1000 Shirts for Haiti!

Church leaders are encouraging the members of the Church to use social media for good purposes. A simple e-mail triggered a response from members of the Vista California Stake to reach out to do good thousands of miles away in Haiti. The devastating 7.0 earthquake on January 12, 2010, which decimated hundreds of thousands of homes and left more than one million people homeless, not only left people without food, water, and houses to live in, but wiped out jobs and the economy.

An e-mail sent to Garth Smith of the Vista 8^th Ward was the catalyst for an enterprising project in Vista. Says Bro. Smith: “This idea came about on a request from my amazing nephew Matthew Gunn, who was so touched by the devastation of the Haitian earthquake, that he has dedicated his life to improving the situation there. Matt gave up his position as a successful Spanish teacher in the Logan, Utah area and with the support of his wife, family, and some well-to-do church members in Utah has been living two weeks on/two weeks off in Haiti to build schools and hospitals and dwellings for the Haitian people. He has personally told me of the faith of these humble people, and the desire of so many of the young men to serve as full-time missionaries for the Lord. Many of them lack the financial means to buy even a single white shirt.”

Before 1977 there were no members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Haiti, an island the size of West Virginia. But with the first branch established in October of 1980 came a rapid rise in interest in the Gospel. By 1982, twelve missionaries were sent to serve in the Port-au-Prince Mission. With political change and upheaval came an order in 2005 to withdraw all foreign missionaries, so since then only native Haitians serve as missionaries in their country. Church membership still continues to rise, and as of October, 2010, there are 16,322 members in Haiti.

After the massive earthquake, Church headquarters responded to the horrendous needs of the people of Haiti with immediate humanitarian help. Two million pounds of supplies were sent from the Church, as well as “Hurricane-resistant Housing Kits” to help the people have food and shelter. Though basic needs are now being met, infection, disease, death and injuries remain the chief focus of local government and humanitarian response. As Matthew Gunn volunteered in Haiti, he saw that missionary work now struggled because of a lack of ability to provide clothing for native Haitians to serve missions. Major funding that enabled Bro Gunn to continue the work has dried up, and now he hopes individuals will help with clothing for future missionaries.

Bro Gunn sent his mother an e-mail with this thought: “I have some Haitian friends that are saving all of their money to prepare to go on a mission. As you can imagine, it is very difficult to purchase the needed supplies such as white shirts, suit, shoes, ties, etc. with unemployment and salaries so low in Haiti and the price of these items being so high, in many cases more expensive than they would cost in the states. In other third world countries, such as where I served my mission in Ecuador, the American elders always had extra of these items and were able to pass on all of their used shirts, suits, shoes, etc. to people in their wards getting ready to serve missions. Here in Haiti, the future missionaries don't have that resource, because all of the missionaries are Haitian and most don't have extra clothes to give or pass on.

Garth Smith approached President Paul Hatch of the Vista Stake with an idea for a stake-wide service opportunity, who agreed that it would be a great project and passed the baton to Kathy Sommer, Stake Relief Society President. Sis. Sommers asked her Humanitarian Projects Coordinator, Leigh Braithwaite, to spread the news through the wards, and they set a date in February as a target.

“1000 Shirts for Haiti” became the slogan for the Vista Stake to help the elders in the Port-au-Prince area be able to serve missions. The sisters of the Vista Stake gathered together on February 19^th 2011 for their annual Women’s Conference, bringing with them gently used white shirts, ties, belts, socks, pants, and shoes. Half the goal, 500 shirts, has been met.

The clothing will be sent in the suitcases of those who serve in different volunteer capacities in Haiti, “piece-meal”, and the Vista Stake project goal – 1000 shirts - will continue throughout the year. As missionaries in the stake return from their missions, those who want to contribute their used clothing to the elders in Haiti can do so. If anyone is interested in contributing to this cause or would like more information, please contact Garth Smith at smithfam548@yahoo.com or Leigh Braithwaite at leighb27@yahoo.com.

Fallbrook Eagle Scouts Honored

Family, friends and community residents were invited to a special evening to honor Unit #725, Eagle Scouts Troy Monson, Brian Arnold and Adam Holzer. The Court of Honor ceremony was held on Saturday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the Fallbrook LDS chapel, 621 South Stage Coach Lane. Demonstrating leadership, each of the Eagle Scouts performed a service project to benefit the community of Fallbrook.

18 year old Troy Monson, currently attending BYUI earned his Eagle Scout Award by remodeling the Fallbrook Food Pantry’s kitchen area. A stainless steel tri-sink was installed, copper plumbing was rerouted, a shelving unit was customized and a wall guard was glued to prevent water corrosion. He received donations from members of the Fallbrook 5th ward and help from David Asay and Walt Mattson. His two favorite merit badges are Archery and Life Saving.

15 year old Brian Arnold is a freshman at Fallbrook High School. He planned out how to build five raised planter beds for the Fallbrook Community Garden Area. Brain received a donation from the Fallbrook Angel Society and sold baked goods for the remaining funds. He had several scouts, leaders and parents assist him in building the planters. His favorite merit badges were Auto Mechanics and Whitewater Rafting.

18 year old Adam Holzer attends Palomar College. He contacted Judy Mitchell, District Coordinator of the Mission Resource Conservation District and was directed to build three large raised planter beds to be used by community members to grow their own produce. He received numerous donations from the community and planned and led this service project to earn his Eagle Scout Award. Adam’s favorite merit badges were golf and fingerprinting.

Vista Stake Women's Conference

Women from Fallbrook, Oceanside, and Vista met together for a humanitarian project and fellowship when the Vista California Stake Annual Women’s Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held on February 19^th, 2011. The theme of the conference was “Charity Never Faileth”, which included a local effort to provide fleece blankets for shut-ins.

The stake women’s leadership wanted to provide warm and cozy blankets that would be distributed within each ward’s boundaries, and the women of the stake gathered together for a morning of companionship and joint effort. They brought with them donations of gently used shirts, belts, ties, pants, and even suits for native Haitians who have been profoundly affected by the devastating earthquake of January 2010. This effort will continue throughout the year, until the goal of “1000 shirts for Haiti” has been reached.

A program featured the Relief Society presidents of each ward, and included solos by Barbara Adams, Linda Miller, Sylvia Williams, and Kerinda VanWagoner, and Lea Bennett on the harp. Talks were given by Heather Davis, Gloria Walgren, and Paula Bushnell. Garth Smith of the Vista 8^th Ward did a video presentation on the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake and the humanitarian aid that was being given there. After the program, each ward was given fleece which was cut and trimmed to be given out in their community to those in need. The Stake Relief Society President, Kathy Sommer, spoke and expressed gratitude for those who attended and gave of their time and talents. After the fleece blankets were finished, lunch was served.

Mormon Battalion celebrates 164th year!

The Mormon Battalion celebrated its 164^th anniversary on January 29^th with its annual Commemoration in Old Town, San Diego. Booths, marches, cooking demos, and many hands-on activities helped participants get a feel for what the soldiers did in San Diego, such as making bricks, ropes, candles, pioneer dolls and toys, and cooking biscuits on a stick. The newly updated Mormon Battalion Visitor’s Center in the heart of Old Town serves to show the public with interactive audio and visual technology what the soldiers did to bring comfort, peace, and prosperity to the community.

One of the longest and harshest marches in U.S. history by a battalion of men, more than 2000 miles, brought many changes to a small village on the western coast. The first courthouse; the first wells providing clean, fresh water; the first brickyard; these were only a few of the “firsts” that came as a result of the Mormon Battalion being stationed at Fort Stockton (now known as Presidio Park), San Diego.

The 500 men that comprised the battalion, plus a few women and children, were recruited at Winter Quarters, Iowa, in July 1846 to assist in the war against Mexico, and they served until January 1847. The soldiers enlisted at the request of Brigham Young and U.S. President James Polk, in exchange for a monthly stipend, a musket, and minimal supplies, plus $42 for a uniform allowance. The money was sent back to their families, and the soldiers wore their own clothing, which were simply rags by the time they marched into the small pueblo known as San Diego. The war with Mexico was over, but members of Company B of the Battalion worked in the community for an additional six months, building brick and adobe homes, whitewashing houses and fences, establishing fresh water wells, and bringing assurance to the villagers that they were safe.

Record breaking blood donor is recognized!

A record number of units of blood have been donated by one of our local members, Ralph Vaughan, to the San Diego Blood Bank, North County Coastal Donor Center in Vista. Currently at 899, Bro. Vaughan will have donated 900 units in March of 2011, which is equivalent to 112.5 gallons of blood.


Vaughan began donating blood casually in the early 1970s. In 1975, his youngest daughter, Lara, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, stage IIIB, a cancer of the lymph glands. Although there was nothing he or his family could do directly for her, there were several other children at the hospital that could benefit from blood donations. He began donating regularly in 1976 and hasn't missed a minimum interval appointment since. In the 1980s, blood science had advanced to a new process called blood aphaeresis. When it was brought to the San Diego Blood Bank, Vaughan was the second person to undergo the process. At the time, it required to be hooked up to a machine the size of a clothes washer for almost two hours with needles stuck into both arms. Now, the process has changed considerably, and he currently donates 24 times a year, the maximum number allowed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).


Regarding his donations, Vaughan says: "Lara is doing very well now and has been in remission for several years, but I continue to donate. I consider it 'paying rent' and I jokingly say 'I do it for the donut!'"


Karen Mower, manager of the Coastal Donor Center, says of Vaughan: “I wish we had a hundred Ralphs. He has helped out so much, not only with blood donations, but the donation of his time as a volunteer at the blood bank. That I know of, he has never missed working for us at a Chargers’ Blood Drive since they began.”


He is a member of the Vista 1st Ward, and he and his wife, Gaea, have five children and three grandchildren.

Serving Our Community

The annual opening of Operation HOPE provided 20 youth from the Vista 8^th Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the opportunity to hone their custodial skills and provide service to the homeless women and families that will use the shelter this winter. Russ Blackwood, Director of Operation HOPE, explained that the shelter will be opening this year with new linoleum floors, all new computers, and new couches. All new items and labor were donated. Each year they continue to upgrade the shelter to make it homier and to have the necessities the families need to help them get back on their feet.

Marianne Griffiths, church youth leader, commented: “The youth look forward to this every year. It was mentioned to me by my girls that they would like to come back when the shelter is open and serve the people staying there. They love being part of a great cause.”

Alan Lewellen, Bishop of the Vista 8^th Ward, said of the young people that have been doing this service for the past six years: “We always like to come and serve our community. The feelings we get while doing this service make us want to come back year after year.” Supplies for the shelter are donated by many faith-based organizations, and this year members of the Vista 8^th Ward donated paper products: paper towels, napkins, paper plates, and toilet paper. The young men and women also sorted and folded clothing that had been donated.

Operation HOPE (Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement) provides a temporary winter shelter for homeless families and women, located at 123 West Orange in Vista. In 2003, the Vista City Council, recognizing the growing and complex problem of homelessness, requested help to begin exploring ways to find community resources to address the issue. Operation HOPE evolved out of these early meetings.

In 2006 the organization moved to its current site, a very modest structure centrally located in Vista, providing services from December through March. In the years since it began, programs and processes have evolved to help resident families regain confidence and independence. The shelter is maintained as a collaborative effort of the City of Vista, other government agencies, social service agencies, the faith community, organizations, and individual volunteers.

Vista Stake Has Talent!

Festivity was clearly in the air at the Annual Vista California Stake Fall Talent Festival held on Saturday, October 23^rd. About 350 people attended the talent show, and music, food, comedy and good company made the event hugely successful. Diane Smith, coordinator and chairperson for the event, thanked all the many individuals that made it possible. Josh McBride served as the evening’s host, lending humor and many changes of jackets throughout the evening.

The evening opened with Bagpiper Hayden Norris in a Scottish kilt, charming everyone attending. From 6-year-old twins, Brandon and Justin LeBlanc, acting as standup comics, to the stake’s own Susan Boyle, (aka Kerinda VanWagoner ), the evening was a delightful mix of entertainment. A singing group, the Norris Family from Bonsall, performed, with Shayley Norris on the guitar. A barbershop quartet, composed of Brian Gemmell, Richard Romney, Kim Neblett, and Marshall Edison delighted the audience. Danae Elton choreographed her dance group, The Star-Steppin’ Cloggers, composed of Cheyanne Elton, Jace Elton, Ryan Rice, Lindsay Sprague, Ali Sprague, Mackenzie Jones, Kristin Zenner, Blakeley Houk, Casey Frame, Olivia Sterk, Jenna Hervey, Taryn Hervey, Madeline Frith, and Alyssa Munoz.

A lyrical dance interpretation of “I Am His Daughter” was performed by Anna Staffieri, Lyndsey Gemmell, Paige Hall, Bridgett Hall, Amanda Severson, Brooke Munoz, Bridget Cobb, Caitlin Cobb, Elise Warner, Lauren Warner, Maya Goshai, Darcy Woodmansee, and choreographed by Anna Beck. Loren LeBlanc tickled the ivories, (with a Liberace-style candelabra gracing the piano) and Debbie Norton sang “Only Hope.” Greg and Rowena Greenwood glided over the floor in a comedy dance routine as Mr. and Mrs. Hughes. A soloist, Craig Heesch, performed “Pennies from Heaven”, a song from his Grammy-nominated album. Two talented young people, Shelby Anderson and Mike Cazanave sang “Hello,” in a fashion patterned after the hugely popular TV show Glee. Watch out, American Idol. Here they come!

The event concluded with refreshments elegantly prepared and served, with Carol Kelly as food chairman and Cherie Darian adding her artistic touch, to make a most memorable evening. President Paul Hatch was very pleased with the participation of all the performers and enjoyed the camaraderie of members from all over the stake gathering together.