2014-2015

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Category: 2014-2015

"It's a little overdue". This was the sentiment Ojai Art Center's Executive Director, Teri Mettala.

30 years ago Bert, along with Gayel Childress and Marta Nelson created the Ojai Studio Artists. These days the OSA Tours generate monies for high school and junior college students.

Enjoying a 50 year award winning career as a successful artist and teacher, she paints still lifes, landscapes, and seascapes. She teaches pastel painting four times a week along with a full day workshop on Saturdays at her studio. She delights in the students who have gone on to successful careers in art.

She observes, "Painting is so much fun. You have no idea how much fun this whole thing can be."

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Category: 2014-2015

Ms. Pendrey is the President and Executive Director of the Ojai Valley Green Coalition. She was inspired by her mother at an early age to care about the environment. Working with the Coalition since 2007, their prime function is education and advocacy of environmentally reponsible actions in the Oja Community. Community Service through events such as e-waste and recycling collection allows them to perform a vital service and to educate the public.

Water conservation is foremost in her agenda. Since we have no outside sources of water, "Basically rainfall is it, so what we get is what we got and what we got is what we get. We must be really conscious of water usage overall in our lifestyle and in our homes.

She quips, "I'm out there, man, I'm on my soap box and I'm not getting off unless somebody pushes me. I am here for the long haul and very committed."

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Category: 2014-2015

John Russell has two loves-animals and Community Service. He is described as "Never one to seek fame and glory for himself, John is the type who prefers working behind the scenes to acomplish the many good deeds he is responsible for."

After moving to Ojai in 1998 with his wife, Peggy, he helped establish Ojai Community Bank and served as its founding chairman in 2005. John has served on the Ojai Valley Community Hospital Board since 2000.

He is also on the board of the Santa Barbara Zoo and keeps a zoo of sorts on his 8 acre property. John and Peggy keep over 200 animals ranging from exotic birds to donkeys. They give tours of their menagerie to senior citizens and provide refreshments afterward.

John is very involved in local organizations, including Help of Ojai and Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers (CREW).

Mr. Russell observes: "Retirement to me is still doing what I want to do but not having to make maney doing it. I mean, we have been pretty active throughout our lives, so why not continue to be active? And you find in Ojai there is always a need to get involved."

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Category: 2014-2015

They have been described as "The quintessential treasures of Ojai"

Jon and Linda are retired educators that care about their Community. It starts with helping their neighbors in their day to day tasks. Linda observes: "There are alot of folks there who don't have a lot of family nearby, so you sort of fill in that little gap."

One of their passions is he Tibetan Aid Foundation, with Jon as Vice-President and Linda as Events Coordinator. This Foundation, in conjunction with Dorjee Tsewang, supports health care and education in rural areas of Tibet. Through their efforts, local health care providers have gone from an 8 by 8 hut to a 12 room clinic in the ChZhu Valley of Tibet. From there, other projects including water and educational scholarships were spawned.

Jon is the President of the Ojai Valley Library Friends and Foundation. They are in the process of finishing plans to rebuild Twice Sold Tales, the library's used book store.

Linda teaches an English class on Wednesday nights to Latino students, and tutors a woman from Uzbekistan. Linda coordinates the English as a Second Language Program for the entire Valley.

As to why they do all these activities in the first place? "We had very fortunate lives. We enjoyed doing what we did as educators and trveling as we do, and we feel it's time to give back when you can. That's why we got involved. Simple as that really."

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Category: 2014-2015

Mel Bloom has lived in Ojai for 33 years. Shortly after his arrival, he became a columnist for the Ojai Valley News. He is the father of two daughters and two sons. He graduated from Northwestern University and had a three decade career as a literary agent. In his early Ojai Days he took a course in Hospice training and subsequently was dispatched to households wherever Help of Ojai sent him. Thirteen years ago he instigated the Saint Joseph's Literary Society where residents of that care facility would meet every week for two hours to listen to readings and have discussions on the books read.

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Category: 2014-2015

"There's no shortage of opportunities to help out on a volunteer basis in this Community." Don and Nita are no strangers to volunteer work. One of their passions is the Ojai Valley Community Hospital Foundation and its Guild. They are very active in raising money in support of the hospital and advancing quality health care. They see themselves as representing the community to the hospital. They are both talented writers, fundraisers, and ambassadors for the Hospital Guild.

Nita has an interest in health care. For 10 years, she did volunteer health insurance counseling for Medicare beneficiaries, in conjunction with Help of Ojai and the county wide Area Agency on Aging. She has also helped the Ojai Music Festival's Bravo! program in reaching out to kids and familiarizing kids with music.

As for Don, he has served on the board of the Ojai Music Festival and the Ojai Valley Museum.

When asked, what was next for the couple, Mr.Anderson quipped, "What do you want from us?"