Tag: hope

Art created by neighbors at Father Joe’s Villages!

Look at all these great works of art! They were created by neighbors at Father Joe’s Villages.

Father Joe’s Health and Wellness Program includes activities that foster creativity, well-being, and personal growth. That includes making art!

The latest Painting the Town exhibition, now on view at the San Diego Central Library, celebrates this art.

Father Joe’s Villages helps those in San Diego experiencing homelessness. They provide emergency and transitional housing for adults and families with children, provide showers, laundry facilities, a public lunch line, a health center, employment and education services, and more.

Look at this beautiful art and see hope.

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Helen Keller exhibit at San Diego Central Library.

A small exhibit can be viewed in a glass display case in the I CAN! CENTER at San Diego’s downtown Central Library. It concerns the incredible life of Helen Keller.

Photographs and artifacts beautifully document how Hellen Keller overcame huge personal challenges to become the source of inspiration for countless people across the world today.

The I CAN! CENTER provides assistive technology, adaptive equipment, and accessible services for people with disabilities.

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Centennial Time Capsule buried in Balboa Park!

San Diego’s amazing cultural hub, Balboa Park, is the ideal location for a time capsule. Years ago I photographed one such time capsule in the House of Hospitality’s courtyard. Find that photo here.

Another time capsule was placed in Balboa Park in 2015. Why 2015? That was Balboa Park’s centennial!

This particular 24-inch stainless steel time capsule was buried near the Old Globe, in the Craig Noel Garden. (The shady garden under the California Tower has comfortable benches for relaxation–a place I often visit.)

You might ask: When people open the Centennial Time Capsule in 2115, what will they find? This article explains. Artifacts include a letter from President Obama, cultural artifacts, and documents from eleven Balboa Park institutions.

Will Balboa Park be much different almost a century from now? Changes large and small are certainly coming. Hopefully the park remains just as magical and beautiful.

A plaque tops the buried capsule. It reads:

This Centennial Time Capsule is presented to the citizens of San Diego, to be unearthed during the 2115 Bicentennial of our beloved Balboa Park. Contents include artifacts depicting our lives, times and culture. May it see light at a time of peace, joy and celebration.

Patrons of the Prado is committed to raising funds to benefit eleven arts and science institutions on the Prado in Balboa Park, and for programs that provide educational access for San Diego school children to the world-class treasures of Balboa Park, inspiring cultural fluency for future generations.

Patrons of the Prado

November 16, 2015

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Why I still believe Santa Claus is real.

I don’t recall when I first was told about Santa Claus. That was well over half a century ago. As they say, nobody’s getting any younger.

I seriously believed in Santa. With a shaky pen I carefully wrote letters to the North Pole. I remember the cookies vanishing and the presents magically appearing on Christmas morning. Santa always read my letters and somehow knew my heart’s desire.

Then one day I was told by everyone that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. It’s all make believe.

That was then, this is now. You know what I’ve learned as I’ve grown older? Those disbelieving people were wrong.

I’ve actually met Santa Claus on several occasions. That’s him in the above photo and the photo that follows. Perhaps you recognize him.

The Santa Claus I’ve met is someone who loves people. He’s a bright eyed someone whose love, humor and laughter lighten the world. No, he doesn’t live at the North Pole. He lives right here in San Diego.

He has created treasured moments for young and old and brought joy to countless hearts. He has produced memories that will never, ever, ever be forgotten.

He is the real Santa Claus.

As are all the others in this world who spread laughter, generosity and the gift of love on Christmas, and through every season of life.

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Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Liberty Station.

Hundreds of people came together at NTC Park in Liberty Station today to fight Alzheimer’s disease. The event was organized by the Alzheimer’s Association.

I arrived as the 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer’s was coming to an end, but I’m going to share a few photos and hope you feel inspired to make a donation to this important cause. If through medical research we could finally put an end to Alzheimer’s, that would benefit literally millions of lives.

Click here to make a donation. (If that special event webpage goes away, you can also click here for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s main page. Look for the donation button.)

Consider forming your own team and walking next time!

A lot of love in these photos…

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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Help save a young boy’s life!

The kiddo in the above photo is named Paxton. He desperately needs your help!

I learned from his dad that Paxton has a very rare genetic mutation. He has a devastating neurodegenerative mutation on the CLCN6 gene. Paxton will be part of a clinical trial for a promising new lifesaving treatment, but funds need to be raised.

Scientists at UMass Worcester, Chan School of Medicine, Horae Gene Therapy Center, are developing a first of its kind gene therapy for CLCN6 mutations. Paxton will be the patient in the clinical trial.

To read Paxton’s story, click here.

You can help!

I learned from Paxton’s father during the Adams Avenue Street Fair that funds can be raised via GoFundMe and WeWard. Also, you can donate via VENMO (@Cure_CLCN6_Inc) or ZELLE (Cure CLCN6, Inc.).

Here’s the GoFundMe page.

You can easily raise funds simply by walking and using the WeWard App. Create your profile (using referral code ZealousBumblebee1136), then from the Social Tab click Communities then +Join. Enter Code CURE2360 to join the Cure CLCN6 Community.

Please visit the Cure CLCN6 website.

Please spread the word.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Join the 2025 Walk in Remembrance with Hope.

The 19th Annual Walk in Remembrance with Hope will be held in San Diego tomorrow morning, Sunday, September 14, 2025.

The Walk in Remembrance with Hope celebrates the lives of loved ones lost to suicide. It also raises awareness about suicide prevention.

The walkers and others will gather in Balboa Park on the grass near Sixth Avenue, south of Laurel Street. Registration begins at 7 am.

I met the good people setting up for the event this afternoon. The Walk in Remembrance with Hope is organized by Survivors of Suicide Loss. See their website here.

All ages, friends, family and pets are welcome to join! Start a team and invite your friends & family, or walk individually.

The event is a helpful resource fair, too, with vendor booths and more.

Even if you’ve never been personally affected by the tragedy of suicide, you can still help out these good people with a donation. Make your donation here.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Bright new murals promote love in City Heights!

Should you walk down University Avenue in City Heights, you might notice bright, colorful artwork in the alley just east of Mid-City Church of the Nazarene. Turn into the alley and you’ll discover three positive murals that promote love and hope!

I made this discovery myself on Saturday, as I walked through City Heights during the Beautify the Block community cleanup. When I circled to the rear of Mid-City Church of the Nazarene, I met one of the friendly pastors engaged in their twice a week food distribution. She told me the artwork was completed very recently!

I know you’ll enjoy seeing these murals, too.

I notice the first mural, Better Together, is signed @littlehouseink and is a collaboration with Mid-City Nazarene and LoveWorks. That name is appropriate. In essence, the work of art is about love.

This next mural with rainbows threading through a heart contains Hope in many languages. It’s signed Rachel Venancio and Loveworks.

(I walked past this second mural for the above alley photo. You can glimpse the first mural in the distance to the right, next to University Avenue.)

And a bit farther down the alley we have a wise quote by Martin Luther King Jr.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Youth take over Gallery 21 in Spanish Village!

A youth gallery takeover has begun!

Gallery 21 in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village is now full of art created by young people from National City!

Youth, ages 5 to 18, are exhibiting works they created during the last season of A Reason to Survive (ARTS) programming. The exhibition is titled Echoes of Blooming, and it opened yesterday.

Blooming is the perfect word, because bursts of creativity and personal expression have blossomed on the walls and in the spaces of the gallery.

I visited Gallery 21 today and found pieces that explore themes of transformation, inner strength, and the courage to challenge harmful cycles.

Many of the young artists live in neighborhoods where hope might be difficult to find. But hope can be achieved through artistic self-expression, especially when one’s personal efforts are celebrated in a gallery exhibition!

Congrats to every one of the artists! May you all go on to achieve bigger and bigger successes!

The public is invited to the exhibition’s Opening Reception, which will take place on July 5, from 5 – 7 pm, in Gallery 21 at the Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park.

Just a few works of art you’ll enjoy seeing…

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Inspiring mural at The Chrysalis in Barrio Logan.

Should you walk along Main Street in Barrio Logan, you might see this inspiring mural. It depicts a heart sprouting butterfly wings.

The mural is painted at The Chrysalis: Monarch Center for the Arts, a 6,000 square foot arts space in Barrio Logan with a dedicated 100-seat theatre, dance studio, visual art classroom, and storefront gallery.

Before the butterfly comes the chrysalis. According to their website: We envision a world where youth and adults use the tools and resources of the arts to help imagine, create, and build the vibrant and successful life they desire and deserve.

The Chrysalis is home to Creative Youth Development and Community Programs. As the beautiful mural suggests, it is a place filled with positivity and hope.

A poster in the window encourages people to “Host your next event in our space!” Why not support people who strive to help youth and the community?

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!