OUR LAGUNA:Folks dig Friendship Shelter fundraiser

Friendship Shelter has made a lot of friends since the Rev. Colin Henderson founded it in 1988.

The shelter provides housing, support services and a comprehensive rehabilitation program for homeless adults. It is the only year-round emergency shelter in South County for homeless, single adults. Stays are for 60 days. Henderson House in San Clemente is operated under the auspices of the shelter for longer stays.

Former shelter resident Jo Lendway praised the program.

“Before I found Friendship Shelter, I had no self-esteem,” Lendway said. “I had no goals. I didn’t even know what it meant to have goals.

“Now I have a good job and am living on my own, thanks to the amazing, patient, wonderful workers who make Friendship Shelter available to people like me — people who just need to be shown how to do it.”

Recently about 175 friends of the shelter partied at Fusano’s Nursery, a fund-raiser for the rehabilitation program and emergency assistance.

The theme was “Can You Dig It? A Happening to Help Our Residents Grow Roots.”

“Thanks to an enthusiastic base of ex-hippies and compassionate others who care about the homeless in Orange County, we raised just over $45,000,” event Chair Maggie Hempen said. “Everyone seemed to enjoy getting into the hippie theme.”

A psychedelically painted VW bus parked in front of Cristin Fusano’s retail nursery introduced the theme.

Hippie-attired guests rapped and grooved to the music of guitarist Barry Rillera, whose group entertained the crowd with the sounds of the 1960s and ‘70s. Rillera toured with the Righteous Brothers for 30 years, and also played with the Ray Charles Orchestra and White Trash, a rhythm and blues and rock group.

The highlight of the silent auction was a week’s accommodations for two at Papageno, a private resort in Fiji, donated by owner Anneliese Schimmelpfennig.

Joe Ziomek and Christine Wallace were the high bidders.

Gary Scott catered the event. The hosted bar featured the evening’s signature drink, the Hippie Dippie Cocktail, and wine donated by Young’s Market.

SRO BARK PARK BRUNCH

It was standing room only Sunday at a brunch hosted by the Friends of the Laguna Beach Dog Park — not including the dogs.

“We once entertained at a function with 180 people in the audience and 205 dogs.” said Mistress of Ceremonies Bree Burgess Rosen, whose “Lagunatics” friends entertained.

Dogs were not specifically invited to “My Best Friend’s Brunch,” at Tivoli Terrace, but they were warmly welcomed.

Long-time Laguna animal advocate Kathy Wood brought a 5-month old puppy she is “socializing,” preparing the pup for a private adoption by getting it used to people and other dogs.

“She lived under a deck for three weeks and she is very timid around people,” Wood said, coaxing the pup from under the draped table. “I am taking her to puppy classes and word will get around.” For more information, call (949) 494-4811.

Among the guests of honor: Linda Elbert’s two “labradoodles,” Holly, a café au lait, and Marley, solid black.

There in spirit if not in body were Yank and Rickie Sefton’s dogs; in a painting by San Clemente artist Kirk Sabin, donated to the silent auction.

Forty-six items and 26 gift certificates were donated to the fund-raiser’s silent auction, as well as 15 gift certificates or gifts for opportunity prizes.

“The community has been very generous,” said Mallory McCamant, Friends president.

Donations included a ceramic dish by Lygia Dubin, a sculpture by Cheryl Williams, a framed Ruth Mayer seriograph, a Michael Hallinan giclee, a watering can fountain from Madison Square Café, a John Eagle framed oil painting, a Tom Belloni sculpture, gift baskets from Animal Crackers owner Gina Vuilee. PetSmart donated a basket of products valued at $7,500. Pacific Edge Gallery contributed a painting valued at $1,200.

Black Iris, Laguna Art Supply, certified animal behaviorist Jill Goldman, Hennessey’s, Ruby Diner, China Bistro, Pomadoro, Sweetwater Car Wash, Ocean Avenue Brewery, Gahahl Lumber and Javiers were among the donors of gift certificates.

Proceeds will benefit animal rescue efforts and the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter/Pet Responsibility Committee, formed in the 1970s, as well as the Bark Park, the first one in Orange County.

Friends of the doggie playground are proposing to fence the park along the base of the hill at the back of the parcel. Since the brown, vinyl-coated, chain link fence blocks some trails, two gates have been included in the plan, which will be presented to the Design Review Board on Oct. 12.

Former Mayor Ann Christoph designed the fence, said Thor Erickson, whose wife, Jennifer, is secretary of the Friends.

For more information, visit LBDogPark.org or call (949) 910-9947.

SENIOR MOMENTS

With the World Series just around the corner, Arnold Hano can’t help but recall “The Catch.”

Hano, born in 1922, was a young sports writer when he saw the over-the-shoulder, never-to-be-forgotten-byeyewitnesses catch by future Hall of Famer Willie Mays, in the first game of the 1954 World Series between the Cleveland Indians and the then-New York Giants.

“A Day in the Bleachers,” Hano’s book about the game, was published in 1955 and is considered a baseball classic.

Arion Press republished the book this year, available starting this week by special order at bookstores.

The new limited edition of 400 is priced at $700 or $1,200 for the 40 copies that include San Francisco artist, Mark Ulriksen’s, large-scale color print “The Catch.”

Hano began covering sports for the New York Daily News in 1941. He was 19.

His newspaper career was interrupted by World War II, for which he volunteered his services to the U.S. Army in 1942.

Hano returned to civilian life in 1946 and subsequently worked for book and magazine publishers until he quit to write freelance. He came to California with his wife, Bonnie, in 1955, a couple of years before the Dodgers and the Giants brought Major League Baseball west, breaking hearts in Brooklyn and Manhattan. After the move, he taught journalism at UC Irvine, USC and Pitzer College in Claremont.

“I have lived a wonderful, even sensational life and there is so much left,” octogenarian Hano said in a recent interview.