Enjoying Good Vibrations!
Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
Hot dogs, chili, ice cream, watermelon, carnival games, music and more!
Everywhere SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
looked we could see people having fun at Orange County's Celebration
Recovery Picnic – the annual event sponsored by the Mental Health
Association of Orange County, Jamboree Housing, NAMI OC, and other community
health organizations.
The picnic does more than bring people together. It's a healing event that celebrates their accomplishments in overcoming life's setbacks – emotional, physical, and other difficulties.
Helen Cameron, Director of Supportive
Housing at Jamboree Housing, told SurfWriter Girls, "I love going to the
picnic each year because we see all the success stories. It's great to see
people having fun and enjoying the day."
There was something for everyone...with bingo games and a
watermelon eating contest.
People lined up for ice cream. SurfWriter Girls spotted Jamboree's Operations
Manager Raul Fernandez in line and joined him for a cool treat.
Looking around, we found a crowd gathered at the face painting booth. Everyone was excited to see the transformations.
Volunteer Sheala Carstairs – with a beautiful butterfly
painted on her face – made sure that everyone got chili dogs.
Other volunteers grilled the hot dogs, supervised the games and kept the music
going.
Later, Helen Cameron, whose husband Alan was helping out, too, talked more about her goal:
“To help get people with disabilities off the streets and into
permanent, supportive housing." She noted that it's a huge task, but when
everyone works together it's amazing what they can do.
And, it was
amazing to feel all the good vibrations around us.
A Dance to Summer – Jules Feiffer
Please post your comment below.
Comments will appear the next day.
Sunny Magdaug and
Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material.
Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on
social media sites as long as credit is given.
