Around Clairemont

Chamber Swears in New Board 

The Clairemont Chamber of Commerce recently held its annual Holiday Party at the 94th Aero Squadron. Among the evening’s highlights was the installation of the 2013 Board of Directors: President Janet Miller, Past President Mark Forsyth, VP Membership Michael Grewe, Secretary Lisa Saxton, Treasurer Mervyn Friedlander and Board members Tom Lamke, Maria Atkinson and Richard Morris. Stepping down are Fiona Theseira, Kathy Grimsby and Chris Harper. The Chamber and the Clairemont business community owes a big thank you to Fiona, Kathy and Chris for their volunteer service on the Board over the years.

Looking forward, the January meeting of the Clairemont Chamber of Commerce will be held on Tuesday January 15th at LiveWell San Diego, 4425 Bannock Ave. from 5:30pm-7pm. This meeting will feature a presentation from Regency Centers, the company that will be renovating the Balboa Mesa shopping center at Balboa and Genesee. In addition, each attendee will have the opportunity to introduce his or her business to the group. If you own or manage a business in Clairemont/Bay Park, you are welcome to join us. For more information visit ClairemontChamber.com

Free Money? Free Food? Free Labor?

That's right, Clairemont Hills Kiwanis will listen to anyone who cares to ask. We just gave the Madison High School band $300 to support the NEW STATE CHAMPS! We gave $500 to The Bay Park Foundation, $500 to Youth for Christ, and $500 to LiveWell Senior Center. Gee, who else can we give money to?

Recently, Kiwanian Doug Webb and his UCSD fraternity helped put together a "bevy of bikes" for The Boys & Girls Club. That's just to name a few of the things we LIKE doing :)

Our lineup for January is pretty cool. We start on January 9 with Don Azul who is on the board of The Clairemont Town Council. On January 16 we feature Dave Heck of SANDAG, and our own beloved Ernie Navarro, representative from Lorie Zapf’s office wraps up the morning meetings on January 23. All this happens while enjoying the best breakfast in Clairemont catered by Ranch Events. Please come - call me ahead for a free breakfast! Keep your ears open for the location of our month-end "soiree"! We meet 7:15am - 8:30am each Wednesday of the month at Clairemont Emmanuel Baptist Church in Bay Park. If you (or anyone you know) would like to speak with our club, give me a call (Richard Morris @ 619-804-4040 ).

Local Artist Wins Again

Mark Smith, an artist and resident of Bay Park, took the 2nd place award at the San Diego Watercolor Society’s December show. Mark is a frequent award winner in national and international shows. His watercolor, “Passau Ponder” was given the top honor by juror Joan McKasson. According to Mrs. McKasson, she chose the painting because of its clean transparent watercolor technique and circular composition as well as the artist’s whimsical view of the subject and the way it involves the viewer.

For research material, the artist used photos he took of Passau, Germany while travelling on a Danube river cruise. At home in San Diego, Mark frequently paints on site, choosing architectural subjects around San Diego. He is particularly well-known for his paintings of Spanish- style homes.

The show will continue at the San Diego Watercolor Society’s gallery through Sunday, December 30th. The gallery is located in Point Loma’s Liberty Station at 2825 Dewey Road and is open Wednesday through Sunday 10 am to 4 pm and is free to the public.

Clairemont Woman’s Club News

The Clairemont Woman's Club has been raising money to fund projects in Clairemont for over fifty years. Starting with Beauty Pageants back in the ‘60’s it has given scholarships every year to young ladies from Clairemont and Madison High Schools. The club currently gives two $1,000 scholarships, one to each school, based on the applicant's volunteer activities.

For the past ten years our fundraising has been assisted by the manager and staff of our local Outback Steakhouse in Clairemont Town Square. On January 25th the Club is having a fundraising lunch at the Outback. The public is welcome, tickets are $10.00 for your choice of chicken or steak, mashed potatoes, salad and beverage. All funds raised will go to the scholarship fund. Contact Joan Kosen, 858-395-0805 to reserve your seat. If you are interested in becoming part of one of Clairemont’s oldest community groups, please join us at our monthly meeting. The Clairemont Woman’s Club meets the first Wednesday of the month (January 2 nd this month) at 1pm. at the Balboa Community Church Meeting, 6555 Balboa Ave .