Community Comes Together
in O.C.
Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and
Patti Kishel
Summer’s warm, lazy days are the perfect time
for a picnic. Whether it’s at the beach, a neighborhood park or your own
backyard, all you need is friends and food.
Dating back to the 1700s in France, picnics – sharing a meal outside in a scenic setting – became popular after the French Revolution in 1789 when the royal parks were opened to the public for the first.time.
Picnics offered a leisurely break from work and
a chance to enjoy recreational activities.
Now they are an American classic.
SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
had a blast this weekend at Orange County's annual Celebration Recovery
Picnic – a fun-filled day to celebrate overcoming life’s
adversities. Sponsored by the Mental Health Association of Orange County and
Jamboree Housing/HOMES, it brings the whole community together.
With hot dogs, watermelon eating contests, ice
cream…
carnival games, music and more everyone
was feeling the good vibrations.
Helen Cameron, an analyst with Jamboree Housing,
and her husband Alan made sure that everyone got hot dogs and chili.
Raul Fernandez, Homes Supervisor, Resident
Services, and George Searcy, Vice President of Community Impact, kept the fun
going with a water balloon toss.
Jim Farrell, an advocate with the Orange County
Conservator Assistance Group, showed up to lend a hand and cheer people on.
Volunteer Michael Christian Martinez, who’s from
the Philippines, said he got involved in the picnic because his grandmother
Lucy Brimbuela has helped with it for 25-years and he wanted to share in the
experience.
SurfWriter Girls found out that Martinez is an
Olympic figure skater, ranked #23 in the world, and skated at the 2014 Winter
Olympics in Russia representing the Philippines. You never know who you’re
going to meet at a picnic!
Fernandez told SurfWriter Girls, "It takes a committee to plan out this event
for all of Orange County. Jamboree is proud to be a part of it with the Mental
Health Association of Orange County and Pam Presnall
taking the lead.” Calling the picnic a “healing
event,” Fernandez said, “Everyone is in some form of recovery.” It could be due to emotional, physical or other reasons and the Celebration Recovery Picnic celebrates people's accomplishments.
Watching everyone having a good time, Helen
Cameron said about her work with Jamboree Housing, “The most exciting thing we
are doing is taking people off the streets who are chronically homeless with a
disability and providing permanent, supportive housing.” She added, “We
couldn’t do it alone. It’s all about partnerships.”
Just like with picnics, we all need a little help from our friends.
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.
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