Greetings, fellow Avilones. I hardly know where to begin! Since I last wrote, so much has come across my desk that the keys on my keyboard are smokin’ as I type. First let me close the loop on my February trip through the Panama Canal, as promised in the March edition of the Avila Community News. Though I was skeptical of taking the cruise when initially suggested by my wife, I must say the experience was well worth it. Watching, and then being onboard one of several ships queued up for journey through the Canal made the trip a winner – one that I recommend for everyone. Considering when this engineering marvel was built (over 100 years ago), the politics, the number or workers involved and lives lost, it is a truly amazing operation.
The bigger local happening, however, was the long-awaited unveiling and community celebration of the new public art installed on the Avila Beach lifeguard towers. A project delayed by weather and illness finally came to fruition on a day calling for more rain. It was February 18th and meant to happen after all. The rain eased up, the clouds parted, the winds subsided and the air warmed, just as roughly 100 people arrived at the beach to cheer the new public art display. With bullhorn in hand, artist Colleen Gnos provided the crowd with a pleasing description of the art, its meaning and place in Avila’s history. Nothing but praise has come our way, both to the “Foundation” for initiating the project and to Colleen for so well capturing the spirit of Avila.
Earlier that same day we hosted a gathering for about 50-60 people representing the partnerships and parties involved in the project. There was so much positive energy flowing that during the recognition portion of the presentation County Supervisor Adam Hill stood up and pledged $5,000 in matching funds toward a second round of Avila Beach public art, followed immediately by a pledge of $2,000 from Sara and Boyd Horne. Suffice it to say, the “Foundation” will use that energy to launch a community-wide campaign to secure other matching pledges and donations so we can continue the art initiative. Our thanks again go to funding partners Chevron, PG&E and the Sara Horne Art Fund. Likewise our gratitude to project partners ARTS Obispo and Port San Luis Harbor District. And, of course, applause to artist Colleen Gnos and her crew! PLEASE BE SURE TO COMPLETE THE FUTURE PUBLIC ART SURVEY BY CLICKING HERE . It will only take a minute or two and will be extremely helpful to our quest. www.avilabeachfoundation.org.
Under the category of “you never know where a conversation might lead,” the “Foundation” has to express its delight in an event we sponsored as part of this year’s San Luis Obispo Film Festival. When asked by Film Festival Director Wendy Eidson during our 2016 open grant application period for ideas I thought might be embraced by our board of directors, I casually suggested something along the lines of a video depicting Avila’s rich history might blend well with a future Avila History Storytelling event that has been percolating in my mind. Wendy ran with that idea, found and hired a Cal Poly filmmaking student – Grace Tucker – willing to give it a go. So, on Sunday, March 19th at the Fremont Theatre the short film “The Storied Past of Avila Beach” was screened in front of a crowd of at least 300 people (largely comprised of Avilones) – and followed by a discussion panel of longtime Avila residents who shared experiences and answered questions from the audience. Personally, I feel that Grace did a wonderful job on producing the video, and panelists Archie McLaren, Betty Woody, Jack San Filippo, Rob Rossi and Pete Kelly provided some very entertaining and educational stories from their pasts. Stay tuned for information about a follow-up event.
Reporting on Odds & Ends, have you seen the garden and welcome sign area at the entrance to Avila Beach? After a wet season and explosion of weeds, the “Foundation” granted a request from Julie Andrews Scott for money to purchase and spread decorative and weed-arresting landscape products on the corner. Thanks to Julie, Betty Woody and others in the crew, the overgrowth was removed, landscape products were installed, and now we once again have a lovely entrance. Well done. The crew plans on gathering monthly to keep the area beautiful. If you want to help, let me know and I’ll put you in touch Julie. Have you heard about the upcoming guided walk along the Bob Jones Trail scheduled for April 17th? Visit the SLO County Recreation and Parks website for details. Also, CAL Fire Battalion Chief Paul Lee reminds everyone that with the recent change in time, it’s a good idea to place new batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Once again I’ve used up all my allotted space, so that’s it for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!
The bigger local happening, however, was the long-awaited unveiling and community celebration of the new public art installed on the Avila Beach lifeguard towers. A project delayed by weather and illness finally came to fruition on a day calling for more rain. It was February 18th and meant to happen after all. The rain eased up, the clouds parted, the winds subsided and the air warmed, just as roughly 100 people arrived at the beach to cheer the new public art display. With bullhorn in hand, artist Colleen Gnos provided the crowd with a pleasing description of the art, its meaning and place in Avila’s history. Nothing but praise has come our way, both to the “Foundation” for initiating the project and to Colleen for so well capturing the spirit of Avila.
Earlier that same day we hosted a gathering for about 50-60 people representing the partnerships and parties involved in the project. There was so much positive energy flowing that during the recognition portion of the presentation County Supervisor Adam Hill stood up and pledged $5,000 in matching funds toward a second round of Avila Beach public art, followed immediately by a pledge of $2,000 from Sara and Boyd Horne. Suffice it to say, the “Foundation” will use that energy to launch a community-wide campaign to secure other matching pledges and donations so we can continue the art initiative. Our thanks again go to funding partners Chevron, PG&E and the Sara Horne Art Fund. Likewise our gratitude to project partners ARTS Obispo and Port San Luis Harbor District. And, of course, applause to artist Colleen Gnos and her crew! PLEASE BE SURE TO COMPLETE THE FUTURE PUBLIC ART SURVEY BY CLICKING HERE . It will only take a minute or two and will be extremely helpful to our quest. www.avilabeachfoundation.org.
Under the category of “you never know where a conversation might lead,” the “Foundation” has to express its delight in an event we sponsored as part of this year’s San Luis Obispo Film Festival. When asked by Film Festival Director Wendy Eidson during our 2016 open grant application period for ideas I thought might be embraced by our board of directors, I casually suggested something along the lines of a video depicting Avila’s rich history might blend well with a future Avila History Storytelling event that has been percolating in my mind. Wendy ran with that idea, found and hired a Cal Poly filmmaking student – Grace Tucker – willing to give it a go. So, on Sunday, March 19th at the Fremont Theatre the short film “The Storied Past of Avila Beach” was screened in front of a crowd of at least 300 people (largely comprised of Avilones) – and followed by a discussion panel of longtime Avila residents who shared experiences and answered questions from the audience. Personally, I feel that Grace did a wonderful job on producing the video, and panelists Archie McLaren, Betty Woody, Jack San Filippo, Rob Rossi and Pete Kelly provided some very entertaining and educational stories from their pasts. Stay tuned for information about a follow-up event.
Reporting on Odds & Ends, have you seen the garden and welcome sign area at the entrance to Avila Beach? After a wet season and explosion of weeds, the “Foundation” granted a request from Julie Andrews Scott for money to purchase and spread decorative and weed-arresting landscape products on the corner. Thanks to Julie, Betty Woody and others in the crew, the overgrowth was removed, landscape products were installed, and now we once again have a lovely entrance. Well done. The crew plans on gathering monthly to keep the area beautiful. If you want to help, let me know and I’ll put you in touch Julie. Have you heard about the upcoming guided walk along the Bob Jones Trail scheduled for April 17th? Visit the SLO County Recreation and Parks website for details. Also, CAL Fire Battalion Chief Paul Lee reminds everyone that with the recent change in time, it’s a good idea to place new batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Once again I’ve used up all my allotted space, so that’s it for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!
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