Countywide : County Residents to Attend Library Fete

Joining the world leaders and local dignitaries at the events heralding the opening of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library will be scores of Ventura County citizens, including high school students and residents who won tickets in lottery drawings.

At the dedication ceremonies on Monday, about 400 students from the county’s public and private high schools will be in the audience. The library distributed tickets to schools based on their daily attendance rate, library Director Ralph C. Bledsoe said.

“I want to get the schools up here to see this opening and be a part of history,” Bledsoe said.

Eight students, history teacher Ed Arguelles and secretary Petra Quintero will represent Santa Paula High School. Their names were pulled out of a hat in three drawings.

“I’ve never really seen anybody important before,” said senior Robert Candelario, 18. “Just the chance to go and see them is pretty nice.”

At La Reina High, a private girls school in Thousand Oaks, six students were chosen by teachers to attend, said Sister Lisa Megaffin, principal of the 500-student school.

Fifty-three residents of Moorpark, Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley won tickets Friday to Community Appreciation Day, to be held at the library on Tuesday as a way to thank the community for helping the library become a reality. The Reagans also will attend that event.

In Moorpark, 170 residents entered the lottery, and 24 won tickets. One of the winners, Linda Amiot, said she was thrilled at the opportunity to see the Reagans.

All of Moorpark’s winners were excited, said Sally Coons, an assistant to the city manager, who phoned them with the news. “You would have thought they won $1 million,” said Coons.

Thousand Oaks officials picked 19 from about 530 city employees and residents who had requested invitations to the event, said Joe Hinsberg, community services manager.

In Simi Valley, 10 of the 270 residents who entered that city’s lottery won tickets, said Mike Sedell, assistant city manager.