6 lagunabeachindy . com FEBRUARY 24 , 2023
Last week Denny Freidenrich and I met with a dozen Laguna Beach High School students working to bring clean water to villages in Africa and Asia where women and children must walk miles each day for this basic necessity of life .
As part of “ Walking for Water ,” a nonprofit founded by Laguna resident Susan Hough , these young activists ’ mantra is “ if they have to walk for water , so can we .”
Denny and I were so impressed with these students ’ commitment to helping others . Last year , this group raised $ 100,000 , which paid for wells , a school in a Tibetan refugee camp in rural India and tuition for African kids who otherwise would be unable to further their education . To date , the nonprofit has built 37 wells in West Africa and India and paid 4,174 kids ’ tuition in sync with its mission statement : “ Water is Life . Knowledge is power .” Their goal on March 26 is to match or exceed $ 100,000 this year .
Thanks to Hough and her nonprofit , Laguna Beach High School students are learning early that by expanding their circle of caring beyond themselves , they can make positive changes in individuals ’ lives , making the world a more connected and better place for all of us . We invite you to meet and sponsor these teens at their high school walk-athon and auction next month . To find out more about the group ’ s goals and how you can help , please click on www . wisdomspring . org . Robin Pierson , Laguna Beach
CORRECTION - In the Feb . 17 edition of the Indy , a column written by Michael Ray incorrectly states members of Village Laguna spoke during the public comment portion of the Laguna Beach City Council regular meeting on Feb . 7 . The two speakers mentioned by Ray are not members of
Village Laguna .
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What was so newsworthy about the “ Historic St . Clair Home Gets a Facelift ” story about an Oligino-Laux project that merited a prime spot on the front page of the Indy ? The answer can be found in the “ Business of the Week ” sponsored content on page 12 : “ Oligino Laux Construction : Making Dreams a Reality .” I get that the Indy is free local newspaper that ’ s totally dependent on ad revenues to cover its costs , let alone make a profit . I get that the Indy long ago ceded its editorial functions to its columnists rather than take a stand that might displease its advertisers . The result may be a mixed bag in terms of accuracy , but at least readers get exposed to a diverse set of opinions on local issues , and the Indy gets to claim a degree of editorial independence . You ’ ll lose even that if readers think the Indy is a pay-to-play paper . Chris Quilter , Laguna Beach
It was exactly one year ago today that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine . Back then , most military experts predicted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wouldn ’ t last a week . How wrong they were . Five days ago , Zelensky welcomed President Joe Biden to Kyiv , Ukraine ’ s capital .
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Does Laguna need more signs alerting drivers to watch for pedestrians ?
- Yes , 54.79 % ( 40 votes ) - No , 45.1 % ( 33 votes )
TOTAL VOTES - 73
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CITY HALL MEETINGS :
Monday , Feb . 27 Heritage Committee Meeting at 6 p . m .
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Bob Whalen Mayor bwhalen @ lagunabeachcity . net
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