Page 1 - The Friday Flyer ● SEPTEMBER 07, 2018

CANYON LAKE’S NEWSPAPER • SEPTEMBER 7, 2018

Firefi ghters respond to brush Quench your thirst Community celebrates
at Lemonade Stand end of summer at

fi re on Labor Day Pg. A5 Fundraiser Pg. A9 Maui Monday Pg. A15

‘Moore’ to life

than Cancer

BY DONNA RITCHIE to any profession they choose, whether they pursue the-
EDITOR, THE FRIDAY FLYER atrical or musical endeavors or something else.”
Ilene Moore is fighting for her Directing is Ilene’s passion because it also encom-
life. The 68-year-old Canyon passes musical direction and choreography. She’s start-
Lake resident is battling limited ed dancing at the age of four and singing at the age of
small cell lung cancer. Fortu- three. “I was quite a dancer in my day,” she said. Ilene
nately, the cancer has not me- picked up singing from her father and has fond memo-
tastasized to other organs in her ries singing harmonies with him at a young age. “I was
body. “Due to the aggressive blessed with his voice. He had a beautiful pitch and tone
nature of a small cell lung can- to his voice,” she recalled.
cer, only about 25 percent of pa- Ilene followed in the footsteps of her parents, who
tients are diagnosed with the disease were both teachers. Her mother, Lois, taught fourth
in the limited stage,” said Ilene. “It’s an grade and started an arts based school at Richman El-
extremely aggressive cancer and can rear ementary School in Fullerton. It’s at the arts school at
its ugly head anywhere and anytime in my Richman where Ilene directed her first play and started
body.” a show choir.
To date, Ilene has had six rounds of che- “My mother introduced me to theater. All I did was
motherapy and 27 radiation treatments. She rehearse and go to singing, drama and dance lessons my
is hopeful about her treatments and beating whole life,” said Ilene. Her mother was her biggest sup-
cancer. “I feel like my time isn’t up yet,” she porter. “She took to me to ballets, plays and everyone of
said. my practices until I learned how to drive.”
Ilene is a longtime resident of Canyon Lake. Ilene’s mother passed away on Wednesday. Due to
She purchased property in “A Little Bit of Para- Ilene’s treatments, she was unable to travel to Las Vegas
dise” in the mid-70s and became a full-time resi- to be with Lois.
dent in 2000. Ilene’s father, Chester, taught fifth and sixth grades at
Although Ilene has no children of her own, she an elementary school in La Habra.
doesn’t feel childless. She has worked with, and He moved to Canyon Lake in the early 70s. His move
touch the lives of, thousands of children, beginning inspired Ilene to purchase property in Canyon Lake.
at the age of 14 when she directed her first school Chester passed away in 2010 at the age of 84.
play. These days, Ilene spends most of her time resting, go-
Ilene worked at Bufferfield Elementary School in ing to the doctor and receiving treatments. She is grate-
Lake Elsinore for 20 years where she taught music, ful for the help she is receiving from her close friends
dance and drama. She also directed a major musical and community. “I could never get through this without
production each year at Butterfield and directed four the help and support of my dearest friends, Dianne Free-
all-district musicals with casts of more than 125 chil- man, Sue Collins, Charlene and Alex Landau, Leslie
dren. Vecchione, Barbara Egbert, my sister Dian, niece Hol-
The former California Institute of Arts student has ly, Fred Sutton, the Canyon Lake Community Theatre
had a passion for theater since the age of nine and has Board of Directors and my old theater group buddies
been involved in more than 200 musicals since 1964. who take me out to cheer me up,” she said.
“I’ve either acted in them, directed, or produced,” she The community also stepped up to help their fellow
said. Ilene also performed two years with the Young Canyon Laker. When it was discovered that Ilene was
Americans, a world renown entertainment group that too weak to clean her home, a call for help was posted
works with children from all over the world. on a community Facebook page. Aprile DeAnne was the
Ilene became involved in the Canyon Lake Com- first to answer the call, which was followed by dozens
munity Theatre group one year after it was formed. She of people offering to help. “My wife and I would love to
has directed annual all-kids plays for the group for the help,” posted Sean Harns. “I’m available to help drive,”
Longtime Canyon past 15 years, bringing her love of theater to the Canyon posted Mickey France. Christine Suzanne offered to
Lake resident Ilene Lake community. pitch in to pay for a cleaning service, Liz Ireland offered
Moore, pictured “My passion has always been working with children. a complimentary facial and Loretta Dudziak and Calista
with her compan- My gift is to nurture and mentor young people so they Magee offered to run errands.
ion Pippa, was re- can expand their talents and gain confidence,” said Ilene. Aprile compiled a list of names and went to work
cently diagnosed “Some of these kids have magic in their souls, and when arranging people in teams. The first team consisted of
with limited small given the freedom of artist expression, they soar. Theater Aprile, Lyne Hall, Dianne Elson and Sunny Warren,
cell lung cancer. gives them life enduring lessons that they can carry over uuCONTINUED PAGE A8