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Mailbag: Animal Crackers in need of temporary home

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Recently, Gina Kantzabedian found out a sweet little pit pup, Luna, needed a new home. Luna’s parents needed to give her up because their landlord discriminates against pitbulls. It was either give up Luna or be evicted.

Within 24 hours of posting Luna’s picture on Facebook and sending mass emails to local rescue organizations and friends, Gina found Luna a new home. As of Thursday night, Luna is living in a sweet loving home with another doggy that is a pitbull too.

That said, Gina is still looking for temporary space to relocate for about four months while her new location is being renovated. Gina’s deadline to vacate her current property is Jan 5.

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Please tell your family and friends. Somebody must know someone who has space for her and the animals.

Animal Crackers Pet Rescue does not charge for adoption and is a nonprofit. Contact Gina at (949) 499-1988; 30822 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651 or https://www.animalcrackerspetrescue.orghttps://www.animalcrackerspetrescue.org.

Robin Main

Dana Point

Editor’s note: Author is a volunteer with Animal Crackers Pet Rescue.

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Laguna is its own ‘architectural museum’

This is an open letter, or more of a note, to the Design Review Board, and the city in general.

As many of my friends and acquaintances know, my legal practice is restricted to Laguna Beach, and I make my living mostly in connection with Design Review Board projects. As a result I receive seasons’ greeting cards from many of the architects with whom I work — both in support or opposition — which invariable have links to their web pages.

I think that many of us forget that we live in a town with some of the most talented architects and architectural designers in America, and that what they present to the Design Review Board is part of a larger body of work that defines them as artists. Reviewing those collections can be illuminating, especially for those of us who too often are looking at a project narrowly. It can lead — at least it leads me — to a better understanding of what it is they are trying to do with a particular design, if how it fits into their oeuvre, and of how it can be affected by the modifications necessary to adapt it to the peculiarities of Laguna Beach.

Maintaining the Laguna Beach spirit, as embodied in the Design Review Ordinance, is important, but it is also important to understand that our town is, of itself, an architectural museum, and to take into account in our evaluation of a project how it “fits” as part of its architect’s work and as part of that “museum.”

Gene Gratz

Laguna Beach

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Legion holiday party a success

Past American Legion Laguna Beach Post 222 Comr. Bill Sandlin along with Auxiliary President and Post Historian Diane Connell and Auxiliary member Barbara Rostolder joined the Holiday Party at Camp Pendleton for the Marines, sailors and their families on Dec. 19.

Inside one of the huge hangars at Camp Pendleton, approximately 49 volunteers from the Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee along with 22 Marines set up tables and decorated the inside of the hangar to make the event as festive as possible. Tina Anderson was the event coordinator of the Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee. Tina started giving directions to us all. I had never seen such organization with such a large group of volunteers before.

Tina recently wrote us all and said, “We did it. We pulled off our best 2/11 Holiday Party ever!” This was the fifth year the Legion adopted the 2/11. It wasn’t just the committee and volunteers who worked at this event; they had community supporters, area businesses, friends giving their time, talent, money and support. Barbara and I helped the Marines decorate 10 Christmas trees that were going to some of the families. They even decorated with beanie babies a huge 255 Howitzer that they brought in for the kids to see. Tables were set up and organized with all the gifts that had been donated for both adults and children.

Pizzas were furnished by Papa John’s so the volunteers wouldn’t go hungry while setting up for the big party. I even ran into a 12-year Auxiliary Unit 222 member, Marilyn Kohler, a former Ms. Senior California of America and director of the pageant. She was volunteering her time with two other contest winners. You should have seen the Marines when the Monster Girls from the energy drink company arrived, and when the video game GT truck and the large jumpers came for the children. All eyes were wide open.

This group didn’t leave out a thing for our Marines and sailors and their families. To get the party get started we all went to our stations and got ready for the 845 Marines, sailors and their families to arrive. Santa arrived in a mini train and the kids got to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Family portraits were also available.

Barbara and I were greeters and were in charge of the raffle table for the centerpieces. A full turkey dinner was served by Impeccable Taste Catering Company of Pasadena. The food was great and plentiful. One of the families came up to Barbara and thanked her for this wonderful event. Barbara told her not to thank us, we thank you.

Later, Tina said that they received an email from one of the families who attended the party, which said, “The Christmas Party was wonderful and we are truly grateful for all the hard work that was put into it. The volunteers certainly cheered us up and have made our day amazing. Please thank all of the volunteers for their awesomeness and especially their helpfulness. They were super nice and assisted us in various ways with little hassle. So, I just wanted you to know that we are grateful for everything. You surely have made this Christmas a blessing for us.”

Diane Connell

Laguna Beach

Editor’s note: Author is president and post historian of the American Legion Auxiliary Laguna Beach 222.

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Center now called Laguna Food Pantry

Re: David Hansen’s Dec. 21 column, “Sacred and profane, top 10 skewed gifts”:

Dear David,

We’ve never met. I’m the chairman of the Laguna Food Pantry. I want to thank you for listing the Laguna Relief and Resource Center as a worthy charity. We’ll work very hard to maintain your trust.

In the past year, the Resource Center’s new name became the Laguna Food Pantry because virtually all of our efforts now involve providing free groceries to families having financial difficulties. Whereas we used to serve 300 to 400 families each month, we now see that many each week. In addition, because our next-door neighbor is the homeless shelter, we send breakfast over each morning to feed up to 75 individuals. We also invite them to come into the pantry every day for snacks and juices.

In the future, if we are again fortunate enough to have your endorsement, please let your readers know our new name.

Andy Siegenfeld

Laguna Beach

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