Big Boulder Becomes Bucks for Charity

AS SEEN ON TV

If you were watching TV news during the week before Christmas, it was hard to miss the story about a huge boulder that rolled down the hill into Poway resident JeNielle Rose-Gendelman's garage during a rainstorm. There were questions about whether insurance would cover removal of the “garage-buster” from the home her father built 54 years ago. That's when Mike McLeod and his Fallbrook-based Southwest Boulder and Stone stepped in to remove the boulder for free. He brought in a specialized crane, calling it a “routine job”, and offered to plant the rock in JeNielle's garden. She didn't want to see it again so he hauled it back to the rock yard, where it's now on display. 

My neighbor and friend, and a member of the Southwest Boulder sales team, Donald Brennan, tells me the rock has been priced at $1,750, including everything necessary to get it to you. Every penny will be donated to the children's charity of the buyer's choice. You could own a piece of Ameri-Poway-cana and help a child. Call 877-SWB-ROCK and make an offer. When you give back, everybody wins!

GAME ON

You may recall the City of Poway was set to take on the San Diego City Attorney's Office in a softball fundraiser to benefit Operation For Hope back in September. Turns out an unexpected game time change for the Padres caused a conflict for many of those in support and the game had to be postponed.

Happy to say all are now ready to Take The Diamond To Strike Out Domestic Violence on the new date. It's Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013 at the Field of Dreams, Heritage Estates. Opening ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. Then, nine innings of co-ed, slow-pitch softball to benefit Operation For Hope Foundation and its mission to remove economic barriers for domestic violence victims and their children. Co-chairs for the event are San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and Poway Mayor Don Higginson. Celebrity coaches are Merv Rettenmund and Randy Jones for Team Poway and Dave Roberts and Mark Sweeney for Team San Diego. David Justice will serve as emcee. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for 16 years and under. Get the details at www.operationforhope.org.

WRAPPING TO MAKE THE SEASON BRIGHT

Members of Soroptimist International of Poway brought holiday cheer to school children in Tijuana again this year as they wrapped presents to send across the border. An annual project for the past 12 years, the club adopted a kindergarten and a first grade grade class at Colegia of the Americas, a school in Tijuana at the U.S./Mexico border built by the Americas Foundation. The Foundation's goal is to promote binational community development and provide talented, intelligent children living in underdeveloped neighborhoods the opportunity to study, experience the arts and begin to realize their potential. The Poway Soroptimist Club meets the first and third Wednesday of the month from 7:20 a.m.-8:30 a.m. at Cafe Merlot in the Bernardo Winery. The website is www.sipoway.org.