Banners with images of men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country will be on display in the Mission Viejo Civic Center beginning Monday, May 16.
The American Heroes Tribute Banners honoring veterans who have died in combat are part of the City of Mission Viejo’s Memorial Day tribute.
The banners are from the nonprofit American Heroes Tribute, founded in 2004 to create memorial tributes to American soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Tethered to poles, the 3-foot by 9-foot banners are etched with a service member’s name, rank and branch of service, along with where and when the individual was killed.
The banners mirror the sentiment of the City’s Memorial Day Ceremony that will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 30 at 200 Civic Center.
For more information, call 949-470-3061.
In an effort to promote greater transparency and educate residents, the City of Mission Viejo is hosting a “Getting to know your City officials” event on Wednesday, May 25 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Plaza Del Lago parking lot near Wells Fargo.
In a casual setting, the event will give community members the chance to ask questions about different topics of interest such as traffic synchronization, community events and programs, crime, pension liability, citywide Wi-Fi or why a Council Member cast a specific vote. City staff will be on hand to provide residents with information about this great community.
Plaza Del Lago is near Lake Mission Viejo at 27722 Vista Del Lago. For more information, call 949-470-3061.
The City of Mission Viejo will host a contract signing ceremony on Tuesday, May 17 to officially welcome the cities of Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills to the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center.
The ceremony is at 4 p.m. at the center located at 28095 Hillcrest.
The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center is a pro-humane, volunteer-driven facility that currently serves more than 210,000 residents and responds to more than 8,000 animal control calls each year. The 22-year-old center already partners with Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo to provide those services. With the addition of Laguna Hills and Rancho Santa Margarita, the facility will provide animal services to more than 300,000 South County residents.
“I am proud of the work the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center does each and every day to benefit thousands of animals and residents,” said Mayor Frank Ury. “This shelter would not be the great facility it is without the volunteers, Dedicated Animal Welfare Group and the successful partnerships with the cities of Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo, which also had the wisdom and foresight to break away from the county facility.”
The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center is served by the nonprofit Dedicated Animal Welfare Group (DAWG), which raises money for the animals’ medical expenses. Since 1995, the organization has raised more than $1.3 million in direct support and care for critical animal needs.
The facility has also received nearly $1.3 million in charitable bequests throughout the years, which has helped fund some of the cattery expansion and purchase a transport vehicle and shade structure.
The center, its services and volunteers are highlighted in Mission Viejo Television’s latest episode of “Mission Viejo Today.
Cancer survivors and caregivers are invited to a special dinner on Wednesday, May 18 at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center.
The dinner event is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and includes live music and camaraderie.
Designed to prompt awareness and participation, the dinner takes place as organizers gear up for the June 4-5 Relay For Life event at Saddleback College.
Launched more than two decades ago, the Mission Viejo event – having raised more than $2 million – is one of the oldest and most successful Relays in Orange County. Relay for Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs. During the event, team members take turns walking or running laps. At nightfall, participants light hundreds of luminaries in a moving ceremony to honor cancer survivors and remember those who lost their battle to the disease. Relay For Life offers something for everyone – from the newly diagnosed and caregivers to friends and long-term cancer survivors.
The Cancer Survivor and Caregiver Celebration Dinner is free for survivors and their caregivers and is an opportunity for the community to honor their strength and perseverance.
For more information and to register for the May 18 dinner, e-mail Celebratesurvivors2@gmail.com or call Sheila Boswell at 949-291-1678 or Deborah Carson at 949-887-2033.
The City of Mission Viejo is teaming up with Waste Management to host the annual “Compost Made Easy” workshop at 9 a.m. on May 21 at Melinda Park, 28951 Melinda Road.
Composting is the recycling of organic materials back into a useful soil product that can be used in gardens or on potted plants. It can save you money and time and can reduce your garden’s watering and weeding needs. It also benefits the environment by recycling valuable organic resources and extending the life of our landfills.
During the workshop, composting and vermi-composting containers will be available for purchase or order at a discounted price.
Registration is limited and required for the workshop. Call 949-470-3010 to register today.
The Mission Viejo Activities Committee awarded four $1,000 scholarships to outstanding students from San Juan Hills and Capistrano Valley High Schools.
San Juan Hills High School student Mariah Kirkham and Capistrano Valley High School students Anna Hatton, Erin Doolin and Alisha Nagarkar received the awards this week for their outstanding academic and community service efforts.
Erin will attend Penn State; Alisha plans to go to USC; Mariah is heading to Cal Poly SLO; and Anna is set to attend UC Berkeley.
The Mission Viejo Activities Committee is a volunteer group that organizes popular community events including the July 4th Street Faire and fireworks event and Santa’s Arrival. For more information, visit http://mvactivities.com.
Volunteers are sought for the KSBR Birthday Bash on Sunday, May 29 at Oso Viejo Park, 24932 Veterans Way.
The Bash, a signature fundraising event for KSBR 88.5-FM, is a 4-hour concert featuring talented contemporary jazz artists in a freewheeling jam session. This year’s Birthday Bash includes performances by Sarah Gazarek, David Benoit, Michael Lington, Slim Man, Chris Standring, Bill Cantos and others under the direction of Music Director Tony Guerrero.
“The Bash is a volunteer event … even the musicians give their time to raise funds for KSBR 88.5 FM at Saddleback College,” said the station’s James Rondeau. “We’re looking for community volunteers to take tickets, assist guests and keep the park looking great from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. You’ll enjoy good music and make friends in the process.”
Folks interested in volunteering should visit https://sites.google.com/site/ksbrbash/volunteer-opportunitiesfor details.
The countdown is underway to the first annual Mission Viejo Film Festival on Saturday, May 21.
Residents throughout Orange County are invited to savor the free daylong event that takes place from 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Kaleidoscope, 27741 Crown Valley Parkway. The festival is a showcase for impassioned filmmakers that supports a great cause. All proceeds will go toward cancer research and treatment at City of Hope.
Aspiring filmmakers from across the county submitted family-friendly short films for the festival launched by brothers Grant and Tyler Voss. The top 11 short films will be screened at the following times:
Kid filmmakers – 12:30 p.m.
High School – 2 p.m.
College/Indie – 5 p.m.
After each viewing, a question-and-answer period will be held with the filmmakers. Along with enjoying cinema variety, movie buffs will have the chance to donate to City of Hope and participate in an opportunity drawing as well as cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award. The special award ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m.
Learn more about this exciting free festival here or visit http://missionviejofilmfestival.com.
Pat Donahue, the guitarist country star Chet Atkins calls “one of the greatest finger pickers in the world today,” will make special appearance in Mission Viejo on Saturday, May 28.
He will perform in the Lord of the Strings series at 7 p.m. at the Mission Viejo Civic Center, 200 Civic Center.
From swing to jazz to bottleneck blues to folk, Pat plays it all with a flourish of artistry and melodic inspiration. His original tunes have been recorded by Chet Atkins, Suzy Bogguss and Kenny Rogers.
This Grammy-winning acoustic guitarist is said to be one of the most listened to finger pickers in the world. As the guitarist for the Guys All-Star Shoe Band of Minnesota Public Radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” Pat shows off his savvy licks and distinctive original songs to millions of listeners each week. Mission Viejo audience members are bound to be mesmerized by his talent and style.
Tickets for this exciting show are $30 and are available by calling 949-842-2227 or visitingwww.LordoftheStringsConcerts.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.
The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center on Wednesday, May 18 will host its next low-cost pet vaccination clinic for Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo residents.
The clinic is from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 28095 Hillcrest.
Rabies vaccinations are $12 and other vaccines for dogs and cats are available at reduced rates. The clinic is a good opportunity for pet owners to renew a license or obtain a new one. Licenses and current rabies vaccinations are required for all dogs in Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo.
Microchipping is also available for $20. (A $2 medical disposal fee is added to each vaccination.)
For more information, call 949-470-3045 or visit http://www.cmvas.org.
Kelly Tokarski
Public Information Specialist
City of Mission Viejo
