Disneyland Rolls Out Red Carpet for Selfless Seattle Cub Scout

Seattle Cub Scout Billy Joe Thomas, who last month won a trip to Disneyland for selling the most tickets to a Scout show and then gave away his prize trip to benefit children with cancer, made it to Disneyland Tuesday anyway thanks to an anonymous benefactor. Billy had donated his hard-won prize to a civic group to use in fund-raising efforts for children dying of cancer because the Scout motto is “do your best,” he said.

Billy, 8, got a VIP welcome from the Disney characters when he arrived at the park with his disabled parents, Ray and Laura Thomas. Billy’s mother is deaf and legally blind; his father suffers an incapacitating lung disease.

The anonymous source had heard about the boy’s act of generosity and donated the vacation to Billy and his parents. Billy was proclaimed an honorary citizen of Disneyland and later led an afternoon parade as grand marshal. Seattle Mayor Charles Royer declared Monday as “Billy Joe Thomas Day” before the family left for Anaheim.

L. Arthur Womer Jr., a teacher at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, received the Leavey Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education from the Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge, Pa.

Womer, of Cypress, is one of 18 people to receive the award.

A commemorative plaque and a cash award of $7,500 was presented to Womer for his program, “The Economics of Love,” which teaches basic economic skills to students by using simulated marriage and parenthood examples.

High school teachers and college faculty members who develop innovative courses or projects which teach the principles and benefits of the American free enterprise system are eligible to compete for this award.

Yorba Linda resident Irene Opdyke, who saved the lives of hundreds of Jews in Poland during the Holocaust, will speak about her experiences at a meeting of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Orange County. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on June 25 in the Jewish Community Center of North Orange County’s library, 12181 Buaro St., Garden Grove. The public is invited to attend the lecture.

A Huntington Beach city committee, along with community input, has chosen Ann N. Chlebicki as Citizen Grand Marshal for the city’s annual Fourth of July parade.

Chlebicki, principal of Huntington Beach High School, will lead the parade down Main Street.

Chlebicki, 29, became principal of Huntington Beach High School in 1980. Since Chlebicki assumed her position, enrollment in academically rigorous courses at Huntington Beach High School has soared and the number of honors courses have tripled. Three microcomputer labs and a mainframe lab have been added to handle a total of 17 class sections. The Model United Nations Program, involving more than 250 students, has seen some students win Best Delegates Awards at 11 national conferences. Also under Chlebicki’s direction, classes have been created to meet the needs of the increasing Asian student population.

According to city officials, Chlebicki has implemented student, parent and staff education programs on alcoholism, drug abuse and eating disorders at the school.

The Anaheim Police Department has given distinguished service awards to Lt. Pete DePaola, Officer Richard D. Dyer and Officer Michael S. Foster. The award is presented to those who have demonstrated exceptional actions which resulted in the apprehension of dangerous felons or the preservation of another’s life.

DePaola was cited for his courageous actions involving a woman trapped inside a burning car. Dyer received his commendation for his compassionate attitude toward a barricaded suspect contemplating suicide. Foster received the honor for the high degree of professionalism he exhibited during a pursuit of an armed suspect.