Turning Point
Now in its 25th year, Turning Point at the Ocean Park Community Center serves not only as transitional housing but also as an integrated program with education, job resources and training, crisis prevention and an alumni association. The OPCC currently has 55 beds for homeless men and women who can stay for up to nine months before transitioning into permanent and independent housing. Counselors engage Turning Point residents in weekly group sessions tackling the major issues contributing to homelessness in Santa Monica, including substance abuse and self-esteem.
2008 concludes the OPCC capital campaign From Homeless to Hope, raising funds for the construction of the OPCC Annenberg Access Center and the OPCC Cloverfield Services Center.
Programs like Turning Point at the Ocean Park Community Center exist because of private and government grants, donations and generous volunteers. For more information on Turning Point and other programs at OPCC and to donate time or money, visit www.opcc.net
A Taste of Santa Monica
The Chamber of Commerce hosts the 7th Annual Taste of Santa Monica September 14 from 12p.m. to 4p.m. at the Santa Monica Pier off Ocean Avenue. Forty restaurants will offer culinary delights for this gala occasion. There will be a wine garden, interactive ice-cream making and lots of entertainment. Tickets are available for purchase online. Visit www.tasteofsantamonica.com or call (310) 393-9825.
No Smoking, Please!
The City of Santa Monica has launched a public education campaign to raise awareness of its no-smoking laws for local business owners, residents, tourists and patrons. The goal is to instill a deeper understanding of the law and the way in which it fits into the already socially conscience and outdoor-friendly lifestyle of Santa Monica.
In 2006, Santa Monica’s City Council adopted ordinances, which, in addition to those areas governed by state law, prohibit smoking in the following areas:
• Within 20 feet of entrances, exits or operable windows of a local public parks
• Third Street Promenade
• Local beaches and on the Santa Monica Pier (except within designated zones)
• All outdoor dining areas (including bars and coffee shops)
• Waiting areas, such as bus stops, ATM lines and kiosks
• Farmers Markets
The campaign is set to launch late this summer and represents the largest and most expensive no smoking campaign for the city to date. For more information, visit www.smgov.net/SERVICES/choc/396.htm
Pico Art Walk and Vintage Car Show
The annual Pico Art Walk and Vintage Car Show is coming back to West L.A. on September 27 running along Pico Boulevard between Centinela and Main Street and at the Virginia Avenue Park. The event will include art shows, musical performances, hands-on activities and, of course, the vintage auto show. The ‘Taste of Pico’ will offer culinary delights from local restaurants and eateries. London-style double-decker buses will cart visitors up and down Pico between attractions and cars can be parked at Santa Monica College free of charge. Enter in one of the many contests for cash prizes and publicity, including short film, art, photography and poetry. For more information, visit www.picopassport.com
