Over the last few weeks, Corona-Norco Unified School District high schools have held awards nights, recognition ceremonies, and graduation ceremonies. While always successful, this year's graduating class from the Corona-Norco Unified School District has been truly outstanding.  Graduates have received acceptance into some of the most prestigious universities around the country, including Harvard, MIT, Berkeley, UCLA, and Dartmouth. Equally as impressive is the total of academic scholarships, athletic scholarships, and other grants and financial aid received by students: over $23 million thus far!  In addition to students attending four-year colleges and universities, many will also be attending community colleges, trade/technical schools, or entering the world of work. In all of their endeavors, the graduating class of 2010 has been truly exceptional!

With the close of another school year this past month, the Corona-Norco Unified School District held award nights, recognition ceremonies, and graduation ceremonies for the exceptional class of 2010. Each year’s graduating class is successful, but this year’s was truly outstanding with students earning a grand total of approximately $23 million in scholarships, grants and financial aid.

A whooping $800,000 was awarded to motivated Santiago student Jessica Ramadin by the Bill Gates Foundation; with the money, Jessica can now pay off her entire educational career at Cornell University.

The heartwarming Michael C. Murphy scholarship awards $500 to writing driven students in honor of the late Murphy-Corwin son. This year the scholarship was awarded to Santiago students Julian Burrell and Katie Clark. Being that this is the last year the parents will commemorate their son through the scholarship, the recipients were even more grateful. “To receive a scholarship in itself is an honor; to receive one with such a great and genuine history is amazing. Being one of the last recipients is the cherry on top,” said Clark who plans to use the money for her educational career at San Diego Sate University as a Literature Major.

In all of their athletic and scholastic undertakings, the graduating class of 2010 has been truly outstanding with students gaining acceptance into some of the most prestigious universities around the country including Harvard, Dartmouth, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, University of California Berkeley, University of California Los Angeles, and the University of Southern California. Other students will continue their educational careers at community colleges and trade or technical schools; while others jump head first into the world of work. No matter where their endeavors lead them, the class of 2010 is headed toward a bright future. Congratulations to all graduates and scholarship recipients!

A large group of dedicated musicians come together to preserve the essence of big band music and pay tribute to classic artists like Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey and more in the versatile music group “Swing Cats”. With the direction of leader and music teacher Dan Methe, the “Swing Cats” use their extensive musical knowledge to recreate the sounds of the 1930s to the 1950s along with putting a big band twist on some of the popular songs of today. With a musical repertoire this vast, the “Swing Cats” have something for everyone to enjoy.

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It’s Comedy with the Most Unusual Suspects: CAT of Corona’s 6th Annual Summer Festival is coming and it’s one hilarious comedy after another!

Our summer youth production is up first. The Emperor’s New Clothes runs August 6th - August 8th with 5 performances. When the Emperor, his wife, and their three spoiled daughters nearly ruin the country with their out of control spending and crazy whims, it takes some crafty and ingenious swindlers (who look amazingly like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever) to save the empire from complete financial ruin. With wild costumes and even wilder music, this is a show that both kids and parents will love.

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Watching her older brother play as a little girl initially sparked Santiago High School Student Elisa Pogu’s passion for the rough world of roller hockey. The high school senior has been building her roller hockey career since the age of seven and this year all that she has worked for is paying off.

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With the city’s water conservation effort, Corona residents need to be more conscientious about their carbon footprint. Recycling also plays a large role in the process of making our city greener and more efficient as a whole. If conserving and recycling could be integrated into every residents’ lifestyle, we could reduce the harm we humans cause the planet and look forward to a greener future.

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The Corona Department of Water & Power is offering free landscape classes this fall. Come and learn more on topics such as drip irrigation, slope design, and water-wise plants that do not need a lot of water but will still look beautiful in your yard. To view the class schedule, click here. Please RSVP to the Corona Department of Water & Power by e-mailing us at StopTheDrop@discovercorona.com or by calling us at (951) 736-2234.

NEW CLASSES! See list below:

Class Name	Class Date and Time	Class Location	Class Description
Drip Irrigation 101	Sept. 18, 2010 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.	Hendrickson Bros. 2931 Rimpau Ave.	The fundamentals of drip irrigation
Parkway Design	Sept. 18, 2010 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.	Corona Public Library 650 S. Main  St.	How to retrofit your parkway from turf to low water use landscaping
Slope Design	Oct. 9, 2010 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.	Corona Public Library 650 S. Main  St.	How to irrigate and plant your slope in a water-efficient way
Retrofitting Existing Planter Beds	Oct. 9, 2010 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.	Corona Public Library 650 S. Main  St.	How to change out high water usage planter areas with attractive low maintenance and water saving designs
English Cottage Gardens	Oct. 16, 2010 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.	Corona Public Library 650 S. Main  St.	How to create this popular garden style
Water-Wise Plants	Oct. 16, 2010 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.	Corona Public Library 650 S. Main  St.	A look at the diverse water-wise plant materials available on the market

“Suavé’s” smooth salsa music will turn Corona’s City Hall South Lawn into a dance fiesta on Thursday, August 12th from 7:00-9:00 p.m. The nine member band has gained huge popularity for their versatility and unique way of combining different styles of music through their danceable songs. With the musical and vocal talents of Rick Sanchez, Andrea Guerrero, Eddie Chavira, Bob Rodriguez, Abraham Gonzalez, Dannie Ramirez, Carlo Tanori, Bruce Goss, and Rene Burguan; “Suavé” creates an interesting fusion of Latin, Rock, Funk, Old School and R&B music.

For more information on these “inspirational musicians”, visit “Suavé’s” website at www.SuavetheBand.com.

Hot lazy days of summer dragging you down? Beat the heat by the pool. If you don’t have one in your backyard, visit the city’s public swim facilities at the following locations:

Auburndale Recreation Center: 1045 Auburndale Street (swimming pool)

Fiesta Bandshell (City Park): 930 East 6th Street (swimming pool)

Citrus Community Park: 1250 Santana Way (splash center)

Although a day by the pool is a fun way to enjoy the warm weather, it is also one of the most dangerous activities of the summer. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death of young children aged 1-4 in Riverside County, and is thankfully, 100% preventable.

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Time to finish up those summer reading assignments because school is almost here. School starts August 11th for Corona Norco Unified School District traditional track students and the 2010-2011 school year ends on June 2nd.

The high school registration process began on July 26th and ends August 5th. To find specific registration times for your school, check out the calendar on the CNUSD website at cnusd.k12.ca.us/. On the website you can also find information on bell schedules, back to school night, bus transportation services, lunch menus, and be directed to your school’s website. 

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Old high school besties get together again to share stories and favorite memories at the 10th annual Corona Senior High Reunion on August 15th. The event has grown significantly since its humble beginnings as a small park meeting sparked from a chat room. Now the event is larger and held on the school site where all the memories began. Former students, family members, and staff members come to reconnect and have a good time with old friends.

Guests pay a $5 donation fee and meet in the Star Room in the lunch area for a pot-luck style lunch/ dinner from 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Coordinators encourage guests to bring memorabilia to start up conversation and remember the fun times. The class with the largest number of people who attend are awarded a “class brick” that will be placed under the school clock tower.

For more information call Kathy Pezel DeChastain (class of ’73) at (951) 687-5399 or Dian Cicchelli Lindsay (class of ’67) at (951) 371-3426

Bring your canine best friend and make a difference on August 28th at Lee V. Pollard High School[Map It!] from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the first annual American Cancer Society’s Bark for Life event. There will be music, games, raffles and contests including best dressed dog, dog/owner look alike, best trick and more. Walk your dog on the Bark for Life track and guide them through Frisbee and agility demos. Entry fee is $20 per dog which includes a Bark for Life bandana, any additional dog in the immediate family is $10. All proceeds from the event will be used for community education programs, national research projects for a cure and services for local cancer patients.

The empowering cancer event incorporates dogs since “canines care, give hope, and save lives”. The best example of this motto can be found in Barker, the National Canine Ambassador for the Make-A-Wish-Foundation. Barker had always helped his owner Sherry Buchbinder during her recovery from knee surgeries and she decided to share his kind demeanor with others. In 2006, Barker passed the AKC Canine-Good Citizen test at the Wags for Wishes event benefiting the San Diego chapter of the Make-A-Wish-Foundation. Since then the pair have continued volunteering for the Make-A-Wish Foundation by helping with Sponsor Award Presentations, Speaker’s Bureau, Community Awareness Events, Medical Outreach, Wish Maker Luncheons, Kids for Wish school programs, Walk for Wishes, Wish Maker on Campus Program, and Wags for Wishes. Although they volunteer in Wish chapters across California and parts of Arizona, they call the Orange County and Inland Empire chapters home.

This event will inspire you and your dog to fight back and volunteer for a great cause. Come celebrate, remember and fight cancer at Lee Pollard High School.

Pole Position Raceway will be hosting a special '80s Motocross Reunion on August 3 from 5-9pm. The event is open to the public and admission is free. Some of the world's fastest motorcycle racers are expected to attend, and most of the celebrities will be signing autographs and racing go karts against fans. Pole Position Raceway is a chain of indoor kart tracks that originated in Corona in 2005, and it involves a lot of famous two-wheel racers including seven-time AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath, X-Games Freestyle gold medalist Mike Metzger, and three-time land speed record holder Ken Faught. For more information check out www.PolePositionRaceway.com.

The City of Corona has implemented new technology for its residents. As of recently, City Council Meetings have been streamed LIVE available from your PC via DiscoverCorona.com. NOW, if you are on the go, don’t fret! We thought of you and made it so you will be able to catch the Council Meetings on your iPhone or Android devices.

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As summer continues on, Corona appears to be deadlocked with many choices but nothing like the summer concert series.

Starting on July 15, the summer concert series on the City Hall south lawn has attracted enough people each time to nearly fill the entire lawn. Thus far the Beatles tribute band Abbey Road, and the Eagles tribute band, Hotel California, have performed to capacity crowds.

"My overall impression was, wow, these guys are doing much better than other cover bands I've seen, their performance as a band and as a team, worked really well.," said Chasz Chavarria, of Corona. "My favorite moment was definitely when they played Don't Let Me Down. My favorite Beatle's song and there best performance!"

The band kept the crowd interested throughout, cracking dry jokes similar to those of the real Beatles, and changing costumes from suit and tie, to Sgt. Pepper outfits, and finally onto the "hip" Beatles of the late 1960s. For effect, the band member portraying John Lennon grew his hair out throughout the night. The band's changes indicated not only the simulation of the Beatles growing older, but also indicated the time period from which the Beatle’s played.

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Corona is proud to present its "Drive 4 Life" teen driver safety program. This program is designed for young drivers who have a license as well as those who are about to get one. Our goal is to provide a FREE service to our community by educating our young drivers and their parents in an effort to promote traffic safety on our roadways and to prevent fatal traffic collisions.

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At one time it was common practice to flush old, unused medications down the toilet. But times have changed! Old medications that are not properly disposed of have the potential to be used by children or can wind up affecting our water supplies and environment. So what to do with unused medications? Visit www.DiscoverCorona.com/dwp/nodrugs to find out more!

The 2010 Midsummer Masquerade is the the next gem in the Heritage Ball series, hosted this year by Corona Mayor Karen Spiegel.  It's never a surprise to see past mayors attend as well as dignitaries and mayors from other communities.

This elegant evening event is a not-to-be-missed gala featuring cocktails, dinner, but as always the main event is dancing!
Each Mayor's Heritage Ball has been the talk of the town for the entertainment, and this year is no exception.  For our Midsummer Masquerade, the jazzy party dance band Cheap Sax will keep guests on their feet and the dance floor full all night.

All proceeds benefit the Corona Heritage Foundation, a 100% volunteer-staffed non-profit organization that owns and operates the Corona Heritage Park & Museum[Map It!], "The History, Art and Culture of Corona."  The park and museum has been open free to the public five days a week since the year 2000.

In consideration to lingering economic hardships, you will find this event to be exceedingly affordable this year.  Join us under the stars for a magical and exciting evening of music, food, community and dance!

The 2010 Corona Mayor’s Heritage Ball will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 28th at Corona Heritage Park and Museum. For more information or to buy tickets please visit www.MayorsHeritageBall.org.

The Corona Symphony Orchestra (CSO) prepares for its third season with a lineup full of high-note novelty. Juggling two series this year—Masterworks and Pops—the CSO begins its reign of the stage on August 28th, 2010, celebrating its third time around the Circle City loop with a show entitled “American Horizons.”

The first of three Masterworks performances this year, “American Horizons”, conducted by Marco Mejia, promises to be both classical and American. Taking place at Northpoint Church, the show features pieces from “West Side Story”, “Candide”, and more.

The orchestra continues the series with “Beethoven’s Circle of 5ths”, their October 23rd, 2010 concert, which will also be conducted by Mejia at Northpoint Church. The show includes Janelle Tag as piano soloist, as well as a classic repertoire of the famous German composer’s renowned works.

Mejia’s third concert, the spring Masterworks on March 19th, 2011, takes the name “Viva Italia”, and stays true with a theme of classic music from the home of the Renaissance itself.

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“Looking for an answer to your classic rock addiction?” Well, “The Answer” is your classic rock solution. Come and experience one of their amazing performances on Thursday, August 19th for 7:00-9:00 p.m. on the City Hall South Lawn[Map It!]. The band started performing their own renditions of popular rock songs in 1964 and to this day continue bringing those classic top 40 hits to many dedicated rock lovers. “The Answer” first gained popularity in the early ‘70s as Arizona’s premier rock cover band, “The River”. Once they created a larger fan base in California, they became the official house band of the popular southern California radio station Arrow 93 FM (from 2001-2005).

In recent years, the classic rock band has focused on performing for the Concerts in the Park series in many cities and this year their list includes Corona’s Concerts on the Green summer concert series. Enjoy Kevin Brown on drums and vocals, Van Mosley on lead vocals and bass guitar, Jim Searing on guitar, vocals, keyboard and sounds and Dave Slater on lead guitar, vocals and keyboards. To see where they will perform next and to learn more about the rockers, go to their website at TheAnswertoClassicRock.com. Rock on!

As we look to the future, we are constantly looking for ways to improve the community. Recently, community gardens have been discussed as a possibility for the city. The Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) website documents that “chronic diseases affect almost 50% of Americans and account for seven of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States." Statistics such as these show the need for an active lifestyle, and for communities to come together to provide for each other.

Community Gardens create a sense of place where neighbors can produce harvests, but, in the age of fast food, they can also help promote a healthy lifestyle.

There is a group of citizens that believe in the value Gardens provide to the community. We have a similar vision, and we see it as a nice asset to the community and also fun for it," said Corona resident Craig Dye, who along with Pastor Mark Allert from Peace Lutheran Church, is starting one of two community gardens in Corona.

"Residents are given an opportunity to garden and learn about gardening with others who are like-minded," said Michell Skipworth, Economic Development Project Coordinator for the City of Corona.

According to the CDC website, Healthy Communities is a program that provides opportunities for communities to bolster their health. The CDC helps through Action Institutes, conference calls, and other technical assistance. The CDC has helped 240 communities in similar ways since 2003, and plans to help 170 more within the next few years. The City of Corona is working toward attaining some of this funding to support the Healthy Communities program in the city.

The City of Corona is committed to battling national obesity trends by encouraging residents to lead a healthier lifestyle through its Community Wellness Program. The Program will have multiple elements with goals of promoting a healthy and active lifestyle amongst the community, providing residents with knowledge and skills needed to help improve attitudes and behaviors concerning their health, encourage them to utilize existing facilities and programs, and improve the overall health of City of Corona residents. "The city is very excited to be a partner with Healthy Communities. They have helped many other cities, and it's nice to be bringing [the program] to Corona finally," Skipworth said.

"It can help sustainable living be reinforced. The gardens can bring the community together by teaching each other to care for the gardens," Dye said.

Dye also said that schools and other youth groups and organizations, such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, have shown interest in keeping up the gardens while also teaching other youth to help.

Dye encouraged people who are interested to come to the community meeting on Sunday, August 15^th at 6 p.m. at the United Methodist Church [Map It!] located near the Chase and California intersection in Corona. A list of interested people will be taken at the meeting. Anyone who cannot attend is encouraged to "keep their eye on the local media for info, and to apply for a plot [of land]," said Dye.

Each August you will notice purple ribbons displayed throughout our community as a reminder to never leave a child in a motor vehicle. The ribbon campaign began in memory of Kaitlyn Russell, a six-month old who died after being left alone in a parked car for more than two hours.Tammy Russell, Kaitlyn’s mother, has made it her quest to make sure that what happened to her daughter does not happen to others. "I just don't want to see any more children die," Russell said.

In the wake of Kaitlyn's death, Russell promised to do all she could to prevent these tragedies. She, along with her mother, Laura Petersen, started the nonprofit 4 R Kids Sake that educates on the dangers of leaving children in vehicles. She also helped push through Kaitlyn's Law, which became a State law in the fall of 2001 when Governor Davis signed Senate Bill 255, making it illegal for a child to be left unattended in a motor vehicle. A child should not be left inside a car "not for a minute, not for a second," Russell said.

Take a few precautions to avoid heat-related injuries and other vehicle dangers by:

* Never leaving a child alone in or around a vehicle. On a warm day, the temperature inside a parked car can reach as high as 140° in as little as two hours. A young child’s body temperature will rise three to five times faster than an adult’s will, resulting in serious injury or death.
* Checking to make sure all children leave the vehicle when you reach your destination, particularly when loading and unloading.
* Never overlooking sleeping infants by placing a reminder of your child’s presence where you’ll be sure to see it before leaving the vehicle (diaper bag next to your briefcase, baby blanket under your lunch, etc.)
* Never leaving a child in a vehicle with the motor running or the key in the ignition.
* Keeping car keys away from children at all times.
* Always locking your car, even at home, and reminding your friends and neighbors to do the same.
* Teaching children not to play in, on or around cars.

These precautions can save the life of a child so please remember them this August and throughout the year. For more information, please visit 4RKidsSake.org/.

A public information meeting will be held on Thursday, August 26th from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the Corona Public Library[Map It!] to discuss the State Route 91 (SR-91) Corridor Improvement Project and its impact on residents and businesses.

The SR-91 Corridor Improvement Project focuses on increasing capacity and reducing congestion through Corona for an existing 14-mile stretch of SR-91 and a 6-mile stretch along the I-15. The project boundaries run from the SR-241 Toll Road in Yorba Linda through the City of Corona to Pierce Street in the City of Riverside. Additional project areas include I-15 between Cajalco Road and Hidden Valley Parkway.

The proposed improvements will ease movement of people and goods between Riverside County and Orange County; improving travel conditions for work, recreation, school, and commerce. Reduced congestion will also reduce the time required for freeway traffic to move through local streets adjoining the SR-91. Improvements to on-and off-ramps will limit backups on local streets and freeways during peak travel periods. To accomplish this expansion there will be acquisition of some adjacent properties to State Route 91 (SR-91), therefore we encourage you to attend the public information meeting on Thursday, August 26th.

For more information, please visit SR91Project.info or click here for SR-91 Factsheet

“Everyday is earthquake season in California”, and every citizen has experienced the quakes’ effects in one way or another. Being educated and prepared can help every citizen react appropriately in case of emergency. That’s why the Corona City Council is proclaiming September as National Preparedness Month.

The recent July 7th earthquake shook the Southland in a 5.4 magnitude causing damages and injuries near the epicenter of Borrego Springs. Like many other earthquakes of this magnitude, it was followed by several minor aftershocks. The larger 7.2 magnitude April 4th earthquake centered in Mexicali caused 100 million dollars in damages and killed two people in Mexico. It was the biggest quake to hit the region in decades! While we cannot predict the next major earthquake event, we can say that, “it’s not if we have one, but when we have one and that we need to be prepared”.

Since the looming danger of another big quake remains a concern, the Corona community is coming together to be prepared for when disaster strikes. The Corona Fire Department offers complimentary disaster preparedness training to all interested Corona residents. Visit DiscoverCorona.com/CERT to find out how to become part of the Fire Departments’ Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

CERT will attend the Corona Host Lions Pancake Breakfast at the Corona Library on September 11th from 7-11 a.m. to inform residents about ways they can better prepare their community.

There is a wealth of information on earthquake safety from lists of practical precautions to insurance policies. Visit Ready.gov to get a kit and stay informed, DropCoverHold.org for the physical steps to safety, EarthQuakeCountry.info to learn great tips for stabilizing your home against the force of a quake and EarthquakeAuthority.com to get earthquake insurance.

The Riverside County Waste Management Department is putting on the Household Hazardous Waste Event on Friday and Saturday November 12-13 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. to help all Riverside County residents get rid of their waste.

Instead of wrongly throwing away these items in your own trashcans come to the event at Corona City Corporate Yard(map) to properly dispose them. Acceptable items to bring include:

• Used oil and filter
• Latex/oil base paint
• Fluorescent tubes/bulbs
• Pesticides
• Cleaners
• BBQ and camp size propane
• Aerosol cans
• Antifreeze
• Auto batteries
• Garden chemicals
• Pool chlorine
• TVs and Computers
• Electronic Waste
• Sharps

Do not bring items like:
• Government, business, non-profit or out of county hazardous waste
• Explosives or ammunition
• Medical/infectious waste
• Asbestos
• 55 gallon drums
• Appliances

The event may be canceled due to inclement weather. For more information call (800) 304-2226 or visit www.rivcowm.org.

The Fender Museum of Music & the Arts of Corona(map), opened in 1998, has always had a goal to provide free or little cost music to their students, but now they are going even further.

Campaign 800 is a fundrasing and marketing platform designed to address the needs of the 800 kids currently on a waiting list to participate in the Fender Center's "Kids Rock Free" music education programs.

"Kids Rock Free" is a program that allows students from age seven to 17 to receive lessons in the arts of guitar, piano, drums, vocal performance, and combo band. The students receive lessons for free for 6 months in exchange for their parents volunteering time at the center. After that period of time, parents are asked to pay a minimal fee. If they cannot afford it, however, the center offers scholarships allowing students to keep rocking. 70% of enrolled students receive scholarships.

"Our primary mission is to provide free and low cost music lessons to kids. So far, we have served more than 12,000 kids from 110 different cities," said Mike Kerr, of the board of trustees for the FenderMuseum of Music & the Arts.

The Steve Miller Band, known for songs such as "Jungle Love," "Take the Money and Run," and "Fly like an Eagle," will be performing on Friday, September 17 to launch the program. Grandstand tickets are available for $35, and VIP tickets which include dinner will be available for $250. Sponsorship opportunities are also available, of which all money donated will go to the Campaign 800 program. Act fast, few tickets remain!

"We all are very proud of the tremendous support from the community, and hope they will enjoy this resource," Kerr said.

The center’s premiere concerts provide a place to rock out and make a difference in the lives of children for years to come. For more information go to FenderMuseum.com or call 951-735-2440 and dial extension 207 for tickets.

The Corona Host Lions are sponsoring their 54th Annual Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, September 11th, 2010 from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Corona Public Library(map). The cost for the pancake breakfast is $5.00 with all proceeds going to the Lions charity. On hand at the Pancake Breakfast will be the Corona Fire Department and other disaster related volunteer organizations who will be displaying their disaster preparedness tools and skills for National Preparedness Month.

Corona Host Lions was founded in 1923 and supports several charities, most of which are involved with the conservation of sight and the blind. Other causes that Lions clubs provide assistance to, are, diabetes research, drug abuse, education and disaster relief.

As one of the premier community service organizations, the Lions Club fosters service to the community through camaraderie and individual growth. There are about 1.4 million members, in over 46,000 Lions clubs, in 197 countries and geographic areas, all with a focus on the concept of 'We Serve.'

For more information on the Corona Host Lions please visit CoronaHostLions.org. For more information on the Pancake breakfast please call Dave Crisp at 951-273-1917. For more information on National Preparedness Month and the Corona Fire Department Emergency Services Display please contact Lynn Mata at 951-736-2458 or visit our Inner Circle article.

Did you know that the Corona-Norco YMCA is helping families and children weather the economic storm? The YMCA now operates eight program sites with a continuum of care for children in the Corona Norco Unified School District from 2 years old to high school.

The YMCA invites you to attend their 15th Annual Ira D. "Cal" Calvert Distinguished Service Awards Dinner being held on September 11, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. at the home of Congressman Ken Calvert. It promises to be fun, and they will honor some special distinguished community volunteers that are worthy of our praise and thanks. Being honored are Dr. Brenda Davis, Kathy Azevedo, Eugene Montanez, Grace Bosquez, Woody Harpole, Riverside Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Hope Through Housing Foundation, Luann Miller and Louis Davis. All the funds raised will be used to help sponsor high school youth in the YMCA Community Teen Center, the Youth and Government Program, and to help the YMCA with badly needed renovation and repair work. Please remember that the YMCA also awards scholarships and sponsors many children who otherwise could not participate in our programs. At least 60% of the families serviced by the YMCA are from low and very low income levels.

The YMCA has had a difficult year trying to meet these rising levels of need, and they are hoping that the community will pitch in by supporting The Calvert Dinner, which will be the key fundraiser for the year.If you would like to help the YMCA to keep their programs running during these hard times please click here for a sponsorship application.

For more information regarding the Calvert Dinner please contact Yolanda Carrillo at 951-739-1201 or carrillo@ymcacornor.org.

The National Cooperstown Tournament of Champions (NCTC) in Cooperstown, New York is an annual baseball tournament which attracts teams from around the United States and Canada. The once in a lifetime tournament was created to allow 12 year old players to travel to the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame and compete against some of the best teams in North America. During the week of July 3 – 9, 2010, the Corona Angels travel team competed against 21 other teams from North America and went 6 – 0, outscoring their opponents 110 – 10 in the six game pool play, earning the #1 seed for the single elimination playoffs. The Angels successfully defeated their opponents during the playoffs to arrive at the championship game against the #2 seed, the Utah Irish. Despite tough competition, the Angels prevailed, winning the championship game 6 - 4. The Angels ended the tournament 10 – 0, outscoring their opponents 149-19!

The Corona Angels 12 and under travel team is a locally based team that is made up of outstanding players, but more importantly, outstanding young men who showed not only their baseball skills but the true meaning of sportsmanship throughout the tournament. In recognition of their achievements, the Corona Angels were honored by the City of Corona City Council on July 21st, 2010. Congratulations to the players, coaches, and parents for this outstanding achievement and for their hard work and commitment to excellence on and off the field.