During the month of June, UCCA thanks and honors some of the many men who make a difference in our community.
University City Celebration Committee Dads by Diane Ahern: What would summer be without the 4th of July Celebration? These dads are some of the many volunteers who ensure that we have an event that we, our children, and our grandchildren can enjoy today and remember forever. In addition to serving on the UC Celebration Committee (UCCC), they also give back to University City in other ways.
From top left, George Odero is the Chair of the Celebration Committee and is passionate about education and promoting the joy of reading to both adults and children. Next to George is Tom Cartier whom many know for his longtime involvement with University City Little League (UCLL). Tom Berge, bottom left, is active with the Boy Scouts among other volunteer activities; John Schindel is the president of the Standley Park Recreation Council; and Bill Massicot delivers UCCA newsletters to his neighbors every month. All invite you to volunteer with them at the 4th of July UC Celebration. Visit www.universitycitynews.org/uc-4th-of-july/.
RICHARD HO by Diane Ahern: University City resident Richard Ho, a dad and volunteer robotics team coach, and daughter Isabelle and her robotics team, the RoBowties, recently captured 3rd place at the 2016 World Championship hosted by FIRST Championship in St. Louis, Missouri. There are seven high school students on the RoBowties team and Isabelle is the team’s captain.
The RoBowties team’s robot is programmed to go across the field to score some objects and then try to climb the mountain in the 30 second autonomous phase. Then the robot drivers will try to collect and score as many objects as they can before the final push to climb the mountain and have the robot hang from the pull-up bar.
Before competing at the World Championship, the RoBowties were this year’s winner of the Inspire Award in San Diego, the most prestigious award given. They were also the 1st place team captain in the field play competition, an unusual double-award situation. They were also nominated for three additional awards: the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award, the PTC Design Award, and the Think Award.
ROY OWNBEY by Sandy Lippe: From his home in Tennesee, Roy Ownbey brought his love of country western music with him when he chose UC as his home after a Navy stint here. Like a lot of military men, he met his wife Rosemary at Mexican Village in Coronado and knew she was the one. They were married 3 months later on March 31, 1961 and had 54 years of a beautiful marriage. Jill, their daughter, and Kendall, their granddaughter, enjoyed the Stadium Street home. Ownbey’s final teaching assignment was at UCHS, where he taught history and retired in 1990. He continued to write his songs and an approved bio of Hank Snow who played the Grand Ole Opry.
This will be the first Father’s Day without his beautiful wife who passed away on July 14, 2015. Roy composed a song for her with universal appeal, “My Rosemary.” “My Rosemary,” he wrote,” she was so good to me, the sweetness in her smile, the softness in her eyes. She was everything that love could ever be.” Anybody can listen to “My Rosemary” sung by Geary Hanley through streaming media, and everybody should. Have the Kleenex box close at hand.
Dr. RON ROSENBLATT by Sandy Lippe: When Jane Reilly came to UC in 1988 to open the first Postal Annex in the country, she needed a dentist and headed to a well-established practice in the Marketplace Shopping Center. Dr. Ron Rosenblatt welcomed her to “the family” as he referred to his staff and his patients. He had opened his dental practice in 1972 and over the years people learned of “the caring, sensitive, kind” dentist Rosenblatt was, according to Reilly. He also had a zany sense of humor and contagious laugh. He worked hard for 43 years until May 5, 2015 when his health challenges had him retiring sooner than he had planned. “I worked hard to build up a practice that originally had no patients.”
An Ohio State and Case Western Dental School grad, Rosenblatt grew up in Cleveland, but heard the call of Southern California. Before opening his practice in UC, he had an internship in Chicago, joined the Navy and was stationed at a Camp Pendleton hospital for two years. How many dentists send their staff members and spouses to Europe after twenty years with the practice? Dr. Ron did that. He has had an outpouring of good wishes from his patients. A cancerous lesion in his brain, with spots on the liver and lung, have not put out the light in his eyes or the joking in his conversation. “I’m the greatest patient, because I’m in total denial,” he says with a huge grin “My oncologist says I’m her favorite patient because I don’t complain about anything.” Dr. Rosenblatt is walking on the path to wellness and his staff and patients are walking with him this Father’s Day. UC is a community he holds close to his heart.
MARK POWELL is the proud father of two beautiful daughters, Arielle age 13 and Dalia age 11. To support the girl’s education, Mark volunteered to serve on the Curie Elementary School Site Council and Governance Team.
Mark volunteers to build the stage props for the Curie School Play and the J*Company Youth Theater where he chairs the organization’s Community Building Task Force. You can also find him at the softball field with Dalia supporting her participation in the UC Del Sol Softball League. Mark is a UCCA member, has delivered the UCCA newsletter to his neighbors for years, and served on the UCCA Board.
To view related posts, visit https://www.universitycitynews.org/category/university-city-news-ucca/
Notes: Join UCCA today at https://www.universitycitynews.org/join-ucca-today/
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What do Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, ImproveUC and UCCA have in common? They are all ways neighbors can connect with neighbors and the University City community. Create a post, start a conversation, share the news, organize an event, keep in touch, take a look:
- Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/universitycitycommunityassociation
- Twitter – https://twitter.com/UCCA_SD
- Nextdoor– https://nextdoor.com/sandiego/
- ImproveUC– http://improveuc.org/
- UCCA – https://www.universitycitynews.org/
