Julian Chamber Goes Hollywood

Julian Town Hall was festive with bright lights and sparkling decorations April 8 for the annual Julian Chamber of Commerce installation dinner. The theme was Old Hollywood.

A few men donned tuxedos, several women wore furs over their fancy evening gowns. Chamber president Mike Menghini was a dead ringer for Groucho Marx, and his wife, Toni, could have passed for Harpo Marx’s double.

Ramona couple Tracy Turner and Dave Jones went as Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in the movie “African Queen.”

Darrel and Carol Kinney of the Julian Journal and Ramona Journal walked in straight out of a 1930s gangster flick.

Mike Menghini, Les Turner, Mike Hart, Randy Myers, Dawn Glass, Kiki Skagen Harris, Renee Engel and Betty Birdsell were sworn in as chamber directors.

County Supervisor Dianne Jacob was unable to attend this year's installation. Ginger Ranck installed board members.

Ramona residents at the gathering included Patty Bell, manager of Rabobank in Julian, and Colleen Baker, librarian at the Julian Library.

Director Dick Thilken and his wife, Mary Ellen, couldn’t make it to the installation ceremony because they were snowed in. Birdsell took some kidding about the unexpected change in weather. The installation is usually held the first week in February. Birdsell, who has chaired the events for many years, decided it would be better to move the event to April. Now she says she will think about June or July for the 2012 installation.