During the year of 2015 it was a busy place Around Lakeside, with citizens doing good deeds and helping others. The Golden Rule is alive and well, which is “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”.
During the year of 2015 it was a busy place Around Lakeside, with citizens doing good deeds and helping others. The Golden Rule is alive and well, which is “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”.
With that thought in mind, the Women’s Club hosted their annual Bunko Party and it was a whopping success. They voted to spend their hard earned profits on two very deserving charities. The Final Honor provides a horse drawn hearse wagon for deceased military veterans at Miramar National Cemetery at no cost to their families. Often times the family does not know that their loved one will have this final honor. It is a very touching tribute. The second deserving charity was to donate $3000 to the Disaster Search Dog Foundation. Bella, Lakeside’s Search Dog was on hand to receive the generous gift. It will be used to train Bella and other Search Dogs for disasters such as fires, earthquakes, terrorist events and other disasters.
The Woman’s Club had another happy occasion this year too. KR Wolf Enterprises a construction company that had purchased the old Lakeside Theater on Maine Avenue a few years ago, was gutting out the old building when they found a “Time Capsule” hidden in the walls. Upon opening the tin box that was wrapped in tin foil and string, they found some photos and a newspaper article dated 1912. The article showed a photo of the Women’s Club and Lakeside Improvement Club members and showed the ladies gathered around, dressed in long dresses and aprons, they where holding shovels and performing the ground breaking ceremony for the soon to be built Lakeside Town Hall. The Hall was going to be built with funds donated by the community members. The Woman’s Club donated the money to buy the land. The ladies also took care of renting out the Hall and keeping it tidy and clean. Later in the 1940s the Town Hall was converted into a movie theater that the community enjoyed up into the mid 1980s.
The Cedar Fire Monument Garden had its Grand Opening in October. It was the 11th anniversary of the devastating firestorm. The whole community came together to raise funds for the Monument Garden. County Supervisor Dianne Jacob made a generous donation from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program. Others who donated were the Garden Club, Historical Society, Woman’s Club, Eucalyptus Hills Fire Safe Council and other generous community members. Lakeside lost 15 citizens in the Cedar Fire and this garden was meant as a tribute to them and their families. The Monument Garden is located next door to the fire station on Lakeside Avenue. The public is welcome to visit it anytime.
July found El Monte Residents trying to fight off a sand mining project in their valley. The so-called El Monte Nature Preserve LLC project is thought by many to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the former Golf Course owners, saying they will restore the valley after the sand mining is complete, but to the dismay of residents the project is expected to take over 15 years and create 100s of trucks hauling sand each day! The San Diego County Planning Commission is reviewing the Environmental Reports and community complaints now.
Our new Sheriff Sub Station on Parkside Avenue was dedicated in May. The new location for the station is in the former Fire District Office (behind Ottavio’s Restaurant). After extensive remodeling inside the deputies moved in and now have a huge parking lot to show off their shiny black and white patrol cars. Local dignitaries, Sheriff Bill Gore and Jacob and others were on hand to welcome the officers and public. A tour of the new facility and refreshments followed the presentations and introductions.
Undergrounding of the utilities along Maine Avenue in our Historic District was finally finished in September. After two years of digging and trenching the work was finally complete. The Maine Avenue Revitalization Association, SDG&E, AM Ortega, Can Do Electric, Chamber of Commerce, Lakeside Infrastructure Committee and the County of San Diego had worked together to create a more beautiful area when the old power poles and wires came down. Some folks said that now they can see the beautiful mountains that surround Lakeside. Old fashion streetlights went up to replace the modern types. In all, this was a $4 million dollar project.
So what are you and your group doing Around Lakeside in 2016, just give me a call at 443-1133 and I will help you spread the word.
