Published: Monday, Oct. 19, 2009
Updated: 10:57 pm Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009
Group celebrates Los Osos
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closeThe Hatfields and McCoys didn’t register to vote for the Los Osos sewer project, but Pandora Nash-Karner and her Celebrate Los Osos friends suspect their feuding attitude infiltrated their community’s psyche.
“Good friends were not talking,” said Nash-Karner. “We’re better than that.”
Traditionally, Los Osans have worked together to produce positive community projects.
Celebrate Los Osos is an outgrowth of the Bear Committee and the 20-year-old Los Osos Community Organization, or LOCO.
LOCO’s George Katsner said, “(We) all share a common goal: to celebrate the history and charm of Los Osos through permanent, beautiful civic projects.”
Recently, Celebrate Los Osos inspired local volunteers to work together on one visible project at a time. Its first was refurbishing the South Bay Boulevard bridge bears sculpted by Paula Zima.
“People would honk, wave and give us the thumbs-up,” Nash-Karner explained.
Celebrate Los Osos believes positive, visible community projects bring out the best in Los Osans, allowing them to feel good about their community.
Volunteer Maria Kelly suggested their second project — rebuilding the Monarch Grove Little League Snack Shack.
“My husband was not prepared for all the volunteers who came out,” she said.
Kelly enjoys their multi-generational make-up — all ages working together with the talents, skills and time they have to give for Los Osos improvement projects.
Contractor Gerard Ages is grateful Nash-Karner used “magical coercion” to encourage him to volunteer as project manager to move the fence at Los Osos Community Park.
“Residents know the park is safer now,” he said. “Phase 2 will include putting up a wind screen, fire pit and seating, and a zip-line for the children.”
After solving weed control and irrigation issues at the Oaks Preserve’s planter, Mimi Kalland is spearheading a major landscape project on Los Osos Valley Road.
“Between Ralphs and Starbucks the landscape median desperately needs beautification. Celebrate Los Osos, the county and Golden State Water have approved plans,” she said.
“To purchase the colorful drought resistant plants suggested, only $3,000 is still needed,” she added. “If every Los Osos resident could give $10 or some volunteer time, we would create a beautiful entrance to Los Osos for all who drive into our community.”
She asks that people donate at www.celebratelososos.com.
“Celebrate Los Osos is not a group,” Ages said. “It is a movement. We need the entire community to get involved — one project at a time.”
The group invites everyone to meet them, view plans, offer a project idea and join the movement all day Sunday at Oktoberfest on Second Street in Baywood Park.
Reach Judy Salamacha at 801-1422 or jsalamacha@yahoo.com.
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