Showing posts with label Terri Holladay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terri Holladay. Show all posts

Sunday, November 1, 2015

• Halloween Around Town 2015

A couple of pumpkins painted at the event at Silver Oaks Park.

Even in a small city like Wildomar, there is just too much activity to cover in the narrow window of Halloween... but three family friendly events caught my eye.

Dishing up some fresh popped popcorn for eager trick or treaters.

First was at the community park called Silver Oaks. Realtor Joseph Onello sponsored this event where kids painted pumpkins, jumped in a bounce house, and got their picture taken.
The paint table where kids put their own special touches on pumpkins.

From there we went over to Cornerstone church to see their Trunk or Treat event. It was amazing.
A panoramic view of the 139 cars at Cornerstone church for their 2015 Trunk or Treat event.


The last count had 139 cars registered, and 1300 pounds of candy being on hand. The event was scheduled from 6pm to 8:30pm. We got there at about 5:30pm and they allowed the early trick or treaters to enter fifteen minutes early.

Happy families enjoying the evening.
What a spectacular bash they hosted. There were games, music, food, fire trucks, and candy galore.
A game of skill where tossing a wiffle ball into one of the pumpkins was the goal. 

We left early. I checked my watch and it was only 6:10. As I passed the official people counter I asked her what the current tally was. She showed me her counter and it was at 376 people. That was 10 mins into a two and half hour event.

Our next stop was in Windsong Valley where realtor Terri Holladay's  house was all decked out for a festive time. The best part was inside where delicious homemade chili, french dip sandwiches, fried chicken, and a complete sweet table was set out. Not to mention the libations available to those over 21.

If you're from Windsong Valley, this house needs to be on your trick or treat map.
The "graveyard" at the Holladay house. Complete with a zombie that rose from a coffin to scare trick or treaters.

While driving through the neighborhood I didn't see the throngs of trick or treaters like I'd seen in years past. I probably was just on the wrong street at the wrong time, or... they were all over at Cornerstone. ☺
One of  the many detailed installations crafted to give a person the willies at the haunted house on Pashal.

Up the street from Terri's place is a house that goes all out too. They lost a large olive tree during last year's snow storm, but that didn't stop them from going all out. A glowing graveyard with many props. A favorite of the neighborhood.

I'm sure that throughout the city there must have been hundreds of other well decorated homes too.

Next year Halloween will be on a Monday. I know that the city of Wildomar is looking to upgrade their Trunk or Treat event by putting it on the grass, freeing up the parking lot for the participating families. Adding a DJ, and many other things that are just in the idea stage at this point. If you have ideas, I'm sure that they'd to hear them.

It'll be wise to coordinate with Cornerstone and keep the events on different days. Maybe they'd even want to have a car at the city event too.
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“Too much work, and no vacation, 
Deserves at least a small libation.
So hail! my friends, and raise your glasses;
Work's the curse of the drinking classes.”
― Oscar Wilde

Wildomar Rap is happy to call Wildomar home. Not only is it a good community to live in, but it goes well with the name of the blog.

Friday, December 19, 2014

• Marines Toys for Tots 2014

On Thursday, December 18th, there was a toy drive at the Terri and Steve Holladay home in Windsong Valley.

The Marines and Toys For Tots were on hand to collect toys for underprivileged kids.
A look early in the day.

Toys were being dropped off from early in the afternoon to well after dark. Out front there were donuts, popcorn, fresh spun cotton candy, coffee and hot chocolate for the visitors.

Terri Holladay and Joni Beckman flanked by some our Marines.


For those that wanted to stay longer, there were other goodies inside.

What an honor it was to share some tri tip chili, and conversation, with a few of the Marines. Even though I've only gone shooting a few times, I asked about their rifle and pistol qualification badges. I didn't understand the inside lingo, but did understand that the badges weren't handed out like candy. They had to earn them.

Another look as the twilight was ebbing into night.



The Toys will be distributed through Western Eagle, a non profit food bank in Temecula.

Joni Beckman (pronounced like "Johnny"), the donation coordinator for Western Eagle, was on hand to pick up the toys. She was telling me how they typically get over 5000 toys donated to them for distribution in this area.

I asked her how parents learn about Toys For Tots.

"Some of them find out when they go to the Toys For Tots website, some hear from word of mouth, or they got toys in past years from us. Toys For Tots has criteria that parents have to meet in order to participate."

So how would a family contact you to participate?

Most people email me. If you go through the Toys Fot Tots website, they have my email address (joni@western-eagle.org).


A big thank you to Terri and Steve Holladay for opening their home and putting on this event.

I look forward to next year's toy drive at the Holladay house. They really have been putting a lot of effort into the community, and I'd like to see this event become bigger with each passing year. ☺


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Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. —Helen Keller



Friday, October 31, 2014

• Happy Halloween Holladay Style

No one was checking passports to see if you were from Windsong Valley or not at the Holladay home. So where were you?

If you didn't make it, you missed a lot of action. A constant stream of trick or treaters and parents stopping by to check out the spooky graveyard motif in the front yard. With plenty of treats... no "trick" required.

Fresh popcorn, fresh cotton candy, regular candy, a raffle and even homemade tri tip chili, pulled pork sandwiches, Holladay Halloween cookies and even some libations for some of the A-Listers... wink wink. ;)

The crowds were pretty thick at times and when we left at about 8:20 they had gone through more than 30 pounds of popcorn, and had run out of cotton candy (estimated to be more than 200 servings).

Remember to put on your calendar December 18th. It'll be a Christmas party at the Holliday house. Last year they were collecting toys for the Boys & Girls Club. This year it is Toy's For Tots and let's get behind this effort and donate some unwrapped toys. You have almost two months to schedule it, so be there... especially if you live in Windsong Valley.
The front of Casa De Holladay, all decked out for All Hallows' Eve.




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One person, among the throngs out front, was heard to say in a loud voice, "Hey, you know that she is using this all as a write off." Alluding to the fact that Terri Holladay is a realtor and had her logo visible in many places... including the free shirts my wife Grace and I got.

Hello McFly, as good natured as Terri Holladay and Family are, this is still America —land of the free and home of free market capitalism.
No one better be looking to find fault in a person trying to get their name out into the community while putting on a party that took a lot of sweat, and dinaro, to put on.


If you'd like to talk real estate, then drop her a line.
Terri's FaceBook 951-775-6558 or 855-274-5898
You don't need to be buying or selling a home to donate a toy this Christmas.

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Don't forget Trunk or Treat at Marna O'Brien Park, November 1, 2014. (See below for details)

It's an extra chance to dress up in Halloween costumes in 2014 and rake in some more cavity seeds... errr, I mean candy from local businesses and organizations. Wildomar Rap will be present with it's Haunted Bug, so come on out and say hello... or come and take a poke at me if you're so inclined.




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I'd rather be handsome than homely, I'd rather be youthful than old. If I can't have a bushel of silver, I'll do with a barrel of gold.  James Jeffrey Roche

Saturday, December 21, 2013

• Nearly 300 Have Breakfast With Santa

Today Santa was at the Wildomar fire station.
Wildomar Fire Station



For $5 you got pancakes, eggs, bacon or sausage, and coffee, hot chocolate or orange juice. Kids under 10 were $3.



City Manager Gary Nordquist and Mayor Pro-Tem
Marsha Swanson serving up bacon and eggs to the community.
 While Council Members Ben Benoit and Bridgette Moore [not pictured]
were working to keep things running smoothly.




This was a joint venture by the City of Wildomar and the Rotary Club of Wildomar.

Kid's of all ages had a chance to see the fire trucks, and other first responder equipment, up close and meet the local fire fighters.

And get a pic with Mr. North Pole himself.

Ok Santa, I'm jealous —you're beard is cooler than mine.




Quick back story, my wife was raised in Toronto, Canada. She immigrated here in 1999 after we got married. She is from an immigrant family from Sicily, and they never had Santa Claus in their culture... This was her first picture with him, and she was nearly as excited as any youngster getting their pic taken with him... that smile you see is as genuine as is my look of doubt. :)


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Stat Check
There were 289 paid breakfasts, and when you add to that the Rotary Club volunteers, other volunteers, students from EHS, students from Wildomar Elementary, fireman from various stations. An estimate of 350 to 400 in attendance would be a pretty reasonable guesstimate. If you missed out... 
just remember it for next year.

In addition to all the lifelong memories the various families and kids will take away from today's Breakfast with Santa, a total of $1,294.00 was raised, which will be split 50/50 between Rotary and City.


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Also in attendance were representatives of Wildomar Little League, and Wildomar CERT.  Always looking for local people interested in getting involved. If you'd like to help the local league with sponsorship, or have a child that would like to play organized baseball, click this link to get to their website. 

CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. The classes are free. Lot's of good info to learn while getting to know some of the members of the community.


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Donated toys for the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest County
A note about the Toy Drive for the Boys and Girls of Southwest County held at Terri Holladay's home in Windsong on Thursday December 19th. Though she only had a few weeks to get the word out, and it was a rainy day, she collected several large boxes of toys, and it was a chance for many neighbors to get acquainted. Looking forward to the second annual toy drive next year.
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Merry Christmas!