

noon May 22. We invite your family and friends to come on over to the

senior center’s parking lot for some bargain-hunting fun. All

proceeds go the senior center programming. If you wish to clean out

your closets and garage for the summer by selling your items at the

Flea Market, call Darryl Kim at (949) 645-2356, ext. 15 to reserve a

sale spot.

I, along with many mothers, will be celebrating Mother’s Day on

Sunday. I will be celebrating this day with my children and

grandchildren and the many seniors that I am so blessed to be

surrounded by. I count on these precious and wise people for

friendship and the wisdom necessary to live a life of service to

others.

To all the mothers who work tirelessly to bring up our future

generations, we at the Senior Center wish you a wonderful day with

your family.

* AVIVA GOELMAN is the executive director of the Costa Mesa Senior

Center and will write occasional columns about the center, its

members and senior issues.