EDITORIAL

Honoring Albert and Ursula Vera

The city is currently developing plans to rename Bush Way next door to Sorrento Market to honor the memory of Albert and Ursula Vera. Prior plans to name the Culver City Senior Citizens Center after the Veras appears to have been scuttled.

This is a nice start but does not begin to honor them in a way that fully represents all they did for Culver City, and humanity.

Ursula was not a political figure. She did for people out of the goodness of her heart. No one ever left Sorrento Market hungry even if they didn’t have a dime in their pocket. She didn’t just give on holidays, she gave to people every single day of her life.

Albert was a political figure. He was involved and opinionated. Many people agreed with him and many did not. No one can deny however that he always had the best interests of Culver City in his heart and at the top of his agenda. He also gave to people. Food, places to stay, his wisdom and so much more.

The Veras owned homes and retail buildings in our fine city. No one was ever evicted because they were behind on the rent.

When it came to giving we can’t think of one civic organization that was ever denied food for a charitable event. Sometimes we think they gave away more in the store then they sold.

If there were more people in the world like Ursula and Albert there would be no person hungry and no one homeless.

As a 12-year councilman and three-time mayor, Albert was part of the team that was instrumental in securing the funding to build, among other things, the beautiful senior citizens center that provides many important and critical services for our seniors.

These are among the reasons we supported the move to name the center after the Veras two years ago. Many residents supported the move at that that time.

We believe the city should move ahead with the original plan to name the senior center the Culver City Albert and Ursula Vera Senior Citizens Center.

Some day when future generations gaze upon their pictures in the lobby parents and grandparents can tell the story and the young can aspire to make the world a better place just as Albert and Ursula did.

To do less is a dishonor to their memory and Culver City.