Coastline College students receive Live Your Dream Award
A group of inspiring and determined female students at Coastline College received the Live Your Dream Award from Soroptimist International. The global volunteer organization provides women with opportunities to help achieve economic empowerment.
Soroptimist’s Live Your Dream Awards program offers financial grants to help improve the educational and employment prospects for women who provide the primary financial support for their families and have shown the courage to change their lives.
Gina Fraga with her 4-year-old son, Sebastian. Fraga is studying to become a nurse to work in a children’s hospital. The Coastline College student is one of the recipients of the Live Your Dream Award from Soroptimist International.(Photo courtesy of Coastline College)
They are persevering and have chosen career paths such as working with children with special needs, nursing and clinical laboratory science to make a difference and to give back to their communities.
Nationally, the Live Your Dream Award provides more than $2.8 million in education grants each year to nearly 1,700 women.
Irvine resident planning celebration of a lifetime
Joe Mesa Cruz, who will turn 100 on March 21, is planning on trying his luck on the slots for his birthday.(Photo courtesy of Cruz family)
Irvine resident Joe Mesa Cruz is getting ready for quite a party.
Cruz will be turning 100 on March 21, and he’s planning on celebrating with a trip to Harrah’s Resort Southern California in San Diego County and indulging in his passion for slot machines.
But first, he celebrated with friends and family at a party in Irvine on March 5.
Joe Mesa Cruz during World War II. Cruz enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1940 and served 20 years.(Photo courtesy of Cruz family)
Cruz was born in Agana, Guam, on March 21, 1922. He joined the U.S. Navy in May 1940 and served 20 years.
He still enjoys telling stories about seeing the world while in the service.
After his Navy service, Cruz worked for UCI Medical Center and was later employed by Vista Verde Middle School.
He retired in 1986. He has seven children.
Cruz has been a resident of Irvine since 1972. Among his hobbies were walking and riding his bike. He often rode his bike all over Irvine.
The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to [email protected].
Related Articles
A marriage wish, a store making sure people eat and a life of service … Bravo!
Teens and teachers make their marks … Bravo!
The Garden Grove Elks Lodge had its third annual golf tournament for the Purple Pig, the fundraising arm of the California-Hawaii Elks Association Major Project Inc., to help children with disabilities. Sixty six players tackled the 18 holes at the Dad Miller Golf Course in Anaheim. The Elks raised $5,000.(Photo courtesy of Garden Grove Elks Lodge)