MENTONE - Nestled in this quiet community are businesses hoping to flourish during this tough economy, and one group is on a mission to make that economic success a reality.

The Mentone Area Community Association recently took up the idea at a recent meeting with the goal of luring more business into town and more customers.

To wake the "sleeping giant" - a term that some MACA members use to describe Mentone - the group is brainstorming ideas to bring people to the area, including a theme surrounding the city's rich history, said MACA president and business owner Gabe La Rosa.

"We're wanting to get Mentone on the map, more or less," he said. "For a long time (nothing) has been done to promote businesses in the area.

Mentone Area Community Association president Gabe La Rosa at his store, Mentone Beach Thrift Store in Mentone, on Tuesday. (Micah Escamilla/Correspondent)
But we're working on some things."

One huge thing both Mentone and MACA are looking forward to is bike trails - the Orange Blossom and the proposed trail that will extend along the Santa Ana River to Huntington Beach - that will bring bikers and bodies to the area.

Attracting visitors is key, but La Rosa is hoping the ambiance that Mentone offers will warrant return trips.

"We have a lot of history to the area ... but nobody has done anything to get it exposed," he said. "With the bike trails we'll get our own little park. We don't have a park ... but we're (in discussion)."

La Rosa and his wife, Angie, moved to Mentone five years ago from Crestline.

In Crestline, La Rosa partnered with businesses in the mountain community to hold functions, promote businesses and promote tourism.

When he arrived in Mentone, he joined MACA and was elected president of the organization in 2010 for a three-year term.

"It is hard to get things done in one or two years, but we're working to get things done," he said. "Our part is to do what we have to do to show people that we're not sleeping. We're on the ball, and we're going to get things done. It's all positive."

Mixers are among

Mentone Area Community Association president Gabe La Rosa, left, chats with consignment store/design business owner Fidel Castaneda, center, and Mentone Beach Bar and Grill co-owner Michelle Johns on Tuesday in Mentone. (Micah Escamilla/Correspondent)
the priorities in MACA's plan. It held the first one Aug. 21 at Personalized Designs, where the business and its owner, Fidel Castaneda, were honored.

MACA and Castaneda are planning a second mixer where they will welcome a new business that will open at the end of this month - Mentone Beach Bar and Grill.

Its owner, Michelle Johns, is also a member of MACA.

"I joined MACA because we need to make the economy better ourselves, because we can't always rely on our government," she said.

As part of the organization, Johns is working with members to help do a number of things to clean up the image and grounds of Mentone, she said.

"We are picking up everyone's spirits to get back what we used to be. We want to make it a new Mentone," she said. "Everyone needs a little bit of help. And I'm willing to do whatever I got to do to make Mentone a better place and show this is a community and not just a drive-by city."

To learn more about the organization, contact La Rosa at gabeandangie@aol.com or at MACA, P.O. Box 682, Mentone 92359.

Contact Kristina via email, by phone at 909-793-3221, ext. 317, or on Twitter @TheFactsKris.