Longtime volunteer named Woman of Year

Barbara Diamond

The Laguna Beach Woman’s Club has selected Pauline Walpin as the 2002

Woman of the Year.

Walpin will be honored at a luncheon set for noon, Friday, June 7 at

the clubhouse, 286 St. Ann’s Drive. A brief business meeting will precede

the Woman of the Year program.

A resident of Laguna since 1970, Walpin has made her mark on the city

as a nurse at South Coast Medical Center, a founder of Meals on Wheels,

helping to establish a transportation program for seniors and

volunteering time at the Laguna Beach Community Clinic.

Walpin served on the clinic board in the 1980s and 1990s. She helped

acquire and remodel the building the clinic occupies on Third Street.

The homeless of Laguna have also been well served by Walpin. She was

an active volunteer with the Episcopal Service Alliance in South Laguna

when it offered lunch, showers and clean clothes to the needy. She

continued this work at the Laguna Resource Center and with dinners

provided for the homeless.

Walpin has been an active volunteer for many years with the Assistance

League of Laguna Beach, donating hours to the Thrift Shop as well as

securing more than 50 turkeys every year for Christmas baskets for needy

families. She and her husband, Bill, also participate in the

Adopt-A-Family program each year during the holidays.

Perhaps her most challenging accomplishment was working with the AIDS

Services Foundation to establish Hagen House, a residence on Mermaid

Street for people with life-threatening ailments.

At the request of then-Councilman Wayne Peterson, Walpin agreed to

serve on the VISION Laguna Steering Committee.

Friday is the deadline for checks for the luncheon. Checks may be

delivered to the Woman’s Club mailbox to the right of the chimney.

Tickets are $15 in advance or $17 at the door.