Coastal Cleanup Day

On Saturday, Sept. 16, 9 a.m.–noon, an estimated 7,500 volunteers will participate at more than 100 sites across San Diego County as part of the 33rd Annual Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) hosted by I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD).

Volunteers of all ages and ability levels are encouraged to sign up for a site in their neighborhood and help leave a lasting impact on the whole region.

While CCD is best known for its beach cleanup sites, ILACSD focuses the majority of its efforts along inland waterways and canyons where 80 percent of marine debris starts. Last year alone, CCD volunteers removed over 92 tons of trash and recyclables from local watersheds that otherwise would have polluted San Diego’s beloved coastline and the Pacific Ocean. In addition to trash removal, volunteers will also beautify San Diego County by removing graffiti, planting native species, building trails, and restoring habitats.

Local Navajo area cleanup sites include Mission Trails Regional Park, Allied Gardens Community Park Lake Murray and University Channel in La Mesa.

Visit CleanUpDay.org for more details.

Crusaders Soccer kicks off season

On Sept. 9, a whopping 1,400 players aged 3 to 18 on 130 teams — 27 competitive and the rest recreational —kicked off the 2017 season of Crusaders Soccer Club (CSC).

“Crusaders Soccer Club looks forward to another rewarding season and we would like to thank all the dedicated volunteer coaches and managers for their hard work and dedication to our recreational program,” said Terry Cords, president of the Crusaders Soccer Club. “Their hard work makes our program a resounding success and an asset to our community. And I would like to thank Los Primos Mexican Food & Cantina and Jersey Mike’s Subs for sponsoring the practice T’s for all the players.”

The recreation teams play games on fields throughout the Navajo Community, while the competitive teams play throughout the county.

“At CSC, character is more important than skill,” said director of coaching Rene Miramontes. “With the club’s core values of honesty, loyalty and accountability, we look forward to building the next generation of citizens in our community.”

Any Saturday through Nov. 18, you will find youth soccer games in progress on sports fields from Allied Gardens to San Carlos, featuring team names like Honey Badgers, Icey Eagles, Glower Ghosts, or Red Hot Chile Peppers.

Crusaders encourages people to stop by and watch a game and see how the players have fun while learning sportsmanship, teamwork and soccer skills.

For more information about Crusaders Soccer Club and its programs, visit sandiegocrusaders.com.

MTS honors SDSU’s 120 years

On Sept. 1, a trolley celebrating San Diego State University’s 120 years went public with its first rides.

In addition to the school’s birthday announcement, the SDSU edition of the trolley also carries a “ONE CITY. ONE TEAM.” design on the opposite side — a reference to the Aztecs’ new status as San Diego’s primary football team.

Founded in 1897 as a teacher training school, SDSU is recognized today as a top public research university. Hundreds of thousands have received degrees from SDSU since the first graduating class of 23 women and three men.

Many Aztecs put down roots in this community, leading San Diego in business, politics, education, health, engineering, communication and telecommunication, sciences and the arts. SDSU is home to the two-time defending Mountain West Conference champion Aztec football program, another valuable asset to the city.

“We are the football team playing in Mission Valley for the last 50 years, and we plan on being here for at least another 50,” said SDSU Athletic Director John David Wicker. “We are ‘one city, one team.’”

Season tickets, mini plans and single-game tickets for Aztec football games are available through GoAztecs.com.

Pershing teachers arrange donations for Harvey victims

Victims of Hurricane Harvey, which struck the Houston area of Texas early this month, got some love from the teachers and families of Pershing Middle School who recently organized a donation drive for clothes and school supplies.

“We decided that as a staff we needed to do something to help Texas,” said sixth grade teacher Stacy Robe in an interview with KPBS. “The Houston district reached out saying that they needed children’s clothing and school supplies. New backpacks, new jackets, some new toys. We figured at the shelters, so they can play games and kick a soccer ball around.”

Robe collected the items in her classroom before shipping them out Sept. 9 — a week after Harvey finished ravaging the Houston area.

Regatta raises money for hospice

On Aug. 25 and 26, Sharp HospiceCare held its 15th annual Sharp HospiceCare Benefit Dinner and Regatta.

The weekend festivities netted $350,000 for Sharp HospiceCare, which has locations in La Mesa, Del Cerro and Bonita. The funds will help offset unfunded patient care and supplemental patient programs, such as music therapy, healing touch and the We Honor Veterans program. The event also supports Sharp HospiceCare’s Homes for Hospice program, which offers a unique environment for patients with a life-limiting illness, to meet their needs in a comfortable home setting.

The overall regatta winner was the race boat Maleficent owned by Commodore Chris Bennett of Cortez Racing Association. The Maleficent crew will have the opportunity to compete in the 2018 National Hospice Regatta Alliance. Second place overall winner was Tom Fisher and his boat Viggen.

Other notable winners included Brock Paquin who won the Greg Walker Memorial Cup, given to a Coronado Yacht Club racer in memory of 2014 Commodore Greg Walker who passed away at Sharp HospiceCare’s ParkView hospice residence three years ago.

PHAME nominated for Orchid

Patrick Henry’s new performing arts center, PHAME, is nominated for an Orchid Award for architecture.

Orchid and Onions are an annual awards program put on by the San Diego Architectural Foundation. Orchids are awards for new buildings that are deemed aesthetically pleasing and Onions are awarded to buildings that are, well, less than desirable.

According to the website, some of the building’s allure is because “PHAME’s digital fabrication capabilities, the proscenium wall/stage opening has incorporated contemporary technology with a historical twist. The Pantages Theatre, a local, and since demolished historical theater from the late ‘20s, has served as the inspiration for this important theater element. Its rich embellishment, so crucial to the architectural language of the day, is reinterpreted through digital means into the front face of the stage, and allows a bit of history to relive through the filter of today.”

To vote for PHAME to win a People’s Choice Award, go to orchidsandonions.org.