New Rotary Living Treasures named

Ojai's Rotary Clubs have teamed up to recognize eight of Ojai's citizens as this year's Living Treasures. Each club nominated four people, who will then use their talents and experience to serve Ojai and its people.
Living Treasures was founded by Ojai resident Sanford Drucker in 1994 as a way to promote mentoring and sharing of knowledge. With this year's namings, there are now 132 Living Treasures.
The new members of the Living Treasure roster are as follows:

Martin A. Pops, M.D.
Dr. Marty Pops received his bachelor's degree in bacteriology from the University of California at Los Angeles and his doctorate from the University of Chicago School of Medicine. He did an internship and residency at UCLA. He taught internal medicine in the Gastroenterology Division of UCLA, Center for Health Sciences and was a consultant and attending physician at a number of hospitals. In addition, he held a number of administrative positions at UCLA School of Medicine, where he was dean of admissions for 25 years.
Throughout his career, Pops has been awarded numerous honors, awards and grants. He has been a member and chairman of a number of local and national committees, both technical and administrative. He is also the author of numerous articles and chapters in medical books and a frequent lecturer.
Pops lives in Ojai with his wife, Barbara, and is active in many volunteer activities. He is also an active member of the Ojai Rotary Club.

Jack Smith
Jack Smith has made his career as an educator, athletic director, assistant principal and principal in his 32 years of dedicated service to public education. Smith received his bachelor or arts and secondary teaching credentials at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He went on to receive a master's and administrative credential at California Lutheran University. From 1970 to 1983, he taught math and coached football, track and other sports. He became assistant principal and, eventually, principal of Nordhoff High School from 1994 to his retirement in June of 2001.
Since his retirement, Smith has remained active. His love of sports and working with youth has led him to coaching the girls' basketball team at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard. He is looking for an opportunity to "give back to the community." He is looking for an opportunity to "give back to the community" and has been running 10-Ks for the American Heart Association and Ojai Valley Community Hospital. He plans to donate the fee for putting on these events to Nordhoff High School.
Smith's focus for presentations for Living Treasures will be "Character Development Standards for Youth." He would be interested in participating as a mentor.

Larry Hartmann
More than 30 years of a successful education career and two years of retirement do not diminish Larry Hartmann's zeal to continue his educational labor. Instead of motivating elementary school children as an energetic and caring principal, he now spends his time and enthusiasm creating programs and services for seniors. He admits that he misses his students, but his focus has changed to what he sees as a pressing community need - making seniors more independent and productive.
Currently, he teaches a 55-Alive class, serves as a board member for Help of Ojai, writes a column for seniors in the Ojai Valley News, and is Ojai's representative as a California Senior Legislator, focusing on legislation that benefits seniors. "All my efforts are to ensure that our seniors are recognized as role models," he says, "they have so much to offer."
As a new Living Treasure, Hartmann's desire is to implement new programs that will affect the continued independence of seniors. He states, "Seniors don't want to lose their independence. With basic transportation, good medical care, and someone helping to get the groceries, these little things can keep seniors independent for four or five more years, lessening the burden on their families and not putting them in the poor house." Hartmann welcomes the opportunity to serve as a Living Treasure and hopes that others will aid his endeavor of helping seniors to continue living independent, productive lives.

Father William Victor Olivas
Father William Victor Olivas was born March 26, 1921 in Ojai, which was then named Nordhoff. He attended Nordhoff Elementary School, Villanova Preparatory School, Los Angeles College and Seminary and St. John's College and Seminary.
He was in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945, and then was a professional wrestler from 1945 to 1964. He was married to Martha Pillsbury from 1962 to 1988.
Olivas became a deacon of the Catholic Church on June 4, 1977 and a priest on June 16, 1997.

Dr. Mike Jauregui
Dr. Mike Jauregui is a practicing optometrist in Ojai, and has been a member of the Ventura County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team for 24 years and has 30 years of climbing and mountaineering experience.
As a Living Treasure, he can give programs on Search and Rescue's history, backcountry safety or rock climbing safety.

Nan Davis
Nan Davis earned a bachelor of arts degree from Whittier College and a teaching credential from New College of California in San Francisco. She worked for six years in children's books marketing and curriculum publishing.
Davis currently teaches first grade at San Antonio Elementary School in Ojai.

Austin Cline
Austin Cline has been involved in Boy Scouts throughout his life. As a boy, he attained the rank of Eagle Scout.
As an adult, he has served in various positions, at the Cub Pack and Scout Troop level, as well as being district chairman for the Triangle District (Ventura, Ojai and Santa Paula) of the Ventura County Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Cline also served on the Development Committee which established the Girl Scout Program Center at Rancho Arnaz.
He currently serves as an information source for all of the Cub and Boy Scout units in the Ojai Valley, as well as being a Merit Badge councilor.

Lavon Lucking
Lavon Lucking has been involved in the travel business since 1974, and owned Topa Topa Travel from 1978 to 2002. A longtime resident of the Ojai Valley, she was earlier involved in running or owning a variety of family businesses, including a drug store, a dime store and a dress shop.
Now retired, Lucking is willing to speak to individuals or groups, by arrangement, on all aspects of travel


© 2002 The Ojai Valley News

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