IRWD Toastmasters Group Takes the ‘Eek’ out of Public Speaking
Some people find public speaking scary. Not members of the Water Meeters Toastmasters group, which held its annual Halloween breakfast last week.
The group meets every Tuesday from 7:10-8 a.m. at the Irvine Ranch Water District’s Sand Canyon headquarters office. Water Meeters is not limited to IRWD employees – anyone who is interested in honing their public speaking skills is welcome.
No costumes were present at the Halloween meeting, but member Greg Stevenson wore a T-shirt with the likeness of Frankenstein’s monster. Members sat in a circle with the lights turned off and engaged in “storytelling in the round.” With the lights back on, some shared their personal close encounters with things that go bump in the night.
Mark Dobrilovic, a member of seven years, said he continued as a member of the group even after he moved his employment from Irvine to San Clemente.
“This is great group,” he said.
Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations. Water Meeters has 25 members and has been in existence for more than 20 years.
Anyone who works or lives in Irvine is welcome to drop by and see what Toastmasters is all about. Meetings are held at 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue, Irvine. Information is available by contacting Debbie Kanoff, Sergeant at Arms for the group, at (949) 453-5334.
Students Plant Trees at Irvine Ranch Water District Site
Twenty-four students from Orangewood Christian Academy in Garden Grove visited Irvine on October 22 with one goal in mind – to give back to the community. They did so by planting 30 trees and 36 shrubs at Irvine Ranch Water District’s Orchard Meadows Natural Treatment System site.
“The entire school is out today, giving back to the community in some form,” said Helen Dowser, who teaches junior high school science and high school biology. “We do this twice a year. Many here today have never planted a tree.”
Students from seventh to twelfth grade were performing community service at several venues. Some were singing at convalescent hospitals, others were working at food banks and the 24 students visiting the IRWD site were charged with planting the trees and shrubs.
The tree and shrub stock were donated by the Shadetree Partnership, a non-profit organization that has its nursery at UC Irvine. The students spent three hours planting 15 sycamores, 15 alders, 20 buckwheats and 16 coyote bushes.
They were instructed by Dave Asman, IRWD’s landscape contract coordinator, on the proper methods of tree planting. He was assisted by Ian Swift, IRWD’s supervising wetlands biologist, who oversees the NTS sites, and a host of other volunteers.
IRWD has 13 active NTS sites, which includes the 320-acre San Joaquin Marsh. The Orchard Meadow site is 1.5 acres, located on Orchard Hills, off of Portola Parkway in Irvine. The NTS is a cost-effective, environmentally sound method for treating dry weather urban runoff. All of the smaller NTS sites are modeled after the Marsh, which uses ponds to remove nitrogen, phosphorus and bacteria from surface waters throughout the San Diego Creek Watershed. The contaminants are prevented from reaching the Upper Newport Back Bay.
In addition to cleaning up urban runoff, the NTS sites and the Marsh provide riparian habitat and water-quality benefits to wildlife throughout the watershed.
More information about the Shadetree Partnership is available on their website. NTS information is available on the IRWD website.
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
San Joaquin Marsh the Setting for Docent Day
The Irvine Ranch Water District San Joaquin Marsh provided the ideal setting for OC Wild’s 16th Annual Docent Day on October 19.
Ian Swift, IRWD’s Supervising Wetlands Biologist, was among the nine guest lecturers during the day-long event. The docent workshops featured presentations by researchers, biologists and specialists from Orange County.
The 80 participants could learn about wetlands, cavity nesters, snakes, the Channel Islands, the best hiking opportunities in the county and take guided bird walks. There was even a workshop on scat, the technical term for animal poop.
This is the second time the event was held at the Marsh campus. The first time was in 2009.
OC Wild is a coalition of wilderness land managers and stewards that educate the public about the importance of Orange County’s natural resources. Each October, OC Wild has hosted Docent Day as continuing education for the county’s naturalists, docents, rangers and others who lead public walks and talks about nature.
More information about OC Wild is located on their website. San Joaquin Marsh information is available on our website.
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
Exceptional Customer Service is Goal One
High quality customer service, whether it be in person, on the phone or online is the hallmark of the Irvine Ranch Water District. Our customer service tradition features an unwavering commitment to provide the best service at the lowest possible cost to our customers. IRWD’s highly dedicated customer service professionals are available to provide information about many things, from your monthly water bill and bill payment questions to concerns about leaks and meter issues.
While our call center is available every business day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., IRWD customers can also quickly quench their thirst for account-related information by visiting the Customer Care section of the IRWD website for 24/7 access and information.
While visiting the IRWD website, customers can view how-to videos, sign up for eBill and register for the IRWD CodeRED emergency notification system, access their bill, discover multiple bill payment options and request a variance. During regular business hours, IRWD customer service specialists are available to answer questions via email at customerservice@irwd.com, or by calling (949) 453-5300.
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
You’ll Flip for Flapjacks – Come on Down to the Marsh
If it’s October, it’s time for the Sea and Sage Audubon Society’s 21st annual pancake breakfast at the Irvine Ranch Water District San Joaquin Marsh.
Come enjoy a beautiful morning at the Marsh on Saturday, October 26 from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Sunlight filtering through the sycamores is a great compliment to the fragrance of pancakes and sausage fresh off the grill. Add in the sights and sounds of the Marsh awakening and you have the perfect way to start the day.
Reservations are required by calling the Audubon House at (949) 261-7963 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. The cost of the breakfast is $10 for adults and $6 for children age six or under. Children under age three are free. Included are pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit, orange juice, milk and coffee.
There is something for everyone at the pancake breakfast. This year, bird walks are scheduled during the morning, before and after breakfast. Be sure to bring your binoculars. Several scope stations will be set up where visitors can get close up views of the birds out on the ponds.
Drop by the book table, which will have a great selection of used nature books. The book sale begins at 7 a.m.
Stop by the Education table for a great exhibit showcasing some of the art projects the kids made at camp this summer. Learn about opportunities for adult volunteers to help share a love of nature with school children. Find out about the new education program which combines art with science, plus a host of other exciting education activities to investigate.
In the Duck Club, there will be ample information about the Sea and Sage chapter and many ways to become involved. Raffle cards may be stamped for entry into the drawing for special prizes.
Near the welcome table next to the Audubon House, Wild Birds Unlimited will have a table with bird seed, feeders, and other bird feeding items. They welcome questions about how or what to feed your birds, where to place your bird bath, what plants attract birds, and what to do if the birds are not coming to your feeders.
Optics4Birding will display some of their optics equipment for birders on the back porch of the Duck Club. This is a good opportunity for you to check out the latest in binoculars or scopes and ask questions.
Don't forget to stop by Audubon House to see the taxidermy birds on display, browse through the gift shop and book store, and check out the newly reorganized reference library. Volunteers inside Audubon House will be available to answer questions about Sea and Sage, birds, conservation issues, and education.
Check out the Sea and Sage website for more information.
