Community News

Ching Retiring

If you’ve lived in the shore or its neighboring areas during the past four decades you may know Timothy Ching. He is a Long Beach Unified School District teacher and has been at Rogers Middle School teaching physical education for the past 41 years. He is transitioning to a well-deserved retirement at the end of the current school year.

If you or someone you know would like to send him a note and wish him well, please address it to the following address by May 31 so that it can be presented to him: Rogers Middle School, c/o Ann Stakias, 365 Monrovia Ave. Long Beach, CA 90803

‘Tea for Tots’

Long Beach Day Nursery (LBDN) will host its annual “Tea for Tots” fundraiser on Saturday, May 21, 2-4 p.m. at the LBDN East Branch, located at 3965 Bellflower Blvd. Tickets are $50 each with free admission for those 18 years old and younger. The event will include live performances by the Jazz Angels and children from LBDN, refreshments and light appetizers, and interactive program informational stations. The event raises funds for LBDN’s programs and services which provide high quality early care and education for young children.

Proceeds from “Tea for Tots” is critical in supporting the many programs at LBDN that prepare local children for success in kindergarten and well into their future. LBDN’s accredited centers provide a low teacher-child ratio and excellent family engagement.

LBDN provides: science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum; an on-site early intervention program; early literacy; art and music; a healthy connections and nutrition program; and so much more. LBDN also provides scholarships and programs that help support families bridge the gap in order to provide their children with a quality start to their education.

To purchase tickets to the event, find out more about sponsorship opportunities, and to make donations, visit lbdn.org/tea-for-tots.

Catalina Story Project

In honor of the longtime island resident, Jani Eisenhut, the Catalina Museum for Art & History is hosting a celebration for her birthday and to debut the fifth film in its Catalina Story Project documentary series on Saturday, May 21. The 8-9 p.m. premier will be held at the museum’s Ackerman Family Amphitheater, where attendees will enjoy a screening of the film and a fun-filled evening under the stars.

Catalina Story Project films are created to document life on Catalina Island through the eyes of its longtime residents. This year’s subject is Jani Eisenhut. Her story spans from her younger days growing up in the Casino, to driving tour buses through the interior, playing the chimes and so much more.

The event will be held at the Catalina Museum located at 217 Metropole Avenue, Avalon.

For more information about the Catalina Museum for Art & History, visit CatalinaMuseum.org.

Raptor Ramble

A nature hike of the Hellman Ranch Wetlands takes place on Saturday, June 4, 8-10 a.m. This is a great opportunity to spot raptors such as ospreys and hawks. An added bonus is the focus on how Native Americans lived in and used the wetlands.

Meet on the inland side of the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and 1st Street, at the border of Long Beach and Seal Beach. This walk is appropriate for ages 7 and up. Closed toes shoes are required.

To RSVP, contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@lcwlandtrust.org. Learn more about the wetlands at www.lcwlandtrust.org.

Take Out Tuesday

Take Out Tuesday and Dine In Too on Tuesday, June 7 at Naples Rib Company. Dining is 4-9 p.m. and Take Out starts at 10 a.m. Call (562) 439-7427 to place orders or for reservations.

Tell server that you support St. Bartholomew Church. They give the Women’s Council a percentage of the profits that then go to local charities. Enjoy the ambiance and friendly atmosphere of Naples Rib Company with dining in.

Summer Camps for All Ages

Grace First Presbyterian Church of Long Beach has hosted four extremely popular summer camps every year since 2004 and this year they return with a bang. The first two of the camps are faith-centered, while two others are non-religious music camps. The summer calendar starts off with Vacation Bible School (VBS), the week of June 20-24, 9 a.m. to noon. This year’s theme is “Food Truck Party,” and it’s going to be a tasty week! The cost of this camp is $40 per camper, $50 for two siblings, or $60 for three or more siblings.

Then a day camp for middle schoolers, called QUEST Week, kicks off July 5 through July 8. This year’s camp will encourage youth to use their voice and actions to protect the future of our planet, Right Here - Right Now! Activities will focus on climate, oceans, wildlife and waste. Excursions include El Dorado Park, the beach and the Aquarium of the Pacific. The cost of this camp is $60 per camper or $100 for two or more siblings.

The back-to-back music camps start with Musical Theater Camp, July 11-15, 9 a.m. to noon. This camp for all ages works to prepare a musical performance to be held on Friday night, July 15. This year’s theme is “Help! I’m Trapped in a Musical!” Children and youth will sing, dance, learn to design props and sets, read scripts and share snacks with new friends! The cost of this camp is $40 per camper or $60 for two or more siblings.

And the granddaddy of the camps is Rock at the Point (formerly known as School of Rock) for high schoolers (and middle-schoolers with an audition or referral), July 18-22, noon to 4pm. This week-long music camp offers professional coaching, instruction in writing and recording, and the opportunity to jam with fellow campers all week long. There are performances by professional bands and musicians, and the camp culminates in a closing performance on Friday, July 22 that is always the highlight of the church’s summer. The cost of this camp is $100 per camper or $150 for two or more siblings.

To register for any of the camps, visit www.gracefirst.org/register. For more information on any of the summer programs at Grace First, contact Stan DeWitt, Minister of Music at stan.gracefirst@gmail.com or (562) 972-3324.

‘Intimate Apparel’

Lynn Nottage’s play, Intimate Apparel, at the Long Beach Playhouse May 21 to June 18 is based on her great-grandmother’s experiences as a talented African American seamstress working in New York City in 1905. In this play, Ester has dreams of a future that she plans to create with money she earns making intimate apparel for wealthy matrons and ladies of the night. 

The play takes place in various bedrooms in Lower Manhattan. Ms. Nottage uses photographs to highlight the anonymity of African Americans in the era, only 40 years on the other side of slavery in the U.S. Intimate Apparel also works in one of the most important historical accomplishments of the era with the introduction of an Afro-Caribbean suitor who wants to leave Panama, where he is working the construction of the Panama Canal. In his letters he persuades Ester that he will be a good provider and husband. Their wedding is the first time they speak in person.

Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org.