THE RAMONA BOWL, which has captured the natural beauty of the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley for generations of theater-goers, is celebrating its 85th anniversary and reaching out to a more diverse audience. The Bowl, which for generations has been home to “Ramona,” the official California state outdoor play, is well-known among the valley’s natives and longtime residents. Now the Bowl is making efforts to introduce itself to newer arrivals drawn to the valley for its affordable housing, especially those within the coveted 25-45 age demographic.

A four-band concert planned for Sept. 27 includes bands familiar to anyone in Southern California who grew up listening to the radio station KROQ or watching MTV. “The Awesome 80’s End of Summer Festival,” includes The Knack, Flock of Seagulls, Gene Loves Jezebel and Tommy Tutone.

The 7 p.m. event, presented by the County of Riverside and former Supervisor Jim Venable, is part of an ongoing effort to broaden the Bowl’s appeal and generate more activity there. “The age group that will be showing up is a lot younger than me!” Venable laughed. “The population is getting younger and younger, while I am getting older and older. We just hope we can fill that place to the brim.”

“Ramona,” commonly referred to as “The Ramona Pageant” or simply “Pageant” by locals, has been staged annually since 1923. Bowl officials and board members recognize that the facility cannot survive and thrive on “Ramona” alone. They are seeking to increase the cultural offerings provided at the Bowl, which will improve the cultural life of valley residents while also helping the Bowl financially.

“The Bowl is a diamond in the rough that has always been there, and always will be there,” Venable said. “We just need more people to be aware of it.”

The Awesome 80’s

GENERAL ADMISSION
$25* (Food Available for Purchase)

V.I.P. LIMITED SEATING
$45* Upgraded V.I.P. Reserve
Seat Close to the Stage

COURTYARD DINNER & SHOW
LIMITED SEATING
$85* (Includes Gourmet Dinner)
Upgraded V.I.P. Reserve Seat Close to the Stage
Access to Private V.I.P. Area
Private Entertainment in V.I.P. Area
*Plus handling fee
Doors Open 5 pm • Dinner 5:30 pm • Show 7 pm

ORDER TICKETS TODAY!
951.658.3111 x103 • ramonabowl.com
27400 Ramona Bowl Road • Hemet, CA 92544

THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE is hosting a festival in October to celebrate Menifee’s incorporation. The Menifee Festival “Celebrate Our City” will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at La Ladera Park at 29629 La Ladera Road. The family event will feature live entertainment, arts and crafts, jumpers, face painting, a kids’ zone and information booths.

On June 3, residents of the communities encompassing the City of Menifee voted to incorporate into Riverside County’s 26th city. Menifee’s first day as a city is Oct. 1. “It’s a celebration. It’s demonstrating that we made something happen through the vote,” Menifee Mayor Elect Wallace Edgerton said. “Community members are enthusiastic.” The City of Menifee will hold its own inauguration ceremony and celebration on Oct. 1. For more information, please visit www.rivcoeda.org or call 951.955.3168.

VALLEY WIDE RECREATION KID’S COSTUME CONTEST

JOIN IN THE FUN at a costume contest hosted by Valley Wide Recreation. Age groups: 3 and under, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Categories to be judged: Scariest, Prettiest, Most Creative, Funniest, Coolest, Best Home Made, Best Movie Theme and Most Outrageous.

This is an outside activity.

DATE: Saturday, October 25, 2008
PLACE: Valle Vista Community Center
43935 E. Acacia Ave., Hemet, CA
TIME: 4:00 pm.
No pre-registration required.
AGES: 12 and under
FEE: FREE

For more information about the costume contest and the Valley Wide Haunted House visit www.valleywiderecreation.org or call 951.927.6673

The Turning Point for Foster Children

FOR MANY FOSTER CHILDREN approaching adulthood, the question of whether to attend college ranks far behind more pressing concerns about how they are going to survive once they reach 18 years of age and exit the foster parenting system.

A new cooperative agreement between the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services and California State University, San Marcos is designed to help foster children who want to further their educations. The county agency and the university recently signed a memorandum of understanding that guarantees admission to CSUSM to all qualified youth raised in the county’s foster system. “This is a turning point for the educational opportunities of our foster children,” Susan Loew, Director of Public Social Services, said at a signing ceremony at the CSUSM satellite campus in Temecula. “We are at a crossroads in terms of educating our foster youth.”

Riverside County has more than 4,000 children in its foster care system and more than 500 are emancipated each year. Only about 10 percent of young people who exit the foster care system attend college, and only about 2 percent graduate, according to Loew. Karri Pierce, a former foster child who now attends Cal State San Bernardino with her twin sister, Corri, said many foster youth do not envision themselves attending a university. Pierce, 19, said she stayed on the path to college with help from her foster parents, church leaders, social workers, emancipation coaches and, eventually, her adoptive parents. “I’m looking forward to the day when every university offers foster children this opportunity,” Pierce said. Pierce’s adoptive father, Verne Lauritzen, also praised the program. “This program takes kids who might otherwise fall through the cracks and helps them through the educational system,” said Lauritzen.

Dr. Karen Haynes, President of Cal State San Marcos, hailed the agreement as a model partnership between two public institutions that will help “a terribly at-risk population.” “It really is encouraging to see partnerships coming together for this population, and cutting through the red tape,” Dr. Haynes said.

Oktoberfest: Making Adoption a Pet Project

PET LOVERS EAGER TO WELCOME an animal into their family will gather at the Ramona Humane Society’s 8th Annual Oktoberfest, a popular fundraiser that attracts thousands of people. Oktoberfest will be held on Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is well attended because the cost of adoption is reduced to $25, including shots, spaying and neutering. “Last year, we did 135 adoptions in one day,” said Jeff Sheppard, Executive Director. “It’s a big event to us. This is the only day of the year where we go home and there are empty kennels,” Sheppard said. “That’s the reward.”

Last year, 4,700 people attended the Oktoberfest. The event is geared toward the whole family and offers music and food, dog agility shows, jumpers, face-painting and other activities. Officials also pass out vouchers for free spaying and neutering services. Riverside County has a voucher program, Sheppard said. About 800 vouchers were distributed during last year’s Oktoberfest.

The organization is committed to finding good homes for animals. “I think people need to know that the Ramona Humane Society does everything possible to get every animal adopted. We turn nothing away,” Sheppard said. For more information, please visit www.ramonahumanesociety.org.