New Year Greetings! 2015 ended on high note with the dedication of the Richard Henry Dana Jr. Bicentennial Plaque. We had a beautiful day to conclude our Year of Dana celebration with the presentation of the plaque on Sunday, December 6 (pictured below). A crowd of members and guests circled the R.H. Dana Jr. harbor statue as Orange County Supervisor Lisa spoke, then read aloud the plaque’s inscription as it was unveiled by two Dana Elementary School Student Council officers. Assemblyman Bill Brough, Mayor John Tomlinson, Dana Wharf’s Don Hansen, Dana Elementary Principal Christina Portillo and Harbor Director Brad Gross joined our Society in thanking the San Juan Historical Society and its president, Tom Ostensen, for commemorating our namesake with the statue installed in 1972. We want to again thank Supervisor Bartlett for her assistance and support in having this plaque placed in appreciation of Les Remmers and the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society members and donors who honored Dana with the statue, one of only two in the United States.
Looking forward, it is the same generosity exhibited in the SJCHS 1972 fundraising effort that has inspired our Society’s Board of Directors to pledge $10,000 toward the Hobie Alter Memorial sculpture. Our $1,000 check was presented to the Hobie Memorial Foundation Committee President Robbie Roberson at their December 11, 2015, meeting, as the first payment of our pledge. The balance will be paid to the foundation when the city has approved the location and sculpture. With our donation, the Historical Society hopes to inspire other individuals, organizations and corporations to pledge a contribution toward the memorial. The sculpture will commemorate Hobie’s accomplishments and the global proportions of an industry that began here in Dana Point, a highlight of our 20th century history. The memorial will be a life-size bronze sculpture of Hobie sailing a Hobie Cat 14 above a base of bronze bas reliefs that represent his contributions to surfing, sailing and skateboarding.
To help us ring in the New Year, please join us for our January 20th traditional potluck dinner and Annual Meeting, always a convivial opportunity to greet old friends and meet new ones. We will thank retiring board member Ross Teasley for his years of service and we will welcome Bob Minty as our new Program Director and 3rd Vice President. Our Museum Director/Archivist and 1st Vice President position is vacant and we welcome nominations or volunteers for the office. The highlight of the evening will be honoring Wayne Rayfield as recipient of the Pat Plepler Award for his active citizenship and service to Dana Point. Wayne has accomplished so much and is never too busy to volunteer in support of Historical Society events.
It is my honor to serve with the DPHS Board of Directors as President. On the Directors’ behalf, I want to thank you for your support in honoring and preserving Dana Point’s history. I look forward to working together to continue to celebrate our history in 2016.
Barbara Force Johannes