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Kindness Makes Holiday
Ball Drive a Beautiful Success
“Beauty lives with kindness,” wrote Shakespeare, perfectly describing kind Star readers who made the holidays more beautiful for local disadvantaged kids by donating to my annual ball drive.
Tim Hansen, dressed as Santa Claus but with a more impressive real beard, gave 10 assorted balls.
Draza Mrvichin donated 10 basketballs, three footballs and three soccer balls; Kay Giles and Michael Mariani donated five assorted balls; and Pat McGovern donated three basketballs in honor of his “darling grandsons.”
Jerry and Linda Mendelsohn involved their grandchildren – Garrick, Dannika, Parker, Asher and Joy – in a field trip to donate 10 basketballs and 10 soccer balls.
Shelly and Steve Brown donated four basketballs; Corey, Danielle and Paige Clayton gave three basketballs; and Sheila and Tom McCollum dished in two basketballs.
Karen and Dave Brooks donated two footballs, three basketballs and three soccer balls. Additionally, Karen noted: “My husband and his golf buddies donated dozens of Titleists to the depths of the water hazards at River Ridge Golf Course.”
Tennis legends and legendary role models Mike and Bob Bryan served up 25 assorted balls.
Ian Eaton gave two soccer balls and one football while his dad, Lance, added two basketballs “in honor of Jim Cowan who was my football coach in 1958 at Ventura High and in 1962 at Ventura College as my counselor. We continued to be lifelong friends.”
Steve and Bobbin Yarbrough gave one basketball; Steve Richardson donated one soccer ball and one basketball; and Audrey Rubin kicked in two soccer balls “in honor of my two incredible grandkids.”
Brad and Mia Ditto donated 10 assorted balls, plus a bat, in honor of Brad’s late father who was a high school coach.
Brent Muth, with an assist from The Mob Bike Shop in Ojai, held his third-annual “Ballapalooza” and collected 31 various balls “in memory of Mike Sandoval and Gerry Carrauthers.”
Jan and Tom Lewis donated 21 basketballs, the figure bearing significance because their three “point guard” daughters – Cory, Emily and Maddy – all wore jersey No. 21. Noted their proud dad: “We would like to recognize VYBA, Ventura Stars and Buena Girls Basketball of years gone by. A special thank you to coaches Mike Giordano, Joe Vaughan, Ann Larson and David Guenther.”
Glen Sittel donated one basketball and two soccer balls and Sandy Tubis and Don Rodrigues donated five basketballs from “on behalf of Jim Cowan.”
An anonymous donor gave four basketballs “in memory of longtime youth coach, YMCA leader and Channel Coast referee Jerry Nelson” and Steve Askay donated two basketballs “memory of Cal Houston a longtime teacher, coach and official.”
Jim and Sandie Arthur donated three balls and Linda Peddie gave two basketballs, noting: “I’m especially motivated to participate in getting kids off their screens and out to play.”
Wendy Spasiano donated 30 baseballs in memory of her father, Tom Pitkin, who for many years coached Little League and Pop Warner teams in Ventura.
Kelly Lanier gave four basketballs; Lynn and Jim Kenton donated one each basketball, football, soccer ball; and Chris Werner donated two footballs, two soccer, and two basketballs.
“In memory of Mr. & Mrs. Fred Zielsdorf” an anonymous donor gave two each basketballs, footballs and soccer balls, plus a dozen baseballs.
Kate Larsen donated three soccer balls; Sally and Tom Reeder donated eight various balls, plus a baseball glove; and Maya McAuley donated three basketballs as did Jess Ahoni.
The finally tally . . . drumroll, please . . . is a whopping 551 new sports balls – nearly 100 more than a year ago!
Thank you, dear readers, your kindness is as beautiful as our coastal sunsets.
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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @woodywoodburn. His books are available at www.WoodyWoodburn.com.
Check out my memoir WOODEN & ME: Life Lessons from My Two-Decade Friendship with the Legendary Coach and Humanitarian to Help “Make Each Day Your Masterpiece” and my essay collection “Strawberries in Wintertime: Essays on Life, Love, and Laughter” …
- Personalized signed copies are available at WoodyWoodburn.com