MAILBAG - April 21, 2006

Girl Scouts bring more to Newport than boats do

Although I’ve only lived in Newport Beach for eight years, I’ve grown up here at the family beach house, which I now call home. I am a strong supporter for the Window to the Bay plan for Marinapark. I don’t see how a marina serving only a small percentage of yachters will benefit Newport Beach residents as a whole. If revenue is the issue, I agree with the plan of allowing for a smaller-scale marina with slips for visiting boats. This has the potential for increasing revenue by bringing people to the peninsula to shop, eat and sleep. Of course, there should be revenue for the cost of docking there too.

My main concern, however, is the Girl Scout facility’s future. I am a co-leader for a troop that uses the facility on the peninsula. My daughter has been involved since kindergarten, and she is now in sixth grade, with no plans to ever end her relationship with the Girl Scouts of Orange County. I support the two-story facility proposed in the Window to the Bay park plan.

Our current facility is in use on a daily basis. We would love to be able to accommodate more than one troop at a time, but due to the current layout of the facility, we can’t. The two-story center would allow for two troops to use the property simultaneously, which would be most helpful. Ultimately, we’re investing in the future of the girls in our community.

I commend those on the City Council who have continued to support Girl Scouts and question those who have not. What value do we put on “growing girls strong” (a Girl Scout motto)? I believe that providing a Girl Scout facility to assist them in becoming productive, intelligent members of our community is much more important than providing spaces for some yachts.

Happily, all but two members of the City Council agree with me. Maybe the two who disagree should ponder the question of which investment will produce the highest return ? some yacht slips or some self-assured female leaders brought up in our community.

SALLY BONADONNA

Newport Beach

Orange County’s wealthy, and not so, give plenty

Re: The Last Word of April 16, and “O.C. ranks third in count of most U. S. millionaires,” April 11:

A follow-up to these two articles might be a story looking at the giving level of these millionaires. There are wealthy people (and not so wealthy people), in Newport Beach and Orange County, who give generously of both their time and wealth to the benefit of others. How does giving in Orange County and in Newport Beach compare with other similar areas, such as Santa Barbara?

Many of those who do give shun the limelight, so often the rest of us are unaware of their generosity. Perhaps more note of the generosity of these consistent givers would encourage giving by those less involved. To those generous people among us, a heart felt thank you.

DENNIS BAKER

Corona del Mar