OUR LAGUNA: Seniors celebrate soon-to-be center

“Senior moments” in Laguna are celebrations.

The 16th Annual Holiday Luncheon on Dec. 8 at Tivoli Terrace was a tune-up for the long-awaited grand opening of the Suzi Q Senior Center in January.

“A big part of what we do is to live it up,” said Chris Quilter, Laguna Beach Seniors Inc. president.

Activities at the new center include an expanded Bridge program, maybe duplicate; a Book Club and computer classes; and a lecture series that ranges from “Aging Beautifully” and “Sex and Murder — at the Opera” to the “Putin Effect” on global politics, to wine tastings.

“We will have a lot going on, and we want people to come down and check us out,” Quilter said. “We want to offer programs that people want or we aren’t serving their needs.”

The holiday luncheon at Tivoli Terrace is one of the seniors’ favorite activities, and the opening of the new center won’t change that if at least two past presidents have any say in the matter.

“If asked to vote I’d say we celebrate at Tivoli and play cards at the center,” Pauline Walpin said.

Louise Buckley said the Tivoli luncheon has become a tradition that she favors and would fight to continue.

Other past presidents introduced by Quilter at the luncheon included Virginia Schott, Skipper Lynn and Marthann Newton, all of whom contributed so much to the realization of a modern, gracious center of for the seniors.

“It’s beyond my wildest expectations,” said Capital Campaign Co-Chair Ann Quilter. “It is going to be fabulous. And we are working hard to furnish it so it doesn’t look like an institution.”

She thanked the city for its contributions.

“Sometimes the city gets a bad rap, but they have been wonderful,” Quilter said.

The city was well represented at the luncheon. Mayor Kelly Boyd and his wife, Michelle, attended. along with council members Toni Iseman and Verna Rollinger, Mayor Pro Tem Elizabeth Pearson — revered by the seniors for her early and steadfast support for their center — City Clerk Martha Anderson, City Treasurer Laura Parisi, Assistant City Manager John Pietig, Community Services Director Susan Cannan, Senior Center Coordinator Patty Koss and Vic Opincar, Parking, Traffic and Circulation Committee member.

Opincar is the most recent addition to the Seniors Board of Directors. Also serving on the board: First Vice President and Capital Campaign Co-Chair Darrcy Loveland Bickel, Second Vice President Carol Reynolds (one of the three in town — this one works at Montage), Secretary Ruth Stafford, Treasurer Jim Kreder, Assistant Treasurer Jim McBride, luncheon co-chairs Pamela Horowitz and Terri Johnson, Stuart Wilson, Lee Winocur-Field, Rick Davis, Kate Tschudin, Buckley and both Quilters.

“We are blessed with a powerfully minded board guiding this first year at the Suzi Q,” Chris Quilter said.

The center is named for Quilter’s mother, the late Elizabeth Quilter, who used Suzi Q as the byline for her Coastline column. Her four sons, Charles (Ann’s husband) Matt and Pat, donated $750,000 in her name for the center’s construction. The Weingart Foundation was also a major contributor to the building fund.

“I want to thank all the donors,” Loveland Bickel said.

She asked the room donors to stand.

Among the major donors who have rooms named for them on the seniors’ side of the center: Pearson, multipurpose; Daryl Kling, computers; Laura Holtz, board room; Kay Whitaker, cards; Assistance League, lounge; No Square Theatre, the lobby, funded by “Lagunatics Senior Prom” performances; Cheryl and Carl Post, Wellness Room and Cornerstone Acknowledgment Wall; Rotary, outreach office; Newton, executive director’s office; John and Lisa Mansour, reception area; Jane and Tony Ciabattoni’s Laguna Legacy Fund, the Harriet Nelson kitchen; Jane and Joe Hanauer, secretary’s office; the late Esther Miller, library; and Kent Russell, the library fireplace.

Funds for furniture were donated by George Heed and Marty Conlon and Jane and the late Willis Leach.

Outside the center: Cody and Deborah Engle, the staircase; Hearts of Montage, the Grand Plaza; Negley-Flinn Foundation, senior terrace garden; Soroptimists, lower plaza entrance; Winocur Field, water feature.

Benches were donated by Judy and Frank Baker, South County Bank, Mary Locatelli, and board members Stafford and Kreder and his wife, Nancy.

On the city side, Bobbi Cox and Thelma Ward donated funds for the two dance studios. Donalyn Kling funded the art studio; and Frank Ricchiazzi and Borden Moller bankrolled the conference room.

Center Executive Director Bea Field welcomed guests to the luncheon and served as mistress of ceremonies.

Bree Burgess Rosen sang “The Star Spangled Banner,” in a slightly lower key, due to overworked vocal cords.

The St. Catherine’s of Siena School Choir and String Quarter entertained under the direction of Mike Kiddoo. Making their concert debut: Singers Quinn McGannon, Annabrlle Baldwin, Willie Shea, Samantha Loughlin, Isabella Ciraulo, Annika McGraw, Elliot Cook, Seth Gonzalez and Joel Craft.

The choir opened their performance with “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” and concluded with “Deck the Halls.” The violinists’ repertoire included “Hot Cross Buns,” a French folk tune, “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and a March. The grand finale: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

Seniors office manager Jean Wilson was joined by center volunteers Phylllis Wilson and Trudy Joyce, at the check-in desk.

“Volunteers are critical to work we will be doing in the future,” Chris Quilter said. “They are the gift that keeps on giving.”

However, super-vols Sande St. John, Connie Burlin and Maggie Hempen were taking a rare afternoon off.

“This a play day for us,” Burlin said.

Opportunity prizes were donated by 230 Forest Ave., restaurant, Albertson’s Market, the Cottage, Doctor’s Ambulance, George Nelson’s Fawn Memories, Inn at Laguna Beach, La Sirean Grill, Laguna Drug, Laguna Handbags, Madison Square Café and Garden, Pomodora, Ralph’s Market, Ropage Beuary Supply and Salon, See’s Candy, Waste Management, White House, Whole Foods and Carole Zavala. The seniors urged everyone to patronize the generous local merchants who contributed to the success of the luncheon.

Buckley pulled the tickets. Among the winners: Kate Kearny, Roger Carter, Gay Purcelli, Fran Pelato, Ellen Rose, Ruth Richards and Grant Wetzel, who won the Zavala original painting.

Notables at the luncheon included Betsy Jenkins, Board of Education member; Marilyn Diddy, executive director of South County Senior Services; Sally Rapuano, executive director of Sally’s Fund, which provides transportation for seniors; Waste Management’s Michelle Clark, Friends of the Library’s Magda Herlicska, Dwayne Bickel, Dr. Alan Kristal, Warren Gaines, Sarah Kasman, head of OC Shanti, which used to be in Laguna, and J.J. Gasparotti who was serenaded with “Happy Birthday.”

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 Suite 22 in the Lumberyard, 384 Forest Ave.; call (949) 494-4321; fax (949) 494-8979 or email coastlinepilot@latimes.com