For more than 50 years San Diego civic leaders have chosen a “Mr. San Diego” – with a few rare exceptions. There was a “Mr. and Mrs. San Diego” in 1992, a “Ms. San Diego” in 1996 and a “Mrs. San Diego” in 1994 and 2002.
Yvonne Larsen is about to become the third “Mrs. San Diego” and the fifth woman to be honored for longtime service to the city by taking a variety of leadership roles.
Over the past 40-plus years, Larsen, who is married to Daniel Larsen of Point Loma, was especially active in education. She served as president of the San Diego Unified School District board and the California State Board of Education. In 1983, during her tenure as vice chairwoman of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, the commission issued what became a clarion call that we are a nation at risk academically.
The first “Mr. San Diego” was chosen in 1952 by a small group of city leaders that included the San Diego police chief, head of the American Legion, labor council chief, judges and others. In 1976, selection duties were turned over to business leaders who were all past presidents of the downtown San Diego Rotary Club.
Bruce Moore, who now heads the selection committee, called Yvonne Larsen a very worthy candidate and an overwhelming choice for the 2008 award. Nominations are solicited from throughout San Diego.
“The community has been a labor of love,” said Larsen, who was chairwoman of the boards of the Zoological Society of San Diego and LEAD San Diego, which trains community leaders.
She also presided over the Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary and the Sharp Healthcare Foundation.
“I'm very honored to represent all the volunteers who work without remuneration,” she said.
Larsen will be honored at a Sept. 4 luncheon sponsored by the San Diego Rotary Club at the Sheraton Harbor Island East. It is open to the public.
Larsen said her husband has long supported her community involvement.
His reaction? He told her: “What took them so long?”
A Gumball side trip
Before parading into downtown San Diego on Sunday evening, Gumball 3000 rally drivers stopped for lunch in Rancho Santa Fe.
They rolled into the secluded estate of Charles and Tanya Brandes in Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Maseratis, as well as in Chevys, T-birds, a Corvette taxi and a 50-year-old truck.
The eight-day caravan, which began in San Francisco and ends in Beijing, has a deserved reputation as the rally of the rich featuring Hollywood, sports, music industry and business world celebrities. Many of the more than 100 participants are simply car freaks who love to drive hard by day and party hard by night.
Model Ashley Van Dyke, one of the few women in the rally, was being paid rather than paying the $120,000 entry fee. Van Dyke drove a rented car and was filming her experience for TV's “Destination X.”
Chris and Sue Simpson, who entered the rally in 2005, flew over from England and bought a 1979 Trans Am for $20,000 a couple of days before the race.
So far, their only casualty has been an air-conditioner outage.
Tanya Brandes, whose cousin raced in a previous Gumball 3000, was eager to enter the rally. This time, the car aficionados settled for hosting a picnic lunch of beef, chicken and vegetable kabobs for about 90 drivers and their passengers. Charles Brandes said they hope to enter in the future.
On the move
Elizabeth Kinsley is leaving her post as chief of staff to San Diego City Council President Scott Peters, whose council term ends in December. Beginning Aug. 25, Kinsley will move over to San Diego State University as chief of staff to SDSU President Stephen Weber. . .
Returning to City Hall on Sept. 2 to replace Kinsley will be MaryAnne Pintar. She was staff chief to former Mayor Susan Golding and has since consulted on several political campaigns, including Peters' bid this year to become San Diego's city attorney.
Peters has just endorsed his former opponent, Judge Jan Goldsmith, in the general election against City Attorney Michael Aguirre.
Diane Bell's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Please fax items to (619) 260-5009; call (619) 293-1518; or e-mail to diane.bell@uniontrib.com.
