"SoCal Friends" Courtesy Posts
Perfect Beach Day at Crystal Cove
Sunday August 22 was a picture perfect summer day, much to the delight of the FCC families and friends gathered at Crystal Cove State Beach. Around 20 families, or 60 individuals, turned out for the event, which was expertly organized and executed by Sandy Draper and husband Joel Warner (who lugged a ton of stuff down the steep path). Many thanks to both!
Our group congregated around an extra large shade canopy sheltering cold drinks and a variety of snacks, even watermelon! Each family brought their own lunch and beach gear. There was no shortage of sand toys, and a few of the older kids braved the chilly ocean water on boogie boards. Some folks took a short walk to check out the tide pools. All the girls (and even a few boys) had hours of endless play in the sand and the waves, and all the parents enjoyed visiting. A wonderful time was had by all!
Check out our gallery of Beach Day photos. Our thanks to Ann Marie Rousseau and Patty Uy for contributing the photos.
Join Us for a Teen & Parent Potluck Picnic!
FCC teens...come join our new FCC-SoCal leaders Sarah Koff and Priscilla Hefley for an informal teen (& parent) potluck picnic. Sarah and Priscilla are two adult China adoptees interested in forming a leadership group for teenage adoptees and their parents. The goal is to build a supportive community of teen adoptees; one in which teens have the opportunity to form friendships, share experiences, stay connected with one other, and have fun.
We'll be meeting once a month or so. Our first get-together will be at the park adjacent to LACMA. Click through to the full post for all the juicy details.
How to Build Your Own Personal Adoptive Community
-- From the Vista Del Mar announcement --
Our objective is to help you create your personal Adoptive Family Social & Support and Play Groups. We will help families to connect with one another based on the ages of their children as well as by location and interests.
Experienced Adoption/Play Group Coordinators & Facilitators (including Jeri Floyd and Susan Robinson) will provide insight into the benefits of Adoption Friendship groups, give instruction on how to get started, offer suggestions for activities and programs, answer questions, and share informational hand-outs.
RSVP to Elizabeth at earkin@vistadelmar.org or 310-836-1223, ext. 482.
OC Kids Learn About Self Defense
The family self defense workshop held Saturday May 15 was a great success! About twenty kids with one or two parents per family turned out for the session. The age range of the kids was from three and a half to ten, with the majority five to seven years old.
Instructor and FCC Mom Laura Hesser did an excellent job. She made it fun for the kids all the while they were learning important information and skills. Laura's set-up was perfect with the parents sitting in the background and the kids sitting up front around her, which resulted in the session being interactive for the kids, both discussion-wise and physically. Laura was able to tailor the session to the age range that attended so there was high participation and the kids seemed to get the messages. The session was relevant and a fun opportunity for the families to get to know each other better. All in all a wonderful event!
Stellar Turnout for the SoCal Friends March in the Golden Dragon Parade
FCC-SoCal had a stellar turnout for the “Friends of FCC” activity to march in the Golden Dragon Parade on Saturday, February 20 in Chinatown! We more than doubled our participation from last year, with over 50 parents, children, and friends.
Despite the threat of weather challenges (this was during the peak of the rainy season!), we had a nice, sunny day! Click through to the full post to see additional photos of the memorable event.
Campout Fun on Catalina Island
The Catalina Island "Dark of the Moon" Weekend was great fun for the three families who participated - 3 little girls, 2 big brothers, their happy parents and one doting aunt.
Activities included a birthday celebration, volleyball, card games, endless relaxed conversations sitting on benches at Isthmus Harbor, walking all over the isthmus, and yes, stargazing on a very clear night.
It was an absolutely perfect and relaxing weekend - one that will be repeated next year along with, we hope, FCC Moon Festival mountain camping.
WeiWei and the Girls
On Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Beeman Park in Studio City the SoCal Friends - Chinese the Fun Way group met to do crafts and learn Chinese with WeiWei. Luckily, they didn’t get blown away with all the wind! The children had fun making turkey headresses and Thanksgiving cards. They also learned how to say and give thanks in Chinese. Pumpkin pie was among the assortment of treats!
The group meets monthly with a different theme. The next event will be Christmas in Chinatown on Saturday, December 12. Event details will be posted shortly. Other upcoming events will include Chinese New Year and Huntington Gardens.
Contact Arlene Balkin at arlene@levyaffiliated.com for more information. And look for information of upcoming events here on this website. Come join WeiWei and friends to learn Chinese the fun way.