LaRue McNamara
LaRue moving; once mighty Home Owners Club calls it quits
LaRue McNamara, who has been a fixture in Canyon Lake ever since she moved here 25 years ago, is bidding the community farewell as she will be moving to the Sun Lakes retirement community in Banning on Wednesday. With her departure, the Canyon Lake Home Owners Club, which LaRue has been almost single-handedly holding together for the past several years, is calling it quits.
LaRue McNamara
The Home Owners Club, which for decades had been arguably the most popular club in Canyon Lake with thousands of members, sponsored several major annual events and raised significant funds to help beautify the community. LaRue served as its president for the last 20 years and saw its many board members either pass away or move outside the community.
The club hosted the annual Candidates Forum, Holiday Home Decorating Contest, Oktoberfest, Marine Band Concert in the Park and many other community events through the years. It contributed regularly to scholarships, Fiesta Days, the Canyon Lake Scholarship Pageant and other worthwhile community projects. Parks in Canyon Lake were financed and constructed by the club.
At the club’s height of popularity, the majority of Canyon Lake residents were members and paid annual dues of $10 per household. The club was the one behind the “A Bit of Paradise” merchandise that it produced and sold. It sponsored the Canyon Lake Residential Directory since the 1980s.
LaRue joined the Home Owners Club soon after moving to Canyon Lake. Eager to become involved, she was elected secretary and then served as president of the club after only about five years in Canyon Lake.
“I have been president of the Home Owners Club for approximately 20 years and served with Cathy Zaitz who always organized the Marine Band Concert at Indian Beach,” LaRue said. “The Marines deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and there went our Concert in the Park. Oktoberfest was a big event that usually took place in early October, which was enjoyed by all…the oompah band was great!”
The Home Owners Club also had a booth at Fiesta Days every year and sold the “A Bit of Paradise” license plates, bags and mugs to help promote the club and Canyon Lake. Canyon Lake and Fiesta Days gear can now be bought online through the Canyon Lake POA at www.clpoa.com/shop.
The Home Owners Club did not renew its sanction with the Canyon Lake POA this year, officially ending its reign as one of the oldest and largest clubs throughout Canyon Lake’s history. It was one of three entities authorized to use the original Canyon Lake POA logo.
LaRue not only served as a central member in the Home Owners Club, but was on the Fiesta Days Committee for over 20 years and several other groups as well.
She moved here with her husband John McNamara so that the two of them could enjoy their retirement together, she said. While she took up golf for a short period of time, John enjoyed fishing. The two were married in 1957 and have four daughters. John passed away in 2004.
“My first plunge into the community was a stint on the Parks and Beaches Committee. I served on that committee for approximately two years,” LaRue said. “I served on Community Patrol for approximately three years.”
LaRue has served on the Fiesta Days Committee, the Veterans Day Committee and National Day of Prayer Committee. She was also very active for years in the Roadrunners Club.
In addition, LaRue has been extremely involved in both the Lions Club (14 years) and the Lioness Club (23 years).
“I joined the Lioness Club in 1997 and I am still an active member of this organization,” she said. “I have enjoyed the service projects we do for our community and others and I consider this to be one of the finest clubs in Canyon Lake.”
LaRue served as the club’s President, Secretary, Bulletin Editor and Treasurer. She served the Lioness District for three years as Lioness Chairperson, then Secretary and Treasurer and Region Chair.
One of LaRue’s fondest memories was being on the board of Honor Flight Southland, a volunteer organization that takes veterans to Washington DC, at no expense to them, to see the monuments built in their honor, she said. She was one of the founders of this organization and served as secretary for five years.
For her dedicated service to the community, LaRue was named the 2015 Canyon Lake Citizen of the Year and the 2002 Volunteer of the Year by the Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce.
It is clear that LaRue McNamara has been involved in and has served the community of Canyon Lake for many years. She has volunteered much of her life to helping residents here, but feels the timing is right to move to her new home in Banning.
“I have had 25 good years in this community and know I will miss my friends and the people here, but it’s time to move on,” LaRue said. “Thank you, Canyon Lake!”