Anaheim Girl’s Design Wins National Contest

Nine-year-old Kristen Sakamoto of Anaheim, who attends the Anaheim Kinder-Care Day Care Center, was named winner of a nationwide contest for a new design to decorate the 2,000 vans the center uses to transport children.

Her design--which earned her a $1,000 savings bond, a framed copy of her drawing and a bouquet of flowers presented by an executive from the Alabama-based business--consists of a rainbow, a bell tower and her signature.

The doors of the vans will carry the new design.

Center officials said they received 80,000 entries from children ages 6 through 12 who attend the centers.

Cynthia Nagura, a graduate of Fountain Valley High School and the University of Redlands, has been awarded a Rotary International graduate scholarship to study in England next year, according to Fountain Valley Rotary Club President Rod Gillman. The scholarship pays for transportation, all academic fees, supplies, room and board.

Nagura said she hopes to eventually work for an international organization that promotes understanding on a cultural, social or educational level.

Businessman Larry W. Ambrose of Westminster and his secretary, Lisa Robert of Huntington Beach, were presented Villa Nova Restaurant’s Outstanding Citizen Award for helping rescue a 16-year-old kidnap victim who was being attacked in a car nearAmbrose’s Huntington Beach auto electric shopin January.

After Ambrose approached the car, the girl stumbled out and the assailant sped away. Ambrose and Robert, who had just driven up, gave chase and jotted down the license number. That information later helped authorities arrest a suspect in the incident. The suspect is awaiting trial on five felony counts including kidnaping and assault.

Registered nurses MaryClare Farrell of Mission Viejo and Joyce Sampson of Anaheim have become the first graduates of the new perioperative nursing program at Saddleback Hospital & Health Center in Laguna Hills.

Perioperative refers to a specialized type of surgical knowledge.

The pair were assigned to the hospital surgery team after they completed an intensive 16-week course that included 192 hours of lecture and laboratory sessions and 448 hours of clinical work in a surgery unit.

“This type of instruction traditionally has been available only at large medical centers or teaching facilities,” said Judy Eagan, director of the hospital’s surgical services.

Sgt. Joe Klein, a 14-year veteran of the Fullerton Police Department and supervisor of its narcotics bureau, has been named Officer of the Year by the Fullerton South Rotary Club. He was named Safety Employee of the Year last year by the city of Fullerton and, more recently, Outstanding Narcotic Supervisor by the Orange County Narcotic Officers Assn. He lives in Yorba Linda.

Dr. Russell C. Ewing II, a Yorba Linda family practice physician, was installed as the 99th president of the 2,700-member Orange County Medical Assn. He lives in Villa Park.

Esther Won, a Mission Viejo High School graduate attending Harvard/Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Mass., won a $1,000 scholarship from the Asian-American Journalists Assn. Awards went to Won and 11 other students who are planning careers in print or broadcast journalism.

Milan Panic, chief executive officer of ICN Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Costa Mesa, was presented the Courage Award by the Foundation for Civil Rights in recognition of companies’ efforts to combat discrimination on the basis of health and otherreasons.

Neil Maken and daughter Tracey, 15, of Huntington Beach, won Best-of-division honors in the general collection division of the Orange County Fair for their display of vintage hand-cranked portable phonographs.