As mentioned in earlier issues of the SSN, the Niguel Shores Board of Directors has recently decided to seek residents’ input and volunteers to help organize an Emergency Preparedness Committee in Niguel Shores. In February, the Board appointed four residents to this committee.
From L to Right: Kent Wellbrock, Jeannie Sticher, Jan Sener, Linda Foth
The purpose of this article is to introduce the community to the residents who so generously responded to the call to volunteer for this committee and to give you a brief overview of their plans.
Kent Wellbrock not only volunteered for the Emergency Preparedness Committee, he has also agreed to serve as the committee’s first chairperson. Kent and his wife Gaye and their two children Ryan and Riley have lived in Niguel Shores since 1998. Kent was born in Chicago and served in the Army Special Forces Unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He completed his airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Most of his professional career was in the healthcare industry, having worked for 36 years with Johnson and Johnson Company both here in the United States and overseas. Kent is no stranger to volunteering; he presently serves on the Orange County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit, with the bloodhound and air support teams, as well as the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Emergency Operations Center Disaster Services Team. He has taken courses from the American Red Cross and FEMA and is a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Obviously, Kent’s experience will serve him well as he begins leading this group.
Jan Sener is our next committee member and also is no stranger to emergency preparedness. Jan has been a resident of Niguel Shores for approximately ten years, she is originally from Michigan and relocated to San Clemente where she raised her family and lived for 24 years. Jan has three married sons and four granddaughters, all living in Southern California. Jan recently retired from a thirty-year career in law enforcement, where she worked for the San Clemente Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Jan served as Director of the Crime Prevention and Community Programs where she was responsible for helping community members work with law enforcement to create safer communities and neighborhoods. Jan is a member of the National Crime Prevention Council’s Board of Directors which is located in Washington, D.C. Jan believes in the power of the human spirit and is “proud and honored to work in her own neighborhood” as we develop our emergency preparedness plans.
Linda Foth and her family have lived in Niguel Shores for 20 plus years and also has had considerable training in emergency preparedness. She is a former teacher, who has served as a Boy Scouts of America leader for many years. Linda is a member of the City of San Clemente’s Community Response Team and the San Clemente State Emergency Radio Communications team.
Linda is certified by the American Red Cross in First Aid. She believes that surviving a major disaster is a group effort and has always realized the importance of “being prepared”. Linda is happy to be part of the Niguel Shores group that will help us develop the skills and knowledge we hope we never have to use, but are very glad to have if needed.
Our final volunteer is a name perhaps familiar to many of you. Jeannie Sticher moved to Niguel Shores several years ago from Chicago. She was happy to leave Chicago’s cold winters behind and is enjoying a much warmer and sunnier California lifestyle. Jeannie became an active volunteer soon after moving to the Shores and has served on numerous committees and became involved in a number of special projects. Jeannie served as a member of the Master Landscape Committee; she was involved in the search team established to hire our new General Manager. Jeannie has been Secretary for the Sea Terrace II Association and the Women’s Club. Jeannie joined the Finance Committee two years ago, and is presently the Chair for that Committee. Professionally, Jeannie teaches at UCI in the International Program. Prior to moving to California, Jeannie worked in corporate sales, marketing and human resources. Jeannie led two safety and disaster teams one in Chicago and the other in Arkansas.
As you have read from their bios, our community is extremely fortunate to have a group of individuals with such comprehensive backgrounds in emergency services and disaster response step up and help us become better prepared.
The committee is scheduled to meet monthly and will share their visions and plans with us both in the Seashore News and on the Niguel Shores Website (www.niguelshores.org) as they move forward. (Read its first committee report below.)
— Patti Staudenbaur
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