Clubs & Organizations section

By Joe Naiman

Ramona’s clubs and organizations which took summer breaks are starting to roll back into action, while those who continued activity during the summer will also continue that activity into September.

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The Ramona Senior Center and the Community Education Division of Palomar College have joined together to offer a watercolor class. The class will be taught by Nancy Oleksa and will feature landscape techniques in both tradition and experimental techniques. All levels of experience are welcome at the class, which meets Thursday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. at the Ramona Senior Center and runs through December 15. Information on the class can be obtained by calling (760) 744-1150 ext. 5047. The Ramona Senior Center will also be holding its annual pie and cobbler fund raiser at the 434 Aqua Lane facility. This year’s fund raiser will be held on September 8 and September 9. Those willing to donate pies or cobbler specialties, or those seeking additional information about attending, may call (760) 789-0440.

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The Ramona Chamber of Commerce will be presenting its annual Oktoberfest (formerly Antique & Wine Festival) and Business Expo in October. You are invited to attend our upcoming Back Country Event. The Oktoberfest will be held Sunday, October 09, 2005, at Charlotteís Antiques, 969 Main St, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. for the “Antique & Collectibles Show and Sale” and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. for the “Wine Tasting & Beer Garden.” Entertainment throughout. For further information, contact Charlotte Jensen at

(760) 788-2784 or www.ramonachamber.com.

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The Ramona Chamber of Commerce is offering all North County Businesses a great opportunity to participate in the 4th annual Business Expo and Community Bazaar. In addition to our normal Business Expo of showcasing your products and services, this year we have added the Community Bazaar offering all vendors the opportunity to sell. This event will be held Saturday, October 22, 2005, at the Kmart shopping center, 1855 Main St., 10 a.m. ñ 4 p.m. For further information, contact Jennifer Jenkin at (760) 271-3090 or Sharon Uran at (760) 212-6939 or www.ramonachamber.com.

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The Ramona Rambler’s Senior Travel Group is planning a 15 day cruise to Hawaii in October; information on that cruise can be obtained by calling the senior center at (760) 789-0440 or by calling senior center activities director Rosemary Ponchetti at (760) 789-1271.

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Ramona’s Homebirth Support Group met August 17 to share birth stories. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month and will next meet September 21, when the subject is “Homebirth and the Family”. That topic covers possible attendance by siblings and grandparents and notification of the homebirth plans to extended families. For more information about the homebirth support group contact Karen Wallace at (760) 787-0302.

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The Ramona Sheriff’s Station is looking for senior volunteer patrol members age 50 or above to make vacation home checks, assist with traffic control, visit handicapped and elderly residents, and assist with special-purpose activities (such as fingerprinting children). Qualifications include U.S. citizenship, a valid California driver’s license, and medical and auto insurance. The contact for the upcoming training academy is Bill Hicks at (760) 738-2481.

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The San Vicente Valley Club’s kickoff luncheon will take place September 28 at the San Vicente Inn when North County Times columnist Irv Erdos shares “Ham on Wry”. The social time will begin at 11:00, a brief meeting which will include a final vote on bylaw changes will commence at 11:30, lunch will be served at noon, and Erdos will begin his portion of the program at 1:00. Reservations (or cancellations) must be made at the front desk of the San Vicente Inn by September 23; other information on the San Vicente Valley Club can be obtained by calling membership chair Mary Lou Kohl at (760) 788-5778.

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The Ramona Women’s Connection will have an “Aprons on Parade” event September 21 at the Sizzler. In addition to the display of aprons and the opportunity to share their age and history, former college teacher Charisse Williams will speak on “A time for change”. The salad bar luncheon begins at 11:30 and the program ends at 1:15. Reservations and other information may be obtained by calling Francine Abbott at (760) 789-1526 or Carol Miles at (760) 788-1348.

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Ramona Community Theater completed its Broadway Review of approximately 20 musical numbers on August 12 and August 13 and recently launched a major fund drive. Ramona Community Theater will be holding auditions for “The Music Man” on September 3 at Sun Valley Charter School. Auditions for the Fall presentation will begin at 1:00 p.m. The contact for Ramona Community Theater is president Amy Krause at (760) 788-3646.

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The Ramona Woman’s Club executive board will welcome its members new and past and their guests to a ëWelcome Coffeeí at the clubhouse at 10:00 a.m. on September 15. Refreshment will be provided. Visitors are welcome. Contact president Linda Knowles at (760) 789-4762 for additional information.

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The Ramona Kiwanis Club brought their food both to the Country Fair August 4-7, where they sold hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, and drinks. The Kiwanis will raise additional money for scholarships with the food booth on September 3 at the Julian Grape Stomp in Julian at Menghini Vineyards. August activities also included an interclub visit August 10 to the Los Rancheros club in Rancho Bernardo, assistance with the library book sale August 20, and the induction of new member Dave Sabon at the August 20 meeting. In addition to the Julian Grape Stomp, September activities for the Kiwanis include an interclub visit to Vista on September 8, hosting the district committee meeting September 10 (that meeting will be held at the Joslyn Senior Center in Escondido, but each month a different chapter hosts that meeting through the provision of food), and a performance by the Kiwani Cats harmonica band at the Ramona High School reunion September 18.

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On September 25 Ramona’s Kiwanis chapter will hold its annual installation banquet at the Sizzler. Bob Hailey will become the new president, Eddie Bacorn will be sworn in as president-elect, Mary Halliday will take over as chapter secretary, Peter Casalegno will begin another term as treasurer, Darrell Beck will become the immediate past president, and the non-office board will consist of Carol Bazinet, Patrick Bell, Dottie Cronin, and Charles Teachert. Until the change of officers, Beck is the chapter president is Darrell Beck and can be reached at (760) 789-2534.

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The Ramona Kiwanis Club Foundation utilized a cruise to Alaska to provide money for the foundation. Ten couples and two singles went on the August 5-12 cruise, which was deemed successful enough that the foundation is organizing a seven-day cruise for next Spring. That cruise to the Mexican Riviera will leave San Diego on April 15, and the foundation has reserved 20 cabins. Information on both the cruise and the Ramona Kiwanis Foundation can be obtained by calling Gordon Zick at (760) 789-0315.

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The Ramona Stars 4-H Club will be starting its meetings in September, although enrollment is open through November. The 4-H chapter meets on the second Wednesday of each month at the Ramona Elementary School multipurpose room and participates in local fairs, learning days, and shows. Leadership learning camps, picnics, dances, and field trips are also offered. The Ramona Stars 4-H Club is offering horse care and training, dog care and training, market cattle and veal, swine, poultry, breeding and market sheep, pygmy goats, dairy and market goats, rats and mice, quilting, embroidery, sewing, gardening, mosaic crafts, cooking and nutrition, and ATV and motorcycles. The chapter is also looking for adult volunteers to lead new projects. Potential new members as well as other interested citizens can contact community leader Beth Prinz at (760) 788-8991 for additional information.

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The Wildlife Research Institute will hold its “Denim and Diamonds” fund raiser on September 17 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Rancho Canada. The event will support the institute’s Ramona Grasslands and HawkWatch projects along with other projects and will include a silent and live auction, a dinner, and live music by Retrospect. Further information can be obtained by calling (760) 789-3992.

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The Ramona Trails Association has focused its monthly work parties on the Cougar Canyon trail owned by the Ramona Unified School District, used by many Mount Woodson School students, and maintained by the Ramona Trails Association. The August 13 work party included not only trails group members but also a group of parents led by Louanne Linder and the cooperation and tools of school groundskeeper Kathleen Robertson. The trails association is hoping to obtain a chain saw for its September work party, which will allow the clearing of felled oaks currently blocking the trail, and future plans for the trail also include adding wheelchair access. The trails association is also working with the County of San Diego and San Diego Gas & Electric about a transformer planned for installation in the middle of a trail easement. On August 18 members of the Ramona Trails Association made a trip to Santa Ysabel to rescue four abandoned llamas and one abandoned horse. September activities include a September 7 meeting which will feature City of San Diego trails coordinator Rick Thompson. September will also see the preparation of plans for the October 22 poker ride and for a Ramona Trails

Association fundraiser involving the sale of two donated Arabian horses. For more information about the Ramona Trails Association, contact Cheryl Wegner at (760) 788-0354.

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The Ramona Rotary Club added three members during the first three weeks in August, bringing its membership to 51 as of the August 15 meeting. August contributions included $3,000 to the club’s Tijuana Oeste sister chapter, which when matched by the district and by Rotary International will provide 25 computers for Mexican schools. August guest speakers were highlighted by a Lost Boys of Sudan speaker on August 23, and other August activities for the club included participation at the Ramona Country Fair August 4-7 and the arrival of the “Rotarians at Work” T-shirts which will be used when club members participate on community projects. September meetings will include a guest speaker on bone marrow transplants September 6 and 1976 Cy Young Award winner Randy Jones on September 13. Ramona Rotary Club president Bill Jenkin will give a presentation at the Foundation Seminar on September 10. For more information on the Ramona Rotary Club contact Jenkin at (760) 788-1181.