FITNESS, VOLUNTEERING A SHARED BOND.

Byline: BETTIE RENCORET Senior columnist

PALMDALE - Santi Tafarella and Reiko Duba are both runners, both widowed, both interested in politics, the welfare of children, women and families, and both are energetic activists for all three causes.

Duba, for instance, serves on the Los Angeles County Commission for Women, appointed by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

As such, she keeps an eye on women's rights and keeps Antonovich informed on significant issues.

She is especially involved on the commission's scholarship program for young girls and women who want to pursue a college education in spite of problems such as pregnancy, substance abuse, a dysfunctional family or other disruptive influences.

One of her goals is to stress health and fitness for women and girls.

She also serves on the advisory board for the Asian-Pacific Women's Network in Los Angeles and, with Tafarella, on the advisory board of Los Angeles County's Acton Rehabilitation Center.

For years the couple have been part of the Al-Impics (Alcohol Olympics) held annually at the College of the Canyons. These are track and field events for recovering alcohol and drug abusers and their families.

Born in Manchuria, Duba met her husband, Ronald, when she was a flight attendant for Canadian Pacific Airlines. Ron Duba, an accomplished track star and UCLA rugby coach, did a lot of flying in connection with his accounting business.

He dedicated half his time to youth projects such as the Stars and Stripes Club, an organization that he founded to assist aspiring athletes. The rest of the time he tended to his international accounting business.

After he and Reiko Kayamari were married, she gave up her flight attendant job and served as his secretary and overseas offices interpreter.

When he died in 1989, Reiko continued to operate the Stars and Stripes Club with the help of friend Ken Matsuda as coach.

Tafarella was born in the Bronx, N.Y., where his father was a well- known trumpet player.

``He was born in Italy,'' said Tafarella, ``and not only did he play for royalty there, but he became renowned as a soloist at New York's Savoy Hotel after he came to America.''

When Tafarella was 7, his family moved to the Los Angeles area.

``Ours was a mixed up family,'' said Tafarella. ``My father already had children by his deceased first wife when he married my mother. She was a lot younger than he was - about 25 years younger - and I was one of his second batch of kids.''

Tafarella is proud of the fact that one of his brothers is Steve Rossi, who teamed with Marty Allen as the comedy team of Allen and Rossi to perform many times on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Tafarella served in the U.S. Army as a radar intelligence specialist in Germany from 1956 to 1958.

He received an associate's degree, then graduated from University of California, Los Angeles, with a bachelor of arts degree in history. After that, he attended the Hastings School of Law for one year and received his law degree from LaSalle Law School. He was licensed to practice law by the California Bar Association in 1970 and maintains his status as an attorney.

Some of his education he earned while working as a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy for seven years, and it continued when he transferred to the county Assessor's Office. He was a real estate appraiser until he retired in 1998. With his sheriff's office tenure, he had chalked up a total of 34 years with the county.

Always a health and fitness advocate, he worked as an assistant manager of a Vic Tanny Gym while he was going to college and was involved with the Stars and Stripes Track Club from 1989 to 1998.

He served as a director of the Boxing World Hall of Fame for five years, was a member of the Antelope Valley Fair Board from 1974 to 1976, served two years on the Salvation Army advisory board and was public relations director promoting boxing for Essex Sports Promotions for another two.

Tafarella was a member of the Lancaster homeless shelter advisory board for Catholic Charities and the Antelope Valley Committee on Aging for two years each.

Currently he is serving on the advisory board of the Antelope Valley Pregnancy Counseling Center.

For many years Tafarella, Duba, Al Black and Don Green have sponsored a Christmas party for foster children served by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. This year they will also have an Easter party at the Essex House.

In June both Tafarella and Duba will participate in the Crown Valley Senior Olympics 2001 games in Pasadena.

Last February they competed in Palm Desert and Duba came home with gold medals in the 3,000 and 1,500 meter runs and the high jump, and silvers in the 800 and 400 meter runs.

Tafarella brought back a silver in the 3,000 meter race walk and a bronze in the 1,500 meter race walk.

``She's much faster than I am. She's always finishing her third lap while I'm just about to start my second one,'' he said with a laugh.

Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster, Palmdale and South Valley have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk for a donation of $2.

Monday: Oven-fried chicken, rice pilaf, spinach, citrus salad, chocolate cake.

Tuesday: Hearty beef stew, corn bread, corn Niblets, coleslaw, cherry Jell-O with peaches.

Wednesday: Turkey with bread dressing, butternut squash, garden salad, juice, apple.

Thursday: Roast pork, sweet potatoes, stewed tomatoes, carrot and raisin salad, grape juice, tapioca pudding.

Friday: Lemon herb baked fish, rice pilaf, peas, coleslaw, Jell-O with fruit.

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Photo:

Palmdale residents Reiko Duba and Santi Tafarella share a commitment to physical fitness, causes and volunteering.

Bettie Rencoret/Staff Photographer