By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Palisades Recreation Center and the Park Advisory Board are hosting a volleyball dedication celebration—honoring the Toppel family—on Thursday, January 18, beginning at 6 p.m.
“Join us to thank [Haldis Toppel and the Toppel family] for their generous donation to make volleyball possible at the rec center,” read a flyer ahead of the event.
Haldis has been a longtime member of Pacific Palisades Community Council and Marquez Knolls Property Owners Association. Her late husband, Kurt, led both boards before he died in February 2018.
Kurt was instrumental in raising almost $2 million and protecting an additional $1 million in Prop A funds to assure the construction of a new gym in Palisades Recreation Center. For this effort he was honored with the Pacific Palisades Citizen of the Year award and the Sparkplug Award.
Their son, Curt, grew up in Marquez Knolls and attended St. Matthew’s before embarking on a prep career at Loyola High School. Playing volleyball at Stanford he led the country as a freshman in kills per game, and was third as a sophomore and fifth as a junior. In 2001 he played on the USA’s World University Games squad that won a gold medal in Beijing, China, and in the summer of 2002, he trained with the U.S. National Team.
Palisades Recreation Center Senior Facility Director Jasmine Dowlatshahi will present a plaque to the Toppel family, and refreshments will be provided by the Park Advisory Board.
The 2024 Spring season at Palisades Recreation Center includes girls minor (born in 2013-14) and girls major (born in 2011-12) volleyball leagues. Evaluations are March 12 and 14, with minors at 6:30 p.m. and majors at 7:30 p.m.
RSVPs for the dedication can be sent to palisadespab@gmail.com. Palisades Recreation Center is located at 851 Alma Real Drive.
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