Saturday February 10, 2024
8:00am – 10:30am: Beach Clean Up at Baby Beach
10:30am – 11:00am: Lunch and Learn at the Ocean Institute
For more information and to register, visit https://www.standuptotrash.com/.
February Beach Clean Up Day
The 2024 Monarch Butterfly Habitats season has arrived!
Join the City of Dana Point in “Bringing Back the Monarchs!” By creating habitats, you are helping monarch butterflies return to their natural environment as they migrate.
Opening Day – Butterfly Talk!
Monday, February 5, 2024
5:00pm – 6:30pm
Dama Point Community Center
34052 Del Obispo
Come build habitats in Dana Point parks and learn how to create your own at home! Water, tools, and snacks will be provided. All planting days will be from 9:00am – 12:00pm.
February 25, 2024 – Sea Terrace Park
March 9, 2024 – Lantern Bay Park
March 17, 2024 – Creekside Park
March 23, 2024 – Sea Canyon Park
April 6, 2024 – Dana Woods Park
April 14, 2024 – Lantern Bay Park
April 27, 2024 – Creekside Park
May 4, 2024 – Sea Canyon Park
May 11, 2024 – Sea Terrace Park
If you would like to volunteer, please sign up here. A volunteer email will be sent prior to each habitat date.
For any questions regarding the monarch butterfly habitats, please email Jasmine Riyhani at jriyhani@danapoint.org.
The City of Dana Point is launching Phase 2 of its General Plan Update!
The Dana Point General Plan is the blueprint for the City’s future development. It is a collection of goals, policies, and actions that reflect the community’s vision and values.
Join us at our upcoming General Plan Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 6pm at the Dana Point Community Center. The General Plan Advisory Committee is charged with reviewing and providing recommendations to City Staff, the consultant team, and the City Council.
For more information about the General Plan Update and upcoming meetings, visit https://www.plandanapoint.com/
Upcoming Blood Drives
The American Red Cross continues to face the worst blood shortage in more than a decade. You can help! Sign up to donate at an upcoming blood drive in town:
Friday, February 2, 2024
10:00am – 4:30pm
Monarch Bay Plaza
32932 Pacific Coast Highway
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
10:00am – 4:00pm
Laguna Cliffs Marriott
25135 Park Lantern
To register and help save lives, please visit redcrossblood.org.
Whale Walk & Talk
|
Whale of a Kid’s Art Contest DPH 2024
|
The Annual Festival of Whales 2024
Join us in the Whale Watching Capital of the World for the 53rd Annual Dana Point Festival of Whales! Come celebrate this longstanding and iconic Dana Point tradition!
|
Community Resources Guides help residents locate important services
To keep Mission Viejo residents informed of local services available to support community needs, the City updates two resource guides each year.
The Community Resources and Hotline Guide provides connections to local nonprofits, government agencies, crisis number hotlines and much more.
The Veterans Resources and Hotlines Guide provides military-specific resources including direct services – Veterans Legal Institute; VA veterans benefits; and VA mental health support and resource counseling – that are available through appointments at City Hall, 200 Civic Center.
The guides are available in print at all City facilities and accessible online via the links above.
Kelly Tokarski
Public Information Specialist
Healing Art Program Breaks Mental Health Barriers Among OCDE ACCESS School Teens
Art & Creativity for Healing and the Orange County Department (OCDE) have partnered to provide Art4Healing® workshops for teens in ACCESS (Alternative, Community, and Correctional Education Schools and Services) schools. Since 2022, over 5000 students have participated in the program Raging Colors: Expressive Painting for Teens utilizing the Art4Healing® method promoting emotional healing through art and creative expression for teens struggling with mental health challenges.
The ongoing workshops held weekly at all 24 OCDE ACCESS schools throughout Orange County have achieved positive results and feedback among students.
“Our troubled youth and teens have benefitted greatly from the Art4Healing® classes, giving them a way to vent their fear and anxiety by learning how to express themselves creatively with the language of abstract colors on canvas,” said Assistant Superintendent of the OCDE ACCESS School, Vern Burton who initiated the partnership.
As reported by the AMA (American Medical Association), clinical studies have found that arts engagement promotes patient recovery, relaxation and reduces patient stress, anxiety and depression.
The Laguna Hills-based nonprofit Art & Creativity for Healing developed and certifies facilitators in their Art4Healing® method used in the ACCESS schools. During the sessions, students are led through abstract art exercises in a safe and supported space allowing for reflection on their individual experiences, frustrations and struggles which include exposure to drugs and alcohol, peer pressure, teen pregnancy, bullying, depression and low self-esteem.
Burton shares that ACCESS students’ everyday lives are often stressful as many face difficulties such as legal issues, foster emancipation and homelessness.
Art & Creativity for Healing founder/director Laurie Zagon says, “Art4Healing® teaches teens that art can be a constructive part of their everyday lives and a positive way to communicate tough issues that have negatively affected them or derailed their emotional growth. As we say, the program allows individuals to express their feelings on canvas when words fail.”
For more information about Art & Creativity for Healing, call 949.367.1902 or visit https://art4healing.org/
Art & Creativity for Healing’s mission is to support emotional healing through art and creative expression for those living with pain, grief, fear or stress. Founded by Laurie Zagon in 2000, the Art4Healing® curriculum contains strictly guided exercises, rather than loosely formatted art sessions. More than 95K individuals served by over 40 partner agencies have participated in the exercises specially designed to encourage self-investigation leaving participants encouraged with enhanced clarity and insight.
Media Contact: Barbara Kimler PR
Photo Credit: Art & Creativity for Healing
Outstanding employees, Marines will be recognized, and safety items considered Jan. 23
The City Council on Tuesday, January 23 will recognize the City’s top Employee, Firefighter and Deputy of 2023 as well as consider a contract for installing equipment that will benefit pedestrians citywide, among other business.
The business portion of the meeting starts at 6 pm in the City Council Chamber, 200 Civic Center.
The Council will recognize City of Mission Viejo Employee of the Year Kelly Ellis; Orange County Fire Authority Employee of the Year; Firefighter Lance Day; and Orange County Sheriff’s Department Employee of the Year Deputy Casey Briggs for their individual, outstanding efforts in 2023. In a separate presentation to members of the City’s adopted Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Lance Corporal Nathan Heed will be feted as “Marine of the Quarter” and Sergeants Nathaniel Fayard and Renee Ried as “Noncommissioned Officers of the Quarter.”
Council Members will also consider awarding a contract for the citywide installation of audible pedestrian push buttons at Mission Viejo intersections. To increase safety for pedestrians with hearing and visual impairments, the Council approved the project at the November 14 meeting.
In other news, the Council will consider awarding a contract for new security lighting at the World Cup Soccer Fields. The move would upgrade the existing security lighting around the fields and lower parking lot that are no longer maintainable because of rust and corrosion. The replacement concrete poles and energy-saving LED fixtures will be the same style and design used in other City facilities and parks.
City Council meetings are streamed live on the City’s website and air on Cox Channel 30 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99. Residents are encouraged to sign up for the City’s eNewsletter and follow the City’s official social media sites for the most accurate, up-to-date information.
Kelly Tokarski
Public Information Specialist