Village News - Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

FALLBROOK – Twenty-one Fallbrook High School girls and their mentors with the AAUW Mentorship Program had a private viewing of the Watercolor Show at the Fallbrook Center of the Arts on Feb. 11.

Mary Perhaps, executive director of the center, gave a presentation about the show and its significance in the world of art, as well as some history on the center, the Fallbrook School of the Arts, and the more than 31 pieces of public art.

Attending the book talk are some of the people who are in the book, from left, Rose Le, Nancy Hue La, Luong La, Michelle Robin La, Young La Milton, and Lisa Tuyet Le. Rose Le is the mother of Luong, Young, and Nancy while Lisa Tuyet Le is their aunt. (Seen at the Fallbrook Art Center on their field trip are, from left, seated, mentors Beverly Sinclair Thordarson, Terri Keyes, Rosie Scheller, Karen Langer Baker, Rosemary West; standing, Alejandrina Lopez, Elizabeth Ortiz, Paula Serrano, Briana Velasco, Bibiana Garcia, Nicole Gonzales, Antonia Rojas, Yennifer Avila, Esmeralda Gutierrez, Sommer Phan, Briana Velasco, and Suzetty Castellanos.)

The girls were encouraged to vote for their favorite painting, which stimulated some rousing opinions and debates. As an observer, it was interesting to see who liked what, and for what reason. This field trip for the Mentorship Program will be held yearly, as new mentees join and as new paintings are displayed.

On March 12, AAUW Fallbrook held their annual joint lunch meeting with AAUW Temecula at Pala Mesa Resort. Author Michelle Robin La captivated the room with a presentation on her

first book, "Catching Shrimp with Bare Hands: A Boy from the Mekong Delta." The book is the true story of her husband, Luong La, growing up in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War and the early days of communism.

AAUW member Young Milton, sister of Luong La, added to the discussion by detailing the family's journey from the time they escaped by boat, through refugee camps, and arrived and settled in the U.S. The event was made special by the attendance of four other family members as having the book's main characters join the author was a first and really made the book come alive for the audience.