Help for the 100th

June Casagrande

When Corona del Mar turned 70, Wade Roberts was here. When it turned

90, he helped plan its birthday party. Now the village is turning

100, and Roberts wouldn’t miss it for the world.

“This is such a special community, and the 100th birthday is a

once-in-a-lifetime event,” Roberts said. Roberts is just one of a

battalion of volunteers helping to organize the upcoming Corona del

Mar centennial celebration, which will be held from Oct. 14 to 16.

Roberts’ job is to help plan the black-tie gala, a swanky soiree to

take place at the Four Seasons that will kick off the festivities.

The night will include live entertainment, which Roberts is now

working to line up, fine dining and other elegant activities.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Roberts said.

The volunteer gig is a natural fit. Ten years ago, Roberts helped

arrange the village’s 90th birthday celebration at the Sherman

Library and Gardens, where Roberts has worked for 38 years.

Roberts, 60, a horticulturist and director of the Sherman Gardens,

has been married to Jan for 38 years, and they have two grown

children. He grew up in the Pomona Valley-Chino area, but as a boy,

would visit Corona del Mar to fish. He never dreamed he would one day

call the place home.

“I just love this community,” said Wade Roberts, who is also

active in Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce activities and has

performed a number of volunteer jobs over the years. “Whenever there

has been a cause here in the village I thought was worthwhile, I’ve

always tried to rally around it.”

A couple of times he has installed the chamber of commerce’s flags

on poles on Coast Highway to celebrate holidays.

“Wade is one of those people that you can always depend on

professionally -- and I really respect him for that,” said Peggy

Fort, chairwoman of the Centennial Committee. “He has an understated

way of always putting things in the right perspective and is such a

positive contributor to our committee.”

The centennial celebration will take place over three days with a

historic photo display, a nighttime concert at Big Corona State

Beach, a fireworks display, a beach expo and more.

For more information about the Coronal del Mar centennial

celebration or to volunteer, visit https://www.cdm2004.com or call

Peggy Fort at (949) 675-0501.