Hello friends and neighbors. I hope you are enjoying the early days of the fall season, which for the Foundation is our busiest time of the year, what with the October 9th Albacore Feed and annual grant making tasks. Let me address these, and a couple other matters, one at a time…………….
Avila Albacore Feed: Event hosts Avila Civic Association and Avila Beach Foundation are now in final preparations, gearing up for what we hope will be a sell-out crowd of 300 diners. We are extremely excited to welcome our latest Albacore Feed partner – the Port San Luis Harbor District – which recently stepped forward with their generous offer to underwrite the cost for this year’s albacore catch. According to Harbor Manager Steve McGrath, “Mike Cohen from Olde Port Fisheries guarantees that the albacore will be caught out of Port San Luis and brought over the rails here at the pier.” How’s that for local and fresh!!!! It may be too late to buy tickets, but you can try by calling 627-1997.
2011 Grant Applications: Fully completed forms are due by October 15th. If you have a worthy local project idea or represent an Avila Beach non-profit organization in need of financial assistance, now is the time to log onto our website - www.avilabeachfoundation.org. - to read our funding criteria. For the recently completed 2010 grant cycle our Trustees approved eight grants totaling $62,000. Since inception the Foundation has awarded nearly $2 million in grants – evidence which can be seen all around Avila Beach. I am happy to answer any questions you may have about the process, so feel free to call 595-4095 for more information.
Avila Beach Historical Photos: Thanks in great part to the efforts of Foundation representatives Pete Kelley and Penny Burciaga, our website now has some really neat photos on display – roughly 100 in the gallery - of the old days here in Avila Beach. Special thanks to the South County Historical Society for providing photos from their collection, as well as those from the Vicente Canet collection. Log onto the Foundation website home page and click on the box in the left column titled Avila Beach Historical Photo Gallery. You will be treated to a five-minute visit to the past featuring the beach, harbor, railroad, piers, sport fishing, roads, Front Street businesses, lighthouse, and much more. I really get a kick out of the Front Street full of vehicles from what looks like the 1920s or 30s.
Avila Beach Advisory Council: Each monthly meeting I attend teaches me more and more about some of the things that help make our community click. AVAC addresses many topics, and the one that keeps popping up has to do with continued concerns about beach and local special events impact on congestion and safety. This past month AVAC was visited by a team from Cal Fire who shared some of the plans they have in place for emergency response and fire evacuations, both of which could be hindered by unusual traffic conditions or road blockages. I cannot go into detail in this column due to space limitations, but I am here to inform you that considerable forethought and strategies are currently in place, as laid out by our friends at Cal Fire. Admittedly, the options are not perfect and not even optimal. While everyone wishes our two-lanes only in or out of Avila could become four, that’s not likely to occur anytime soon. I encourage anyone concerned about emergency procedures to stop by the Avila Fire Station and talk to their staff, or pick up a copy of the Avila Valley Fire Evacuation Plan.
That’s it for now. Remember, the Avila Beach Community Foundation’s purpose is to help enhance life in Avila Beach. You can assist us by sharing your ideas, time and financial support for the benefit of those who live, work and play in this little slice of paradise we call home.
Avila Albacore Feed: Event hosts Avila Civic Association and Avila Beach Foundation are now in final preparations, gearing up for what we hope will be a sell-out crowd of 300 diners. We are extremely excited to welcome our latest Albacore Feed partner – the Port San Luis Harbor District – which recently stepped forward with their generous offer to underwrite the cost for this year’s albacore catch. According to Harbor Manager Steve McGrath, “Mike Cohen from Olde Port Fisheries guarantees that the albacore will be caught out of Port San Luis and brought over the rails here at the pier.” How’s that for local and fresh!!!! It may be too late to buy tickets, but you can try by calling 627-1997.
2011 Grant Applications: Fully completed forms are due by October 15th. If you have a worthy local project idea or represent an Avila Beach non-profit organization in need of financial assistance, now is the time to log onto our website - www.avilabeachfoundation.org. - to read our funding criteria. For the recently completed 2010 grant cycle our Trustees approved eight grants totaling $62,000. Since inception the Foundation has awarded nearly $2 million in grants – evidence which can be seen all around Avila Beach. I am happy to answer any questions you may have about the process, so feel free to call 595-4095 for more information.
Avila Beach Historical Photos: Thanks in great part to the efforts of Foundation representatives Pete Kelley and Penny Burciaga, our website now has some really neat photos on display – roughly 100 in the gallery - of the old days here in Avila Beach. Special thanks to the South County Historical Society for providing photos from their collection, as well as those from the Vicente Canet collection. Log onto the Foundation website home page and click on the box in the left column titled Avila Beach Historical Photo Gallery. You will be treated to a five-minute visit to the past featuring the beach, harbor, railroad, piers, sport fishing, roads, Front Street businesses, lighthouse, and much more. I really get a kick out of the Front Street full of vehicles from what looks like the 1920s or 30s.
Avila Beach Advisory Council: Each monthly meeting I attend teaches me more and more about some of the things that help make our community click. AVAC addresses many topics, and the one that keeps popping up has to do with continued concerns about beach and local special events impact on congestion and safety. This past month AVAC was visited by a team from Cal Fire who shared some of the plans they have in place for emergency response and fire evacuations, both of which could be hindered by unusual traffic conditions or road blockages. I cannot go into detail in this column due to space limitations, but I am here to inform you that considerable forethought and strategies are currently in place, as laid out by our friends at Cal Fire. Admittedly, the options are not perfect and not even optimal. While everyone wishes our two-lanes only in or out of Avila could become four, that’s not likely to occur anytime soon. I encourage anyone concerned about emergency procedures to stop by the Avila Fire Station and talk to their staff, or pick up a copy of the Avila Valley Fire Evacuation Plan.
That’s it for now. Remember, the Avila Beach Community Foundation’s purpose is to help enhance life in Avila Beach. You can assist us by sharing your ideas, time and financial support for the benefit of those who live, work and play in this little slice of paradise we call home.
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