Community
Kiwanis/Lou Piltz Memorial Spaghetti Dinner Scheduled for January 29th
Dinner benefits La Mirada Meals-on-Wheels, serving home-bound residents since 1975
La Mirada~The 29th Lou Piltz Memorial Spaghetti Dinner will be served at the La Mirada Activity Center on January 29th from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m.
The menu will be spaghetti, salad and garlic bread for $8.00. Coffee and soft drinks will be available. La Mirada Ebell Womens’ Club will provide delicious desserts. A 50/50 drawing, opportunity prizes and live entertainment featuring choral and musical groups from La Mirada High School will complete the evening.
Tony Aiello, editor of the La Mirada Blog, will be the guest MC for the evening’s festivities.
Guests are warmly welcomed to attend, and all profits will benefit the MOW program in the community. Tickets may be obtained through any Kiwanis member or may be purchased at the door.
This is a major fundraiser for the La Mirada Mels-on-Wheels organization which is entirely volunteer-driven except for two part-time employees.
La Mirada MOW, since its inception in 1975, has served over 400,000 meals to shut-ins and provides food and comfort along with support and encouragement for those unable to provide for themselves, in our community.
The activity center is located in the Civic Center complex at 13810 La Mirada Boulevard.
For more information call (562) 943-0037 or visit the MOW website.
Ring in the New Year With the New You
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, New Year’s resolutions are a good thing. If you struggle to believe that, it’s probably because of a history of failed resolutions. This year, however, you owe it to yourself to become the new person you want to be. Not in order to impress other people. You’re going to do it to remind yourself that yes, you can do whatever you put your mind to—you can become a better person.
Ready to get started on the road to a new you? Keep reading to find out what you’ve got to do this the year to make the new you happen!
Talk about It-After a few years of failed resolutions, you may want to keep your plans a secret. But don’t! If your family and friends don’t know what your goals are, you won’t have their support in your journey. They may scoff or snigger when they find out you have big plans for the coming year, but don’t let them get you down. Most likely, they’re jealous. So whether you want to be more committed to your gym routine, eat better, or be more patient with your kids, don’t keep your resolution for a new you to yourself!
Start with Pre-Tests-Next Monday may be when you’ve decided to really begin committing to your new self, but don’t wait that long. Start today with some pre-tests. Once a day, find a way to implement your new lifestyle into your routine. That may mean skipping dessert one night. Or maybe it’s letting your spouse have the remote control. Then again, it could be chewing on a carrot instead of going for a cigarette break when stressed. Whatever it is, scoring these small victories lets you know that you can indeed become the new person in the New Year that you desire.
Expect Success-There’s a reason New Year’s resolutions are the punch line for countless jokes. There are people, however, who beat the odds and stick with their resolutions. This time around, you’re going to be one of them. Not because you’re better than other people who can’t keep from overeating. And not because you’re smarter than people who don’t read a book every month (like you’re planning to do this year). The reason you’re going to succeed is because you want it, and nothing is going to stop you. When you expect success and realize it is possible—which it is—you’re prepared to do what it takes to find that success. Now go for it!
Take the Polar Bear Plunge on New Years Day
Celebrate the New Year at Splash! on Friday, Jan. 1 from 2 to 4 p.m. Bring family and friends to join in and slide down the two story water slides in Buccaneer Bay. The plunge will be forever remembered with a keepsake photo.
Admission is $5 or free for 2016 season pass holders, and includes admission into the plunge, a souviner photo, hot chocolate, and swimming in the heated 25-yard pool from noon to 5 p.m.
For those not interested in taking the plunge, the heated pool will be open for swimming from 12 to 5 p.m. The cost is $3 for adults and $2 for children.
For more information, call Splash! at (562) 902-3191 or visit www.splashlamirada.com.
Authentic Gratitude for Holidays and for Good
The holiday season can seem like both the best of times and the worst of times. Many people, especially those of us living in urban areas, may be vacillating between two thoughts: “here comes the joyous season of thanks and giving” and “here comes the stress of the holidays”. While many people look forward to the holidays as a time to share cheer with family and friends, admittedly, preparing for all this cheer takes time and money. Plus, other circumstances may add to the stress, like being cooped up with people you see just once a year and maybe don’t have a lot in common with and living under temporary arrangements in someone else’s home. While all this can add up and easily sap joy from us, the fact is that this holiday state of affairs—making the best of times, despite the stress of the times—presents us with optimal circumstances for learning the importance of choosing gratitude.
Dealing with the Stress of the Holidays
First, let’s deal with the stressful part. Many of us have fallen prey to negative emotional contagion -- the tendency for people to feel and mimic the emotional expressions of others during social interactions. For instance, we experience sadness or negative moods as a result of a friend’s tragedy or a family member’s cynicism. Studies show that automatically mimicking the expressions of a friend (e.g., a frown) tricks our brains into assuming the emotions associated with that expression, such as anger or frustration, as our own. Well recent research shows that even commonplace rudeness from people who we aren’t close with psychologically spreads too. This research shows that when people are the target of annoying or rude behavior, or even just witnesses of it, that this activates negative thoughts, which then leads them to interpret ambiguously benign behaviors as rude and, worst, to behave rudely or even vengefully toward others. Thus, even low-grade negativity can infect us.
Choose Gratitude, But Do it Your Way
Luckily, research shows that happiness and positive emotions spread too. So I’m gratified to see societal trends toward extending empathy or compassion more toward others (e.g., solidarity in response to the terrorist attacks in Paris or the call to take in refugees from Syria). And while I’m also happy to see service and charity surge during the holiday season, the sheer amount of talk circulating both in daily life and in the media about the importance of being “grateful”, “giving thanks”, or being “generous” around this time of year can backfire if people see it as forced or inauthentic. Therefore, I’d like to clear the air and hopefully inspire you to “choose gratitude” now and beyond the season of thanks and giving.
You may have considered the fact that expressions of gratitude can be trite during Thanksgiving, and research supports you not just bowing to the seasonal pressure but figuring out a way to do gratitude your own way. So here’s the bottom line: the choice of gratitude is within your power more than you think and the choice itself tricks our brains and bodies more potently into feeling genuine joy than mere emotional contagion.
La Mirada to Host Annual Chili Holiday Celebration
Celebrate the holiday season in La Mirada at the Chili Holiday Celebration on Saturday, December 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatic Center.
Guests can enjoy live entertainment, crafts, and games. Free chili, hot dogs, hot cocoa, warm drinks, and cookies will be served. Keepsake photos with Santa and train rides are also available.
Guests can take part in the Festival of Trees Silent Auction. The fresh holiday trees are fully-decorated by local non-profit organizations and businesses. Trees come with free local delivery to your home within a 10 mile radius and can also be donated to a family in need. All proceeds from the auction will be supporting community programs and events.
Nonperishable food items and unwrapped toys will also be collected in partnership with the Holiday Toy & Food Drive, which provides help to local families in need this holiday season.
For more information about the Chili Holiday Celebration, call (562) 943-7277 or visit www.cityoflamirada.org. Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center is located at 13806 La Mirada Blvd.
Residents Invited to Participate in Home Decorating Contest
La Mirada~Get out your decorations and start planning your festive holiday display. The City of La Mirada’s annual Holiday Home Decorating program is fast approaching.
Residents are encouraged to decorate their homes to spread holiday cheer throughout La Mirada. No application is needed for this program as every decorated home in La Mirada is considered for recognition.
Judging will take place December 1 through December 13. Winners will be selected in the categories of Most Original, Best Use of Lights, and Best Holiday Scene. Award winners will receive a holiday ornament and will be announced on the City’s website at cityoflamirada.org.
For more information on the Holiday Home Decorating program, call the La Mirada Community Sheriff’s Station at (562) 902-2960.
Holiday Season is Busy Time for La Mirada Service Clubs
La Mirada Rotary Needs Volunteers and Donations
Rotary Club of La Mirada needs your help to make the annual “Clothes for Kids” holiday shopping event a success in 2015.
Rotary is planning to again contribute more than $5,000 to the “Clothes for Kids” shopping event, but needs your support to address growing needs in the community.
You can help buy new, warm clothes for children in La Mirada this holiday season by donating or volunteering at the event. Each $150 contributed to the “Clothes for Kids” project will sponsor an additional child, but contributions of any amount will be appreciated.
Children are selected to participate in the event by La Mirada Elementary Schools. Each child brings a list of needed items such as jackets, sweaters, pants, shoes and socks.
Community volunteers are also needed to help children shop for clothes at the Marshalls Department Store in La Mirada, which will open early on Wednesday, Dec. 9 for this special holiday season event.
After the shopping, the children will be transported by bus to the La Mirada Activity Center to meet Santa Claus, enjoy a snack, donated by Chick-fil-A in La Habra, and receive a wrapped toy gift. Students then return to school.
La Mirada City Council Recognizes LMBA 5U All-Stars for Championship Win
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| The La Mirada Baseball Association 5U All Star Team is recognized by the La Mirada City Council for winning the 2015 Shetland World Series. Mayor Pauline Deal presented coaches and players with a certificate of recognition at last Tuesday’s City Council meeting. |
La Mirada to Host Community Forum
The City of La Mirada is developing the La Mirada 2020 Strategic Plan. The Plan will build upon the 2015 Strategic Plan, identify key City priorities, and guide La Mirada’s future.
The 2020 Strategic Plan is being prepared with consideration of community input, such as the recently completed Community Satisfaction Survey. In addition to the survey, the City is hosting a Community Forum as an opportunity for residents and community members to provide additional input on City services and programs, and share ideas and interests for La Mirada’s future.
All residents and community members are invited to attend the meeting.
The Community Forum will be held on Tuesday, November 17 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at La Mirada City Hall.
For more information on the 2020 Strategic Plan or Community Forum, contact (562) 943-0131.
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