Carlsbad volunteer crafts rustic signs for Carrillo Ranch

By: TOM MORROW - For the North County Times | Sunday, October 7, 2007 11:10 PM PDT ∞

CARLSBAD ---- For Minnesota native George Wooldridge, volunteering comes naturally.

Among his many activities, he recently hand-crafted some 25 rustic signs designating the various points of interest in Carlsbad's historic Leo Carrillo Ranch Park.

"I spent about 125 hours working in my garage workshop making the signs," he said in an unassuming manner. "The Friends of the Carrillo Ranch contributed the money for this project, and I contributed my time and labor."

Wooldridge is just completing his first year as a member of the seven-member Friends board. Since retiring here five years ago after a career as a sales and marking executive in New Jersey, Wooldridge has become involved with a number of volunteer projects. The Friends of the Carrillo Ranch is just the latest.

"I do a lot of volunteer work for my church, the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, as well as the Knights of Columbus," he said.

"George has been a great addition to our board of directors," says Alan Kindle, president. "Our next project we're focusing in on now is the restoration and stabilization of the barn here at the park."

The city has received a matching grant from the federal government to restore the old barn as a movie and video theater, as well as a lecture hall and visitor center.

"The board's primary job right now is to encourage the city to move forward with the barn's restoration," Wooldridge explained.

Included among his other volunteer tasks is annually serving as a shot-link for the Buick Open Invitational Golf Tournament at Torrey Pines. He explained that a "shot-link" involves using a laser to locate a golfer's ball, feeding information back to the media center with a Palm Pilot that gives the ball's distance from the tee and the hole.

"The information is automatically available for the TV commentators to keep the audience informed with the progress of each player," he said.

Wooldridge applied to volunteer for the upcoming U.S. Open golf tournament, which will be held next year at Torrey Pines.

Among his many other activities, Wooldridge is a docent for the Carlsbad Flower Fields and a member of the California Coastal Rose Society.

"We do pruning of roses in a number of public places, including Magee Park and the Flower Fields," he said. "I just finished a five-year term on my homeowner's association board."

Kindle said Wooldridge is about to be "volunteered" in the Friends' annual elementary art program held each year at the Ranch Park.

"We have regular tours for the city's fourth-graders, which results in students being able to draw and paint pictures of the park," Kindle explained. "George will be helping with this year's tours."

Wooldridge also is a volunteer for Endow Carlsbad, also known as the Carlsbad Charitable Foundation.

Summing up his retired life, Wooldridge said that all he's really done is trade a hectic full-time work life for an equally hectic life in retirement.