Ronald Reagan Sports Park

Date:   April 8, 2008

                                              MEESE EVENT A HIT

Watch a Video about the Can Do spirit, thanks to SoCal News.

Former U.S. Attorney General visits Temecula

"Reagan would have approved every one of them," he said, pointing to the ten objectives of the Can-Do Club of Friends of Ronald Reagan SP.

Explaining why he traveled to Temecula from Washington, D.C., where he serves as Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow in Public Policy, Edwin Meese III added that he visited Ronald Reagan Sports Park and was impressed with that, as well.

Meese's appearance motivated 10 people to step forward and present a $1,000 donation to the monument for a chance to receive an autographed photo with him.  One, Bob Kowell, a member of the Friends of Ronald Reagan SP board of directors, made the donation in the name of Ed Meese, so that Meese's name will appear on the monument as a donor.

The occasion was a private fund-raising reception at The Humphreys Estate, located just east of Temecula and south of Temecula Parkway.  Some 100 people gathered to hear the former Attorney General of the United States recount some memorable moments during the 30 years he was associated with the late President. 

Meese waived a speaker's fee to assist the fund-raising effort.  The Rancho Ford Lincoln Towncar that transported him to and from Ontario Airport, The Castle Bed and Breakfast that provided overnight accommodations, and The Humphreys Estate hosting the event - even the invitations, by Community Little Book -- were donated.

Others chipping in were Wilson Creek Winery, which provided the almond champagne, and Costco the bottled water and soft drinks.  Explorer Scouts and home schooled students served as volunteer servers and clean-up crew, and greeted guests as they arrived.

Also donated were the professional portrait photography services of Reflections by Patricia.  The owner, Patricia Mathis, posed and produced on the spot the photo with Meese each $1,000 donor received.  It was promptly signed by Meese.

Meese had been briefed that the park was built by volunteers who, without government assistance, invested sweat equity, raised funds and painstakingly did whatever necessary to carve out a sports park from the rural countryside.

That Can-Do spirit attracted the attention of President Reagan in March of 1983, when he praised those volunteers for their typical American ingenuity.  It also was the reason, 25 years later, that Meese chose to visit Temecula.

He noted that on the same month in 1983 that Reagan lauded Temecula volunteers in a speech to the U.S. Olympic Committee, he also gave his famous "evil empire" speech, referring to the Soviet Union, and the speech where he first announced his Strategic Defense Initiative, much maligned at the time.  Just recently, a missile was fired successfully.

"Reagan did not believe in co-existence," Meese told his Temecula audience.  "He believed the Soviet Union could be defeated economically."

In a humorous aside, Meese noted that, at discussions with national or world leaders, Reagan would pass his famous jelly beans around.  Meese asked, "Have you ever tried to have a real argument while eating jelly beans?"

Observing the growth of the Temecula area since Reagan owned property here, he remarked, "You never lost your sense of community, even now that you've grown from 5,000 to almost 100,000 people." 

He said Reagan held on to the Temecula land as long as he could, but finally gave up on trying to get water to the property, and eventually went to Santa Barbara.

Note: Friends of Ronald Reagan SP is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer non-profit organization.