Is your Club or Group looking for an inspiring guest speaker or do you want to host a book signing? . . . Contact Woody today!

* * *

For a Personalized Autographed copy of “STRAWBERRIES IN WINTERTIME” or “WOODEN & ME” use the PayPal link on my home page or mail a check for $25 to:

Woody Woodburn

400 Roosevelt Court

Ventura, CA 93003

Kind Givers Make Ball Drive Big Success

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life,” Mark Twain wrote. And, “It is higher and nobler to be kind.”

For the ninth consecutive year of Woody’s Holiday Ball Drive, Star readers have proved themselves to be noble and kind in making Christmas Day more beautiful for local disadvantage kids.

In the spirit of the Star’s Bellringer campaign, I’d like to publicly thank those kind givers (who did not request anonymity) who were not mentioned previously:

Glen Sittel gave two basketballs, two soccer balls and one football, noting: “Knowing that many deserving kids will be receiving one of the best gifts ever always lifts my spirit.”

Linda and Tom Parizo gave a mixture of 13 soccer balls, basketballs and footballs.

Howard Reich gave two each footballs, soccer balls and basketballs. Sheila and Tom McCollum dropped off one of each, as did Thomas and Karyne Roweton.

Pam Hurley gave two each basketballs and footballs.

Jerry and Linda Mendelsohn, as has become their tradition, took grandchildren Garrick, 8, Dannika, 5, and Parker, 4, to buy and distribute 12 soccer balls and 12 basketballs. “Once again, the kids were reminded how important it is for disadvantaged kids to feel special and loved at holiday time,” Jerry noted.

Lynda Rice donated two soccer balls “in memory of my brother-in-law Dick Rice who was the kindest soul who passed away recently.”

My ol’ pal, former Star sports-writing legend Jim Parker, gave two soccer balls, as did Patricia Herman.

Sally and Tom Reeder donated a dozen assorted basketballs, footballs and soccer balls.

In memory of local coaching legend Bob Swanson, his longtime weekly “Friday Breakfast Group,” donated eight basketballs.

Jack Casey, in honor of his deceased brother Dennis, donated three soccer balls and one basketball.

Dave Long and Shirley passed out ten assists, all basketballs; Shelly and Steve Brown passed out four; Bill Wintersteen gave three; and LuAnn McDuffee donated two.

Jim and Sandie Arthur gave out two basketballs and six softballs “in honor of our two daughters who never ‘threw like a girl’ and our three grandchildren who love anything involving a ball!”

Susan Bardsley pitched in a dozen official Major League Baseballs, and Chris and Len Bates donated three cans of tennis balls.

Pat McGovern gave two soccer balls and one basketball in honor of her three grandsons ages 10, 9 and seven months.

Orvene S. Carpenter donated two basketballs and two soccer balls.

Laura Gulovsen gave “a pink/blue official soccer ball so that a girl might have her very own practice ball.”

Brad and Mia Ditto gave a mixture of 10 balls. Dropping them off Mia was inspired by the happy faces at a Boys and Girls Club to do even more. Brad shared: “My very good-hearted wife and her very generous sisters organized a toy drive” and gave 100 additional toys.

“In honor if our dad, Bob Tuttle,” wrote Toni Tuttle-Santana, she and husband Jaime, and Trudy Tuttle Arriaga and husband Raymundo, gave six balls

Kay Giles and Michael Mariani gave three soccer balls and Kathy and Ken McAlpine kicked in one soccer ball.

Tennis legends and legendary role models Mike and Bob Bryan served up 10 cans of tennis balls, 10 basketballs and 10 soccer balls.

Special thanks to Kymberly King for making two trips with her Sleigh Utility Vehicle filled to overflowing to drop off balls for foster kids.

The finally tally for this year is . . . drumroll, please . . . a whopping 471 new sports balls – up from 322 a year ago.

Thank you, dear readers. Your kindness is unbelievable.

* * *

Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.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

Is your Club or Group looking for an inspiring guest speaker or do you want to host a book signing? . . . Contact Woody today!

* * *

For a Personalized Autographed copy of “STRAWBERRIES IN WINTERTIME” or “WOODEN & ME” use the PayPal link on my home page or mail a check for $25 to:

Woody Woodburn

400 Roosevelt Court

Ventura, CA 93003

Page-Turners Before Turning Page on 2018

            Like a marathoner easing his stride in celebration over the final ten meters, with 16 days to go in 2018 I can coast in to my annual goal of reading one book a week.

Presently, I’m at 51 books. Actually, that tally is for published books. In truth, I’ve already reached 52 if you count the novel manuscript for “The Best Week That Never Happened” that recently sold to a publishing house and will come out in early 2020.

“Best Week” – written by my all-time favorite author, my daughter – was my favorite read this year, but since it’s not yet in print it will have to wait to officially make my annual Books I Loved This Year list below.

Let me begin with the latest 448 pages I’ve consumed, “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. The former First Lady is a first-rate writer and role model. Enlightening and inspiring, honest and revealing, “Becoming” is about as good as memoirs get. One complaint: I wanted more pages.

Speaking of more pages, “Cutting for Stone: A Novel” by Abraham Verghese was the longest book I read this year: 667 pages of terrific storytelling.

“A Prayer For Owen Meany” by John Irving is, from page 1 to page 627, masterfully told with heart and intrigue.

“The Long Ships” by Frans G. Bengtsson is another long book that is time well spent inhabiting. This 528-page-turner brings to life the Viking seafaring world of the 10th century.

“A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” by Mark Twain had me laughing out loud – and also wondering what took me so long to read it. Similarly, John Steinbeck’s “The Pearl” is a gem I’m glad I finally got around to reading.

“Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man’s First Journey to the Moon” by Robert Kursen was flat-out superb. Although it’s nonfiction, this remarkable Space Race book unfolds with the captivating storytelling of a novel.

Local westerns author Scott Harris, whose debut novel “Coyote Courage” I recommended previously, this year finished the second trilogy in this Brock Clemens’ series with “Battle on the Plateau”, “Mojave Massacre” and “Ambush at Red Rock Canyon.” All three are quick, fun reads.

Those who grew up in the 1960s will surely enjoy the nostalgic “Be True To Your School: A Diary of 1964” by former newspaper columnist Bob Greene.

Uniquely taking place almost entirely in a single hotel, “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles is, simply put, a masterpiece.

Two World War II winners: “The Snow Goose” by Paul Gallico, a former New York City sports columnist-turned-novelist, is about a hunchback and a girl, love and bravery, and the Battle of Dunkirk; while “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr is an equally spellbinding tale about love and survival.

Something old and something new: “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrick Backman and “There, There: A Novel” by Tommy Orange.

Speaking of old, “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Escaped” by Jonas Jonasson was surprisingly delightful, with the main character out-Forest Gumping Forest Gump in the way he meets historical figures.

Winning the Pulitzer Prize is a tall order to live up to, but “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer just might do so in how it entertains and lifts the spirits.

“Sing, Unburied, Sing” by Jesmyn Ward is a gritty, powerful novel taking place in rural Mississippi – and, at times, taking place in the “in-between” between death and heaven. Narrated by four characters, and three generations, in alternating chapters, “Sing” is perhaps the book that most moved me in 2018.

* * *

Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.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

Is your Club or Group looking for an inspiring guest speaker or do you want to host a book signing? . . . Contact Woody today!

* * *

For a Personalized Autographed copy of “STRAWBERRIES IN WINTERTIME” or “WOODEN & ME” use the PayPal link on my home page or mail a check for $25 to:

Woody Woodburn

400 Roosevelt Court

Ventura, CA 93003

Holiday Generosity Bounces and Rolls In

The official motto of the Special Olympics is, “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Ian Eaton, a local Special Olympian who has on numerous occasions carried the lighted torch during the opening ceremony parade through Ventura, altered the motto slightly in support of “Woody’s Annual Holiday Ball Drive” dedicated to giving new sports balls to disadvantaged kids: If I cannot give 100 sports balls, let me be generous in helping the cause with one ball.

Actually, Ian, donated one each basketball, football, and soccer ball with the note: “These balls aren’t 100, but hopefully some children enjoy them.”

Eaton’s sentiment was in reference to the Camarillo-Somis Lions Club, which made a “Christmas in June” promise of 100 balls, and this week dropped off 33 soccer balls, 33 footballs, 34 basketballs.

Below are some more of the special gifts that have bounced in to date…

Tim and Cindy Hansen, who give books to kids year-round through their curbside Little Free Library, donated one football, three soccer balls, two basketballs and two playground balls.

A mountain of gifts from “Woody’s Holiday Ball Drive.”

Brent Muth’s annual “Ballapaloza” party with boyhood friends Mark Franke, Adan Valenica and Craig Rasmussen, collected a variety of 53 balls in honor of their late friend, Mike Sandoval, and their late coach, Gerry Carrauthers.

Eileen and Michael Maloney dished out three soccer balls, two playground balls, a football and a basketball.

Karen and Dave Brooks made a splash with one each basketball, football, soccer ball, volleyball and “four spongy baseballs for little kiddies.” Karen also noted, “Dave also donates golf balls throughout the year to the water hazards and rough at River Ridge Golf Course.”

Sandra Janotta donated one soccer ball and one basketball; Lee Draughon gave three each basketballs and soccer balls; and Carol Ann Roth gave three basketballs; and Barbara Coffman gave one basketball.

From Dave Flood came some brand-new baseball bats, balls and gloves with this note: “I’m 87 years old. When I was a kid we had no Little League, but we played on any empty lot we could find and we got our bats from the high school team – broken bats that we put screws in and taped up.”

Stephenie and Mark Thomas donated a case of 20 cans of tennis balls.

“Happy Holidays!” wishes for the kids came from Linda Peddie along with one each soccer ball and basketball.

Charis Werner dished two basketballs, two soccer balls and a football.

Draza Mrvichin donated a variety of 18 balls and Vana Guidotti donated one soccer ball and one basketball.

Alan and Kathy Hammerand gave nine balls mixed evenly between basketball, football and soccer, and noted: “We believe that it is so important for kids to have the opportunity to develop healthy, active lifestyles at an early age.”

Jim Cowan for the tenth consecutive year dished out 10 basketballs. He also emphasized that he believes deeply in the Golden Rule and to “love your neighbor as yourself” – “I am 87 now and these principles have guided me and my family over all of these years.” These principles also apply to everyone who has donated to the Ball Drive.

There is still time to pass out your own assist to a young neighbor in need by dropping off a new sports ball at a Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, youth group or (through Dec. 21) at Jensen Design & Survey at 1672 Donlon St. in Ventura. Online orders can be shipped to the same address.

Also, please email me about your gift at woodywriter@gmail.com so I can add your generosity to this year’s tally.

* * *

Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.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

Is your Club or Group looking for an inspiring guest speaker or do you want to host a book signing? . . . Contact Woody today!

* * *

For a Personalized Autographed copy of “STRAWBERRIES IN WINTERTIME” or “WOODEN & ME” use the PayPal link on my home page or mail a check for $25 to:

Woody Woodburn

400 Roosevelt Court

Ventura, CA 93003

 *  *  *

Rants and Raves About This and That

If you were expecting 600 words of nice this morning, put down the newspaper and go phone your grandma. I’m in an annoyed I-stubbed-my-toe kind of mood.

But I do love being able to wear flip-flops in November.

*

            I get annoyed by the early darkness and wish we could keep Daylight Saving Time year-round.

I love that the clocks on my cell phone, cable box and GPS watch “fall back” automatically and I don’t have to reset them.

*

            I get annoyed that anyone in America has to wait in line for two or three hours, some even longer, to cast a ballot. As the 49-year-old saying goes, If we can put a man on the moon . . . we should be able to get everyone in-and-out of the voting booth in under an hour.

I still love our election system, messy-as-a-baby-eating-spaghetti-by-herself that it is.

*

            I get annoyed by political yard signs that remain out long after the election is over. I say politicians should be fined $1 per sign left out, per day, after a 48-hour grace period.

I love this election-inspired lyric from “Belief” by John Mayer: “Is there anyone who ever remembers / Changing their mind from the paint on a sign?”

*

            I get annoyed that Christmas advertising now begins before Halloween. The day is coming when Americans will return from trick-or-treating and sit down to eat huge turkey dinners with all the fixings and then open presents the next morning.

I love giving out candy, giving thanks, and giving gifts.

*

I get annoyed by leaf blowers that simply move the mess into the street or neighboring yard.

I love seeing a pile of raked leaves – especially if kids are busy making a mess of it.

*

            It annoys me that dangerous, and senseless, “targeting” continues to happen in football. I say instead of ejection from a game, the first time a player uses his helmet as a weapon he should thereafter be forced to play in a bygone-era leather helmet. There won’t be a need for any second penalties.

I love high school and college marching bands.

*

            It annoys me when the salsa is gone before the tortilla chips are.

I love the rare times the chips and salsa come out even.

*

            I get annoyed by all the mixed signals about flu shots – “You must get it; no, you shouldn’t; this year’s vaccine will be a good match for circulating viruses; no, it never is.”

In the end – but in the arm – I always get the shot and I love it when, because of it or not, I don’t get the flu.

*

I get annoyed when I see someone toss litter out a car window.

I love seeing Good Samaritans picking up selfish people’s litter.

*

            I am annoyed that Clayton Kershaw, who has 9 wins against 10 losses in postseason career play, was rewarded with an extra year worth $28 million on top of the $65 million the Dodgers already owed him for 2019 and 2020. As Lee Trevino used to say, “You drive for show and putt for dough.” The regular season is for show, postseason is for dough.

I love that his organization “Kershaw’s Challenge: Strikeout to Serve” donates millions of dollars to help others.

*

            It annoys me when people complain seriously about minor annoyances.

I love this wisdom from Dick Dodd, a 90-year-old Venturan and longtime volunteer: “You gotta go to bed liking yourself, and the only way to do that is by helping somebody else.”

* * *

Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.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

Is your Club or Group looking for an inspiring guest speaker or do you want to host a book signing? . . . Contact Woody today!

* * *

For a Personalized Autographed copy of “STRAWBERRIES IN WINTERTIME” or “WOODEN & ME” use the PayPal link on my home page or mail a check for $25 to:

Woody Woodburn

400 Roosevelt Court

Ventura, CA 93003

*

Early Christmas for 2018 Ball Drive

In my boyhood, I fondly remember picking wild blackberries and raspberries on humid summer days spent at a weekend cabin retreat in rural Ohio. My three siblings and I literally filled pail after pail with ripe berries despite the fact that nearly as many went directly into our mouths.

Despite their ready abundance, these gathered berries – and store-bought strawberries as well – in summertime were always a delicious treat. Too, an expected one.

Some of last year’s gift balls for disadvantaged kids.

Berries in the wintertime, in the Midwest, however, are something I cannot recall from my youth. I am sure they were available at the supermarket in the 1960s for a premium, but Mom never brought them home.

So it was a magical winter indeed when my family took a Christmas vacation to Ventura in 1971. I had never before seen the ocean in person, much less bodysurfed and built sandcastles; explored tidal pools at low tide and chased a “grunion run” under a full moon’s high tide.

And here is something else new and magical: fresh strawberries in wintertime. Instead of by the bucketful as with Ohio blackberries, we enjoyed Ventura County strawberries by the overflowing “flat.”

The following summer we moved from Columbus to Ventura and plump strawberries became year-round fare. Still, in my mind, “strawberries in wintertime” has remained synonymous for an unexpected treat.

I received such a treat this summer in an email from John Knittle. More accurately, I guess, it proved to be “Christmas in June.”

Knittle is a member of the Camarillo-Somis Lions Club and they wanted to learn more about my annual holiday sports ball drive. I came to a meeting and shared how it started . . .

About 20 years ago, I was at a local youth basketball clinic when NBA All-Star Cedric Ceballos presented autographed basketballs to a handful of lucky attendees.

Leaving the gym afterward, I happened upon a 10-year-old boy who won one of the prized keepsakes – which he was dribbling on the rough blacktop outdoor court, and shooting baskets with, while perhaps imagining he was Ceballos.

Meanwhile, the real Ceballos’ Sharpie signature was wearing off.

Curious why the boy had not carefully carried the trophy basketball home and put it safely on a bookshelf, I interrupted his playing to ask.

“I’ve never had my own basketball,” he answered matter-of-factly between shots.

That Christmastime, thinking of that boy – and other boys and girls who do not have their own basketball to shoot, soccer ball to kick, football to throw – Woody’s Holiday Ball Drive was born.

Shortly after my visit to the Lions, president Russ White informed me the club had decided to throw in its support. And so, even before officially kicking off this year’s annual campaign with today’s column, already 100 local disadvantaged youth are guaranteed to receive a brand new basketball thanks to the Lions’ generosity.

Once again, I am encouraging you dear readers to join in by dropping off a new sports ball – or balls – at any local Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, youth club or church and they will find a worthy young recipient.

Or drop balls off (weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Dec. 21) at Jensen Design & Survey at 1672 Donlon St. (near Target on Telephone Road in Ventura) and I will take it from there. Or have online orders shipped to the same address.

Also, please email me about your gift at woodywriter@gmail.com so I can add your generosity to this year’s tally.

Together, we can metaphorically fill a fruit flat to overflowing with sports balls and give a lot of kids “strawberries in wintertime” joy.

* * *

Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.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

Is your Club or Group looking for an inspiring guest speaker or do you want to host a book signing? . . . Contact Woody today!

* * *

For a Personalized Autographed copy of “STRAWBERRIES IN WINTERTIME” or “WOODEN & ME” use the PayPal link on my home page or mail a check for $25 to:

Woody Woodburn

400 Roosevelt Court

Ventura, CA 93003

A “Multiplier” Without Math Skills

With civil discord seeming to multiply daily as Tuesday’s elections near, it’s heartening to consider a different kind of “multiplier” as described by Helen Yunker, a Ventura community leader and generous benefactor who passed away this summer at age 96:

“By helping and sharing with others, you multiply your own happiness and blessings many times over.”

*

In response to my series of columns about “Mrs. Figs’ Bookworm,” and the old-fashioned manual typewriter on display that patrons are encouraged to use, Shirley Koval typed a new-fashioned email:

“Loved to see this quaint bookstore and owner Connie Halpern you wrote about. I like to go there and browse and discuss books, etc.

“However, you didn’t mention what “Mrs. Figs” stands for – “Faith In God Shows.” It does show when you visit that unique store!”

*

Reminiscing with an amusing story that has a fortuitous twist, Dick Pillow wrote: “I read with nostalgia and pleasure your column on old-fashioned typewriters.

“I am an old-timer who was talked into an elective class in high school by my buddy Waylon to take ‘Typewriting 1’. I objected by saying that it was just girls in there – and he said, that was the point . . . lots of contacts. So, I relented and we learned on manual Remingtons.

“We were indeed the only males in the class. The girls and lady instructor at first were shocked, but ended up treating us kindly when they found out we were actually interested and challenged to learn this skill.

“So we buckled down and did everything the instructor required of us, and did our very best to obtain the magic number of 55 words a minute. It was a half-semester class and I did get to 51, but could never make it to the 55.

“Anyway, we had such a good time, that we took ‘Typewriting 2’ the next semester to attempt to ‘break’ our records. This was in 1956, by the way, and after about the first couple of weeks, guess what showed up? Beautiful Olivettis, which were ELECTRIC – thank you, Lord!

“By the end of the semester I was at 64 words, I believe, and Waylon, who was always better than me, made it over the 70-mark easily. We both earned good grades and did indeed end up dating a couple of the girls in the class.

“I never realized how important this training was to me until I joined the Navy and after boot camp went to Great Lakes Ill., for electronic school. Before the school was to start, in about six weeks, there were about 180 of us assembled by a grizzled old Chief Petty Officer to be assigned temporary jobs until our schools began.

“He started out by asking if any of us could type and I believe only

four of us raised our hands. He said, ‘Move over here – you will go work in the 9th Naval District Legal Offices as typists. All the rest of you guys will do duty as mess-cooks (same as KP in Army).’

“Our duty in the Legal Dept. was easy with liberty every night and all our weekends free. So I hold dear my time learning to use the typewriter for sure!”

*

In closing, what a lovely tribute in a single sentence by the Rev. Lonnie McCowan at the memorial service for Bedford Pinkard, who died two weeks ago at age 88 and whose impact extended far beyond being an Oxnard councilman:

“We’re not here because he died, we’re here because he lived.”

And how he lived – as a “multiplier.”

* * *

Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.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