The installation of a new Welcome sign in Aptos Village sign took place with the Cabrillo Lions Club on Saturday, May 25th. You may have noticed the new sign when travelling northwest on Soquel Drive, just before entering Aptos Village at the intersection of Aptos Street.
The prominent sign was commissioned by the Cabrillo Lions club to match the Welcome sign that replaced the older Aptos Village sign near the railroad trestle at the northwestern end of the Village on Soquel Drive near Spreckels Drive. The very prominent sign was carefully crafted by Kevin Newhouse whom is a former Lion and local Historian. Kevin was involved with the fabrication of the now counterpart replacement sign therefore, he was able to match the second sign with exact measure.
Lion Elaine Cole, the club’s President helped to direct traffic as Lion Jay Johnson prepared the site and erected the sign. Jay is a General Engineering Contractor with Johnson and Co. and is very familiar with a road sign installation such as this. Jay Chairs the club’s Service Projects Committee. Lion Krista Brassfield, Secretary for the club is a local Designer and Construction Manager with Landmark Designs and she worked closely with Supervisor Zach Friend on obtaining the project’s permit.
Supervisor Friend was very instrumental in the process and he was thrilled that the Cabrillo Lions Club had commissioned to have the sign made to welcome visitors to the Village. Lion Becky Steinbruner first pitched the idea to the Cabrillo Lions Board and the board members were delighted to support and approve it because it is a local community service project.
Since the club’s chartering in 1961, its members have worked on numerous projects in the local community, such as parks projects, beach cleanups, Student Speaker Contest, Lions International Peace Poster Contest for youth ages 11-13, as well as health screenings, the collection of eye glasses and vision screenings.
Proceeds from past fundraising events have gone to annual scholarships for Aptos High School and Soquel High School and to the construction of the new Restrooms and Concessions building in the Polo Grounds County Park, a very worthy cause to which the club has contributed.
Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.4 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 216 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world.
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For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the Web site at www.lionsclubs.org. For more information or to get involved with the Cabrillo Host Lions Club, please contact club President Elaine Cole at 831-461-5351 or visit www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/cabrillohost.