Citi Global Community Day

Citi Global Community Day

Citi employees gathered in Embarcadero Park on June 3 to support veterans, deployed soldiers, military personnel and their families to prepare 100 wheelchairs, 400 stuffed friends and 225 care packages for beneficiaries of local nonprofits including the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, San Diego North County Blue Star Mothers and Disabled American Veterans Industries. The volunteers of Citi came together to observe the Ninth Annual Global Community Day in San Diego.  Jud Linville, Chief Executive Officer of Citi Cards. Said “Today, Citi is in San Diego and providing the opportunity for hundreds of employees to come together as a volunteer team for a common purpose of supporting veterans, soldiers, and military personnel and their families and friends.”

Julian Duval, President and CEO of the San Diego Botanic Garden was honored as the 2014 Horticulturalist of the Year by the San Diego Horticultural Society. Duval was honored for his service in horticulture in Southern California. For the past 20 years, he has served as President and CEO of the San Diego Botanic Garden. “The San Diego Botanic Garden truly is a special place to be a part of. I feel very fortunate that I have had the opportunity to work with so many talented staff members, donors, benefactors and volunteers over the years, all of whom have helped to make my job a success,” said Julian.

The first annual San Marcos Arts Council Chicken Parade, in partnership with the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce kicks off on July 4 and will run through Sept. 30. The Chicken Parade braids connections between local businesses, artists and residents. Chamber businesses have joined the Parade to display artist-adorned chicken sculptures as a city-wide scavenger hunt and exhibition. Geico, Carpet Direct Unlimited, Eckert’s Moving & Storage, the San Marcos Historical Society, are some of the places to spot the chickens.

In spite of the North County fires and the closure of the Campus at California State University San Marcos, The 2014 “As Time Goes By” gala will be held on June 21 in the University’s new University Student Union. Gala sponsors being honored include Tri-City Medical Center, Hunter Industries, North County Palomar Health, PCL Construction Services and Rincon Band of Luise no Indians. Funds raised will help support innovative research, student programming and the professional development of faculty.

San Diego Rescue Mission is hosting The Art of Gratitude on June 24 at the David Alan Collection in Solana Beach. Proceeds will benefit the completion of the New Children’s Center at San Diego Rescue Mission, which will provide a nurturing and safe environment for young children during the day while moms seek jobs, education and receive therapy.

San Diego Padres Volunteer – Make-a-Wish

The San Diego Padres hosted a group of Make-a-Wish VIPs (Very Important Padres on May 21 for a Padres game. On May 22, Padres outfielder Seth Smith visited San Diego’s New Central Library for the Padres Reading Corner presented by Subway. In partnership with Subway and the Padres Foundation, Smith presented a $1,000 donation to the library. Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin joined representatives from the Padres and the Hall of Champions on May 23 in a sendoff event for 12 local Jr. RBI players as they headed to Los Angeles to participate in MLB’s inaugural Jr. RBI Classic Showcase.

In 2011, United Way started a three-year pilot program, Project 25, The results show that in Project 25’s third year, the program has been successful with 35 participants in permanent housing and 70 percent savings to the community, totaling more than $2million in 2013. “With Project 25, we’ve proven that Housing First works in San Diego,” said Kevin Crawford, president and CEO, United Way of San Diego County. “”We are honored United Way chose St. Vincent’s as the lead agency for the Project 25 pilot,” said Ruth Bruland, executive director, St. Vincent de Paul Village. “There’s much more money to be saved and lives that can be changed.”

Please send news items to Joyce Glazer at joyceg@sandiegomagazine.com.