The Willows Newsletter

Las Concordias, a social club for Christian Scientists, will meet on Tuesday, September 21, at 1 p.m. at The Willows. Gloria Goodale, a Los Angeles-based staff writer for The Christian Science Monitor who reports on arts, culture, and the media, and her husband, Daniel Wood, the LA Bureau Chief for the Monitor, will be the featured speakers.

Since returning to the Monitor in 1998, Goodale has covered topics as diverse as the impact of reality TV programming, black theater, the video game generation, and the profound impact the digital revolution has had on the entertainment industry.

Daniel Wood has been with the Monitor since 1976. During that time he held a variety of positions in both Los Angeles and Boston. They include four years as Assistant Editor of the weekly international edition and several year stints each as special magazine section writer, travel, television, arts/culture, economics and news writer.

All Christian Scientists are welcome to join Las Concordias. The yearly dues are $20.00, which support the five yearly meetings with interesting Christian Scientists as speakers. If you would like to have more information or to join, please call Peg Schneider: 714-838-2277, email: pegsch@sbcglobal.net

Betty Everett

The September Board Dinner program will feature a docent from Santa Ana’s Bowers Museum speaking on Jade. The Bowers has one of the foremost collections of Jade and is known for its experts on the subject.

""Stone of heaven," is a term used by the Chinese to describe what they view as the most precious of gems--jade. To understand the importance of jade to the Chinese is to gain insight into their culture and history."

"The use of carved jade has been an integral part of Chinese society for more than 6,000 years, playing significant roles in Chinese politics, economics, philosophy, and religion. Considered the sacred stone of China, the use of jade spans all ranks and classes and holds spiritual as well as commercial values. To the ancient Chinese, it embodied qualities of nobility, perfection, constancy, and immortality, a symbolic link between man and the spiritual world." written by Elenore Welles, from the Bowers.

Join us on Thursday, September 23rd to learn more about this beautiful material.

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach has recently remodeled a favorite exhibit. The newly spruced-up Sea Otter Habitat now has room for 6 rescued otters. Considered a "keystone species," otters are important to the Aquarium because their absence in the natural world would be devastating to the habitat.

Otters play a significant role in maintaining a "balance" in the ocean. Otters eat sea urchins, which destroy kelp forests. If the sea urchins destroy a kelp forest, it takes away habitat from thousands of other sea life.

Join us on September 8th when admission is free for folks 50+! See the Upcoming Events page for trip details. Aquarium website.

Jackie Alexander

The Orange County Institutional Committee is part of the Christian Science statewide organization providing Chaplains, church services, Bibles, Science and Health and literature to prisons, jails and VA hospitals. This Committee does all of this at four county jails. Chaplains (with 2nd Readers) hold six weekly church services. The Chaplains return during the week in response to inmate requests for one-to-one visits.

More Chaplains are needed. Please spread the word. Clerks and Church Representatives have the Procedure Handbook for information. Also, come to the Orange Co. monthly meeting on September 6 at 7:30 pm at the Costa Mesa branch church to hear details of this work.

Harriett Porch

The time has come when each of us can express our gratitude to The Willows’ workers who help us throughout the year. There are those who serve us in the dining room and in our homes; there are those who care for our landscape, provide on-the-spot maintenance, SPOC, bus service, and the office staff.

Your donation to The Willows Employees Christmas Fund is a one-time donation showing our appreciation for all our employees’ assistance and sincere labor during the year. This replaces the need for tipping throughout the year. Donations may be made in cash or check enclosed in an envelope, sealed and addressed to the WILLOWS EMPLOYEES CHRISTMAS FUND and given to the receptionist Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:00 pm.

Jewell Adams

This is a new service that the City of Laguna Hills has launched for seniors who no longer drive. It is funded through the Orange County Transportation Authority and provides door-to-door taxi service to its residents who are 80 or older, 65 and disabled, or at least 60 with an impairment that prevents driving. The taxi will take the resident to just about any destination within the City of Laguna Hills. The cost is $15 one-way; the resident pays $5, and the City pays $10.

The program is available to registered and qualified seniors 24/7, including holidays. Service can be scheduled an hour ahead of the desired time or weeks or months in advance. There’s even a taxi with a lift for those who need extra help. To qualify for this program you must register and complete a Dial-A-Taxi application form. For more information, call 1-866-424-1706. Or, click here to download the form.

At The Willows, see the flyer on the bulletin board in the Administration Building for more details.

Jean Paige