Laguna Beach County Water District assures residents drinking water is safe
With rising public concerns about the potential impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Laguna Beach County Water District (District) wants to reassure customers that they can be confident that this outbreak has no impact on the quality or supply of their tap water. There is currently no evidence to support that COVID-19 is transmitted through drinking water. Tap water is more stringently regulated than bottled water. There is no need to purchase mass quantities of bottled water.
“As the District continues to closely follow developments with the virus, staff remains committed to delivering exceptional service by pairing consistent delivery of safe, reliable drinking water with outstanding customer service,” stated Christopher Regan, interim general manager. “As the situation continues to evolve, we are following the recommendations of public health officials and our local government to ensure we are doing all that is possible for our employees and community, while continuing to serve our customer’s needs.”
As a precautionary measure, the District’s headquarters office (306 Third St) is closed to the public through March 27, or until further notice. The closure is aligned with the Declaration of a Local Emergency by the City of Laguna Beach. Walk-in services requiring in-person visits or counter assistance have been suspended.
District operations will continue with staff available to provide services and answer questions by phone at (949) 494-1041 or by emailing [email protected].
The District also offers a convenient way for customers to access account information online through their Customer Connect Dashboard. Visit the District’s website at www.lbcwd.com/customerconnect to make secure online payments, access account information, and view usage information.
The District has also temporarily suspended customer shutoffs for delinquent and/or non-payment. Customers facing financial hardship can contact the District to establish payment arrangements. “We hope this provides some relief for our customers who may be facing economic hardships during this time,” stated Regan.
Laguna Beach County Water District provides water service to 20,000 residents within an 8.5 square mile area of Laguna Beach. The District’s mission is to furnish a high quality, reliable water supply in a financially responsible manner, while promoting water-use efficiency.
2020 Grapes for Grads canceled
By Jeffrey Redeker, Grapes for Grads Chairperson
The Rotary Club of Laguna Beach has canceled the 2020 Grapes for Grads event, which was to be held on April 26, 2020 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Festival of Arts Grounds.
The cancellation is due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. The event will not be rescheduled. The event raises money for scholarships for Laguna Beach High School seniors and undergraduate students at Laguna College of Art + Design.
The club is hoping to provide scholarships for 2020 based on existing donations and club funds that are available.
Any person who wishes to make a donation toward this year’s scholarships or who had purchased tickets and would like to request a refund, please contact me by emailing at [email protected] on or before April 1st.
Persons who purchased tickets and do not request a refund, those funds will be added to the donations towards scholarships for 2020. You can donate through the ticket portal at www.grapesforgrads.com. Our 2021 event will take place on April 25, 2021. We hope to see you all there.
Laguna Beach Live! announces additional cancellations and postponements of shows
By Cindy Prewitt, President of Laguna Beach Live!
It is impossible to keep up with all that is happening and no doubt you are feeling the same. At first, we were optimistic about needing only to cancel one concert, March 25, and then we felt it was imperative to cancel three more: Jazz on April 8 and 15 and Live! at the Museum on April 9. You have been very understanding of the situation and many of you have been extra supportive through donating your ticket refunds to help us pay the artists and support staff. Thank you!
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Cindy Prewitt and Bijon Watson of Laguna Beach Live!
We continue to monitor as best we can, not only the WHO and CDC, but also the other performing arts groups, many of whom have canceled the rest of their seasons. Looking ahead to our Benefit Show on April 29 with Billy Valentine and to May 13 with Seffarine, we feel it is best to postpone, giving the artists, staff, and venue as much notice as possible. With special thanks to the artists and to [seven-degrees], we are postponing the two concerts to the fall.
We want to thank all of you for your patronage and support. Your many comments of encouragement have really meant a lot to us.
P.S. If you bought tickets to the canceled concerts and have not contacted us, please let us know if you would like to donate the cost of your ticket (and get a tax donation letter) or receive a refund.
You can email [email protected] or call (949) 715-9713.
Laguna Beach locals and owners of Code Green Fitness offer live virtual workouts
Laguna Beach locals Ryan and Teresa Kollock, owners of Code Green Fitness and parents to five young children, know all too well the hardships that many will embrace in the weeks and months to come while we all deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Kollocks want to help by providing our community with a way to stay healthy and strong while following Governor Newsom’s “stay at home” order. Their focus is on being a positive influence on our community and encouraging us all to take our health into our own hands.
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The Kolluck family wishes to extend health and wellness to the community
Exercise is an outlet that allows us to relieve stress, connect with people, and is also one of the best ways to boost your immune system. With all the gyms being closed and social distancing, we are all searching for a new routine and way to workout. Code Green Fitness is offering multiple ways for all of us to stay healthy and strong while staying at home:
1. If you are looking for ideas for things to do on your own, email [email protected] your name and cell phone number and Ryan and Teresa will send you in invitation to their Code Green Fitness app for free. Once you log in to the app for the first time, the app will open, click on workouts and select a workout that works for you. There are meditations, body weight workouts, and various workouts with weights. Again, this is free to everyone.
2. Code Green Fitness will also be broadcasting LIVE workouts remotely so that we can stay at home and be safe. Guided workout sessions are Monday through Friday on Zoom at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. These workouts can be done individually or as a family. It’s a great way to get your kids their credit for PE! The sessions will include a lot of circuit training and supersets for best results. Workouts will change daily so you will never get bored. For this first week, Code Green Fitness will be doing bodyweight only exercises. Starting the next week, they will be adding in workouts with bands. All the classes will be interval based with focuses on strength, cardio, core, and flexibility. Code Green Fitness is also hoping to record these workouts so that you can do them at a later time if you want to.
Ryan and Teresa are sensitive to the fact that not everyone is thriving at these times, so all workouts will be donation-based.
Contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining the group workouts.
Code Green Fitness is still taking on private clients, abd will be doing FaceTime sessions. This is as good as it gets to in-person training. You will be led through a workout with whatever equipment you have (if any). This keeps you accountable and is far better than a YouTube video or following a plan off a piece of paper. Please text Ryan at (949) 697-2364 to set up your appointments.
Ryan and Theresa are looking forward to serving our community and helping you and your family stay sane and fit during this pandemic. We will all get through this together and find new ways to stay healthy!.
Also, make sure you are following Code Green Fitness on Instagram and Facebook as Ryan and Theresa will be doing a lot more posting there also.
For more information, visit www.codegreenfitness.com and www.lagunabeachyouthfootball.com.
Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach seeks support via “Campaign to Gain”
Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach has announced a new annual peer-to-peer drive, “Campaign to Gain.” The Club is asking the community to share personal stories on how the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach has impacted their family.
The method is easy: create a page on a web-based platform, tell your story, and share with your connections digitally. Anyone can donate with the click of a button and no amount is too small.
This special peer-to-peer campaign gives everyone a chance to tell their unique and personal experiences with the Club. It is effortless for everyone to pitch in and support the life-changing programing the Boys & Girls Club has to offer.
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Boys & Girls Club kids in the Patriots Day Parade
“Day in and day out, our Boys & Girls Club staff and mentors deliver quality experiences that make a difference in a youth’s life beyond their time at the Club. Research shows that kids who have an optimal experience at our Club are also more likely to have positive self-esteem, volunteer, and be engaged in school,” said Pam Estes, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach.
“Our new campaign asks members of the community to simply share their story with their community, to show the amazing impact our Club has on the lives of kids and teens. If a kid can dream it, they can become it at the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach. They just need the community’s help”
Pam adds, “Any donation, big or small will make a difference! We thank all donors for helping us build a stronger community, and we couldn’t do our work on behalf of the children without their continued support.”
In an effort to kick-start this new campaign, an anonymous BGC-Laguna Board Member has pledged to match donations dollar for dollar up to $10,000. This means your donation is doubled right from the start.
To learn more, read some amazing stories, or start your own page, visit www.bgclagunabeach.org or call Abby at (949) 715-7931.
Coalition of funders launches OC Community Resilience Fund
The Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF), St. Joseph Health Community Partnership Fund, and Charitable Ventures, along with regional funding partners, have launched the OC Community Resilience Fund to collectively tackle the immediate impact of COVID-19 on our most vulnerable communities. The Fund, which aims to raise $2 million by March 31, will award grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to community providers that support our county’s most vulnerable populations, including veterans, low-income seniors, households under the poverty line, immigrants and refugees, children of all ages and their families, and individuals who are homeless, disabled, or underinsured.
“Countless nonprofit organizations are facing unprecedented challenges in caring for extremely vulnerable residents whose well-being and basic needs are most affected by COVID-19,” said Shelley Hoss, president and CEO, OCCF. “We are proud to partner with our fellow regional funders to facilitate this targeted and strategic vehicle for philanthropic collaboration. When we work together, leverage our efforts, and stay flexible in an ever-changing environment, we can help keep our community strong.”
The OC Community Resilience Fund will provide three types of grants to local nonprofits:
–Support community clinic operations to provide preventative and medical services for those affected by COVID-١٩, especially those caring for uninsured or underinsured patients to offset the costs of uncompensated care.
–Support emergency grants to individuals affected by COVID-19 due to quarantine (i.e. as a result of personal illness or to care for a family member), business closures and/or layoffs, and school or other community program closures and/or layoffs.
–Support community-based organizational operations for nonprofits serving vulnerable populations directly impacted by the medical or economic effects of the pandemic.
“The OC Community Resilience Fund represents a vital mobilization of Orange County’s most passionate funders intent on serving our most vulnerable neighbors,” Jason Lacsamana, senior program officer, St. Joseph Health Community Partnership Fund and chairperson of Orange County Grantmakers. “By extending this vital support to nonprofits at the frontlines of care during this pandemic, we will direct grants where they are most needed immediately, responding to the evolving changes we are seeing in this public health emergency.”
A review committee comprised of staff from OCCF, St. Joseph Health Community Partnership Fund, and OC Grantmakers will review applications and make funding decisions. Charitable Ventures will administer the Fund, which will have rolling grant cycles and will work to respond to applicants on a monthly basis. All administration costs will be covered by St. Joseph Health Community Partnership Fund and Orange County Community Foundation.
To learn more and donate to this Fund, visit https://charitableventuresoc.org/resiliencefund/. Questions on the grant opportunities can be directed to [email protected].
