Letters to the Editor

Great turnout and community support for scholarship breakfast

I would like to express our thanks to the community of Ramona for the support they showed to our fundraiser held on Saturday, the 28th of April. The 13th annual Bill Carmichael Memorial Pancake breakfast was held at OPMS cafeteria between 8 and 11 a.m.

We had a wonderful turnout and made over $800 for the CSEA (Classified School Employees Association) scholarship fund. These scholarships are given to seniors who are the children of Ramona Unified School District CSEA bargaining unit members. Over the last 10 years we have helped over 100 students work toward their goal of a college education.

Without the continued support of our local business community, we could not have done as well. We received several positive comments on the food. Our donators include:

Bisher’s Quality Meats, bacon and sausage

Eben-Haezer Poultry Ranch, eggs

Denny’s Restaurant, pancake batter

Stater Brothers, Albertsons, Don’s Market

Driftwood Dairy

Several individuals donated opportunity drawing and door prizes:

Kritter Kamp/Lasley Family for prize of camera package

Big Apple Bagels, Ramona Beauty Supply, Dwell Yoga, RHS Scrip program, Kris Blaszcak, Lorna Proctor, Michelle Madsen, Janet Mandela.

And of course our volunteers: Donna Artis, Betsy Bargo, Kris Blaszcak, Sandy Burney, Tom and Doris Fitzpatrick, Peggy Groves, Virginia Jones, Jim King, Michelle & Abby Madsen, Kory Martenson, Bev Singleton, and Steve Whitney.

Betsy Bargo, on behalf of CSEA, Ramona Chapter

No need to shop down the hill

I wanted to give a shout out to Hidden Valley Ranch Nursery. I was looking for two trees for my yard and stopped into the nursery. I was amazed at the selection they had. The gentleman that runs the nursery was very knowledgeable about the trees he sold. The prices were extremely reasonable and, best of all, the trees are acclimated to our unique Ramona weather.

Don’t waste your gas money or time going down the hill, shop Ramona’s own Hidden Valley Ranch Nursery.

Rod Manson, Ramona

Candidate thanks those who voted

I would like to thank all of those that took the time to read the candidates information and then voted in the recent San Diego Country Estates Election. I especially want to thank those that saw fit to vote for me.

The board members have now selected me to be the treasurer. Our association has many items on its plate, most all requiring money, that will be addressed in the upcoming years. I feel that we need to respond to the requirements of maintaining our current physical properties, carefully considering new desired items, and keeping our member services at a high level, all with a watchful eye to get the most value from your dollars spent.

I for one will approach these from a conservative fiscal point of view in order to get the biggest and best bang for our buck and striving to keep our assessments low.

Perry Jones, Ramona

Thank you for Garden Tour, Plant Sale success

Thanks to the community of Ramona, the 2012 Ramona Garden Tour and Plant Sale was a huge success. The weather was beautiful, the gardens were spectacular, and the crowd was generous with both their praise and their funds. All of this combined to make the 2012 Ramona Garden Club’s Fifth Annual Tour, held April 28, another success story for both the club and the community.

Naturally, we could not have done any of this without the time, effort, and generous spirits of our homeowners: we thank Eli and Bobby Darrin, Sandy and Bill Dunnigan, Donna and Scott Farquar, Barbara and Ivan Hurlstone, Sandy and Glenn Marlin, Suzie and Janet Sheely, and Diane and George Zane.

Thanks also to Ramona Community Library, which not only hosted us for the day, but also let us place signs on their property and assisted us behind the scenes.

The large signs all over town could not have been placed without cooperative property and business owners, such as Jim McWhorter/Third Street Grill and the McWhorter family home on Highway 67, the rangers at Collier Park, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Ramona Chamber of Commerce, Schwaesdall Winery, SDCE general manager Mario Trejo, and Ramona Liquor Store. Our thanks to each of you.

In addition to club members, we asked several businesses to assist us in ticket sales. Frankie Berkley Newberg of Sun Valley Florist, Martha Berntsen of The Crazy 9 Patch Quilt Shop, and Nora Siedl of Packard’s Coffee Shop, we appreciate your hard work on our behalf.

We thank everyone who donated items for our two opportunity drawing baskets, which were huge draws for our event: ACE Hardware of Ramona, Designer Stone, Home Depot of Poway, RTC Nursery, Ramona Irrigation and Electrical Supply, Ramona Municipal Water District, Sun Valley Florist, Wal-Mart, Walter Anderson Nursery of Poway, and the Zoological Society of San Diego. Of course, we also thank the many individual club members who donated items.

Our vendors, who showcased their businesses and crafts to help support our cause have not only our thanks, but our honest appreciation for their handiwork: Susan Aach of Susan’s Ceramics, Francine Abbotte windchimes, Victor Amaya of Mexi-Crafts Co., Erika Bienne’s rock ants; Joannie Gilchriest of Ransom Brothers, Tom and Johnnie Holdenreid of Birdhouses and Crosses, Linda Kadubec’s birdhouses, Vickie Martinez with her owl boxes and birdhouses, Margie Neal of Garden Stones, and Mo Price birdhouses.

Tom Serio and the agriculture students at Montecito High School grew those fantastic strawberries and flowers. Thank you for your hard work. Several people donated plants for our sale: Bryan Linquist of Royal Palm Nursery, Joanne Cruz, Tim Connelly of Connelly Gardens, and Liz and Walt Horelick of Schoolhouse Gardens.

Our bake sale was made possible with the help of Carlos Murcia of the Ramona Food and Clothes Closet and Ray Cardona of the Ramona Senior Center.

And finally, to everyone who stopped by, shopped, purchased plants and other items, bought tour tickets, joined our club, and helped make the day such a success, we sincerely thank each and every one of you. We look forward to seeing you again next year. The money earned will go back to our community in the form of scholarships, grants, and other projects in the coming years.

Jane Vidal, president, Ramona Garden Club