La Jolla News Nuggets: Concours memorial award, veterans events, black dresses, bank branches, more

Memorial award unveiled at La Jolla Historical Society

When the Concours d’Elegance car show returns to La Jolla next year, a new feature will be part of it: a memorial award honoring car builder and restorer Doug Pratte, who died in 2019 and was known to many car collectors in La Jolla.

The award was unveiled Nov. 3 at the La Jolla Historical Society, where it will be kept when the Concours is not taking place (the Historical Society is the Concours d’Elegance beneficiary).

The award is a custom glass sculpture and handcrafted glass bowl created by Keith Wahl. The name of each year’s winner will be added to the sculpture.

Event at Mount Soledad to honor military nurses

The Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial will honor the Army, Navy and Air Force Nurse Corps through an in-person and virtual tribute at noon Saturday, Nov. 13, at 6905 La Jolla Scenic Drive South and livestreamed at veteransdaylive.org.

The event also will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first burial at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The keynote speaker will be Rear Adm. Cynthia Kuehner, commander of Naval Medical Forces Support Command and a senior nurse in the Navy.

“The Nurse Corps has played a key role in caring for our armed-service men and women. We honor them for their compassion, dedication and service to our country,” stated Phil Kendro, vice president of the Mount Soledad Memorial Association.

Learn more at soledadmemorial.org.

Sammy’s giving away sundaes to military families on Veterans Day

Sammy’s Food + Wine will honor veterans and all military families on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11, with a Giant Messy Sundae at any of the restaurant’s San Diego locations, including 702 Pearl St. in La Jolla.

The holiday coincides with National Sundae Day. The free sundae is on top of Sammy’s daily 20 percent military discount.

Military personnel or families of military service members just need to show their military card when dining in to receive the 20 percent off and a Giant Messy Sundae.

Mary, Star of the Sea to host dedication service for veterans

Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic church in La Jolla will host a dedication to honor military veterans and first responders after the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday, Nov. 14.

The church is at 7713 Girard Ave.

Goodwill hosts ‘Little Black Dress’ event beginning Nov. 12

All Goodwill retail stores, including the location at 7631 Girard Ave. in La Jolla, will be full of “Little Black Dresses” ahead of the holiday season, starting at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 12.

The annual event is meant to provide a wide assortment of black dresses from labels such as White House Black Market, Guess, Diane von Furstenberg and others priced from $5 to $30. All locations also will have a selection of shoes and jewelry to complement the dresses.

Goodwill uses the revenue generated from the sale of donated goods at its retail stores, outlet centers and website to fund free community employment programs and services.

Visit sdgoodwill.org for more information.

Union Bank/U.S. Bank branches to remain in La Jolla for now

U.S. Bank has acquired Union Bank, leaving some to wonder what will happen to the two branches located on the same street in La Jolla. U.S. Bank is at 7733 Girard Ave. and Union Bank is at 7807 Girard.

Real estate sources told the La Jolla Light that while some Union Bank branches have been listed for sale as a result of the acquisition, the La Jolla branch is not currently one of them.

Under the agreement, U.S. Bank will purchase Union Bank for about $8 billion, including $5.5 billion in cash and about 44 million shares of U.S. Bancorp common stock, according to U.S. Bank. With the acquisition, U.S. Bank will gain more than 1 million consumer customers and about 190,000 small-business customers on the West Coast.

La Jolla realty office nets $500 for canine causes

The La Jolla office of Coldwell Banker Realty hosted a “Homes for Dogs” donation drive, collecting more than $500 as well as three large boxes of towels, blankets, food and harnesses for the Frosted Faces Foundation (which provides veterinary care and seeks homes for older animals) and the San Diego Humane Society.

“I am truly impressed by the generous support of our community members, affiliate agents and staff. They came together to make a big difference for our furry friends,” said Jeff Nunn, branch manager of the La Jolla office of Coldwell Banker.

To learn more about the Homes for Dogs Project, visit blog.coldwellbanker.com/homes-for-dogs.

La Jolla COVID vaccination event draws 120 children

Ben and Eric Sorensen received COVID-19 vaccines at a La Jolla vaccination event organized by their mother, Dr. Tania Rivera, on Nov. 7.

(Tania Rivera)

A Nov. 7 COVID-19 and flu vaccination event held by San Diego County and the nonprofit Champions for Health drew 120 children for the COVID-19 vaccine, using all the supplies on hand.

Dr. Tania Rivera, who helped organize the event in the parking lot at Torrey Pines Elementary School, said families lined up for the event an hour before it opened.

In addition to the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, which was approved for administration Nov. 2, health providers administered 64 COVID vaccine boosters to adults and 120 flu vaccines.

“People were cheering,” Rivera said. “There was music, chalk art and posters. Children were happy. It was a party.”

— Compiled by La Jolla Light staff ◆