By Melinda Roney

 We had a fantastic Awards Benefit in February. Many thanks to those people who made it so successful. Patty Moore headed the event and coordinated it with so many hard working people: Bobbi Burket, Jill Black, Mary Kay Nottage, Charlotte Mitchell, Rachael Rifkin, Julie Nemechek, Jean Shapen and Cheryl Marx. Mary Lou Martin and Chris Launi provided the wonderful pictures and presentation. Mary Ellen Mitchell, Rick Hobbs and Brad Seeley were responsible for a very successful silent auction. We had over 250 people in attendance at the Benefit. The Awards Committee, headed by Karen Clements, did a wnderful job choosing the 2012 Awardees.

 Our Advocacy Committee is continuing with their many projects as well as reviiewing the current Draft EIR for the Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School located at 1574 Linden Avenue. Dr. Louise Ivers noted in her book, Long Beach, A History Through Its Architecture, that it was built in 1935 and designed by George Kahrs, one of our city's premier architects. It was constructed of materials salvaged froom the debris of the original building after the 1933 earthquake. We are working on a response to the EIR to study a major renovation alternative versus total demolition. This school is an important part of our collection of WPA Schools. We will keep yoou updated on our progress.

Our Annual Great Homes of Long Beach Tour is on June 3, 2012. Mary Lou Martiin and her committee have planned a "not to be missed" event. Tickets and information can be found on our website, www.lbheritage.org. Check the website on a regular basis to stay informed on any of our events or Heritage news.

A new column appears in this edition of our newsletter. It is entitled "What I Remember Abouut Long Beach". We want you to share your memories of Long Beach. Long Beach is full of rich history and we all benefit when we share it with each other. Email your memory to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or mail to P. O. Box 92521, Long Beach, CA 90809. We look forward to hearing from you.