History of Thanksgiving
“What is Thanksgiving and why is it celebrated?”
For thousands of years, mankind has set aside a day each year to celebrate bountiful annual harvests. Before the establishment of formal religions, many ancient farmers believed that their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and die. Many believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat of these spirits. Harvest festivals and Thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians.

What is the history of Thanksgiving in United States? The initial “Thanksgiving” feast, held in 1621, was really a traditional English harvest celebration. The Pilgrims shared it with the Native Americans because they had taught the colonists to plants crops and hunt wild game. Without the Native Americans, the Pilgrims may not have survived the harsh winter and been able to celebrate their first harvest of plentiful crops in the New World. The colonists’ first harvest feast lasted for three days. Food was served all at once, instead of in courses, so people ate whatever they pleased in the order that they desired. The more important members at the feast were given the best pieces of meat, while the rest of the diners ate whatever was closest to them. Since the Pilgrims didn’t use forks or plates, they ate their meal straight off the table with spoons, knives or their fingers. They used large napkins to wipe their hands and also wrapped it around food when it was too hot to hold.

The history of Thanksgiving demonstrates that feasts like the one at Plymouth were held throughout the colonies after fall harvests. However, all thirteen colonies did not celebrate Thanksgiving at the same time. In 1789, George Washington became the first president to declare Thanksgiving a holiday. By the mid-1800s, many states observed the Thanksgiving holiday. Meanwhile, the poet and editor, Sarah J. Hale, had begun lobbying for a national Thanksgiving holiday. During the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln looking for ways to unite the nation, discussed the subject with Hale. In 1863 he gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation declaring the last Thursday in November a day of Thanksgiving.

In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt, seeking to lengthen the Christmas shopping season, proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. Controversy ensued, and Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November, where it remains. What is Thanksgiving today? At its heart, it’s a holiday where family and friends congregate to catch up, reminisce, tell jokes, share scrumptious food and generally give thanks for all the good things in life-exactly what they did at the very first Thanksgiving.

Aesop Fables: “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.”

French Proverb: Gratitude is the heart’s memory.

Cicero: “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

William Shakespeare: “O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.”

George Washington in his first Presidential Proclamation: “It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor.”—October 3, 1789

George Washington in his first Presidential Proclamation: “It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor.”—October 3, 1789

Samuel Adams, father of the American Revolution: “It is therefore recommended … to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor …”—November 1, 1777 (adopted by the 13 states as the first official Thanksgiving Proclamation)

Abraham Lincoln, during the Civil War: “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown.”—1863

Sir John Templeton: “How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child’s personality. A child is resentful, negative—or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people.”

Albert Schweitzer: “To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.”

William Faulkner: “Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.”

Seneca Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy: “Our Creator shall continue to dwell above the sky, and that is where those on earth will end their thanksgiving.”

Anne Frank: “I do not think of all the misery, but of the glory that remains. Go outside into the fields, nature and the sun, go out and seek happiness in yourself and in God. Think of the beauty that again and again discharges itself within and without you and be happy.”

Theodore Roosevelt: “Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.”—1901

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: We will speed the day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing …Free at last, Free at last, Thank God Almighty, I’m free at last. (Address at Lincoln Memorial during March on Washington, 28 Aug 1963)

John Fitzgerald Kennedy: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

Melody Beattie: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Johannes A. Gaertner: “To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.”

Estonian proverb: Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.

Irving Berlin: Got no check books, got no banks. Still I’d like to express my thanks – I got the sun in the mornin’ and the moon at night.

Konrad von Gesner: Best of all is it to preserve everything in a pure, still heart, and let there be for every pulse a thanksgiving, and for every breath a song.

Sadi The Gulistan: Once, when my feet were bare, and I had not the means of obtaining shoes I came to the chief of Kufah in a state of much dejection, and saw there a man who had no feet. I returned thanks to God and acknowledged his mercies, and endured my want of shoes with patience

Basil Carpenter: Thank God every day when you get up that you have something to do that day which must be done whether you like it or not. Being forced to work and forced to do your best will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know.

Ethel Watts Mumford: God gave us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends.

City seeks proposals for landscape maintenance services at AV Ranch

The city is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to provide landscape maintenance services at the City-owned Aliso Viejo Ranch.

The ranch property at 100 Park Avenue is a 7-acre undeveloped park and is one of only a handful of properties the City owns in town.

Contractors are sought to maintain the perimeter landscaped portion of the ranch that includes the turf areas; shrubs and planters; and trees.

Proposals are due to the city, 12 Journey, Suite 100, by 3 p.m. Nov. 3. Two copies of the proposal must be submitted in a sealed envelope that is marked “Landscape Maintenance Services at the AV Ranch” to Community Services Director Helen Wilson.

For more information and detailed submittal guidelines, visit the City’s Web site at www.cityofalisoviejo.com. Inquiries should be sent to hwilson@cityofalisoviejo.com.

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The VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 5868 that covers Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel and Laguna Beach will be holding an Octoberfest on Thursday, October 16 from 5-8pm at the Veterans Memorial Center, 384 Legion Street, Laguna Beach. We will be serving a high quality bratwurst, red cabbage, potato salad, a beverage and strudel. There will also be a raffle with some fine prizes. The price is a $10 donation to help support our local VFW support activities. For reservations please call (949) 494-8616.

Thank you.
Arnie Silverman
Post Vice Commander

Old “Friends”

I find myself in a “strange” place these days. In the midst of redirecting myself after a recent, disappointing business set back, I find myself at home during the day more than I am accustomed to. While from an age perspective I guess I should be ready to call it quits work-wise, emotionally I am not. I mean I have so darned much energy, and I enjoy the daily wrestle for new business so greatly that I cannot seem to accept the thought of retiring from the work scene. Also, let’s face it, with the increasing cost of medical care, insurance, the fall of my IRA “401’s” to IRA “101’s” and the comforts that we prefer, the dough comes in nicely.

Looking for a new work assignment on the Internet (there are some great job opportunity websites out there), you need to take a break during the day or your eyes will pop out of their sockets. What I have been doing is performing some brief stretching with strenuous calisthenics, and, if there is something decent on, watching an old flick (usually out of the MGM or Turner library). I have to admit that this has been an enjoyable, nostalgic experience.

When I was a kid, I went to the movies every Saturday. There I saw my favorites, Laurel and Hardy, Jackie Cooper, Wallace Berry (the favorite), Errol Flynn, Victor McLaughlin and Gary Cooper. And now, at this time here they are again.

Let me tell you that Jackie Cooper (still with us?) was one heck of a good, kid actor. As corny as some of his old films were, he pulled it off. You actually sympathize with the tearful little guy as a fat, old slob of a father or friend, usually played by Wallace Berry, drifts off to eternity.

I loved Berry. Today it’s hard to believe that homely face was that of one of the most popular Hollywood actors. He usually played the part of a tough, old, no-nonsense, rough-spoken , earthy cowboy or country type who lived by the values of hard, honest work (if you could find it) or theft if he could not, with mutual trust and respect for his friends along with an almost belligerent self reliance. I have to admit also, that he closely resembled my father. Cooper made movies for many years, and as he literally grew to maturity, assumed roles that reflected his age. Berry played many parts from a grizzled old covered wagon driver to peg-legged Long John Silver in Treasure Island (again with Cooper). He also played a drunken, old, barnacle type in several comedies with Marjorie Main.

When you watch them in those old, b and w films, you not only drift into the story line (again corny and unacceptable by today’s standards), but you find yourself caught up in the nostalgia as well. You remember sitting in that filthy neighborhood theatre with pals or without, gripped in the drama of the screen moment. In spite of the generation changes in acting styles, those pros on the screen were darned good and convincing. My emotions have been juxtaposing from ridicule of the simplicity presented to the fear, excitement, humor, sympathy, sadness or whatever the projected images demanded. In short, you find yourself getting caught up in the darned things just like you did when you were young.

I have watched Sergeant York (Gary Cooper) capture ½ the German army, seen why Chaplain’s silent “City Lights” may have been one of the finest pictures ever made, and watched Emile Zola (Paul Muni) help gain Captain Dreyfus’ release from Devil’s Island. I have seen “Singin’ in the Rain” so many times I could do that dance sequence blindfolded (if I only had a knee). They even showed some old, refurbished Yiddish films one afternoon. If there are a lot of opportunities listed on the Internet, I tape a movie that looks interesting, and view it at night. It sure beats watching the Angels leaving men on base.

Look, we may look upon these old films with a little disdain and cynicism. A little too simplistic, sentimental and saccharine we complain. But remember those films, most made in the 30’s, were for a different society. We were a relatively poor society, with limited education, and certainly not broadly exposed to critical writing or theatre. Particularly in the 30’s people needed humor and sentimentality in their lives (they needed to know that someone was worse-off than they were). The so-called awareness and sophistication we seem to have achieved, generation to generation came from exposure to the various art forms (particularly TV) that became more broadly available and distributed to every element of our society. I remember watching Milton Berle on a 10 inch, b and w screen at one of my pal’s house (we did not have one yet), and laughing uproariously at every antic and line. If you were to watch those old shows today, you would have to wonder what all the fuss was about.

We’ve had so much more exposure that we have become acclimated to and demand more sophistication. And include the kids in that comment. I loved Laurel and Hardy; I still think they were funny. But show kids those old films now, and they will not stay until the end. There was brilliant, Stan Laurel-choreographed humor in those pictures, but there were also more slapstick and sentimentality than kids today find acceptable. In a way it’s kind of sad.

Well, anyway I should make some kind of connection fairly quickly that will keep me out of the house most of the day. While on the one hand I’ll be happy to get back in the battle, on the other hand, I’ll miss my escape back to another time and seeing my old “friends” do their thing.
Arnie Silverman
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post Vice Commander

“Pyrate” Adventure Sails Onboard the Ocean Institute’s Tall Ship Spirit of Dana Point

DANA POINT, CA, October 13, 2008 – The Ocean Institute is offering monthly “Pyrate” Adventure Sails onboard its schooner Spirit of Dana Point. Enjoy an adventure at sea. Explore the romanticized image of the “pyrate” and learn the truth behind these scoundrels while sailing with our professional crew.
Upcoming dates: Sunday, November 2 & 16 and December 7, 2 – 4:30 p.m.
Cost is $36 adults, $19 for children ages 4-12 and includes admission to the Ocean Institute. (Members: $33 adults, $17 children.) For additional information, call (949) 496-2274 or visit www.ocean-institute.org.

Ongoing Activities
The Ocean Institute is open to the public on weekends, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Visitors can enjoy ongoing exhibits, view hundreds of living ocean animals, and witness shark and jellyfish feedings. Cost is $6 adults, $4 children. Or, with the purchase of a membership, a family can enjoy year-round free admission, benefit from member-only events and receive discounts on all other programs. For information, visit www.ocean-institute.org.

Founded in 1977, the Ocean Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to ocean preservation through education, setting the standard for educational excellence and serving as a leading resource for universities, museums, teachers and all others seeking to increase their knowledge of the ocean. The Ocean Institute is open to the general public on weekends, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Cost: $6.50 adults, $4.50 children (ages 4-12), Ocean Institute members free. Unique maritime and ocean-themed items are available in the Chambers Gallery everyday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Institute address: 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr., Dana Point. Website: www.ocean-institute.org.

Project SEARCH Connects Capistrano Unified School District Students with Valuable Job Training at Hospital
Mission Viejo, CA (Oct 07, 08) – Five Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) students headed back to
school this September, only this time at Mission Hospital where they are receiving an opportunity for hands on work experience. Project SEARCH, now in its second year, places senior-year students ages 18-22 currently enrolled in the CUSD Adult Transition Program in various hospital departments. Mission Hospital, a not-for-profit healthcare ministry, has partnered with CUSD as part of the hospital’s commitment to improve the quality of life of the communities it serves.

“The experiences gained by working at a place like Mission Hospital are invaluable – from the job skills acquired to the meaningful human interactions,” said Gerry Strickland, Director of Transition with the CUSD Adult Transition Program. “We could not be happier to partner with the hospital and continue this program for a second year.”

According to Strickland, last year’s program helped put Project SEARCH students on the right track toward career training and financial independence, success that the program managers look forward to repeating this year. The students, responsible for jobs ranging from clerical tasks to nutrition services, attain marketable skills for any industry through problem solving and communication.

“We are blessed to be able to provide an environment where these hard-working students learn what it takes to succeed in the workplace,” said Mission Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Peter F. Bastone. “At the end of the program, these young adults will be able to apply their newly found confidence and skills to make a difference and to contribute right here in our community.”

The students report to Mission Hospital three days a week, and complete the training and rotation period necessary to be eligible for individualized job training and career placement after two semesters. Inspiring this year’s class are two 2008 program graduates who now work at Mission.

The five students participating in the 2008-2009 program are:

Amanda Rojas
Rojas is currently enrolled in a Reading Lab and Social Skills course at CUSD’s Adult Transition Program. She is working toward a Computer Information Management Certificate at Saddleback College, where she also takes tennis classes for fun. Through Project SEARCH, Rojas delivers meals to patients at Mission Hospital.

Courtney Hall
In addition to her enrollment in the CUSD Adult Transition Program, Hall is also a second year student at Saddleback College. She enjoys playing soccer, yoga and reading. At Mission Hospital, she currently works in the newly opened Mission Women’s Wellness Center where she assists the office manager with various office duties throughout the center’s many
programs.

Joseph Gorin
Gorin, also a student of the CUSD Adult Transition Program and Saddleback College, is a sport ambassador for Special Olympics Orange County for which he helps fundraise and promote awareness. He enjoys working with computers and digital media. Through Project SEARCH, Gorin works in the Marketing and Communications department, where he distributes the hospital’s employee newsletter, helps assemble informational packets and performs computer work.

Joseph Nelson
Nelson is currently in his second year with the Adult Transition Program, and also participates with Special Olympics. He enjoys playing video games and spending time with his friends. In his work with Project SEARCH, Nelson assists in the hospital’s Short Stay department, where he helps nurses prepare documents for incoming patients.

Thomas Casillas
Casillas has been enrolled in the Adult Transition Program since 2006. He loves to draw, write and spend time with his friends and family. He is currently working in Mission Hospital’s Sports and Wellness Center and Acute Rehabilitation Unit, where he assists with equipment maintenance and patient information organization.

Project SEARCH began in 1995 at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and has since been adopted by several other hospitals nationwide. Strickland and Sheri Hightower, Bridges to Self Sufficiency Program Coordinator, manage Project SEARCH at Mission Hospital.

About Mission Hospital
Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo is a 301-bed acute care, full-service facility providing the most advanced healthcare services and diagnostic care to south Orange County. One of only three designated trauma centers in the county, the hospital offers 24-hour emergency care and specialized services through its Mission Imaging Center, Mission Heart Center, Mission Maternity Center, Mission Women’s Wellness Center and Mission Stroke Center. The hospital also offers the highest level of care in orthopedics, rehabilitation, cancer, spine and vascular services. A member of the St. Joseph Health System, the hospital is one of 14 not-for-profit hospitals sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange.

Marco Forster Middle School’s 40th Birthday
Thursday, October 30, 2008 from 5pm -8pm
25601 Camino del Avion, San Juan Capistrano

Join us for fun and festivities including raffles, a photo booth, sports, music and special guests when we celebrate the 40th birthday of Marco Forster Middle School on Thursday, October 30, 2008 from 5:00-8:00 pm. At 5:00 pm, join us for the Faculty vs. Student Soccer and Dodge-Ball games on the field and blacktop. Entertainment begins with performances by our very own MFMS band, orchestra and musical theater groups. Come and check out displays of all the organizations and activities that our students enjoy today and be ready to dance to the tunes of the Smallworld Band!

A $5 dinner choice of Ciao Pasta, Las Golondrinas, Bad to the Bone BBQ, or Pick Up Stix can be pre-ordered at the contact listed below.

All Roadrunner Alumni, teachers and staff from the past are invited. Come relive the good times celebrate Marco’s present accomplishments.

For questions, or to preorder your dinner, contact Eileen Vansell PTSA President at vansell@cox.net or call school office at 234-5907.

Ocean Institute Presents Jazz!
FM 88.5 KSBR Holiday Cruise

Dana Point, CALIF., October 8, 2008 – The Ocean Institute will join with Jazz! FM 88.5 KSBR radio to present a Holiday Cruise on Friday, December 12, 7 – 9 p.m. Participants can enjoy Christmas cheer and listen to the easy sounds of jazz radio while participating in the 33rd Annual Parade of Lights in Dana Point Harbor. Appetizers, cocoa and hot cider will be provided.
Cost $35 adults, $30 for children ages 4-12 (Ocean Institute members $32 adult, $28 child). Cruise information and reservations: (949) 496-2274, dial “0” for the operator.

Founded in 1977, the Ocean Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to ocean preservation through education, setting the standard for educational excellence and serving as a leading resource for universities, museums, teachers and all others seeking to increase their knowledge of the ocean. The Ocean Institute is open to the general public on weekends, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Cost: $6.50 adults, $4.50 children (ages 4-12), Ocean Institute members free. Unique maritime and ocean-themed items are available in the Chambers Gallery everyday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Institute address: 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr., Dana Point. Website: www.ocean-institute.org.

2008 Business of the Year – The Dana Point Chamber of Commerce has selected the Ocean Institute as Dana Point’s “Business of the Year.” The award recognizes the positive contribution the Ocean Institute has made to the Dana Point community.
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SENIORS ROCK AT ELKS
One hundred thirty seniors danced the afternoon away as the Mission Viejo, Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge held it’s fall Senior Dinner Dance Sunday, October 5th. The music for listening and dancing was provided by Boyd Garrison, a local favorite. The party goers enjoyed a sumptious meal prepaired by Elk volunteer chef Pat Martino and his crew of Gerry Beard, Irene Romero, and Barbara Martino. Students from Tesoro High School Band boosters did the serving. The event was chaired by Elks Lecturing Knight Gloria Lecouvre. Phyllis Booze did the decorations and additional helpers were Jim & Carol Clover, Jack & Sandra Jacobs, Charlie Hart, and Ray Mallen. All proceeds of the event went to the Norman Murray Center which sells the reasonably priced tickets ($7.00) and conducts raffles and a 50/50 drawing, all to benefit the Center. The Elks Bingo Charities Committee ran the dinner dance free of charge to the Center, and also made a donation to the Tesoro High School Band. The ongoing charity event has been sponsored by the Elks ever since the Murray Center opened.