My Hometown Magazine - August 2009

hometown

august 2009

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business hiGhliGht: MATHnASIuM | resident sPotliGht: KELLEy FAMILy

www.myhometownchulavista.com

also insideORGAnIC

PEST COnTROL

www.myhometownchulavista.comwww.myhometownchulavista.com

HistoRYCHuLa vista’s Lemon FestivaL maRKs

www.myhometownchulavista.comwww.myhometownchulavista.com

HistoRYCHuLa vista’s HistoRYCHuLa vista’s HistoRYCHuLa vista’s

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contents

august 2009 my hometown 3

auGust 2009

wHAT’S InSIDEwith its great weather and opportunity for

family vacations, summer offers a prime time for family reunions. Our family recently cele-brated its own reunion in the park on Mission Bay. nearly 100 of us gathered for good food, fun games and lots of laughs. The chance to reconnect with family from as far away as South Dakota, Oregon and all over California is one we enjoy every other year.

Like many families, we take the time at each reunion to remember those individuals who played a significant role in establishing our family legacies. none of the matriarchs and patriarchs of our family are physically present with us any longer, but the connec-tion to our family’s past provides historical perspective and a reminder of how our family has grown. Our reunion provides us a chance to share with the younger generation what it means to be a member of this family.

The desire to celebrate our rich history also plays a role in this month’s My Hometown. In our August issue, readers will find a wonder-ful story on the lemon-production history of Chula Vista. Local resident and contribut-ing writer Sarah Van Boerum shares details about the growth of our city. Maintaining connections with family and friends also lies at the heart of our On Topic piece on social networking. with many ways to stay connect-ed, establishing an online presence might be one of the quickest ways to rejuvenate stale relationships.

The month of August is also host to many great community events. In addition to the Lemon Festival, Chula Vista residents can participate in the Little Race at Chula Vista Marina, the Cruise for the Cause Car Show at Otay Ranch Town Center, take in a couple outdoor concerts and honor a member of our military through a special brick program offered by the City of Chula Vista. This month we also welcome a number of new advertis-ers to our community magazine. we hope you will make a connection with them as you have with many of our continuing business partners.

we close by once again thanking you for your support and hope this month brings you lots of opportunities to continue to build those connections, be they online, familial, historical or otherwise.

Michael Minjares, Editor of My Hometown

LOCAL GETAwAyS

contentsFROM THE EDITOR...

community newsSan Diego Veloyouth 7

First Annual Celebration of a woman 8

community calendarLocal Events and Activities 20

school newsEastlake High Alum Looking for Big Season 22

resident spotlightThe Kelley Family 23

on topicBuilding Community - The Facebook way 24

business highlightMathnasium 25

feature

My HOMETOwn

MERCADOMy HOMETOwn

MERCADOPage 26

hometown

august 2009

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Lemon Festival & A Look Back on Chula Vista

Garden 16Organic Pest Control

Tree Selection & Planting Made Easy

10


family vacations, summer offers a prime time

brated its own reunion in the park on Mission Bay. nearly 100 of us gathered for good food,

to reconnect with family from as far away as

Bay. nearly 100 of us gathered for good food,


Garden 16Organic Pest Control

lemons for the Packing Plant, 1908

on the Cover: Chula Vista lemon Packing line, 1920’sCover Photo courtesy of the Chula Vista Public Library Local History Collection

4 my hometown august 2009

feedback

Published byFountain Media Group, Inc PO Box 2122, San Marcos, CA 92079 (800) 497-1309 x710 www.fountain-inc.com

PublishersKaren Smith [email protected]

Tim Minjares [email protected]

editorial/salesMike Minjares [email protected]

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission is prohibited. Fountain Media Group, Inc. is not responsible for the views of contribut-ing writers and assumes no responsibility for errors appearing within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Publisher or advertisers.

BRAVOTo Corky McMillin Elementary School student Joseph Fink. As a first grader in Mrs. Russell’s class, Fink logged 100 miles last school year and finished as the school run-ning club’s top runner. Congratulations on a job well done and good luck in second grade!

To the City of Chula Vista for receiving the sierra Club’s first “Cool City award.” The City was recognized for its outstanding efforts to reduce its municipal global warm-ing footprint, achieving its goals in completing and imple-menting climate action campaigns and innovative pro-gramming for the future. The City has reduced municipal emissions to 18 percent below 1990 levels and reduced per capita emission by 17 percent.

To Jill Calvert (Bonita Vista), Jeanette Mangilit (Otay Ranch), stephen eisermann (Hilltop) and Mathew Manglal-lan (Olympian) for being selected as 2009 scholarship recipients from drs. Pack and bianes of Pack and bianes Vision Care. The local busi-ness owners and residents award these scholarships to outstanding local students who have chosen to major and enter the medical field.

LOOK wHAT GREAT THInGS yOuR COMMunITy IS uP TO...

To eastlake and otay ranch high schools on being named one of the top 1500 public schools in the country. In an annual survey conducted by “newsweek” magazine, the east Chula Vista schools joined fellow Sweetwater union High School District schools Bonita Vista High and Sweetwater High on the list. Rankings are based on a for-mula that combines the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2008 divided by the number of graduating seniors. “Sweetwater schools have been under-going an aggressive academic reform,” said school board President Jim Cartmill. “The growing number of students taking advantage of AP courses and the International Baccalaureate program shows that students are rising to the challenge and making the most of their education.”

To lizbeth ahn of Pride Martial arts for her tremen-dous performance at the 2009 Songahm Taekwondo world Championships in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ahn was ranked Top Ten in the world in three different events and came back home to EastLake with a Silver Medal in Traditional Forms, a Silver Medal in Extreme weapons and a Bronze Medal in Extreme Forms. This year, she is deter-mined to train and compete all over the united States, as she did in 2007, and come home with the gold! Check out www.prideata.com to see updated information on her quest for gold.

To adrian Gonzalez, Eastlake High alum and current San Diego Padre, for being named to his second consecutive All-Star game. The local first baseman had a successful first-half of the season and will look to continue his stellar play all year.

iF you would like to Contribute to braVo,

send a quick note to My Hometown’s editor at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to put your good-news announcement in an upcoming issue. Submissions should be sent by the 10th of the month.

Scholarship winners with Drs. Pack and

Bianes.


on your doorstep

Village Vibe Concert series ContinuesWednesday evenings at Memorial Park in downtown Chula

Vista continue to be filled with great live music in the month of August. The Village Vibe Concert Series, hosted by the Third Avenue Village Association, presents a great opportu-nity for families to enjoy free summer concerts in the park. Memorial Park is located at 351 Park Way, just west of 3rd Avenue and Park Way, with the event running from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on August 5, 12 and 19. To view the schedule of bands performing, visit www.thirdavenuevillage.com or call (619) 422-1982.

Commemorative brick Campaign salutes Military

The 2009 Chula Vista Veterans Park Commemorative Brick Program pro-vides Chula Vista residents with a wonderful chance to recognize members of the U.S. military for their dedication and service. Veterans Park, a 12-acre community facility and recreation site, includes a prominent “Walk of Honor” paved with bricks inscribed with the names of those who have bravely served our country. The City of Chula Vista has made these bricks available at the low cost of just $100 to individuals and busi-nesses wishing to honor a veteran. Each brick bears the name of one veteran, active duty military personnel or reservist and their respective branch of service: U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, Police and Fire Departments.

Brick contributions may be made during the patriotic “Brick by Brick” campaign, from July 1 to August 10. Bricks purchased during this campaign will be placed in the Walk of Honor by Veterans Day, November 11. All net proceeds from the commemorative “Brick by Brick” campaign will benefit the programs of the Friends of Chula Vista Parks and Recreation, including youth basketball, the Learn to Swim program and the Fun, Fit, Free program for area children.

“The Friends of Chula Vista Parks and Recreation took a look at the important youth programs that needed funding and determined that these are the three on which we could have the most significant impact,” says Chris Boyd, president of the Friends of Chula Vista Parks and Recreation. “The sale of the commemorative bricks at Veterans Park will directly benefit children of local veterans and active military person-nel, as well as all Chula Vista youth whose lives are greatly enriched by recreational activity.”

Cruise for the Cause Car show

For tricked-out cars, bikes and motorcycles, great music and loads of family fun, nothing beats Xavier “The X-Man’s” Cruise for the Cause Car Show. The seventh annual event will be held Saturday, August 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Otay Ranch Town Center. This great community event, hosted by Magic 92.5’s popular DJ,

focuses on raising aware-ness of the national bone marrow registry and the importance of donat-ing blood. A portion of the proceeds will ben-efit the “Friends of Scott Foundation – Friends to Children with Cancer.”

The organization provides support and advocacy to chil-dren and families suffering from the effects of cancer. More information can be found by calling (858) 495-8100 or at www.magic925.com.

eVents details:

Saturday, August 15 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Otay Ranch Town Center

City announces new library hoursThe effects of the current California budget crisis continue

to be felt here in our community. The City has announced a reduction in library hours that began July 6. The Civic Center Branch is now open Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is closed Friday and Saturday. The EastLake Branch’s hours are now Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The neighborhood library is closed Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The South Chula Vista Branch will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. This library is closed Sunday and Monday.


on your doorstep

Liberty Elementary Welcome Back Night

Liberty Elementary School welcomes students, their families and the commu-nity to a celebration of the start of a new school year with a Welcome Back Night

on Friday, August 7. According to Marla Farrage, Treasurer of the Liberty PTSA, the goal is to welcome Liberty families back to school and introduce to students and parents what organizations are available for their child to participate in throughout our community. Sponsored and hosted by the Liberty PTSA, the event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will help raise money for the Chula Vista Nature Center with a barbeque. Face painting and a clown will also be on hand to entertain. For more information, go to www.libertyptsa.com.

Prostate health Focus of sharp Chula Vista seminar and screening

Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center will host “The Facts about Prostate Health” on Monday, August 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the hospital’s Nellie Barrington Room. Dr. Julian Anthony, a board-certi-fied urologist affiliated with Sharp Chula Vista, will discuss topics such as screen-ing and treatment options.

Following the seminar, Sharp Chula Vista will host a free prostate cancer screening on Saturday, August 29, from 7:30 a.m. to noon. The screening will take place in the hospital’s Radiation Therapy Department on the first floor. For more information on both events, call 1-800-827-4277 or check out www.sharp.com/chulavista.

My Hometown is always looking for contributors, articles and stories. whether you’d like to contribute on a regular basis or just once in a while, it’s a great way to get more involved in

your community. we are always looking for stories about neighborhood events, human interest and community building for all of our sections.

you can contact us by calling (800) 497-1309 x710 with your idea or send us an email at [email protected].

Get involved! Get Published!hometown

august 2009

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on your doorstep

San Diego Veloyouth offers South Bay kids an opportunity to have fun, earn a bike, work as a team and learn the important lesson of “pay-ing it forward.” This age-old concept of repaying a good deed by doing a good deed for someone else is changing the way kids view their world as they cycle round and round at the San Diego Velodrome.

Over 100 “at risk” youngsters from Chula Vista, national City, Monarch, Montgomery, and Castle Park middle schools have participated in the San Diego Veloyouth bike pro-gram at the San Diego Velodrome, arranged and spon-sored by Quality of Life Connections, a local nonprofit organization. The kids can sign up for a six-week, after school class where they learn various aspects of bicycling – how to ride, street safety, bike maintenance and rac-ing competition. Especially important are teamwork and

responsibility. The kids feel a sense of accomplishment and pride when they earn a bike by fulfilling team require-ments, which include attendance, com-munity service, and “paying it forward.” They pay it forward by fundraising so that future students can receive a bike, as they did.

with the help of Coach Dave Grylls, Olympic Cycling Silver Medalist, and Tanya and Steve Landry, QOLC Co-founders, the kids gain positive

experiences that will be with them for the rest of their lives. It allows them to be the change we hope to see in our youth, our community leaders of tomorrow.

A new Veloyouth session for Chula Vista Middle School students begins August 11, at the San Diego Velodrome in Morley Field, Balboa Park, Tuesday and wednesday 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to view the program. For further information, visit www.QualityofLifeConnections.org. my.

san dieGo Veloyouth bike ProGraM Makes a diFFerenCe

What is Youth & Government? The California YMCA Model Legislature & Court is a comprehensive youth educational program involving more than 2,300 high school students throughout California. This nine-month, hands-on experiential program is designed to teach young people about government and the responsibility of individual involvement by immersing youth in the legislative process.

Y&G offers teens: A unique opportunity to obtain a critical understanding of and gain first-hand knowledge of how California government works. Participants learn by role playing a variety of legislative and judicial roles in the actual California Senate, Assembly and Courts. In addition Y&G offers: - Leadership Development - Public Speaking/ Debate - Volunteer Opportunities - Friendship & Fun

Program Consistency: California Youth & Government has over 60 years of rich program history and is great springboard for success in college and beyond. The Program consists of weekly meetings, two Training Conferences, culminating in the 5 day Model Legislature and Court in Sacramento. In addition Y&G participants will have the unique opportunity to meet directly with local and statewide public officials.

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on your doorstep

On Saturday, August 15, four wonderful women will receive recognition for their unprecedented community service and one special woman will be recognized for her lifetime of humanitarian service at the first annual “Celebration of a woman”. The event is hosted by the Miss South County Educational Scholarship Program and takes place at the Loews Coronado Resort. To top the eve-ning, four newly selected young women will be crowned as new Ambassadors of Chula Vista, Bonita, San ysidro and finally South County. The four community service awards will be presented to women who have been nominated by an Ambassador for her work in the community and for the difference she makes in the lives of others.

According to Michael Monaco, a financial services representative at First Bank and a volunteer for the Miss South County Educational Scholarship Program, the idea for this special event came from the current group of Ambassadors who will relinquish their titles at the event.

The celebration has little to do with outer beauty and everything to do with someone’s humanitarianism and community service.

“There are a lot of great women in the community,” he said. “Some of them are well known and some of them are not known. we want to pinpoint the unsung heroes of our community. The women being nominated have shown grace to someone else. The hardest part is going to be selecting just one winner from each area; they’re all great applicants.”

In her year as Ambassador Miss Bonita, Ashley Horner (pictured above, far left) has participated in many com-munity events around town. The former Bonita Vista High and current Southwestern College student said she has participated in pageants before, but feels the Miss South County Educational Scholarship Program is different because of its emphasis on community service.

“Being involved in this program has made me realize that through community events you can change things for people,” Horner said. “we want to show women that it is not just about your beauty, but what matters is your efforts at making your community better. we hope the women we honor will continue to help make the commu-nity a better place.”

According to Monaco, the idea for the “Celebration of a woman” event went forward thanks in large part to the efforts of Lorraine Johnson, the executive director of the scholarship program. He says the first annual gala will assist the organization in building a larger scholarship pool for future Ambassadors. The program is being spon-sored by the SGI and Gilbane Construction companies and reservations for the event can be made up until August 10. For ticket information, call (619) 475-3589 or email [email protected]. my.

Local Organization To Hold Celebration of a woman Event


on your doorstep

Wacky Water Race August 15

The 18th Annual “Little Race for Little People” hosted by the Chula Vista Yacht Club returns to the Chula Vista Yacht Marina on Saturday, August 15. Known as the “wackiest boat race in San Diego,” the local event benefits San Diego’s Rady Children’s Hospital NICU. Teams of four, usually in costume, paddle their way through a course within Chula Vista Harbor. In addition to the water fight and dinghy race, “Little Race” includes live music, a barbeque, silent auction and lots of fun for kids and adults. Festivities begin at 10 in the morning and go until sunset. The marina is located at 642 Marina Parkway. More information is available online at www.littlerace.com or by calling (619) 985-3038.

save the date – Cycle eastlake! sept 20Cycle EastLake! 2009 has moved to September this year, and

will be bigger and better than before! The 2009 event is set for Sunday, September 20, at the Otay Ranch Town Center in Chula Vista. According to Renee Solares, Executive Director of the EastLake Educational Foundation, the move to the local shop-ping center will create an active and energetic start and finish line for participants while also increasing the area for the event’s expo. Solares expects more than 1,000 registrants for this year’s event. Cycle EastLake benefits schools in the EastLake commu-nity. More information and registration material for this popular local event can be found at www.EEFkids.org.

hilltop lancers Football Golf tournament Calling all Hilltop High alumni and friends! The west Chula

Vista high school is hosting a golf tournament to support its football program. The annual event takes place on Saturday, August 15 at the Bonita Golf Club at 5540 Sweetwater Road in Bonita. The four-player scramble format kicks off with a shot-gun start at 1 p.m. and includes awards for closest to the pin, longest drive and hole-in-one. The $100 entry includes range balls, greens fees, golf cart, beverages and a BBQ buffet. For more information, contact Missy McGrath (619) 742-3467 or Dan La Brenz (619) 942-6409 or visit www.hilltoplancerfootball.com.

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619-600-3993. [email protected]

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Chula Vista Citrus association, early 1900’s


Once the self-proclaimed “Lemon Capital of the world,” the city of Chula Vista will

celebrate the 13th Annual Lemon Festival on Sunday, August 9. Open to everyone,

the festival will celebrate our city’s proud citrus growing heritage. So, why all the fuss

about the lemon and how did we get to be known as one of the country’s earliest

and best known citrus growing cities? well, let’s take a brief look back at the early

history of our community and learn something new.

In 1885, the areas known today as Chula Vista, National City, Bonita, Sunnyside and the Sweetwater Valley were developed and built by Frank, Warren and Levi Kimball, brothers who came to the area and saw its great potential for growth. Their vision included developing the land into farms and cities where people could bring their families and build a life. After Frank Kimball managed to convince the Santa Fe Railroad to build a rail line through the National City area, their vision turned into a reality and the area was booming. The brothers hired Colonel William Dickinson, a professional town planner, to develop the area that soon came to be known as Chula Vista. In 1887, the land was divided into five-acre lots that sold for $1500 each, upon which the purchaser had to build a home within six months. In two years time many “orchard homes” were built and some of the first crops were planted that came to sustain the community and livelihood of the residents. Another railroad was built during this period, connecting San Diego, National City, Chula Vista and the Otay areas, which flourished for many years.

The Sweetwater Dam was completed in 1888, giving the residents and their crops a dependable, year-round water supply. In fact, 83 percent of the water from the dam was being used for agricul-ture, mostly lemons. Today, only .2 percent of our water supply is used for agriculture. Many of the homes that were built during this period are still in use today and stand as a reminder of the hard work, talents and sacrifice that many of the early residents of our county made to preserve their way of life, while creating a foundation for the future residents of our community.

By Sarah Van Boerum

Lemon FestivaL maRKs

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12 my hometown july 2009

LEMOn FESTIVAL

Sharp hoSpital

A variety of trees and fruits were planted and tested by resi-dents to see which ones yielded a steady and abundant crop. They soon discovered that citrus trees took quickly to the soil and grew efficiently, especially lemon trees. Shortly after, the first of many lemon orchards were planted, bringing along with them a variety of people and cultures into the area, who then built homes, schools and other early businesses in the communities known today as Chula Vista, Otay Ranch and EastLake. By 1920, citrus production had peaked with more than 3,000 acres of planted crops and the establishment of three major citrus companies, including Sunkist. At this time, eight different modernized packing houses were being used and were equipped with top-notch power machinery, while workers hand picked and packed boxes of lemons. The lemons were then put directly into refrigerated rail cars for immediate delivery or stored in the building’s refrigerated basements for later shipping. The Chula Vista Lemon Association was incor-porated in 1926 and by its tenth year, shipped more than 500 railcars of lemons to major cities all over the U.S. In 1931, the lemon orchards produced more than $1 million of revenue for the community and its residents.

Though our city’s orchard period lasted through terrible weather, including droughts and floods, as well as the Great Depression, things sadly came to an abrupt end with the

beginning of World War II. Due to a demand for war-worker housing and the building of subdivisions afterwards, almost all crops were destroyed. After the war, many people stayed in the area, resulting in a huge population growth. The last of the cit-rus groves disappeared and Chula Vista soon became one of the largest communities in San Diego. The last citrus packing house closed its doors in 1960, right along with a 72-year lemon era.

Today, the Lemon Festival celebrates the history of our com-munity’s past with free fun for the entire family. The event is sponsored by the Third Avenue Village Association and takes place at Memorial Park on Third Avenue between E and G streets from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. . This year’s festivities promise to be a hit with lemon contests, live entertainment and per-formances, specialty booths, art viewing, a kid’s zone, carnival rides, a car show and, of course, lots of food. To learn more about the history of Chula Vista be sure to visit the Chula Vista Heritage Museum during this year’s Lemon Festival. The muse-um will be open from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, August 9th for the city’s Lemon Festival. The museum is also open Tuesday and Thursday, 12-4pm and Saturday, 12-3pm. Admission is free. my.

Sarah Van Boerum is an Otay Ranch resident and contributing writer to My

Hometown magazine.

Comprehensive services. Advanced technology. Compassionate care.

Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center offers the full range of cancer services — from diagnosis to

treatment to recovery — and the only Community Hospital Cancer Program in the South Bay

certified by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.

With advanced diagnostic technologies, highly skilled and experienced clinicians, oncologists and

surgeons, and personalized care every step of the way, we are the South Bay’s first choice for cancer care.

To receive information about free cancer screenings and educational seminars,or to find a cancer specialist affiliated with Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center,call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277) or visit www.sharp.com.

My First Choicefor Cancer Care

CV146A ©2009 SHC

CV146A ƒ SCVMC CancerServsAd-MyHometownMag:Layout 1 7/8/09 4:13 PM Page 1

Sharp hoSpital

Comprehensive services. Advanced technology. Compassionate care.

Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center offers the full range of cancer services — from diagnosis to

treatment to recovery — and the only Community Hospital Cancer Program in the South Bay

certified by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.

With advanced diagnostic technologies, highly skilled and experienced clinicians, oncologists and

surgeons, and personalized care every step of the way, we are the South Bay’s first choice for cancer care.

To receive information about free cancer screenings and educational seminars,or to find a cancer specialist affiliated with Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center,call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277) or visit www.sharp.com.

My First Choicefor Cancer Care

CV146A ©2009 SHC

CV146A ƒ SCVMC CancerServsAd-MyHometownMag:Layout 1 7/8/09 4:13 PM Page 1


LEMOn FESTIVAL

I love summers with my children. I enjoy not jumping out of bed in the morning and running around

like a chicken with my head cut off. I love that we have just about no schedule to follow and that I actually have time to make a real breakfast and not just the hurried cereal and toast that school mornings bring. It makes me so happy that our girls wake up at the crack of dawn, but know

that they can stay in their rooms and read or play or run down and watch cartoons until my hus-band and I roll out of bed at seven. what makes me really happy is that the summer gives me the gift of time – a gift that we don’t often have and that I promised to use well this year.

This summer, I promised myself that I would not enroll the girls in a bunch of classes or camps. I prom-ised myself that I would spend time

leMonade For sale!By Karishma Sinnott

MILAyA, AAnI, nATASHA, SOPHIA, LILy, SAVERA AnD KACEy’S BERRy LEMOnADE

2 containers of “Simply Lemonade”

8 Tbsp. superfine sugar

2 large lemons or 3 small

1 cup water

10 strawberries, cut in half

½ pint raspberries

Put the sugar and water in a glass and

microwave for 1 minute or till the sugar

is dissolved.

Squeeze in the juice of two

large lemons.

Pour into a large pitcher, along with the

containers of store-bought lemonade

Add in the cut strawberries and

raspberries.

Mix well and serve over ice.

with those people that I love most and that I often see the least. I want so much for the children to spend quality time with old friends that we don’t see during the crazy, stressed out school year. This summer is one where I promised myself that I would do the things that the girls have always longed to do – lazy days at the pool, water balloon fights in the driveway, visits to the Zoo, and, dare I say it, a lemonade stand.

I was sort of dreading the conver-sation about the lemonade stand. To me, it meant a whole bunch of set up, a visit to the grocery store, sitting in the hot sun and generally getting very sweaty. But, the girls have wanted to set up a lemonade stand for two years now and some-how I have always managed to get out of it. But not this year. This year I decided to be brave and bite the bullet. And when I bite the bullet, I really bite down hard. So I let the girls choose a few friends (three each) and we decided to set up the “BEST LEMOnADE STAnD” ever.

would you believe me if I told you that those seven girls made twenty one dollars in lemonade stand sales? Thanks to some very kind mothers who paid five dollars for a glass of lemonade! The girls each walked away three dollars richer, and very, very happy. As for me, I knocked out one thing from my summer “promise list” and even though it seemed like such an ordeal, it was probably one of the happiest mornings I have spent with my children and their friends.

I wish you could have seen the looks on the girls’ faces as I packed all seven of them in my SuV and drove them back home. It was worth the trip to the store, the set up and yes, the sweaty morning of selling lemonade. my.

Facing today’s housing market challenges: Securing a better future for your community association

September 17, 2009 5:30 – 6:30 pm: Social Networking and Hors d’oeuvres 6:30 – 8:30 pm: Presentations

Doubletree Hotel, San Diego7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108

For a complimentary invitation contact MERIT’s San Diego office (858) 457-0200 or go to www.meritpm.com by September 11, 2009. Seating is limited.

MERIT is part of FirstManagement Partners, a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation.

Symposium sponsored by: Aqua Blue Co., Barney & Barney, Global Power Group, Inc. Protec Building Services, and Securitas

Melinda Masson, CCAM, PCAM, Founder and CEO of MERIT. A sought-after speaker, she is influential in defining and forecasting community association industry trends.

Andrew Schlegel, CCAM, Executive Vice President of Finance at MERIT. With over 20 years experience, he gives expert advice to associations on managing their finances.

Symposium Speakers

Mary M. Howell is a share-holder in the law firm of Epsten Grinnell & Howell. Howell works on behalf of homeowner associations throughout San Diego, Riverside and Orange County.

homeowner’s association during today’s unstable economy.

protection in a troubled housing market.

and foreclosures in any community.

members who share your concerns.

Facing today’s housing market challenges: Securing a better future for your community association

September 17, 2009 5:30 – 6:30 pm: Social Networking and Hors d’oeuvres 6:30 – 8:30 pm: Presentations

Doubletree Hotel, San Diego7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108

For a complimentary invitation contact MERIT’s San Diego office (858) 457-0200 or go to www.meritpm.com by September 11, 2009. Seating is limited.

MERIT is part of FirstManagement Partners, a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation.

Symposium sponsored by: Aqua Blue Co., Barney & Barney, Global Power Group, Inc. Protec Building Services, and Securitas

Melinda Masson, CCAM, PCAM, Founder and CEO of MERIT. A sought-after speaker, she is influential in defining and forecasting community association industry trends.

Andrew Schlegel, CCAM, Executive Vice President of Finance at MERIT. With over 20 years experience, he gives expert advice to associations on managing their finances.

Symposium Speakers

Mary M. Howell is a share-holder in the law firm of Epsten Grinnell & Howell. Howell works on behalf of homeowner associations throughout San Diego, Riverside and Orange County.

homeowner’s association during today’s unstable economy.

protection in a troubled housing market.

and foreclosures in any community.

members who share your concerns.

gardenBy weston Barnes

orGaniC Pest Control

the more I learn about organic gardening techniques, the more I realize that we really don’t have

to use chemical pesticides to control garden insect pests. More often than not, we can look to Nature for a solu-tion that is very inexpensive, widely available, and is, most importantly, sustainable. The goal is to reduce or eliminate those practices that will have a negative impact on the environment both now and in the future. There are some simple ways to all but eliminate the use of pesticides in your garden.

In Nature, each insect serves a pur-pose (although that may seem hard to believe when your rose bushes are covered with Aphids and your plants are eaten to the nub by caterpillars and grubs). Many insects will actually keep your plants clean and disease free while

devouring the so called pests that keep the pesticide

industry in full swing. The way

to establish a home base for those beneficial insects

is to create a garden insectary or small garden plot of flowering plants designed to attract and harbor beneficial insects. These “good insects” prey on many common garden insect pests and offer the gardener a safer, natural alternative to pesticides.

The garden insectary is a form of “companion planting” based on the positive attributes plants can share in deterring pests, acquiring nutrients, or attracting natural predators. By becom-ing more diverse with your plantings, you’re providing habitat, shelter and alternative food sources (such as pollen and nectar), something many predators need as part of their diet.

Here’s an example. You can con-trol aphids with an aphid predator like aphidius, and you can encourage aphidius to set up shop by planting sun-flowers or lupin. Of course, the aphid predators need the pests to be present in order to eat, thrive, and reproduce—that is, they need aphids to be found in and around the general area you’re trying to protect from the aphids. But that’s where stocking your insectary

with the appropriate plants comes in.The idea of inviting the pests in to

munch on plants in your insectary may seem alarming, until you understand that you are doing so to encourage host-specific pests. The pests remain on the desired plant in your insectary yet pro-vide an ideal breeding ground for the associated predators and parasites. Your insectary plot does not have to be large, just big enough to hold six to seven vari-eties of plants that attract insects. Once the garden has matured, you can watch your personal security force of beneficial insects do the work for you. And, since our homes are for the most part very close to one another, the insectary plants can be disbursed and maintained by several neighbors in the same area. Many of us have backyards that meet up with up to four other yards, this is the perfect set-up for sharing in the responsibility for main-taining the battalion of predator insects.

Use Table A to figure out which ben-eficial insects you want to attract, based on your particular pest problems. Then use Table B to see what you should plant to attract the beneficial insects (predator insects). Note that in Table A, pest spe-cies may occur in more than one row. Similarly, in Table B, predator species may be listed in more than one row. Find the combination of predators and insectary plants that maximizes the benefit to your particular pest problem. my.

orGaniC Pest Control

table a. natural Pest Control by Insect Species

PEST INSECT PREDATOR INSECTAphids Aphidius

Aphids Aphidoletes

Thrips, spidermites, fungus gnats Beneficial mites

Eggs of many pest insects Damsel bugs (nabidae)

whiteflies, aphids, thrip, spider mites Dicyphus

Slugs, small caterpillars and grubs Ground beetles

Grubs Spring tiphia wasp

Aphids, mealybugs and others Hoverflies

Scale, aphids, mites, soft-bodied insects Lacewings

Aphids, mites Ladybugs

Thrips, aphids, mites, scales, whiteflies Pirate bugs

Caterpillars; beetle and fly larvae Tachinid flies

whiteflies; moth, beetle and fly larvae Parasitic wasps

table b. what to Plant to Attract Beneficial Insects (Predator Insects)

PREDATOR INSECT WHAT TO PLANT (INSECTARY PLANT)

Lacewings, aphidius, ladybugs Achillea filipendulina

Hoverflies Alyssum

Ground beetles Amaranthus

Spring tiphia wasp Peonies, firethorn, forsythia

Ichneumon wasp, ladybugs, lacewings Anethum graveolens (dill)

Lacewings Angelica gigas

Ladybugs, hoverflies Convolvulus minor

Hoverflies, parasitic wasps, lacewings Cosmos bipinnatus

Dicyphus Digitalis

Lacewings, ladybugs, hoverflies Daucus carota (queen anne’s lace)

Damsel bugs, ladybugs, lacewings Foeniculum vulgare (fennel)

Pirate bugs, beneficial mites Helianthus annulus

Hoverflies Iberis umbellata

Hoverflies, parasitic wasps Limonium latifolium (statice)

Aphidius, aphidoletes, hoverflies Lupin

Parasitic wasps, tachinid flies Melissa officinalis (lemon balm)

Parasitic wasps, hoverflies, tachinid flies Petroselinum crispum (parsley)

Pirate bugs, beneficial mites Shasta daisy

Pirate bugs, aphidius Sunflowers

Ladybugs, lacewings Tanacetum vulgare (tansy)

Dicyphus Verbascum thaspus

natural Pest solutions


GARDEn

Our mild Mediterranean climate provides us a wide selection of poten-tial trees to choose from for our land-scape projects. However, great care must be taken to select the right tree for the intended space it will be occu-pying. As a landscape contractor, I must try to satisfy my client’s desired aesthetic results while creating sus-tainable ecosystems that will stand the test of time. All too often tree selections that are made in haste will produce non-cohesive results in the landscape. It is of utmost importance to understand a tree’s growth habits, necessary soil/planting conditions, and its mature height and spread.

Far and away, I find that requests from my clients for spot privacy are the most common when it comes to tree selection. The need for spot pri-vacy refers to areas in one’s yard that are exposed to direct line-of-sight from a neighbor’s window or balcony, where the need for some screening is imper-ative. There are many different ways to

create privacy through the placement of trees that will eventually grow to become a natural privacy screen. Selecting the right tree and its place-ment is critical to the long-term suc-cess of your garden. For most of us, the lack of adequate planting space is the biggest obstacle we face. For that reason, I am providing you with some tree suggestions that can (if properly maintained) provide a desired columnar affect while signifi-cantly enhancing the beauty of your landscape.

african trumpet tree (Markhamia lutea)

The African Trumpet Tree is a fast-growing upright evergreen (retains its leaves throughout the year) tree that reaches to heights of 20-30’ and about 10’ in total width. It has a handsome glossy-green foli-age of pinnately (a balance of leaves on either side of each stem) divided leaves to 20” long that are composed

of pointed oval leaflets to 8” long and 2” wide. In summer and fall, it blooms with showy terminal clusters of 2” trumpet-shaped flowers that are bright yellow with red markings in the throats. After flowering, this tree produces long dreadlock-like seed pods that are sure to be a conversa-tion starter. An easily maintainable, perfectly sized tree that flowers and is evergreen; this is one of the best trees to assist with spot privacy issues.

Carolina laurel Cherry (Prunus caroliniana)

The Carolina Laurel Cherry tree is a well-behaved evergreen tree that can be easily shaped to look like a Christmas tree, or rounded to look like a giant lollipop. This tree grows to 20-30’ in height and up to 15’ wide (periodic shaping is key to maintaining desired size). In late winter and early spring, it blooms with spikes of small fragrant creamy-white flowers which are followed by a small amount of fruit that will attract birds. This tree will add a touch of sophistication to any formal European-inspired garden.

Flowering Pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘whitehouse’)

The Flowering Pear is a fully deciduous (will drop its leaves in the winter) and grows to 30’ in height with a strongly upright branch structure. The whitehouse variety tends to be more narrow and columnar in shape. It boasts clusters of white showy flow-ers in late winter/early spring. This is followed by a dense foliage of 2-3” long, dark green, glossy, oval leaves which turn bright purplish-red to scarlet in the fall. I felt it was impor-tant to include a deciduous selection, because most homeowners are not accustomed to their use and benefits.

tree seleCtion & PlantinG Made easyBy weston Barnes

Competent Experienced Attorneys Right Here in Eastlake

Law Office of Jeffrey D. PoindexterLaw Office of Jon Alan EnochsLaw Office of Eric W. Johnson

2580 Catamaran WayChula Vista, CA 91914eastlakelawyers.com

CALL 619 -651 -7600Law Office of Jeffrey D. PoindexterFREE Initial

Consultaion

Helping You Cope withLife’s Little Surprises

: Living Trusts & Wills: Probate & Trust Administration: Estate Litigation: Bankruptcy: Foreclosure

: Civil Litigation: Business Disputes: Real Estate Disputes: Consumer Protection: Personal Injury


GARDEn

A deciduous tree that is planted on the south or west side of a home can greatly cool in the summer, while in the winter, its open canopy will allow the sun’s warmth and light in. utility bills can be greatly reduced, while this tree provides tremendous visual interest throughout the year.

By comparison, proper tree installation makes tree selection seem easy. The number one threat to the successful growth of your trees is improper planting methods. Most people will dig inadequately sized holes and will give no thought to soil conditions. Over the years, I have watched as improperly planted trees in a community will struggle to stay alive as they were not given a fighting chance at survival (no exaggeration). Three of the most common obstacles are: hard rock-filled soil; an abun-dance of clay which does not allow for good drainage; and finally the lack of naturally occurring nutrient –rich soil. we are essentially forced to create foreign planting environ-ments where trees will flourish.

It is always a best practice to dig holes that are 1.5 times the size of the root mass you are intending to plant. Installing an aeration and filtration system is next. Tree roots must be allowed to breathe and will suffer greatly or even perish if allowed to sit in stagnate water. I recommend a 4” bed of ¾” gravel be placed at the bottom of the hole. This is followed by installing a 3” perforated drain pipe running diago-nally across the planting bed. The perforated drain pipe, with its holes facing downward are joined by two 3” elbows that will connect 3” solid

drain pipes up to level grade. The perforated pipe is now covered by another 2-4” bed of gravel. we have just created a u-shaped air flow system and a channel for water to accumulate to be pumped out if necessary. when adding soil, it is important to only use neutral screened fill dirt for the first 1/3, otherwise the inclusion of organic material such as bark will decompose due to the lack of oxy-gen and cause your root system to rot. Place a healthy bed of neutral fill dirt on top of the bed of gravel always being conscious of your plant-ing space based on the overall size of the root ball. you don’t want to plant a heavy tree too low and have to remove it and start over. Place the tree in the hole making sure to have completely removed the entire wood box it may have arrived in. Fill the remaining first third of the root mass with screened fill dirt, gently com-pacting the soil as it is added. The remaining 2/3 of the planting space should be a mixture of amended top soil and screened fill dirt. A final top dressing of amended top soil is rec-ommended.

Remember to always plan ahead and get plenty of expert advice and tree specific knowledge prior to embarking on your landscape project. Also, always make sure you have received approval from your Community Association before beginning any landscape project or improvement. my.

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on your doorstep

Lemon Festival – 11am, Third Avenue from E to H Streets; Free family fes-tival celebrating Chula Vista’s history as the lemon capital of the united States; (619) 422-1982; www.thirdavenuevillage.com

August 1sweetwater union hiGh

sChool distriCt Pre-

PartiCiPation sPorts

sCreeninG assessMents 8am to 3pm Olympian High School Gymnasium

auGust 2009

August 7 liberty eleMentary sChool

welCoMe baCk niGht; 5:30-7pm; BBQ, face painting and vendors letting families know about after school care and activities; open to the public with proceeds benefitting the CV nature Center; www.liber-typtsa.com

August 9 leMon FestiVal – 11am, Third Avenue from E to H Streets; Free family festival celebrating Chula Vista’s his-tory as the lemon capital of the united States; (619) 422-1982; www.thirdavenuevil-lage.com

August 5 VillaGe Vibe ConCert series 6:30-8:30pm at Memorial Bowl, 351 Park way; www.thirdavenuevillage.com

August 29 sharP Chula Vista Free

Prostate sCreeninG; 7:30am-noon at the hos-pital’s Radiation Therapy Department on the first floor; 1-800-827-4277 or www.sharp.com/chulavista

August 15 hilltoP Football GolF

tournaMent – 1pm shotgun start; Bonita Golf Club, 5540 Sweetwater Road, Bonita; Missy McGrath (619) 742-3467; www.hilltoplancersfoot-ball.com

little raCe For rady

Children’s hosPital hosted by Chula Vista yacht Club; 10am to sunset; (619) 985-3038; www.littlerace.com

XaVier the X-Man’s Cruise

For the Cause Car show at Otay Ranch Town Center; 10am-3pm; donate blood and register for the national Bone Marrow registry; (858) 495-8100 or www.magic925.com

August 19 VillaGe Vibe ConCert series 6:30-8:30pm at Memorial Bowl, 351 Park way; www.thirdavenuevillage.com

August 20 Flor y Canto MusiC & art

series – 5-8pm at Otay Ranch Town Center, restau-rant promenade area near Frida’s; www.otayranchtown-center.com

ForeClosure workshoP

with Attorney J. Alan Enochs; St. Mark’s Luthern Church, 580 Hilltop Drive; (619) 651-7600x3

August 12VillaGe Vibe ConCert series 6:30-8:30pm at Memorial Bowl, 351 Park way; www.thirdavenuevillage.com

August 13CV ChaMber annual trade

show – Bonita Golf Club, 5540 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, 5:30pm; (619) 420-6603 or www.chulavistachamber.org

August 28MedaesthitiCs sPa &

wellness botoX/JuVederM

eVent – 11am-6pm at 2060 Otay Lakes Rd, Ste 120 next to LA Fitness; advance reser-vations requested; (619) 656-4772 or www.spaandwell-ness.net

OuT AnD ABOuT

CoMMunity Clubs? eVents? MeetinGs?

If you have something you’d like us to add to the Community Calendar, contact [email protected] or (800) 497-1309 x710

Please note eVents and tiMes are subJeCt to ChanGe.

August 9leMon FestiVal

saVe the date

September 20 Cycle EastLake! at Otay

Ranch Town Center

otay ranCh town Center

FarMer’s Market –

eVery tuesday 4-8PM

saVe the date

September 17 Free Event on Today’s housing

Market Challenges (858) 457-0200

www.meritpm.com

Join the Chamber TODAY!

Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce


Member Bene�ts

from E to H Streets; Free family fes-tival celebrating Chula Vista’s history as the lemon capital of the united

August 1sweetwater union hiGh

sChool distriCt Pre-

PartiCiPation sPorts

sCreeninG assessMents

to 3pm Olympian High School Gymnasium

August 7 liberty eleMentary sChool

welCoMe baCk niGht;

7pm; BBQ, face painting and vendors letting families know about after school care and

CoMMunity Clubs? eVents? MeetinGs?

OuT AnD ABOuT

Lemon Festival – 11am, Third Avenue from E to H Streets; Free family fes-

August 9leMon FestiVal

Lemon Festival – 11am, Third Avenue from E to H Streets; Free family fes-


Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce


Member Bene�ts

SCHOOL nEwSAuGuST 2009

school news


For Marcus Yarbrough, September 5 can’t come soon enough. Like many of his San Diego State University teammates, Yarbrough wants to get working to erase the mem-ory of last year’s dismal 2-10 football season. The former Eastlake High Titan star will start fall camp this month on Montezuma Mesa as the back up at middle linebacker, but he will likely see plenty of playing time starting with the first game in the Rose Bowl against UCLA.

“I can’t wait for that first game,” said Yarbrough, who is majoring in Social Science. “Everything we put into the off-season, including the new defensive scheme we’ll be using, it all is in preparation for fall camp and that first game. Fans will see the new intensity and new feeling we have as players and coaches.”

After last season’s struggles, the Aztecs made a change bring-ing in new head coach Brady Hoke from Ball State to try and turn around a once-proud program. In turn, Hoke brought in new coordinators for both the offense and defense and revamped nearly the entire staff. They will be looking to lead SDSU to its first winning season since 1998, when the Aztecs finished 7-5 and went to the Las Vegas Bowl.

Yarbrough came to SDSU in 2006 following in his father’s footsteps. Dad Darryl played offensive line for the Aztecs for four years. While Marcus redshirted as a freshman, he played in a total of 21 games during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Although recruited by members of the previous coaching staff, Yarbrough says he quickly came to appreciate the fresh approach that coach Hoke and his staff have brought to the team. It is one that has him re-energized about the team’s chances for success.

Eastlake High Alum Looking For Big Season

“The new coaching staff approaches everything with the intensity they want us to play and practice with,” he said. “There is an intensity and a sense of competi-tion at every practice that had been missing. Under (new defensive coordinator) Rocky Long, we’ll be play-ing an attacking style. He believes that teams should have to adjust to what we are doing on defense and not us to them. We’ll be able to control the game more this season.”

Yarbrough’s high school coach, John McFadden, agrees this should be a big year for Marcus. McFadden has been coaching at Eastlake High since 1998, becoming the head coach in 2000. The former Bonita Vista High and Southwestern Community College athlete said Yarbrough was one of the first high school kids he coached that earned a scholarship to play football at a division I program.

“Those new coaches at SDSU are looking for guys willing to compete and that’s Marcus,” McFadden said. “I hope he gets the opportunity to be utilized doing what he does well. Marcus is better when he can be aggressive. He hurt his shoulder his junior year in high school and now that it is finally healed, I’m really looking forward to seeing him explode this year.”

The support for SDSU from family, friends and members of the community was a major factor in Yarbrough’s decision to play for the Aztecs. He says he knows there are a lot of SDSU fans in town and he wants to bring them back to the stadium and get them cheering for their local team again.

“A lot of people love SDSU,” he said. “I see it in my father. He wants SDSU to do well so bad. With the new coaching staff, we are going to turn this into a winning program again. It’s all I care about – bringing SDSU pride back to the community.” my.

Photo Courtesy of: Stan Liu Photography


neighbor spotlight

ron and Rebecca Kelley both grew up in New York and went to school in Buffalo. Each of them has worked in

politics and maintains a sincere interest in being involved in the community. Individually, the pair stays active with several civic organizations including Chula Vista Rotary and City commissions. In addition, both Chula Vista residents have res-cued an animal and welcomed them into their home. In fact, it is amazing how much these two people have in common. So, consider it a huge surprise when you find out the two are separated by a 20-year age gap.

“We met when I was working for Supervisor Ron Roberts,” Rebecca shared. Ron was working for Supervisor Greg Cox at the time. “We met across the hallway. I worked in community relations for Supervisor Roberts and so Ron and I had a lot of overlap and similar schedules. When you are in that type of position you live, eat, sleep and breathe politics.”

The Kelleys have been married for about 15 months, and while kids are in the future plans, their family includes a dog, Hugo, and cats Molly and Elviss. Ron found Hugo abandoned in the park and the two have shared many moments together. Ron and Hugo lived in a condo for eight years before Ron bought the Kelley’s current Otay Ranch home about four years ago. Rebecca says that if visitors look closely they’ll see more photos of Ron and Hugo in the house than of Ron and her.

“Hugo is the greatest dog,” Ron said. “I’ve done so much with him. People always see me with the dog. I bought this house so that I would finally have a yard for him. We used to come down every weekend when the homes around here were being built. The day they handed me the keys to this house, I am not kidding, Hugo immediately had this look that he got it, this was home.”

Rebecca and Ron say they enjoy so much about their com-munity. Rebecca commented that Otay Ranch Town Center offers “dangerously close” shopping with REI a favored destination. The two eat out often and are on a first-name basis with one of the waiters at a local eatery. They attend Concordia Lutheran Church and enjoy the local bike and hik-ing trails. Now working as the director of business and com-munity relations for the South Bay Family YMCA, Rebecca said her appreciation for the South Bay is growing.

“I love working and living in my community,” she said. “I love that we can walk to get a burger and a beer. I like the sense of community that is here and I’d like to see more of it.”

Ron, who now works for the Navy as a civilian, also would like to see the area grow a bit more.

“I fell in love with Otay Ranch when I saw a presentation by the Otay Ranch Company,” he said. “I would like to see the neighborhood complete.” my.

the kelley FaMilyPhoto Courtesy of:

Schafer Photography (619) 261-0471

www.schaferphotography.net

Eastlake High Alum Looking For Big Season


Building Community - The Facebook Way

on topic

on toPiC: COMMunITy

What I miss the most: Mexican food and people. For the former there is

no remedy; there simply is no carne asada burrito worth its salt in Minnesota. For the latter, I have discovered the Internet.

What possessed my hubby and I to leave San Diego and move halfway across the country I still am not entirely sure, but it left a pretty gaping hole in my social calendar and my heart. Big things can be called and emailed about, but the every-day sharing of life was gone. Until, that is, I was introduced to blogging.

My little space in the world chronicled my transition to Midwestern life and then, shortly after, my pregnancy. Friends and family could vicariously have morning sickness, watch my waist expand, see how big our little Olive was getting, have conversations with me and each other in the comments…it was instant community. Even my hubby says he knows me better by reading my blog; he sees new sides of me and gets glimpses into my days I never think to share as we hurtle through meal-times, bedtimes, temper tantrums and tickle fights.

Then came the advent of Facebook. I set up my profile, found a few friends, and let it sit. Slowly out of the woodwork came people I knew from elementary school, sorority sisters, old coworkers. My in-laws. Kids I used to babysit. There would be sudden influxes as word spread – in a week 15 people from my high school show choir would show up online and become friends; we would hungrily catch up on each other’s lives and laugh at the pictures and videos people would post of our young escapades. It was glorious.

I know there are many who debate that real community can happen online, but I believe in it wholeheartedly. There are cousins I’ve seen less than a month

in my entire life who I now chat with regularly. There are people who were mere acquaintances until Facebook who I now consider very good friends. And, best of all, there were friendships in vari-ous states of disrepair, even ones that ended badly, that have been renewed and healed. All because Facebook afforded me the opportunity to connect where I otherwise couldn’t or wouldn’t; it was the safe, casual medium that allowed me to approach. And I leapt at the opportunity.

There is, however, a flip side. I would go to post a snarky comment or some news about life, someone I hadn’t thought about would comment, and I’d

think did I want them to know that? I suddenly realized what a sticky wicket I had walked in on. What level of sharing was appropriate for fam-

ily, coworkers, childhood friends, acquaintances and all assorted others to hear at once? From my “friends” there were postings about engagements, babies, even divorces, miscarriages and firings… risqué pictures and vitriolic rants, very personal things sent out to lists of hundreds…things that made me very uncomfortable.

This is nuts, I thought. Do I really know all these people? Do they need to be in on the everyday workings of my life? Do I want to be in on theirs?

Here’s the peace I made: the saying “people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime and when you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do” is just as true online as it is in real life.

Now, someone please move out here and open a Lolita’s. my.

Elle Strike can be found online at www.ohmis-

seliza.blogspot.com and on Facebook as a fan of My

Hometown magazine.

955 Lane Avenue, Suite 201 1055 Tierra Del Rey, Suite C Chula Vista, CA 91914 Chula Vista, CA 91910 Phone: (619) 421-9521 Phone: (619) 656-5102

Fax: (619) 421-9568 Fax: (619) 656-5103

www.MOPTINC.com

Services: Physical Therapy Massage Therapy

Wellness Programs Speed & Agility Training

Personal Training

Providing quality Therapy to the South Bay communities.


the conversation played out as so many have since Doug Wolf opened Mathnasium last December. A woman

walked into his EastLake learning center and said she wanted to see about helping her daughter “catch up” in her math skills. She shared that she would like to see her daughter’s math skills rise to the level the young girl has succeeded at in her other subjects. Quickly, Wolf set out to assist the local mother and reassure her that her daughter would be able to succeed in math. The chance to assist families with maximiz-ing the educational experience of their children rests at the heart of his business approach.

“Some kids do well in some areas and struggle in math,” Wolf said after the woman exited with more information about the programs available. “Some just need a little more help in math. The three major things we focus on in our pro-gram are catch up, keep up and get ahead.”

Parents have the option of signing up for three-month, six-month or 12-month programs that normally include 10 visits per month. How long a term is appropriate depends on a number of factors. For every child that comes to Mathnasium, Wolf begins by giving them an assessment. The results of the assessment determine a starting point for the program Wolf will develop.

“We need to know what they know and we do this in a non-judgmental manner,” he explained. “The assessment is more for me than for them. I need to find out what are they good at and where do they need help. Once we determine that starting

point, we go back and see what exactly they are having dif-ficulty with. What we introduce is a new way of explaining the concept to them.”

Mathnasium has a number of qualified math instructors working directly with the kids in the program. According to Wolf, these staff members also take an assessment to make sure they have the skills needed to work with students. He said they all have strong math backgrounds with some having experience as math resource teachers and others having earned math degrees.

In working with the kids in this program, the instructors complete student evaluations every three months. Equally important to Wolf and his staff for gauging how kids are improving are the facial expressions, body language and ques-tions the kids ask during their sessions. In measuring success and progress, he said staff also relies on parent feedback about how the child is talking about and working on their math assignments at home.

“I hate to see kids struggle with something,” Wolf said about why he opened Mathnasium. “I think math is the most impor-tant subject in school. Math doesn’t just teach you numbers, it teaches you logical thought process. No one ever didn’t suc-ceed in life because they knew too much math.” my.

Mathnasium

884 EastLake Parkway, Suite 1623, Chula Vista 91914

(619) 600-3993; www.mathnasium.com

MathnasiuMPhoto Courtesy of:

Jessica Fraser (619) 339-1847

www.momentsbyjessica.com

SPIRITUAL

EastLake Church-relevant messages, great kids’ programs, 1 hour

services, rockin’ music. Just some of the great things you can expect each

weekend at EastLake Church. 2355 Otay Lakes Road

(619) 421-4100 www.eastlakechurch.com

MEDICAL

Medical care for the whole family. Pediatrics, Adolescents, Adults, Seniors, Womens’ Health, Physicals for DMV, Sports, Immigration. We take a

wide variety of plans HMO, PPO, Tricare, Medicare, Senior Plans, Private Pay.

SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE.Dr. Maria Oseguera and Dr. Edward Schumaker

Hablamos Espanol

(619) 946-4073 [email protected]

SPIRITUAL

If the formalities of traditional churches aren’t your thing, RanchoVista is the place for you. Services are relevant, casual and fun, withlive inspirational music, amazing

kids’ programs and a commitment to serve our community. Sundays 9:00 & 10:30 at Otay Ranch HS

(1250 Olympic Parkway).

(619) 540-1221 www.ranchovistachurch.com

WELL BEING

For the past 17 years, Pack & Bianes Vision Care has offered state-of-the-art eyecare for adults, children and infants. Look to us for the latest in

contact lenses, eyewear, vision therapy or Lasik. We are providers for several

insurance plans such as VSP & Tricare. Dr. Pack habla español.

(619) 216-3937 www.packandbianesvision.com

WELL BEING

Now 3 locations in the Eastlake & Otay Ranch area. Jazzercise is a 60-minute total body workout: cardio, strength, stretch, hip-hop, yoga, Pilates, jazz

dance, kick-boxing & resistance train-ing all in one. All ages, levels, & sizes

welcome. Join us today! Alex Robinson 619.846.5888.

Mention ad for free class.

(619) 846-5888 www.jazzercise.com

SPIRITUAL

Young Church, Young People, Fresh Faith.

Now meeting on Sundays at 10:00am at Olympian High School in Otay Ranch, 1925 Magdalena Ave.,

91913. Listen and preview us online.

(619) 977-9277 www.7sdchurch.com

DENTAL

Great dental care is one of the most important investments you will make in your life. At Dental Art Designs at

EastLake you can have a healthier and more attractive smile. Dr. Gomes and Dr. Vasquez, along with their caring staff, strive to provide patients of all ages with a relaxed and comfortable

experience. Call us at .....

(619) 656-9393 www.dentalartdesigns.com

Massage therapy is also available.

WELL BEING

We at Salt Family Chiropractic are hon-ored to serve the EastLake Community. Drs. Mark and Celeste Salt along with

Dr. Greg Kaye bring 30 years com-bined experience. We specialize in

being a wellness clinic addressing your chiropractic needs, along with offering

nutritional programs and products. Massage is also available Wednesdays,

Fridays and Saturdays

(619) 426-2225 www.saltchiro.com

WELL BEING

We at Salt Family Chiropractic are hon-ored to serve the EastLake Community. Drs. Mark and Celeste Salt along with

Dr. Greg Kaye bring 30 years com-bined experience. We specialize in

being a wellness clinic addressing your chiropractic needs, along with offering

nutritional programs and products. Massage is also available Wednesdays,

Fridays and Saturdays

(619) 426-2225 www.saltchiro.com

SPIRITUALSPIRITUAL SPIRITUALSPIRITUALSPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL

My HOMETOwn MERCADO

WELL BEING

We are Eastlake’s first ATA Extreme Martial Arts program! We are a

family-oriented facility dedicated to the principles of care, honor, integrity

and discipline-all in a fun, exciting atmosphere! Whatever your goals may

be, our World Champion, certified instructors and next-generation devel-

opment programs will exceed your expectations!

(619) 421-1282 www.prideata.com

LEGAL

Eastlake Lawyers offers quality, experienced legal services right here in EastLake. The three law

offices of Eric W. Johnson, Jeffrey D. Poindexter, and J. Alan Enochs pro-vide advice in the areas of wills and trusts, business disputes, real estate matters, foreclosure, bankruptcy and most other legal issues you may find

yourself confronting. Contact us today for a free consultation.

(619) 651-7600www.eastlakelawyers.com

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Our unique program fosters a healthy emotional self-esteem devel-opment to bring forth each child’s

unique talents, skills and aim in life.

(619) 656-5795 www.greenhillslc.com

• Bilingual & Bicultural (English/Spanish)

• Age appropriate Academic Curriculum

• Promotion of values

• Extended Care available (am/pm)

• 3, 5 or half days

• Uniform

Now enrolling for the 2009-2010 school year

EDUCATION

St. Pius X School is a fully accredited K-8 Catholic school where children

learn in a Christ-centered educational environment. Students are prepared

for higher education using a variety of techniques which incorporate multiple

intelligences. Students learn to see themselves and others as unique indi-

viduals of great dignity and worth.Applications are now being accepted.

(619) 422-2015 www.school.saintpiusx.org

EDUCATION

Bonita Country Day School is a highly acclaimed private school teachingstudents how to think, not what to

think. Small classes allow individualattention in Montessori Preschool &Kindergarten – Grade 5. BilingualProgram, Art & Music are included

with a superior academic curriculum.

(619) 656-0141 www.bonitacountryday.org

BONITA COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

REAL ESTATE

Visit our website for a full listing of:

• Homes for Sale

• Bank-Owned

• Short Sales

• Foreclosures

McMillin Realty is your neighborhood Real Estate company!

www.mcmillinrealty.com

EDUCATION

San Diego Hua Xia Chinese School atChula Vista. Native Chinese Speakersas Classroom Teachers. Proven prac-

tice based learning system for children in the U.S to learn Chinese. Differentclasses for different levels of Chineselanguage learners. Nonprofit school

with affordable tuition.

(619) 594-3454 www.sdhxcs-cv.org

ENTERTAINMENT/SHOPPING

Flor Y Canto Music & Art Series at Otay Ranch Town Center

August 20th 5-8 PMEnjoy Local Art and Live Music by

House of Mexico. Located near Frida & Nico’s restaurants. Monthly

series every 3rd Thursday through October

For more info visit www.otayranchtowncenter.com

REAL ESTATE

Our website is designed with you in mind. Go to

www.mcmillinrealty.com to search the MLS, find information about your

community, plus much more! See how we can assist you today

with all of your Real Estate needs.

McMillin Realty is your neighborhood Real Estate company!

www.mcmillinrealty.com

FINANCIAL

Equity Alliance is dedicated to provid-ing comprehensive financial planning advice to their clients. We strive to educate and empower clients with

knowledge regarding financial prod-ucts and useful application towards

financial security. The key to financial success is planning, take charge and

make an appointment today!

(619) 591-9700 www.equityaf.com

Equity Alliance Financial

Registered Representative of and securities offered through QA3 Financial

Corp. Member FINRA/ SIPC. Investment Advisor Representative of and advisory

services offered through QA3 Financial LLC, an SEC Registered Investment

Advisor. Equity Alliance Financial and QA3 Financial are not affiliated

companies. CA Insurance License 0C49928 CA DRE License 01312878

FINANCIAL REAL ESTATEREAL ESTATEFINANCIAL REAL ESTATEFINANCIAL

My HOMETOwn MERCADO

For Advertising information contact us at (800) 497-1309 x710 www.myhometownchulavista.com

WWW . M C M I L L I N R E A L T Y . C O M

Visit our website for complete details of

these beautiful homes, virtual tours, more

photos, and extras... Plus a complete listing

of homes for sale including bank-owned,

short sales and foreclosures. We have it all.

Follow us on Facebook

and Twitter for instant

news updates on

open houses, new

listings, current real

estate information and

community events

important to

Chula Vista.

M C M I L L I N R E A L T Y I S Y O U R N E I G H B O R H O O D R E A L E S T A T E C O M P A N Y

Nobody knows Chula Vista better than the company that helped build and support it for over 5 decades...McMillin Realty has over 150 experienced and knowledgeable professional associates that live and work

in our community.B O N I TA O F F I C E 6 1 9 4 7 5 . 0 2 3 3 TERRA NOVA OFFICE 619 422.4500

H I M M E R C O U R T, 9 1 9 1 3$429,000

S A N R A F A E L P L A C E , 9 1 9 1 4$369,000

C O P P E R P E N N Y, 9 1 9 1 5$390,000

C A N Y O N , 9 1 9 1 3$599,900

C O L U S A S T R E E T, 9 1 9 1 3$479,900

A U G U S TA P L A C E , 9 1 9 1 5$899,900

Documents

My Hometown Magazine - August 2009