FVC Moves Into New Permanent Home On Campus of UCSB News

Staff Scenes
January 2008
News from the UC Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center
Vol. 39 No. 1
2nd Annual
All Gaucho Reunion:
April 24-26th, 2008
Mosher Alumni House
FVC Moves Into New Permanent Home On Campus
of UCSB
Santa Barbara, CA – The UCSB Alumni Association and Family Vacation Center offices have
moved into the newly completed Mosher Alumni House. Located directly in front of Campbell
and Cheadle Halls, the Alumni House truly is the cornerstone of the UCSB campus.
The FVC offices have been named by former FVC director Jim McNamara (1980–1988) and
his wife Marilynn Phelps McNamara. The Mosher Alumni House is always open to visits from
former and current staffers, vacationers, and guests. We encourage you to stop by to take a look
and say hello!
With 5 terraces, beautiful views of the mountains and ocean, and a variety of different indoor
spaces, the Mosher Alumni House is the perfect place for events, meetings, retreats, and gettogethers. For more information and photos, visit www.ucsbalum.com and click on Mosher
Alumni House.
News Shorts
The FVC had a record year in 2007 hosting 2,200 vacationers during the summer, 40
families for Spring Break, and over 1000 guests at the Summer Inn…The FVC is launching
an Ambassadors Program and is looking for excited people to participate. Ambassadors will
serve as resources for inquiring vacationers. If interested, please send an email to ambassador@
familyvacationcenter.com…The addition of the Ninth Week in 2007 was a huge success. With
not a single suite to spare, and many families returning in 2008, the ninth week is sure to be an
FVC tradition before long…At time of printing, the UCSB Men’s Soccer team had advanced
to the Sweet 16 in defense of their National Championship title…The UCSB Men’s Basketball
team is off to its best start since 1992-1993 with an impressive 8-1 record, and current 6 game
winning streak…Attention all you Gauchos: Take advantage of the $100 UCSB Graduate
Discount and bring your family to the FVC.…Family Spring Break, an offshoot of the summer
program, is celebrating its fifth birthday this March! Come celebrate in luxurious style at the El
Capitan Canyon Resort located just north of Santa Barbara!
The
UCSB
Alumni
Association is proud
to host the 2nd
Annual
All
Gaucho
Reunion
ALL GAUCHO
taking place
REUNION
this April on
the UCSB campus.
Following a successful inaugural
event, the All Gaucho Reunion heads
into its second installment with
increased campus-wide participation,
new events, and a whole lot of energy!
Be sure to check out the Beer and
Wine Tasting Festival, and of course
the Gaucho Gallop: A 10K run and
5K Run/Walk FUN-raiser to benefit
UCSB Student Scholarships! Check it
out at www.ucsbalum.com
Loma Pelona
Construction to be
complete by summer
2008: What it means
for the FVC!
UCSB Student Housing is close to
completing the final installment
of the Manzanita Village housing
project: a multi-use recreational
building called Loma Pelona. Since
the renovation of the Carrillo
Dining Commons, the FVC has
been without a permanent home
for the Craft Hut, as well as without
sufficient programs space. Loma
Pelona will solve both of these
problems! The Craft Hut will be
relocated, as will certain events such
as Adult Karaoke, Disco Bingo, and
Kids Night Out. Loma Pelona will
also play home to an additional
recreational space with Ping-Pong,
Pool, and a big-screen TV!
Staff news
Staff Family Spotlight
A VC LOVE STORY
By Aimee (Lewis) Swanson
Andy and I met the Summer of ’93 working as counselors at the FVC. Andy ran Programs so he was wine
tasting, biking and adventuring everyday while I was in the Craft Room making lanyards and kaleidoscopes!
We had so much fun all summer working at the VC and enjoying the beach and downtown in our spare
time. As the summer came to an end, we were facing the real world and were not sure where our futures
were headed. Andy solved that one by moving up to San Francisco, where I lived, about 2 weeks after our
summer at the FVC came to an end! We have been together ever since and were married in San Francisco in
September 1999. Our son Sam was born in September 2005.
Andy (1993), Aimee (1993)
and Sam Swanson
Our favorite memories of the VC as staffers are of the amazing families we met every week, Family Carnival,
the Water Show, Parents Night out at Alex’s Cantina, the Farewell Show Slideshow, and most of all Campfire,
where Andy played guitar and sang every week. We can’t hear Puff the Magic Dragon without remembering
that magical summer! Towards the end of summer, we talked of bringing our own family to FVC someday.
The summer of 2007 that became a reality! Andy, Sam (almost 2) and I headed to the FVC for an amazing
week of fun, family adventures, and finally time for Andy and I to play tennis! Sam loved Small World - this
was the most time he had ever spent away from us and he RAN towards Small World or “camp” as he called it everyday. He still talks
about his favorite counselor Tim. Tim and the rest of the friendly and energetic FVC staff made our first camp experience truly special!
The FVC is a place where terrific family memories are made and moms and dads get special time together too - you can’t ask for more
than that from a vacation!
Not only all that, but Andy recently hired Charlie Patterson, a three year former FVC staffer, to join his team at Ubisoft, a leading videogame publisher here in San Francisco. The friendships and connections from the FVC can truly last a lifetime!
We are definitely returning next summer and will likely have several friends joining us as well for their first time!
U Calling
all “Decade Staffers”
We are looking to honor FVC staffers that
have put in 10 or more summers of commitment to the FVC at our 40th anniversary
celebration – summer of 2009. Have you or
someone that you know, served at the FVC
for ten or more summers? If so, please let us
know by sending an email to [email protected]. Among those that
we already have in our records: Teri (Guy)
Bugay, Jean (Rodgers) King, Greg Patton,
Jim McNamara and our newest member
Adam Whiteley.
E
GUESS TH
YEAR
?
Email your guesses to [email protected]
reunion news
40TH Anniversary Reunion Set For
Summer 2009
The year was 1969. The New York Jets, led by a loud-talking Joe Namath upended
the seemingly invisible Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III while Led Zeppelin
released their first album. And oh yes, the Family Vacation Center program was
born. While quite possibly less hyped than the first two events, the launch of this
unique family vacation was no less important. Over the years, though the location
may have changed (from Francisco Torres in 1969 to San Rafael Residence Hall
since), the number of activities to guests increased and the amount of staff parties
lessened, one constant has remained: The Family Vacation Center has been and
always will be a great place to work!
Join us the summer of 2009 to celebrate a milestone in the Family Vacation Center’s career – it’s 40th birthday. Unlike many Hollywood actresses, she continues
to get better with age. A Staff Reunion is planned for July. In order to be involved,
email John Lofthus at [email protected].
The original staff gets ready to dive into a great new
program
Staff Scoop
Bridgette Olsen (1983-1996) completed her third summer as
Director of BruinWoods, UCLA’s family camp at Lake Arrowhead, CA.
Her daughter Morgan recently turned four.
John Gaffney (1983-1987) recently got engaged to Jackie Coash and
according to John, she is “totally FVC Material!” Jackie stole John’s heart
with a beautiful rendition of “Underneath it all” by No Doubt in St. Lucia
and he proposed shortly thereafter.
Neil Goldman (1985-1986) is happily married to Donna
(Edwards) Goldman (1984-1987). They have two great kids, ages
12 and 14.
Shanna Bright (1992-1993) is residing stateside once again after
a five-year stint in Japan where she taught English. She recently hosted
the UCSB Alumni Association Greece Trip (tough life!). Future plans
include an around the world trip in 2008. You can catch up with her
travels at: www.uronthebrightside.blogspot.com.
Tanya (Edwards) Noble (1994-1996) is living in Clarksburg,
Maryland with her husband Brent and son Ethan, 5. Tanya and Brent
celebrated their ten-year wedding anniversary this past May by taking a
trip to Santa Barbara.
Corey
Heimlich
(1995-2000)
recently
The 2007 staff plays dress up
received his
MBA from Pepperdine University in June of 2007.
Corey is living in Santa Monica.
Leewan Yeomans (1997-2000), currently living
in Berkeley, CA, is going to have a baby girl. The former Small World Supervisor married to Ben Hall, the
younger brother of Nick Hall (1998).
Sandy (Wood) Piatt (1997-1999) is currently
a first grade teacher in Valencia, CA. She recently got
hitched and has a 1 1/2 year old son.
Julia Hajdu (1999-2004) just had a beautiful baby
boy on November 6, 2007. Laszlo Attila Nemeth
weighed in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces and 21 inches long!
Wanna be in the next Staff Scoop?
Email your career/family updates to
[email protected].
caption contest
Come up with a funny caption for this photo
taken from the 2007 summer. Submissions will
be judged, and the winner will receive one free
2-night stay at the Summer Inn during the 2008
summer.
Email [email protected]
with your thoughts!
Return Service Requested
UCSB Alumni Association, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-1120
phone: (805) 893-3123 fax: (805) 893-2927
UC Santa Barbara
Family Vacation Center