PV Sunset Christmas Event & Citizen of the Year Award
Posted by Wes Bradford
on Dec 21, 2013
Our members and guests met in the Warner Grand Annex at 6 PM for our “Citizen of the Year” recognition of Jeff Earle. We began with “Heavy Hors d’Ouvres” served by 3 of Jeff Earle’s Red Onion crew, and we were lubricated by the bar services of Jerry Farrell & Jackie Crowley.
Then, Master of Ceremonies Don Reeves began the formal program with introductions of honored guests. Introducing our Citizen of the Year, he spoke of Jeff Earle’s family restaurant business begun 50 years ago, and his early political career (less successful than his outstanding restaurant management). Jeff has contributed his time and resources to many local community activities over the years as well as helping to found a medical clinic with ambulance in the Colima area of rural Mexico where many of his loyal employees came from. Jeff started and ran the Cub Scout Pack at the Harbor Hills housing complex for 11 years. He was also President of our PV Sunset Rotary Club, and helped organize and promote a very successful Cinco de Mayo Rotary fundraiser for the Mexico programs.
President-Elect Roger Schamp brought a Citation to Jeff honoring him as our Citizen of the Year from the California Legislature, authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi. Don Reeves, President Sandy Farrell and President-Elect Roger Schamp brought Jeff a Blue and Gold Rotary apron (not USC colors, but this must have been Don’s idea). Then he was given a Rotary T-shirt and a Rotary golf jacket, as a reminder of his Rotarian past at work and play.
At 8 PM we began the Theatre Christmas Music program by the Golden State Pops Orchestra and Chorale, conducted by Steven Allen Cox. The first half was Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” set to music by Bernard Herrmann, with a cast of 2 dozen and a setting in 19th Century London.
After Intermission was a series of productions including the musical version of “Home Alone 2”, “Elf Suite”, “Love, Actually”, “A Charlie Brown Christmas Suite” (with a life-size model of Charlie Brown), “Still Dream” (from “Rise of the Guardians”), and “Christmas Festival”.