Meeting notes by Lola Sherman
Between 7,500 and 8,000 people are expected to participate in the 17th annual Thanksgiving Turkey this year, Kathy Kinane, event organizer, told the Monthly Morning Meeting of MainStreet Oceanside Tuesday.
“We’re celebrating 17 years of trotting in downtown Oceanside,” Kinane said, and, “some people thought we’d never make it.” With family members and spectators, Kinane said, the number of downtown visitors this coming Thanksgiving will exceed 10,000. She said participation by local residents is up 15 percent this year, and she credited the addition of city sponsorship. (MainStreet’s also a sponsor) In order to boost downtown businesses, Kinane said, e-mails will be sent to registrants to let them know of restaurants open that morning. She promised that about 100 volunteers will guarantee access to properties on the route. “You can get out any time during the race,” she said.
More volunteers are needed, she said, especially at water distribution sites. With the first one starting at 6:45 am., the races begin at the Civic Center and end at “Betty’s Lot” near the municipal pier at the beach. Kinane showed a route map, Free parking will be available at MiraCosta College’s Community Learning Center on Mission Avenue and at the downtown Transit Center parking garage, Kinane said, and all city parking lots will be free. There are one-mile and fifth-of-a-mile races for children, and a five-kilometer walk or run, and a five-mile run for adults. Kinane said about 80 percent of participants walk, not run. Some 130 teams have signed up, Kinane said, and “teams have gone crazy” in competition .
Local participants, Kinane noted, may include Anne Garrett, 88, of Oceanside who recently underwent hip-replacement surgery, Garrett set a new world record in the half marathon in her age group in 2015. There’s also a “really popular” costume contest, Kinane said. Medals given at the event have been declared among the best in the nation, she said.
She showed a national Fox News video of a previous event and said it always gets local television coverage as well. Kinane said 5 percent of the entry fee (varying between $30 and $50) will go to a selected charity through the sponsoring Move Your Feet Before You Eat Foundation.
Next at the meeting, MainStreet staff talked about holiday plans. Cathy Nykiel, Sunset Market Manager and Director of Events, proclaimed successful two recent happenings: Taste of Oceanside (program in conjunction with local restaurants and taverns Oct. 2) and Dia de los Muertos cultural celebration Oct. 23). Nykiel praised “great volunteers” who helped out and said, “everybody was super happy.”
Then, she talked about the “Haunted Market” for Halloween and said all the candy was given out. The market will be closed on Thanksgiving. “A lot of stuff is going on” for the holidays, Nykiel said, and she began by talking about the tree lighting on Dec. 1 with ”a whole myriad” of activities that evening including a zip line and a bounce house, singers, dignitaries and Santa. On Dec. 10, there’s a boat parade in the harbor, and on Dec. 18, the menorah will be lit at the Regal Plaza. Volunteers are needed, and e-mails will be sent to residents explaining the events. The holiday market will be operating through December (from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Pier View Way and Tremont Street. There will be an opoportunity for selfies with Santa from 5:30 to 7:30.
Mary Jo Canaletti, MainStreet Volunteer Coordinator, said she is “very excited about the Shop Local program coordinated by MiraCosta College, MainStreet, the city, Visit Oceanside, and the Chamber of Commerce. She spoke of a new database and online training to help with volunteers.
Slides explained more about the Shop Local program and of a national challenge. People can take selfie pictures at participating businesses. More than $500 in prizes are being offered. “Last year the whole room was full of prizes,” Gumaro Escarcega, MainStreet Chief Operating Officer, said. ”We wanted to keep them and not give them away,” he joked.
Jason Erbele of Intrigue Fine Jewelry said customers love being part of the program. They take selfies with the store in the background, he said. “It’s an amazing program for my store. It’s great.”
Escarcega also mentioned there will be a Sip & Shop tasting event from 1 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 26. Tickets are $30 in advance; $35 on the day of the event. He also spoke of the Merry Makers Fair on Nov. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Nov. 27 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. at various locations, including Artist Alley and the city fountain. There will be caroling and other live music in addition to 50 artisans, he said. And he repeated about the tree lighting on Dec. 1 with Santa posing for selfies.
From the audience:
–Paula Gangel, representing the Friends of the Library announced its Books Galore and More holiday shopping Dec. 10 event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the library’s Community Rooms. She said there will be Christmas baskets and other presents, besides books, artwork and puzzles. Author Richard Lederer will be on hand until 3 p.m. to autograph his latest book, and drawing prizes include a week’s stay in Flagstaff.
–Kristal Jabara, director of community relations for County Supervisor Jim Desmond, told of the groundbreaking Friday for the new behavioral health unit at Tri-City Medical Center and said the Supervisor is still working on a stabilization unit to address behavioral health, the homeless and those about to be homeless. She also spoke of a grant to Oceanside Police Officers Association.
–Quinton Hufferd, director of North County donor engagement for San Diego Rescue Mission, spoke of its project with the city to provide housing and services for the homeless at the former Ocean Shores Continuation High School and of its showering facility on Maxson Street.
He and Escarcega also spoke about collaborating on future employment opportunities. Escarcega said he’s also talking to North County Transit District. Erbele said he’s interested in helping as well.
The next monthly morning meeting will be Dec. 6 at 8:30 a.m.at MainStreet headquarters at 701 Mission Ave.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
The MainStreet Morning Meeting on December 6th will feature speakers from the North County Transit District and Toll Brothers regarding the redevelopment of the Oceanside Transit Center site. This will be the most significant downtown development since the nine-block master plan. Your input and questions are solicited.
Meeting notes by Lola Sherman
