Community activism: where there's a will, there's
a way
By Gail Paparian
One of the defining moments in my life was when I
helped incorporate Solana Beach. We went from the CITI (Citizens Intending
To Incorporate) to the City of Solana Beach.
It took us about two years to accomplish this task but it was worth it.
There was about a 90 percent voter turnout and we achieved the main purpose
of incorporating, which was to have local people control land use.
It was about a 52-mile round trip drive to go to the San Diego County Board
of Supervisors. Most of them knew where it was “up north, some place, isn't
it?” We were the Golden Goose of North County and the county hated to see
our tax dollars go; we, on the other hand, liked seeing those bucks work in
our city.
It was quite fulfilling and quite an education. I particularly enjoy coming
across people who have had similar experiences and that is one of the
reasons I like living in Sun Lakes. Out of approximately 6,000 people, you
are bound to find those who will become good friends, political allies,
golfing buddies, dinner companions; those who are interested in bettering
the community, those who prefer to be alone and a few who will be loud
and/or self-serving. In short, there is something for everybody.
There seems to be a misconception about the “wealth” of the people who live
in the Sun Lakes Community. This was regularly stirred up by the Record
Gazette's former editor Charlie Ferrell. Now that he is gone, folks “in the
real world” should know that there are as many personalities as there are
income levels. Some are comfortable financially, while others live on a
fixed income and still others live on a limited fixed income. Many Sun Lakes
residents volunteer throughout the community on a regular basis. Some never
come out from behind the gates. There's a good mixture of people; just like
there is throughout Banning.
I am fortunate to have experienced meeting great people throughout the
Banning community. In the six years I have lived here, I have spent four
without my husband Bill. Although I am fiercely independent, I wasn't
totally prepared for what it would be like to live my “golden years” alone.
As I said, fortunately, there are a great number of people who have made my
life a little bit better . . . just by being who they are.
Most of the people who
have become personal inspirations to me have stepped forward where others
wouldn't, made the world a better place to be by doing something special and
overcoming incredible odds or circumstances, looked at a huge wall
confronting them and realized there was a way to jump over the wall; not be
stymied by it.
Pat Manning is just such a person. She had 51
great years with her late husband Stan. This allegiance produced four
incredible children who have given Pat 11 grandchildren. Each one of them is
special in his/her own way from the youngest whose personality is just
forming to all the middle ones with their own talents to the eldest who
plays the beautiful “Belle” in “Beauty and the Beast” at Disneyland.
Pat and Stan were transferred to the Los Angeles
area from Chicago and had about a week to find a house for the family of
six. As many people have done when seeking to purchase a home, they check
out the quality of the local school district. The
Mannings were no different. Since their mailing address was in
Agoura, they assumed their children would be attending Agoura High School,
which would have been fine.
Straddling the Los Angeles and Ventura county
lines, their mailing address was different from the school
district's. The Manning kids, along with others
from Oak Park were bused to Simi Valley when they reached the 7th grade. The
route took them 46 miles round trip, most of it over mountains. The fact
that their eldest daughter could have walked to junior high school rather
then having to travel that long distance further annoyed Manning.
Even though the youngsters were transported to and
from school by bus, the long distances involved caused further hardship.
Their friends were a toll-call away; they had to drive their kids back and
forth for sporting or other activities. The parents and the students felt
disenfranchised. The Mannings tried, but
couldn't sell their house, so in Oak Park they remained.
At the time, Assemblyman Ken McDonald took an
interest in the plight of Oak Park families. He introduced legislation that
would have paid the difference in the ADA (Average Daily Attendance) fee
between the Simi Valley and more expensive Las Virgenes
school district.
The legislation passed. Gov. Ronald Reagan vetoed
it, saying it would have set a precedent for the state to pay adjusted ADA
fees. The residents were back to square one. At the time, Pat was on the
homeowner's association board. The president of the board said that they had
tried and failed, so let's get back to business.
That is about the time Pat Manning saw red, white
and purple! She, along with a prevailing number of parents, decided to
somehow get their kids into the Las Virgenes
Unified School District. In the words of Howard Beale, the mad prophet of
the airwaves in the movie “Network” said, “I'm mad as hell and I'm not going
to take it anymore.”
They redoubled their efforts to get into the Las
Virgenes School District. That turned out not to
be an option either, as it was the mid-1970s and the Las
Virgenes district was hedging its bets and
protecting its spaces available, as the district wanted to make certain
incoming residents/students would have a place in the district.
Oak Park did not have the numbers to build a
junior high or high school. The Mannings plugged
along and watched as all four of their children went to different middle
schools. Manning and a growing list of friends and supporters (several of
whom reside in Sun Lakes now) made trips to Sacramento to lobby.
Along the way, Manning kept getting asked what her
credentials were to head this campaign. She never wavered and always said,
“I've got the best experience in the world Š I'm the mother of four.”
More determined than ever, the group continued to
draw support and passed the hat to cover expenses and travel. Finally, the
determined group received their major encouragement from the superintendent
of Ventura County Schools. Form your own school district, he said.
Manning said there was a 35-step process before
their case could be heard by the state Board of Education. This time, the
hard work of dedicated parents prevailed and a new school district was
formed.
This included another legislative bill and many
trips to lobby for its passage. And then there was a presentation before the
state Board of Education. They gleefully returned home and held an election
and formed the first school board. The Oak Park Unified School District was
formed. Manning was the first president of the newly formed board. She
served three times as president in her 14 years of service on the board.
Now, over thirty years later, generations of young
people have been educated through the Oak Park school district, thanks to
the efforts of Manning and a long list of parents who went the extra yards
required to get the job done.
That is one of the reasons I continue to volunteer
and be involved with community service. It feels so good to accomplish
something with the results being that many people who have had their needs
answered.
Thanks to Pat Manning for going out and making a
difference with a positive outcome.
If you haven't done anything for anybody but
yourself lately, there are plenty of opportunities in the Pass area to get
involved.
Like Pat Manning, you really can make a
difference.
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