COMMUNITY STUFF

San Diego Theatre Week 2020

San Diego Theatre Week, a program presented by the San Diego Performing Arts League (SDPAL), returns for a week of special promotions to live theatrical, musical, dance, and comedy performances across the county from Feb. 13 to 23. The annual event highlights the variety and enhances awareness of San Diego’s diverse performing arts community, with tickets available at $15, $30, and $45 levels.

Participating performing arts groups include: Diversionary Theatre, OB Playhouse, Star Theatre, National Comedy Theatre, PowPAC, Oracle Performing Arts, Lamb’s Players Theatre, New Village Arts, Cygnet Theatre, The Old Globe, Lyceum Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, North Coast Repertory, Oceanside Theatre Company, Patio Playhouse, Scripps Ranch Theatre, Mandeville Auditorium, San Diego Civic Theatre, and Point Loma Playhouse, among others.

For more information and tickets go to www.sandiegotheatreweek.com.

A group of students from Pacific Ridge School, including Rancho Santa Fe resident Sophia Mickelson, recently visited 75 fourth graders at Poinsettia Elementary School to present about nutrition and making healthy choices. The service learning group, called Health Nut, is dedicated to addressing nutrition shortfalls and food waste in the San Diego region.

“Our presentation focuses on differentiating between natural and processed foods and maintaining balance,” explained Kimberly Cheung, a senior in the group. “An exposure to these simple concepts creates a consciousness towards food that can positively influence all aspects of a student’s life. The food we eat directly affects our health and happiness, and we are so excited to have the opportunity to share this message with our community!”

Other service learning groups at Pacific Ridge School include Alternative Energy Sources, Kids for Peace, and Sea Safe Surf.

Miracle League Honors Service Award Recipients

The Miracle League of San Diego recently honored its 2019 Outstanding Service Award recipients: Georgia Sims, Grace Laliotis, Ryan Grozen, Naomi Ryder, Caroline Berg, Brendan Chapko, Jack Kuffner, Michelle Coad, Trenton Wilson, Trevor Hagen, and Jacob McKanry. The honorees are high school seniors who have volunteered their time for at least three years, staying actively engaged with the Miracle League community, the players, and their families, and making a positive impact on all involved.

Founded in 2006, The Miracle League of San Diego is a nonprofit organized baseball league for people with special needs. Every player is matched with a buddy for the entire season and each buddy is paired with the player based on his or her unique needs. Games are played at two locations: Engel Family Field in Del Mar and Bell Middle School in the South Bay. For more information visit www.miracleleagueofsandiego.org.

6th Annual Donation Drive Assemblymember Brian Maienschein and the ASPCA held their 6 th Annual Pet Adoption and Donation Drive at the Poway Kahoots Pet Store in December, supporting homeless animals in San Diego County. Twelve dogs were adopted at the kick-off event, and over 1,400 pounds of pet food and supplies were collected throughout the week-long drive.

This year’s donations benefited nonprofit organizations Lionel’s Legacy and Second Chance Dog Rescue. Lionel’s Legacy is a senior dog rescue and humane education program for elementary school children. Second Chance is an organization dedicated to saving homeless dogs from local shelters and from Baja California, Mexico. Learn more at www.lionelslegacy.org and www.secondchancedogrescue.org. Assemblymember Maienschein represents the 77 th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Scripps Ranch, Poway, Rancho Peñasquitos, Rancho Bernardo, Carmel Valley, Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch, Mira Mesa, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Miramar, San Pasqual Valley, and Tierrasanta.

Casa de Amistad Spring Fundraiser

Solana Beach-based nonprofit Casa de Amistad will host its annual Sowing Seeds of Success luncheon and fundraiser on Saturday, March 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club. The event will feature drinks, lunch, a silent auction, raffle, wine pull, student speakers, and more, benefiting Casa de Amistad programs.

Created in 1997, Casa de Amistad provides underserved children in pre-K through 12 th grade and their families with tutoring, educational support, and character development. Through its Study Companions Program, DREAMS + Tech Initiative, Pre-K Enrichment Program, Casa Consortium of College Counselors, Future Leaders Scholarship, Career Pathways Workshops, and Parents in Action Program, Casa de Amistad helps underserved students overcome barriers to education and empowers parents to become partners in their children’s learning and academic success. Casa de Amistad students are from school districts throughout coastal North County San Diego, including Solana Beach, Del Mar Union, Encinitas Union, Cardiff, Carlsbad Unified, and San Dieguito Union High School Districts. For more information visit www.casadeamistad.org.

TORREY PINES ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

Dr. Tarkan Sidal Provides Procedures with Compassionate, Quality Care

by MICHELLE TREMBLAY | photos by Jessica Breaux and Zeena Gregg Photography

Since its establishment in 1977, Torrey Pines Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery continues to grow and maintain its high standard of excellence. Three years ago, Dr. Tarkan Sidal took over the practice with a commitment to uphold its extraordinary reputation. “I enjoy following the footsteps of the original founders of Torrey Pines Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery by providing patient-centered care,” said Dr. Sidal. “I am committed to providing the finest individual care and exceptional service in every aspect of patient treatment.” Torrey Pines Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery offers a full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery ranging from dental implant surgery, bone grafting, and wisdom teeth removal, to trauma, jaw surgery, and pathology. “If surgery needs to be performed in the hospital and a hospital stay is required, I am on staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital, Sharp Memorial Hospital, Scripps Mercy Hospital, and Scripps Clinic,” noted Dr. Sidal. “We also diagnose and treat orofacial pain, facial injuries, and fractures.” Dr. Sidal prides himself on having a kind and compassionate approach toward his patients – a quality that helps to set his practice apart from others in its industry. “We believe in traditional values such as excellent customer service and personalized attention to our patients, and we treat every patient as if they were part of the family,” explained Dr. Sidal. “We pride ourselves on attention to detail. We will make sure to fully explain the necessary procedures to patients and answer any questions they might have.”

Both a licensed physician and oral maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Sidal is expertly skilled in caring for face and jaw conditions.

After receiving his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Dr. Sidal participated in several oral and maxillofacial surgery internship and externship programs. He then completed his oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center. “Upon completing medical school, my curiosity in learning and everlasting passion in the dentistry, medicine and surgery, brought me back home to UCSF where I completed a prestigious Chief Resident appointment in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as well as a General Surgery Internship at the UCSF, Department of Surgery,” elaborated Dr. Sidal. “I then embarked on completing two years of rigorous fellowship training at the San Diego Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.”

Since then, Dr. Sidal – who is a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and Oral and Facial Surgeons of California – has participated in various surgical missions to underprivileged communities where he has volunteered to treat patients with maxillofacial defects and injruies. “During my fellowship, I also served as an integral part of an elite reconstructive team of surgeons at the Sharp Memorial Hospital, partnering with Operation of Hope,” recalled Dr. Sidal.

Today, Dr. Sidal is enthusiastic about continuing the legacy of Torrey Pines Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and is steadfast on providing a personalized and relaxed atmosphere with a professional staff that is focused on building trusting relationships with patients. “We believe in compassion and your comfort tops our list of priorities,” shared Dr. Sidal. “We are advocates of healthy quality living, body and soul nourishment for supporting healthier and productive lives, and we believe in patient care where patients are evaluated as whole and not just focused on parts.”  “I enjoy following the footsteps of the original founders of Torrey Pines Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, by providing patient-centered care.”

AT-A-GLANCE

Business: Torrey Pines Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Owner: Tarkan Sidal, D.D.S., M.D. Year of Establishment: 1977 Address: Scripps Medical Building, 12395 El Camino Real, Ste. 304, San Diego, CA 92130 Website: www.TorreyPinesOMS.com Email: info@torreypinesoms.com Phone: 858-793-3393 Business Description: We specialize in advanced surgical methods for the mouth, face, and jaws, and make every eff ort to exceed your expectations by off ering fi nest quality of care in a warm, compassionate environment.

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W o r l d o f photos by Soul of Photography

Th e Del Sol Lions Club Puts Kindness in Action

In February, the Del Sol Lions Club celebrates its 10 th anniversary – a decade of serving the local communities of Del Mar, Solana Beach, Carmel Valley, and Rancho Santa Fe

through programs addressing four areas of need, including at-risk youth and families, hunger, visual impairment, and veterans. We speak with Del Sol Lions Club President David Cain to learn more about how the club plans to expand its impact in the next 10 years.

D i ff e r e n c e

Q&A with Del Sol Lions Club President David Cain

What is the Lions Club mission? To serve the local community and to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace, and promote international understanding through Lions clubs. Put simply, we serve…one act of service, one encouraging word, one act of generosity is often all it takes to bring hope where it is needed most. Over the past 100 years the kindness of 1.4 million Lions members has multiplied across the globe and right here in our Del Sol Club community.

Please give us a brief history of the Del Sol Lions Club. When was it founded and by whom? The Del Sol Lions Club was founded on February 10, 2010 to serve the communities of Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Solana Beach, and Rancho Santa Fe. Shortly after establishing the club, we formed the Del Sol Lions Foundation, a 501(c)(3), to allow us to better partner and serve the community. All of the money raised by the foundation goes into the north coastal community.

What communities and organizations does the club serve? Primarily the north coastal communities. Since its inception 10 years ago, the Del Sol Lions have completed 225 service and fundraising projects, totaling over 11,000 volunteer hours! To date, the Del Sol Lions Foundation has raised $360,000 and already reinvested $287,000 back into the local community with programs addressing four areas of need: at

risk youth and families, hunger, visual impairment, and veterans. Our major focus is North County San Diego.

How did you personally become involved with the Del Sol Lions?

Personal invitation by two charter members. As a lifetime resident of our service area, my business activity provided insight with certain needs of our community. Business and social contacts and friends over the years would comment on food needs of members of the community. Others would reference the dynamics of the St. Leo's community health service program. Some would comment on the need for kids programs, educational books, and school nutrition. Helping to serve these and other social needs prompted the formation of Del Sol Lions Club.

What is your current role within the club, and what duties does it entail?

Serving as a fourth term club president has been a positive experience and focusing mainly on organization. While it is time consuming there is satisfaction in working with our club membership and its service projects. There is satisfaction in watching the development of projects, assisting with making them work, and guiding the formation of new projects that benefit the Del Sol community. A major role is ensuring our members have the financial and project resources to get things done. That is sometimes easier said than done.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do? The most challenging?

The most rewarding aspect is knowing that we are having a large, tangible positive impact on the people we serve. The challenge is there is always more to do! It’d be great to have a few more volunteers to further expand the programs we offer.

How many members does the club currently have?

23.

What kinds of activities is the club involved with?

On the service side, we have a range of programs including back-to-school supplies and eye exams and glasses for at-risk kids, food distributions to 60- 70 local families in need, and donations to other nonprofits doing critical work including Blind Stokers, Meals on Wheels, and the Community Resource Center. Recently, we received a $40,000 grant to set up a new training program for Next Step Service Dogs, a group that assists vets and first responders suffering from PTSD.

Can you elaborate on some of the projects you’ve worked on in the past?

with Solana Beach schools to provide eye exams and glasses for underserved children, partnered with Casa de Amistad to provide school supplies and reading books, and partnered with the La Colonia Boys & Girls Club to provide a range of things including calculators, homework rewards, and career launch meeting snacks.

We support the visually impaired by funding things like tandem cycling and adaptive wall climbing to the Blind Stokers, providing vision aids like canes and specialty devices to the San Diego Center for the Blind, and by providing MTS bus passes and new doors at the Blind Community Center. We recently helped purchase sleeping bags for homeless veterans throughout the county. We’re excited by the $40,000 grant secured for Next Step Service Dogs to create a Dog Training Academy for Veterans (DTAV). This program trains vets to become dog trainers so they have gainful employment.

We also partner with the San Diego Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, and Community Resource Center to address local food scarcity issues.

When and where does the club meet?

What are the Del Sol Lions’ short-term and long-term goals? Continue to grow membership and continue to increase the positive impact we make as a group to the local community.

Are there any exciting projects, events, or programs coming up? I would like to mention that we received $15,000 from the Pittsburg Foundation in November to facilitate grants directly to aid American Samoa, as well as the local community. We worked with a local family on a humanitarian aid package that has been assembled and will ship to the island soon. We are reaching out to the Samoan community in north county and especially Oceanside, in order to make distributions to directly benefit that specific audience. The Del Sol Lions Board met recently to prioritize and discuss the potential recipients for the remaining funds, which we hope to distribute in the first quarter. to annually provide backpacks and school supplies to over 250 local needy youth.

How would interested community members get involved in the Del Sol Lions Club? What are the criteria for membership?

Contact one of the directors or call me directly. You just need a willingness to volunteer and commit minimum time to projects.

What can new members expect when joining the club?

New members will be welcomed by current members into an energized group of volunteers that want to continue helping the local community. Members can become immersed in all of the fundraising and volunteering efforts we do or pick one or two projects they want to focus on.

Is there anything else you’d like 92067 Magazine readers to know?

What have been some of the club’s most memorable achievements over the years? Obtaining large grants to help other local nonprofits fulfill their ability to help the local community. Being able Our club members are a diverse group from retired couples to young adults to local business owners. Our vision is the same: help the local community through volunteering as well as financial assistance. 

AT-A-GLANCE

President

Name: David A. Cain

Community: Solana Beach

Education: San Diego State University for undergrad and American College for post-grad

Family: Sherre Cain, Rebecca Motherspaw, and Gregory Cain

Hobbies and Interests: Beach, gardening, and volunteering

Favorite Local Spots: 19 th Street beach and Fletcher Cove

Del Sol Lions Club

Name of Organization: Del Sol Lions Club President: David Cain Year Established: 2010 Website: www.delsollions.org Phone: 619-806-7655 Email: David@davidacain.com