THE FLAGSHIP SALVATION ARMY KROC CENTER CELEBRATES 10 YEARS! 2.6K
Total Views: 47 A celebration presented by the Audrey S. Geisel Dr. Seuss Fund June 17, 2012 (San Diego) — The Salvation Army Kroc Center is celebrating its 10-year anniversary on June 19, 2012 with a private commemoration ceremony followed by a free community concert. In 1998, Joan Kroc donated $87 million dollars to create a community center that provides opportunities that facilitate positive, life-changing experiences through art, athletics, personal development, spiritual discovery, and community service. At the press conference announcing her generous gift, Mrs. Kroc recalled a tour she took of San Diego neighborhoods, saying, “I realized children desperately needed a safe gathering place, a place with facilities and trained professionals to nurture their social skills, arts appreciation and athletic potential.” Today, approximately 5,000 members of all ages, and countless guests are engaged in activities including: day camp, performing arts, ice-skating, fitness, skateboarding, rock climbing, swimming, and more – all offered by the Kroc Center, which became available to the community on June 19, 2002. When Mrs. Kroc passed away in October 2003, she left The Salvation Army $1.5 billion for the development of 27 Kroc Center’s across the country. She designed the gift so that communities wishing to pursue building a Kroc Center must raise half of the money needed for the project to establish an internal community support structure. There are currently 20 Kroc Centers open across the country. There will be a total of 27 centers open by the end of 2013. The first center is right here in San Diego, in Rolando, just 2 miles from San Diego State University. The sprawling 12.4-acre campus houses several buildings and facilities ranging from a 600-seat theater to an NHL regulation sized ice arena. Starting June 15th, a different free day pass each day will be available to download on www.kroccenter.org Like us on Facebook to stay updated! There are several activities remaining that will be taking place: from the 20th until the 24th. DAY 6 FAMILY SOCCER WEDNESDAY THE 20th Recreation Field 4:30 – 6pm DAY 7 SWIMMING (AGES 3+) THURSDAY THE 21st Recreation Pool 1 – 2:45pm DAY 8 SKATEBOARDING FRIDAY THE 22nd Skatepark 2:30 – 8pm DAY 9 FITNESS & GYM DROP-IN SATURDAY THE 23rd Gymnasium & Pools – Schedules Vary DAY 10 ICE SKATING SUNDAY THE 24th Ice Arena 1:30 – 3pm We can help bring our city together by declaring our love to all of its children, and show them the faith that we have in their future. -Joan Kroc Printer-friendly version
2.6K viewsVINTAGE PLANE FLYOVER TO MARK DEDICATION OF NEW STUDENT CENTER AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE APRIL 14 3K
Total Views: 34 What world record will attendees seek to break? Shhhh! It’s a secret! April 12, 2012 (El Cajon) – On a day Grossmont College is celebrating its 50th anniversary with an open house full of activities for the public, the campus is also marking a new beginning with the dedication of the Student and Administrative Services Building and Griffin Center. A dedication ceremony, preceded by a flyover of vintage planes from Gillespie Field, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 14, on the Main Quad of the El Cajon campus. The ceremony marks the completion of the $36.2 million, two-building project, which took about a year and a half to build. The public is invited to stay following the brief building dedication to enjoy an array of Open House activities, including a world record attempt at noon in the Main Quad. College authorities, however, are keeping the nature of that world record a closely guarded secret. But a spokesperson for the district confided, "We’ll need 1500 people!" Participants will receive free commemorative T-shirts. College President Sunita “Sunny” Cooke said the building expansions have brought a stronger sense of community to the campus. “More than anything, these facilities have brought everyone together from every corner of the campus,” she said. “What a fitting way to celebrate Grossmont’s first 50 years by embarking on the exciting journey ahead with the introduction of these newly-renovated facilities.” The expansion and renovations of the two existing buildings was the last of 13 major projects funded by Proposition R, a 2002 facilities bond measure approved by East County voters in response to severe space shortages at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. The buildings reopened at the start of the spring semester to rave reviews from students. Bill Garrett, president of the district Board of Trustees, said the remodeled facilities bring a satisfying closure to Proposition R’s transformation of Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. “We stretched taxpayer dollars by renovating these two buildings instead of building from the ground up,” he said. “The district still has unmet facility needs, but thankfully, I know we have the confidence and backing of the public as we work toward upgrading our two campuses to best serve East County.” The Student Services and Administration building was expanded by 16,000 square feet to create a 37,000-sqaure-foot center for student services, including admissions and records, assessment, financial aid, counseling, and more. A few steps away, the refurbished student center features meeting rooms for student groups; ample seating for dining, lounging or study; easy access to a career center and other student services, as well as a lobby with a 10-foot video screen; four food stations, and a mini-market. The revamped 46,734-square-foot Griffin Center, named for the college mascot, the griffin, involved renovation of about 27,000 square feet of the existing building and the expansion of nearly 20,000 square feet. The center also houses the offices and work areas of the Associated Students, the culinary arts program, student health services, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) for low-income students, the career center and job placement, a club room for student organizations, and Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS). Designed by Architects Mosher Drew, the two buildings, which were renovated using sustainable materials and energy-conservation measures, are the first LEED-certified projects in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, is a rating system for the design, construction and operation of green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. Grossmont College is at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. For more information about the two-day celebration, go to www.grossmont.edu/50years Printer-friendly version
3K viewsREADER’S EDITORIAL: GROSSMONT HEALTHCARE DISTRICT SHOULD NOT FUND ENERGY COGENERATION EXPANSION WITH BORROWED MONEY 3
Total Views: 47 By Jim Stieringer, La Mesa February 9, 2012 (La Mesa)–In 2006 East County voters approved Proposition "G" authorizing the sale of general obligation bonds of $247 million to provide and improve various facilities at Grossmont Hospital. Included is an expansion of the hospital’s central energy plant. The Grossmont Healthcare District is now considering adding a cogeneration feature to the plant to be acquired through a "lease/purchase" agreement for $17,900,000 to be paid over a ten year (120 month) period at a rate of around $2,000,000 per year. To place this proposed expenditure in proper perspective it is necessary to understand that this represents about 30% of the District’s entire annual non-Proposition "G" budget. For nearly two decades the District has provided funding to several community-based non-profit healthcare agencies. That funding is placed at serious risk if the District were to proceed with its improvident plan to fund the cogeneration with borrowed money. Since it is unlikely that the District would cut salaries or overhead, the reasonable alternative would be to forego the cogeneration project or to utilize the available Proposition "G" funds specifically authorized for the central energy plant. I recommend that the Independent Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee ("ICBOC") prepare an interim annual report to confirm that sufficient Proposition "G" funds remain available to complete each and every project included in the text of the 2006 ballot proposition. If the funding remains sufficient we should simply pay for cogeneration using the voter approved funding. Alternatively the ICBOC should publicly report if there is any potential problem in meeting the District’s remaining obligations under Proposition "G". Although cogeneration is not an essential feature, everyone would agree that it is desirable. However it is not so desirable as to reduce or eliminate the District’s acclaimed program of health care grants that have meant so much to East County institutions such as the Challenge Center, the Home of Guiding Hands and many others. The District board must not sacrifice the needs of our disabled population in order to provide an additional benefit to Sharp HealthCare and its sweetheart (dollar a year) lease of Grossmont Hospital. Needless to say I am very disappointed that my former colleagues would even consider such a use of taxpayer money. I hope that they either abandon the improvident cogeneration project or else find a funding mechanism that doesn’t jeopardize the support currently provided to our most needy fellow citizens. The views expressed in this editorial reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org Printer-friendly version
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