Meetings resume with program on Sago Park

GARDEN CLUB

At the Garden Club’s meeting on March 21 at 1:30 p.m. in Cluibhouse 2, Mutual 2 Director Chris Abel will present a program on Sago Park, the droughttolerant project on Monterey Road that he envisioned and worked hard to make a reality.

Upon moving to Leisure World in 2017, Abel noticed weeds in the greenbelt in front of his building. He began thinking about alternatives to watering the weeds, which led to a conceptual drawing for a serene park featuring drought-tolerant plants. After much research, he brought his proposal to the various powers that be and gained approval for the project. Ground was broken on April 1 by J & J Landscaping, and 11 days later, those drawings became a reality. In addition to giving residents a peaceful space to walk through or sit in and reflect, the park saves thousands of gallons of water per year and brought Mutual 2 a substantial rebate from the Municipal Water District of Orange County.

Abel was born and raised in Los Angeles. He went to Huxley College of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University, where he majored in environmental studies with a concentration on urban planning. Prior to moving to Leisure World, he lived in Cincinnati, Ohio; Catalina Island; and Long Beach.

The plant table will be set up in the meeting room, and the WE CARE table will be in the lobby for donations of money and non-perishable food items.

—Nancy Goldstein

Chris Abel