Third-Grade Class With a Big Heart

The Serrano Elementary School third-grade class of Cathi Budd donated a rocking chair for the nursery at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital after learning about drug-addicted babies during a drug-awareness program.

Registered nurse Kathy Ankenman spoke to the children.

The students raised $200 by selling 50-cent tickets to a drawing for a 30-square quilt with each square offering an alternative to drugs.

“This brought more meaning to drug awareness because the kids felt they could make a difference to the drug-addicted babies,” Budd said.

Apprentice toolmaker Bryan Gierstorferr, a Buena Park resident and worker for Gimco Inc., an injection-mold manufacturer in Costa Mesa, won first place in a toolmaking competition sponsored by the Southern California Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Assn. The win qualifies him for the April 30 national competition in Houston.

Dennis Short, chaplain for Chapman College in Orange since 1975, will be recognized as Alumnus of the Year at Chapman’s Homecoming All-Alumni luncheon at noon today on the campus.

Short, a 1964 Chapman College graduate, has founded a number of student groups, including the Interfaith Peace Ministry of Orange County, the college’s ministry program as well as the Hillel Jewish organization and the Macondo Hispanic organization on campus.

His wife, Linda, and their two sons, Mark and Stephen, are all graduates of Chapman College.

Jung Il Kim of Laguna Beach and Carol Bienstock of Laguna Hills were named winners of the Mission Viejo Elks Lodge 2444 Most Valuable Student Scholarship Contest.

Jason and Justin Draeger, 14-year-old twin sons of Dara and Steve Draeger of Huntington Beach, were presented their Eagle Scout rank at a court of honor in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Huntington Beach.

For their community service project, the freshmen students at Huntington Beach High School planted a mussel barrier and kelp forest off the Newport Beach coastline to provide a fish habitat.

When they were 14 days old, they were cast as Joey Stivic on the “All in the Family” television show and continued on for three years.

Both are active in the Junior Lifeguard program and both play football on the school’s freshman team.

Costa Mesa resident Diana Nolan, a student at Western State University College of Law, won a $500 scholarship from the Long Beach Women Lawyers Assn. for her essay on “Why I Chose Law as a Profession.” Nolan wrote about her experiences of sexual discrimination when she was working as a truck driver.

Dr. James Tait Goodrich, a former Marine who served in Vietnam and then graduated from Orange Coast College before going on to become a neurosurgeon in New York, has dedicated his new book on neurosurgery techniques to his former OCC professors.

Wrote Goodrich: “To my giants at Orange Coast College, it is on your shoulders that I have stood.”

They are English professor Charles Dawe, biology associate professor Donald Collins, biology professor Frank Visco, political science professor Thomas Wert, ornamental horticulture professor John Lenanton and counseling services professor Robert Hoepprer.

Wayne Johnson, a Fullerton resident and 17-year veteran who retired from the Fullerton Fire Deparement, has been installed as president of the Orange County Firemen’s Assn. Johnson said he will continue a fund-raising project for a memorial to honor Orange County firefighters killed in the line of duty.

A father-daughter dance sponsored by the Santa Margarita High School Keywanette Club raised $7,000, which will be used for a drug-prevention program at the school and also to sponsor a needy child through the Save the Children organization.

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