Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "fundraising"

NorCal AIDS Cycle Sets New Registration Record

2011-12-16T22:03:58Z

NorCal AIDS Cycle, which raised a record-setting quarter-million dollars for local HIV/AIDS service agencies in 2011, has more than doubled in number of cyclists and crew members leading into the May 2012 ride.

The Sacramento-based four-day, 330-mile HIV/AIDS fundraising ride registered a record number of cyclists and volunteer crew members—85 cyclists and 61 volunteer crew members—in a one-day Dec. 1 World AIDS Day campaign. With another three cyclists signing up since Dec. 1, the 2012 ride, which will be held May 17-20, now has a total of 212 participants registered. In comparison, only 72 cyclists and crew had registered for the 2011 ride as of Dec. 15, 2010.

In a Facebook-organized drive to jump-start their fundraising for 2012, on Dec. 15—which participants dubbed “Throw Down Thursday”—cyclists and crew members raised a total of $5836.58 in a single day.

Even with fewer than 100 cyclists, the 2011 event raised more than $250,000 for regional HIV/AIDS service organizations, 72 percent of which was returned to non-profit organizations in Sacramento, Auburn, Redding and Chico. Each cyclist commits to raising a minimum of $1,500; each crew member to $250.

“This is a remarkably large number of cyclists and volunteers signed up so early, and we expect more people to register over the next few months,” said Emily Tsuchida, a nurse practitioner at Sacramento HIV/AIDS clinic CARES and an NCAC cyclist and board member. “The success of our World AIDS Day registration drive is particularly encouraging at a time when funding is so badly needed for HIV outreach and education, particularly among youth.”

At CARES, which received $50,000 from NCAC for its Positively Speaking outreach program in 2011, 111 people under age 25 currently are being treated for HIV, 99 boys and 12 girls.

An estimated 56,300 adolescents and adults were newly infected with HIV in 2006 in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. There were 111,100 Californians living with HIV as of June 30, 2011, according to the California Office of AIDS. There are some 5,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Sacramento region, according to CARES—an estimated 1,000 of whom are unaware they are infected.

Craig Spatola, executive director of Sacramento-based Breaking Barriers, which provides people living with HIV/AIDS with transportation to medical appointments and Rapid HIV Testing and Prevention services, said NCAC funding has been vital to his agency at a time when government funding sources have been severely reduced. “With cutbacks in funding for HIV/AIDS organizations at the federal, state and local levels, private fundraising efforts such as NorCal AIDS Cycle are literally what is keeping agencies like ours, and the individuals we serve, alive. We wouldn’t be open today if not for the support of NCAC. It is amazing what a small group of dedicated people can accomplish!” said Spatola, who has crewed NorCal AIDS Cycle since the ride’s inception in 2005.

NorCal AIDS Cycle supports organizations throughout Northern California working to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to care for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in the region and works to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS, the needs of the community and the benefitting organizations. For more information about NorCal AIDS Cycle, or to register for the 2012 ride, visit http://www.norcalaidscycle.org.

Disclosure: Bonnie Osborn is a writer and PR professional working on behalf of NorCal AIDS Cycle.

Winter Sanctuary, Sacramento’s Interfaith Homeless Shelter, Experiencing Critical Funding Gap

2011-11-21T18:59:39Z

Winter Sanctuary, Sacramento’s interfaith, rotating homeless shelter, is currently facing a substantial gap in its budget. The program, which nightly shelters 100 homeless adults, is set to open on December 1st and run through March 31st. However, the program will not be opening on December 1st if the funding gap is not significantly narrowed.

Christie Holderegger, Vice President of Volunteers of America, spoke of the urgent need for this program, “Our neighbors are experiencing homelessness for a variety of reasons and many for the first time. They are looking to us, all of us to help them out of this desperate situation. As a community we can reach and uplift them. We saw hundreds of lives changed last year through Winter Sanctuary, both homeless guests and volunteers.”

Winter Sanctuary began in winter 2010 as a collaborative effort between Sacramento Steps Forward, Volunteers of America and local interfaith congregations. The program brought together local faith congregations, 24 to be exact, who stepped up to host their homeless neighbors and provide shelter, meals, and a welcoming community.

From December through March, a total of 550 unduplicated guests were served through the program, 24 congregations participated and over 2,000 community volunteers lent a hand.

“Winter Sanctuary is truly a successful model of community collaboration at its best. This program demonstrates how constituents from many different areas of our community can come together to help our neighbors,” said Ben Burton, Executive Director of Sacramento Steps Forward.

A volunteer from St. Mark’s United Methodist Church remarked on their experience as a host congregation, “The media constantly bombards us with statistics of the millions of persons in pain and hurting and we have a tendency to throw up our hands and say we can do nothing to make things better. But we had an opportunity in the two periods hosting Winter Sanctuary to affect the lives of a few people in a profound way.”

Yet the funding gap remains, and if not off-set will have an immediate, negative impact on the program’s start date, as well as the 100 homeless folks who could have come inside to escape Sacramento’s cold, wet and rainy winters.

HOW TO GIVE:

Sacramento Steps Forward is encouraging the community to donate. To make a tax-deductible donation, visit their website at SacramentoStepsForward.org and click the red ‘DONATE’ button to be taken to their secure Pay-Pal site.

*We would like to thank the following foundations and donors for supporting Winter Sanctuary: Sacramento Region Community Foundation, the Sierra Health Foundation, the Winn Foundation (with help from Supervisor Phil Serna), the River District, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and the Teichert Foundation. Individual donors have graciously contributed almost $4,000, and Fremont Presbyterian Church contributed $1,500. The Wal-Mart Foundation donated 300 sleeping bags.

Disclosure: Kate Towson is an Americorps VISTA serving with Sacramento Steps Forward.

Racing for a Reason: Melissa Bierer

2011-11-14T18:42:29Z

Lace up your shoes, Sacramento -- the 18th annual Run to Feed the Hungry is only a couple weeks away!

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) encourages you to be part of Sacramento's Thanksgiving tradition. The 5K and 10K fun run and walk launches from Sacramento State, 6000 J St., on Thanksgiving morning. With 30,000 participants expected to be involved, you are guaranteed a morning of fun with family and friends.

Every week up until then, we will interview a new Run to Feed the Hungry runner. We will ask a handful of different past and present runners the same questions. We have found that people are motivated by many different reasons to be involved in this incredible event.

There is still time to sign up to participate and help keep this the largest Thanksgiving Day run in the country. Go to the Run to Feed the Hungry website for more information and ways to register. We hope to see you there!

Name: Melissa Bierer
Occupation: Senior Supply Chain Analyst at Vision Service Plan (VSP)

The Sacramento Press: How many years have you been doing the run?
Melissa Bierer: I was trying to figure that out when I registered this year. I tried to look back at the team pics, but couldn't find them. I think it's been 6 years.

SP: How many people do you run or walk with?
MB: We have a core group of 5-8 people each year that complete the event together. I pull together a group of at least 10 people from work each year, but we typically complete the event at different levels. In the past, we formed teams of more than 20 to participate in the event.

SP: Do you run or walk outside the event?
MB: It depends on who I am doing the event with, but we typically do a run/walk combo, bobbing and weaving through the crowd. Other times, we walk the entire event and enjoy the company and scenery.

SP: What motivates you to be part of this cause?
MB: It's amazing how many people take time out on Thanksgiving, which is already a busy time, to help support the community. I believe in what Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services does for the community and am proud to participate in this event each year.

SP: What is your favorite thing about Run to Feed the Hungry?
MB: Pulling together friends to do the run and the feeling of community within the crowd.

SP: Do you have a favorite t-shirt design from over the years?
MB: It was cool when we pulled together teams and they put our team names on the back of the shirts. I liked that they changed to micro-fiber last year. I have used that shirt several times as a layer when snowboarding.

SP: What are you most thankful for this year?
MB: I am thankful for my friends and family, my good health and having a job that I enjoy. It sounds cliche, but those really are the things that matter in life.

Beyond the Bake Sale

2011-05-27T08:31:54Z

Each year, parents are asked to bake cupcakes; sell wrapping paper, sees candies,magazines, cookie dough, and entertainment books, and all for the one thing our State undervalues most - public education. With education funding in California challenging other States for the lowest of the low, parents are forced to reach into their wallets, again and again and again to support their child's school. At its inception, Westlake Charter School decided that it would forego the frequent traditional small fundraisers in exchange for three large fundraisers; a golf tournament, student olympics, and ...well that has been the problem... that third large fundraiser. No matter what we did, we never made as much as the other fundraisers, and we found the parents to be burnt out and ready for school to end. We realized that if we wanted to fundraise effectively, we would need to create an event for the entire City to enjoy.

With that goal in mind, we axed the bake sale, added alcoholic beverages, rented a City Park, and found a famous band. The School's out For Summer Fest is born! This year, Westlake Charter School is hoping to entertain the City and support the success of its School, by throwing an all day music festival with 10 local bands competing "battle of the bands" style followed by a performance by headlining band, Alien Ant Farm. The local bands will compete by selling the most tickets to the event and receiving votes at the event -- the winning band will receive $3000!

On June 11th, Westlake Charter School is hoping that 5,000 attendees will join them from noon-10 p.m. at the Soutside Park Amphitheater (at 6th & U) for music, food, beverages (alcoholic and non), kids activities, merchandise vendors, and hopefully some sunshine! Parking is available in the Farmer's Market lots and SABA will be providing bike valet services at the event.

Westlake Charter School, is a California public school and non-profit public benefit corporation. A 10/10 ranked school, Westlake Charter School offers grades K-6 (growing to K-8 by 2014) and is in the Natomas Unified School District. The money raised in this fundraiser will support the maintenance of those things that make the School unique, small class size, Spanish language, art, and international themes. For more information, check out http://www.schoolsoutforsummerfest.com. Submitted by a parent at Westlake Charter School, Lisa Corr.

KISS to play Walk 'N Rock For Kids fundraiser

2011-05-25T05:07:03Z

Music lovers and philanthropists alike will have the chance to see legendary rock band KISS perform live at this year’s annual Walk ‘N Rock For Kids fundraiser on May 29 at Raley Field.

The combination concert and 5K walk event is hosted by the Hope Productions Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to “provide resources to children and youth charities to ensure sustainability, viability and awareness,” according to its website.

The foundation provides marketing and fundraising training to area nonprofits at no charge in an effort to aid in their ongoing success.

This is the third year that the Hope Productions Foundation will host Walk ’N Rock For Kids. Last year, Walk ’N Rock For Kids raised $800,000 in cash and services for 16 youth-serving nonprofits, according to Amelia Marquis, spokeswoman for the Hope Productions Foundation and one of the event’s organizers.

This year, the event will raise funds for 22 children’s charities, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, Keaton Raphael Memoria l and Lighthouse Counseling & Family Resource Cente r.

The day’s activities are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. with a 5K walk that will begin and end at Raley Field and take participants across Tower Bridge, to the Capitol and through Westfield Downtown Plaza.

Marquis said that in the past, walking teams have gotten crafty and created their own T-shirts to identify themselves as a part of a specific group.

Back at Raley Field, there will be food, games for the kids and more live music until noon.

Guitar Hero and Rock Band stations will be set up, courtesy of Best Buy. Each of the 22 participating children’s charities will host its own booth featuring activities and information.

Marquis said that organizers expect to have 7,500 participants in this year’s walk, including families, local businesses and corporate sponsors like Wells Fargo, Sacramento Business Journal and Sactown Magazine, among others.

As the day’s festivities give way to the evening, KISS will take the stage at Raley Field for its only California performance of the year. Those participants who raise $500 for the charity of their choice during the day will receive a free ticket to the concert, Marquis said.

At 8 p.m., The Miles Schon Band will open the show with Lara Johnston on vocals. Johnston, whose first on-stage performance was at 2 years old with her dad’s band The Doobie Brothers, describes her vocal style as “honest” and “from the heart.”

“It’s powerful to know that people who hear my music have had similar experiences and we can connect in that way.”

Johnston noted Aretha Franklin, Paramore and Beyoncé are all musical influences of hers and that she has a “big soft spot for soul music.”

She said she is excited to open for KISS, a band that she described as “iconic,” and added that growing up, it was a goal of hers to embody the kind of showmanship that they offer their audiences.

Johnston also opened for last year’s Walk ‘N Rock headliner Sammy Hagar and said she is glad to be involved with the Hope Productions Foundation’s efforts in helping local children’s charities again this year.

“I was really blessed to have a good childhood and I think every child should have the same chance.”

Local band Big Boss Graffiti will also hit the stage to deliver their brand of 70s inspired rock that the band describes as “edgy with a dance vibe” on its Facebook page.

Those KISS fans looking to experience the concert in style can purchase VIP tickets for $1,000, the proceeds of which will benefit Hope Production Foundation’s nonprofit partners.

According to event organizer Ancelle Contreras, purchase of a VIP ticket provides concertgoers with access to an exclusive VIP reception area with a bar, appetizers provided by Ovations and The Supper Club and live entertainment by the Blackeyed Dempseyes, as well as table seating during the concert.

VIP guests will also be offered a three-course gourmet dinner prior to the concert, prepared by an array of local eateries, including Revolution Wines, Bistro Michel and Mezzo Restaurant. Desserts and coffee will be provided courtesy of Karen’s Bakery, Lounge on 20 and Bella Bru Cafe and Catering.

KISS concert tickets can be purchased by the general public at ticketmaster.com.

Walkers can register online or the morning of the event at Raley Field, starting at 7 am. The cost of registration for the walk is free for children under 5, $10 for youth under 17 and $20 for adults. All registered walkers will receive a commemorative Walk ’N Rock For Kids baseball hat.

Fashion and Philanthropy Join Forces During “Girls’ Night Out” Event

2011-05-11T21:47:09Z

Wellspring Women’s Center announced today they are launching a new fundraiser to raise money to support the organization and its mission to provide community services to women and children.

Wellspring’s first annual Girls’ Night Out event will be held on June 16, 2011 at Plaza Five Fifty Five at 555 Capitol Mall in Downtown Sacramento from 5:30pm to 8pm. Event attendees will catch the latest in hot summer fashions with a fashion show courtesy of local Sacramento area boutiques like Serendipity Boutique, Sequels Consignment Boutique, and Runway Boutique.

“We are very excited to introduce a new fundraising event to benefit Wellspring Women’s Center,” said Sister Judy Illig, Executive Director, Wellspring Women’s Center. “We believe we are Sacramento’s best kept secret in the nonprofit community, and with this new event our mission is to educate the community at large about the critical community services we offer to women and their children, as well as raise funds for our important cause.”

The event is also being supported by local businesses that will feature exclusive shopping opportunities in health, beauty and wellness. Attendees will find unique buys from The Pink House, Time to Be Fit, Cookie Lee Jewelry, Nerdy Dog, Lisa Silva Jewelry, Mellow-Me-Out, To Jewels With Love, Maribou Boutique and Salon, Bags U Love and more! Each item sold will help benefit Wellspring.

“AT&T is proud to be a sponsor of Wellspring Women’s Center Inaugural Girls’ Night Out event,” said Tim Ray, Executive Director, AT&T External Affairs. “AT&T has been a long and proud supporter of nonprofit organizations, such as Wellspring, who work tirelessly in our local Sacramento community to provide much needed community services to those in need. With the help of supporters and event attendees, we’re excited to further assist the organization as it transforms women and their children to flourishing members of society.”

Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased online at www.wellspringwomen.org or by calling 916-454-9688 x 205. In addition to the fashion show and shopping, the ticket price also includes access to wonderful raffle items, tasty appetizers from House Kitchen & Bar and much more.

For 25 years, Wellspring has been a beacon of light in a neighborhood known more for its troubles than its triumphs. Programs include a warm and nutritious breakfast meal served five days a week from 7:30 through 11:30 a.m. During 2010, over 45,000 meals were prepared and served largely by a volunteers who travels from neighboring suburbs as far as Roseville, Rancho Murieta, and Folsom, drawn by the unique program which treats people as ‘guests’ instead of ‘client numbers’.

For More Information Online
Web Site Links
www.wellspringwomen.org

About Wellspring Women’s Center
Founded in 1987, Wellspring Women’s Center is a community agency that helps women and their children get from simply surviving to thriving. Services include free counseling and case management, yoga classes in English and Spanish, parenting classes, domestic violence workshops and much more. Follow Wellspring Women’s Center on Facebook for more details.

Dora Lorenzo is a member of Wellspring Women's Center Board of Directors and the Event Committee Chair.

Keith Lowell Jensen: Comedy with a deadline!

2011-04-18T21:17:09Z

By Amy Serna

Keith Lowell Jensen has 21 days and counting.

But by the time you read this he will have even less time than that to get strangers to pledge $2,250 for his new project.

His new live stand-up comedy CD and DVD called “Cats Made of Rabbits” is a project that will only be funded if he raises that much money before the “expiration date.”

But back in the day, before this stand-up comedian, from Sacramento, California was filming a comedy DVD, he found his love for comedy when he worked as a promoter for the Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation.

“Mike noticed that I always watched him really carefully when he was MC'ing the shows and so he just shoved me on stage one night and I did his material,” Jensen explained over the phone. “I didn't do my own material. But I just fell in love with it. I kept doing it and each time I would come up with a couple of jokes of my own, to mix in with his and in no time at all I was off and running.”

Once Jensen was “off and running” he developed a unique comedy style.

“I'd like to think that's it's fairly intelligent and honest, those are the two words that I'm most flattered to hear people use when they describe my comedy,” Jensen said.

Jensen is using an online program to fund his latest live comedy CD and DVD, “Cat's Made of Rabbits.” Kickstarter, an online program where any artist from around the world can start their own creative project, is a new way to fund projects online, so it has the ability to spread quickly and virally around the web. But there is a catch. Kickstarter lives by the “all-or-nothing” mentality. If the artist does not raise their intended money goal by the expiration date, they see no money. In Jensen's case if all $2,250 is not pledged by Friday, May 6 at 8:00 P.M. EDT.

“If I reached that last date and we haven’t met our goal then no one's credit cards gets charged, Jensen said. “Everyone keeps their money.”

Despite the pressure to make his goal, one of the reasons that Jensen decided to choose Kickstarter was for the cover art work of the CD and DVD, which is a painting, taken from an animal rights show by Jacquelyn Bond. It is a creative piece of art work that shows naked bodies with rabbits heads applying make up.

“I had two labels that were looking at possibly releasing the album and the bigger one, the one that's actually a corporate label, and soon as they saw it they were like, 'No, no, no, absolutely not,” said Jensen over the phone while laughing. “It was kind of like being able to use that album cover is my consolation prize for not signing with a big label.”

Although Jensen has an urgent time limit, he views Kickstarter as a tool to help independent artists get their projects out there.

“It's one more amazing way where the internet and social networking are powering individuals,” Jensen explained.

Although he is not signed with a major label, he had help from an independent label that is based in Citrus Heights California called, Apprehensive Films. His newest project,“Cats Made of Rabbits” was filmed and recorded live in California at an independent comedy club, the Sacramento Comedy Spot.

“And the truth is from watching other people's Kickstarters, you raise a lot more in the last week when the urgency really is there,” Jensen added. “So the fact that we're so on track now is actually a really good sign.”

And remember what you pay is what you get. Just $1 is the minimum amount to pledge and the sky is the limit on the maximum. Here are how some of the different dollar amounts vary:

* $1 or more Jensen will send his “undying love and gratitude.”

* $5 or more, an autographed photo of Jensen's colon.

* $10 or more you can choose been Jensen's 2009 comedy CD “To the Moon” or “Funnier Than God” a CD from a sketch group called “I Can't Believe It's Not Comedy.”

* $15 or more lands you the “Cats Made of Rabbits” CD.

* $25 or more, the “Cats Made of Rabbits” DVD.

* $35 or more gets you the “Cat's Made Of Rabbits” DVD and CD.

* $45 or more, the “Cats Made of Rabbits” CD, DVD, and a copy of “To The Moon” CD

* $100 or more lands you the “super package” which includes “Cats Made of Rabbits” CD, DVD, the Double Plus Good Box set, one autographed promotional poster, and 2 VIP passes to any of Jensen's live shows this year.

* $500 or more, includes 2 copies of “Cats Made of Rabbits” on CD and DVD, one Double Plus Good Box set, one autographed promotional poster, and 4 VIP passes to any of Jensen's live shows this year. But if someone does pledge this much Jensen, who doesn't “ really enjoy intoxication” promises to get drunk on camera just for you.

* $1,500 or more! This large sum includes; “Cats Made of Rabbits” CD, DVD, one Double Plus Good Box set, one autographed promotional poster, 2 VIP passes to any of Jensen's live shows this year, and Jensen will perform a show for you at the venue of your choice.

Jensen not only hopes to raise the set goal but hopes to raise beyond that to help fund advertising and a comedy tour. Help make Keith's dream a reality by visiting:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/larrybrand/cats-made-of-rabbits-live-comedy-cd-dvd

Amy Serna is a contributing writer for AmericasComedy.Com, (formerly SacramentoComedy.Com), the official guide to the Sacramento comedy scene. This website is dedicated to comedian interviews, comedy news, comedian biographies and videos for your convenience. You can send your questions directly to The Comedy Guy at Steven@AmericasComedy.Com.

One Farm at a Time: Co-ops come together to save local farmland

2011-03-15T04:04:08Z

In a small family acreage in nearby Capay Valley, farmers Annie and Jeff Main have worked their land for more than 30 years so they may provide diverse, organic produce to the local community.

But the threat of increasing costs, commercial development and their approaching retirement motivated the Mains to take action and collaborate with the community to preserve their farm, Good Hummus Produce. Starting about 10 years ago, the Mains have devoted themselves to not only preserving their own land, but making all family-operated farmland accessible and affordable for future generations.

Realizing the challenge that the community faces as the owners of local organic farms reach retirement age, Paul Cultrera, general manager of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op (SNFC), and Eric Stromberg, general manager of the Davis Natural Foods Co-op (DFC), formed the One Farm at a Time program, focusing their first effort on Good Hummus Produce.

Starting quietly last spring, the campaign’s mission is to raise funds to save the local farms such as Good Hummus that supply their market with fresh food, as well as form awareness and strong relationships between co-op customers and local farmers.

“I’m from Massachusetts, and when I grew up, I lived with the results of what could happen here. I mean the farms aren’t there anymore. And it sort of hit me,” Cultrera said. “Here we are in this incredibly fertile part of the country. You can basically grow anything here. And we’ve got all these great farmers who’ve spent 30-40 years building up the soil and building these relationships with their communities, and it could all go away.

“It’s in our co-op’s best interest to support these farms, because if those farms aren’t there, we’re not going to have the food,” he added.

The solution that the Mains helped form to these various agricultural and economic challenges came in the form of an easement, which, with the support of national and local land trust, would put limitations on how the land can be used, protecting it from development. In addition, an easement would allow younger farmers to purchase the land and farm it for its agricultural value, which at the Good Hummus Farm would be $100,000 – 200,000, a much more affordable price than its commercial price given to developers. With eight farmers over 65 years of age for every farmer under 35, the easement will allow retired farmers to pass along their land to younger farmers eager to take it over and learn from generations of organic farming.

“Jeff turns 60 this year, and I’m 58, and we have some years left, but the question is, if our kids aren’t going to do it, who is?” Annie Main said of their retirement. “What we’re trying to do is create a family infrastructure that can be passed on. If a family doesn’t exist, then we create the family.”

Lacks of government money inspired the Mains and Cultrera to seek their own funding. Good Hummus Farm, with the help of the Davis and Sacramento co-ops, raised about $150,000 in funds from mainly individual donations.

“As painful as it is, we felt that that’s what we want because it’s community support and belief of what we’re doing and what can happen that’s important,” Main said.

Based on cooperative economics, the co-ops invited their customers to support the campaign by donating at the co-op register or online or by purchasing SNFC and DFC One Farm at a Time merchandise such as a piggy bank children can fill up with coins and return to the co-ops.

In addition, several co-op suppliers gave grants to underwrite the campaign startup costs, and so far, vendors Equal Exchange Coffee, Straus, Lundburg Family Farms, Organic Valley and Veritable Vegetable have agreed to donate proceeds from their products sold at the co-ops.

Cultrera has carried this vision strongly throughout the local community.

“We’re not just trying to raise money, we’re trying to build a community. We’re trying to have our customers have a stake in saving farms,” he said.

Upon local success of One Farm at a Time, the campaign could be replicated nationally as co-ops and farms across the country partner together to reach a greater audience and to preserve farmland.

"The bottom line is, it’s not just us...It’s one farm and then the next," Main said. "If we don’t do this, I believe that we’re going to see a lot of small farms disappear.

"A lot of farms are watching what we’re doing and waiting to see how it works. But you do things that you believe in...and you want to see it completed."

LGBTQ Homeless Youth Fundraiser

2011-03-11T00:54:30Z

Homeless in America come in all colors, all ages and their number continues to grow. Homelessness in Sacramento is also on the rise. This past Tuesday, March 8, 2011 a fundraising reception was held at Beatnik Studios for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) homeless youth of Sacramento.

The humanitarian issue of homelessness is addressed differently depending on the areas that it affects. In Sacramento and other cities little has been done to meet the needs and challenges of the LGBTQ homeless youth.

These challenges are being addressed by the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center along with individuals and community groups. As a result The Sacramento LGBTQ Homeless Youth Initiative was created by these groups to address this issue.

Guests at the Beatnik Studios mingled while enjoying Michael “Custom Chef” Shugert’s catering. As I enjoyed the food I chatted with Roy Bishop and partner Bill Johnson. Roy and I talked about Los Angeles as it turned out we grew up around the same area down in Watts and East L.A. Mr. Bishop lived around the skid row area in L.A. around 5th and Main Streets. It’s unfortunate but that area is still considered skid row.

As Mr. Bishop talked about L.A. he reminisced about living in the downtown L.A. area during in the Zoot Suit time period. Having an older sister in Sacramento he made the move up here during adolescence where he went to school in Sacramento and Woodland. He’s been here ever since.

Roy Bishop was there to support the fundraising and pointed out some of the dignitaries on hand. He identified Wendy Hill for me. Wendy is the Executive Director of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center. Roy indicated that she was going to be moving on to work at the State Legislature.

After a while Wendy Hill took the microphone to welcome guests at the event. “My name is Wendy Rae Hill; I’m the outgoing Executive Director at the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center. I’m so happy and welcome to all of you here tonight. It’s amazing to see this turnout.” said Wendy as she introduced herself and talked about the event.

A new initiative in Sacramento called the Homeless LGBTQ Youth Initiative brought guests to the event. Wendy also indicated that the co-chair of this event was Paul Curtis. “I started the center last May,” Wendy said as she gave a short background history. “Over the summer I noticed as I was coming to the center and opening up. There was about 6 to 8 young people that identified themselves as LBGT that would grab their backpacks and their belongings off the back deck and scamper away for a few hours and then sometime during the day came in to the bathroom and clean up or just hang out.” Wendy said.

Wendy said that she decided that instead of just closing her eyes to this she decided to act on what she saw. Wendy invited them in and talked to them about their circumstances. Sitting with these young people Wendy learned a lot about this special population of LGBT youth and young adults.

“I asked them to go around and count the number of their friends that they know of who are in that transition age, that 18 to 24 age group.” Wendy said. She indicated that there are approximately 32 youths in the Midtown area that fit the category. Wendy and Paul got together with other community leaders and talked about solutions to this problem.

This group talked about the services needed to be provided in the Midtown area for these homeless youth. Common characteristics were evaluated and Wendy indicated that “Most of them were either kicked out by their families or had to get out of their home at about age 18. Many were not prepared to be on their own. Few of them had a family history of poverty or homelessness meaning that once they were out on their own they had no idea what to do.For this youth the coping skills were just not there."

“It was their orientation or gender identity that was the reason why they no longer had that family.” Wendy said as she talked about this group of the homeless population. “The last common characteristic common for this group was that one of the reasons their parents, their family sited for kicking them out or pushing them out was religion.”

Wendy continued and said they identified that most of these kids, unless they were in the child welfare system or homeless system, prior to age 18 there are very few services available to them. She said, “That’s where tonight comes in. This fundraiser tonight is essentially raising the seed funds to move forward with a number of problem areas.”

Problem areas identified to be worked on were: creating an assessment system to evaluate needs, build a host housing program and provide support for the hosts that house young people. Creation of a Service Provided Training for these LGBT youths. Life Skills Training classes are also needed, as is the creation a mentoring and job training program, an emergency fund, a P.R./Communications program and fundraising.

Paul Curtis thanked those who helped put together the program. “We had a goal at the beginning,” said Paul. “The goal was, I thought, let’s see if we can raise 15 to 20 thousand dollars. I’m proud to say tonight that we met our goal.” Paul said and received cheers and applause from the audience. Paul indicated that in these economic times it’s hard to ask for funds and said, “It shows that our community really wants to embrace issues like this where there’s a huge need in our community.”

Paul thanked honorary co-chair and new County Supervisor Phil Serna. Mary Hernandez who donated the remaining campaign funds from her run for the City School Board election try was also recognized as one of the main contributors. Mary came on stage to say, “I wanted to thank the LGBT community because really you were my rock, you were my base when it came down to hitting the streets and help spread the word. First of all thank you very everything that everybody did on behalf of me and on behalf of my campaign.” Her contribution was appreciated and the guests thanked her.

Paul Curtis thanked the many individuals and organizations for their donations and acknowledged them for their contributions. He later continued, “This is just the start of the program, we have a long way to go. This gives us the seed money. The goal for this program is not keep it going with a community fundraiser every year, we’ll do something like this, but it will important that we out to the State and Federal Grants.”

Shahera Hyatt, Consultant, California Homeless Youth Project was introduced. Shahera has written her research brief; “Struggling to Survive: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning Homeless Youth on the Streets of California” and is available on the California Homeless Youth Project web page.

Shahera informed the audience that copies of her report were available in a couple of areas in the building. “We know that in the state of California up to 200,000 youth experience homelessness over the course of a year. Up to 40% of them identify as LGBTQ. In researching this report I not only consulted literature on this population but also interviewed LGBTQ homeless youth themselves but also the service providers across the state.” She wanted to get a better picture on the unique challenges and strengths of this group, her findings can be found on the very interesting brief she wrote.

Wendy came back on stage to thank sponsors and remarked that the program will also require volunteers to share their expertise. Wendy pointed out that volunteer sheets were around the studio for those that wished to sign up.

Wendy invited Supervisor Serna to say a few words before the. “I’m very energized this evening to play a very small part of this great effort.” Serna said. He talked about his efforts to address homelessness in the Sacramento area but specifically around the American River Parkway. “I’m very honored to be associated with this effort and what I would like to do in the interest of being very proactive. I would like to set a new goal tonight if it’s okay. I would like to commit to raising at least another $5,000 by the end of April.” Serna said and received many cheers. “But that means everyone in this room has the commitment to collectively match that.”

The challenge was issued and Serna ended by saying, “You need to reach out to your friends, colleagues, workers and family members to help me match that so we can raise an additional $10,000 by the end of April.”

With the final comments made the food and drink areas acquired more visitors. New friends and contacts were made and the opportunity to meet people involved in the LGBT community ended the evening. Janice Steele, Pastor, of the Imani Community Church was on hand and we talked about the event. Her church is on 2100 J Street and said that the LGBT community is welcome to attend where they can meet people who are willing to offer support and, as their motto says, “Practice Radical Hospitality.”

New initiatives, information and websites regarding the LGBTQ (and non-LGBTQ) homeless community can be found at the following sites:

Cahomelessyouth.library.ca.gov
cahomelessyouth.library.ca.gov/docs/pdf/StrugglingToSurviveFinal.pdf
www.SacCenter.org
www.sacramentostepsforward.com
www.endhomelessness.org
http://www.calyouth.org

Racing for a Reason: Paul Kessler

2010-11-22T20:51:01Z

Lace up your shoes, Sacramento -- the 17th annual Run to Feed the Hungry is only a couple days away.

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) encourages you to be part of a Thanksgiving tradition. The 5K and 10K fun run and walk launches from Sacramento State, 6000 J St., on Thanksgiving morning. With 30,000 participants expected to be involved, you are guaranteed a morning of fun with family and friends.

Every week up until then, we will interview a new Run to Feed the Hungry runner. We will ask six different past and present runners the same questions. We have found that people are motivated by many different reasons to be involved in this incredible event.

There is still time to sign up to participate. Go to the Run to Feed the Hungry website for more information and ways to register.

Name: Paul Kessler
Occupation: Student, Sacramento Country Day School

The Sacramento Press: How many years have you been doing the run?
Paul Kessler: Since I was six or seven (I’m 18 now).

SP: How many people do you run with?
PK: I usually run with a friend or two from school.

SP: Do you run or walk outside the event?
PK: I play soccer and basketball so I run a lot.

SP: What motivates you to be part of this cause?
PK: Just helping the community; SFBFS is a great organization.

SP: What is your favorite thing about Run to Feed the Hungry?
PK: Joining with thousands of other people who want to see hunger come to an end.

SP: Do you have a favorite t-shirt design from over the years?
PK: I don’t know.

SP: If you could make one wish this year on Thanksgiving, what would it be?
PK: That everyone could get a hot Thanksgiving dinner (and that I get into the University of Maryland).

SP: What are you most thankful for this year?
PK: The people who have helped me with my college applications, like late nights working on essays and people who wrote recommendation letters for me.

Below is a statement from Paul's college application about Run to Feed the Hungry and his school’s fundraising team.

“Paul, it’s 5:45, time to get up.”

Thanksgiving morning always starts early with a 5K run. My family and I participate in the Run to Feed the Hungry with thousands of fellow citizens in support of Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.

In eighth grade, I pitched the idea of a Sacramento Country Day fundraising team to Student Council by stressing the importance of helping our community.

Our first year, we raised over $5,000, the most in the Sacramento area, as the first school-based team ever. We responded with three more excellent years, winning the fundraising trophy each year and raising $34,000 in total.
Our impressive results spurred fifteen other schools to form teams. The local NBC affiliate even interviewed us.

In addition to fundraising, this year’s goal is to ensure continuity. I have stepped aside as captain to mentor another student so our team keeps the chalice for years to come.

Sister and brother filmmakers work to make second film in Placerville – Utilize new fundraising site for grassroots artists

2010-11-03T17:38:43Z

Honored at film festivals nationwide, the independently produced and locally filmed “Elsa Letterseed,” has far exceeded its modest beginnings.

Gathering up no-longer-needed clothes, books and other items collecting dust in closets, Northern California sister and brother duo Sarah C. Kreutz and Paul A. Kreutz funded their first film project’s tiny budget on garage sales.

Over the course of two years, the funds needed were raised while filming took place in Placerville over three-day weekends.

“Garage sales are probably not the most conventional way to fund a film, but we were eager to get the project off the ground, and the timing was right. We had to get creative to raise money,” Sarah Kreutz said.

Six years later, the Kreutzes are gearing up to make their second film – a ghost story called “Gardner & Wells.” Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s philosophy “You can get an audience worried terribly without any violence,” Sarah Kreutz said she wants to make a “classic gothic ghost story.”

“I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I want to see a ‘frightening’ movie, but I don’t want to see blood and gore,” Sarah Kreutz said.

As with the first film, the Kreutzes have chosen Placerville, a town with many of its own ghost stories, to be the filming site. Sarah Kreutz said independent filmmaking in the Sacramento region is unique: “People here are not jaded by movie-making. The process is still fresh and exciting to them. From acquiring locations to getting permits, most everyone is so very helpful.”

But when it comes to funding this project, the Kreutzes are going a different direction this time around. Like many grassroots artists, they are utilizing social media and the threshold-based pledge website kickstarter.com.

Kickstarter facilitates the gathering of funds to back a variety of creative arts projects through a new type of fundraising platform dubbed “crowdfunding.” The project creator determines a target minimum of funds and a deadline by which the funds must be raised. People who want to support artistic endeavors pledge whatever amount they choose.

If the project creator’s target amount is not reached by the set deadline, no money is collected or distributed. According to the Kickstarter website, the “all-or-nothing” funding approach involves less risk for everyone involved and motivates people to work to get their projects funded.

"We know there’s a chance we will run up against the deadline to fund the project, but we want to spread the word about our feature film to a large audience because we know this is a fun ghost story they'll want to see. This was the way to do that,” Sarah Kreutz said.

To date, more than 3,000 projects have been funded through Kickstarter. One example of local success: In September, Walking Spanish, a Sacramento-based independent rock band, funded its second album by raising $10,405 – 104% of its goal.

The Kreutzes need to raise $12,500 to subsidize the creation of “Gardner & Wells.” They’ve raised 91 percent of their goal and have 11 days left to raise the remaining $1,045. Their deadline is 4:56 p.m. Nov. 14.

“I grew up watching spooky movies and love watching ghost stories on a rainy afternoon, but there are very few modern stories available. I really believe there is a huge audience out there hungry for what we want to give them: a classic gothic ghost story,” Sarah Kreutz said.

For more information on “Gardner & Wells,” click here. To learn more about Kickstarter, visit kickstarter.com.

Local Homeless Initiative Launches Fundraising Campaign for Winter Shelter

2010-11-03T17:00:28Z

Sacramento Steps Forward, an initiative that works to end homelessness in Sacramento County, launched a campaign last week to raise $25,000 to help fund winter shelter efforts this year.

In Sacramento, cold and wet weather conditions threaten the lives of the approximately 1,200 homeless men, women and children sleeping outside in the county.

Without winter shelter, people experiencing homelessness are at an even greater risk of injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Winter shelter begins in three weeks, on Nov. 22, and will last until March 31, 2011.

Historically, winter shelter in Sacramento has been publicly funded. However, budget cuts have significantly decreased funding throughout the last two winters, forcing the creation of new programs.

This winter many partners – including Sacramento Steps Forward, Sacramento County, the city of Sacramento, homeless service providers, community partners and the faith community – are working together on three components for winter shelter.

The first component is a motel voucher program for the winter targeted at homeless families, people with disabilities and the elderly. The second component is 50 county-funded shelter beds for families. Sacramento Area Emergency Housing and Volunteers of America will provide 25 beds each for families.

The third component is "Winter Sanctuary," a nomadic, interfaith program that will provide nightly shelter and meals for 100 homeless people.

Last week, Mayor Kevin Johnson held a press conference for winter shelter, showcasing the faith-based Winter Sanctuary program and reiterating the crisis facing Sacramento’s homeless in winter.

Winter Sanctuary relies on the participation of Sacramento houses of worship to host about 100 homeless individuals on select nights they sign up for. If your congregation is interested to learn how it can contribute to this effort, please contact Shannon Stevens at sstevens@communitycouncil.org

The limited public funding available will serve homeless families this year. However, most single men and women will be served by the Winter Sanctuary program. Sacramento Steps Forward hopes to raise $25,000 for Winter Sanctuary to fill funding gaps left by the steep budget cuts. If not fully funded, homeless individuals will have very few options for shelter this year.

Sacramento Steps Forward is already accepting donations for winter shelter, and you can visit the website’s donation page to give: http://sacramentostepsforward.com/donate.php.

Your donation will provide much-needed resources for winter shelter, including providing meals and sleeping bags for homeless guests.

Sacramento Steps Forward is an initiative to rally the community toward a shared and collective effort to end homelessness. Members include business and faith community leaders, foundations, service providers, homeless and community representatives, law enforcement and elected officials from many of our cities and the County of Sacramento.

Kate Towson is a staff member at Sacramento Steps Forward.

Buy discounted designer clothes, donate to charity

2010-11-02T06:21:17Z

Looking for designer clothes at warehouse prices? Sound too good to be true? That’s what the Maryhouse staffers thought also when they first heard they would be hosting a designer warehouse sale to benefit their charity.

The fundraiser will be held Friday and Saturday on the 25th floor of the U.S. Bank building at 621 Capitol Mall. The space has yet to be rented and was offered to them to hold the event.

“This is a huge, unusual opportunity that came our way,” said Connie Frank, Maryhouse co-director. “We’re used to doing other smaller fundraisers, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The opportunity came along in September when a benefactor, who wishes to remain anonymous, closed six of her seven high-end boutique retail stores and decided to donate the stores’ contents to Maryhouse, according to Frank.

Since Maryhouse only has six full- and part-time staff members, this effort relies heavily on volunteers like Nancy Cordano, who used to be a national buyer for Nordstrom in the designer women’s apparel department and has been volunteering 25 hours a week for the last three weeks.

She has been pricing the items at 75 percent off or more and said there are a lot of high-end brands among the more than 40,000 pieces, including Charmel, Lillith, Cosabella, Elm and others.

Some of these high-end items include coats originally sold for $1300 now $279, $200 lingerie for $19, skirts, dresses, bras, scarves, tights, cashmere tops, jeans and children’s clothing.

The clothing is primarily women’s and children’s, but men are encouraged to come and get some holiday shopping out of the way.

“This woman had exquisite taste in her buying and bought some really fine merchandise,” Cordano said.

Co-Director Rebecca Hugo said this couldn’t have come at a better time.

“This time of the year we’re looking on the winter months coming, and there’s really a limited number of shelter beds for families,” Hugo said. “We’re in crisis mode, and there’s less money to do things like winter shelter.”

Since there will be no winter overflow shelter usually at Cal Expo, they are looking for ways to provide things like warm jackets and winter arrangements for women and children.

“We’re seeing this as a way to get through the winter,” Hugo added. “That’s forefront in our minds.”

The event will be held from 3- 8 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Ticket prices are $40 for Friday and $15 for Saturday. They are available at the door or online.

To purchase them online, click here.

UC Davis launches $1b campaign

2010-10-22T04:51:04Z

University of California, Davis, officials plan to kick off the public portion of a $1 billion fundraising campaign Friday – and they’re already halfway there.

The Campaign for UC Davis has already raised more than $605 million in pledges during its quiet phase, which started in 2006. Last month, the UC Board of Regents agreed the effort could go public with a billion-dollar goal they hope to meet by the end of 2014.

The campaign is the biggest in the 102-year-old institution's history. It’s also the university's first comprehensive fundraising effort, stretching across all schools, departments and programs.

Such a bold initiative is needed to help UC Davis continue its work to improve the region and people's lives, support the economy and solve global issues through research and education, Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi said at a press conference Thursday.

"This is a very difficult time – we all know that," she said as she stood inside the school’s Peter J. Shields Library. "It is now that our students, more than any other time, need support to continue their education."

Comprehensive campaigns have been used by private universities for years. But they're new among public universities. Fundraisers taking on an immense pledge drive like that usually keep the effort private until they’ve met at least 40 percent of the goal, according to the university.

At least $120 million will be raised for student scholarships. The money will also be used for financial aid, creating endowed chairs and professorships, teaching, emerging opportunities, boosting patient care and improving facilities, collections and equipment.

Other funds will help support the kind of cutting-edge research already under way at UC Davis.

University researchers also have been working on such projects as nutritional supplements to help prevent malnutrition in Africa, a virtual reality helmet that helps older autistic children function better in school and stem cell therapy that can help humans and animals.

On Thursday, researchers, professors and other faculty led visitors on tours to the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain, and the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science.

UC Davis operates the largest undergrad food and science program in the country, said Jim Seiber, chairman of the Department of Food Science and Technology.

The state-of-the-art experimental winery, brewery and food processing complex was built with $20 million in private donations as a testing site for new technology and production processes.

Dairy products are a $7 billion-per-year industry in California – the largest food industry in the state. The $3.5 billion grape industry is the second-largest, said John Krochta, Peter J. Shields endowed chair of Dairy Food Science.

Krochta is overseeing one of the university’s newest endeavors – an 800-square-foot milk-processing lab, where some of the research will be used in the campus’ “Foods for Health” initiative.

The lab is being built more than a century after Shields – a Sacramento judge and dairy cow breeder – used his desire to start a state dairy school to help establish UC Davis. The school began as the University Farm.

“This represents a return to UC Davis’ roots,” Krochta said.

3rd Annual Clean and Sober Poker Run to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters

2010-09-17T20:10:16Z

The 3rd Annual Clean and Sober Poker Run benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Great Sacramento will be taking place this Sunday, September 19th. The fee for each rider is $20, which includes a meal, ride pin (for first 1,000 riders) and best high and low hands. Enjoy a live band, raffle, bounce house, food, beverages, fun and so much more! The starting point is at Folsom Harley Davidson, located at 115 Woodmere Rd., Folsom, Ca 95630. Registration is at 10am and the run starts at 11am.

Also, this afternoon is the Poker Run Pre-Party taking place from 4pm-7pm at the Folsom Harley Davidson. There will be music, food, beverages, raffles and more. Showgirls in bikinis will wash your motorcyle for for a $20 donation and/or take a picture on your bike for a 5$ donation. The first 200 to pre-register for the Poker Run at the pre-party receive a T-Shirt.

The 3rd Annual Clean and Sober Poker Run is presented by Nor Cal Clean and Sober Living. For more details visit norcalcleansober.com. For questions regarding the poker run contact Ryan at 916-459-0942 or cleansoberpokerrun@gmail.com.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters:

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the United States. We have been the leader in one-to-one youth service for more than a century, developing positive relationships that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of young people. Big Brothers Big Sisters serves children, ages 7 through 15, in Sacramento, Yolo, South Placer, Yuba, Sutter and San Joaquin Counties.

New library opens in Pocket-Greenhaven

2010-08-29T07:10:12Z

Since 1958, Robbie Waters has served Sacramento as an officer with the Sacramento Police Department, as Sacramento Sheriff, and as Councilmember for District 7 for the last 15 years.

A uplifting seal of closure was given to his years of service at Saturday morning’s opening of the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library.

“The library is an accomplishment for the entire community,” said Waters to a crowd of approximately 500 people. “I have no doubt it will be well used.”

The $15-million library consists of 45 public access computers, a 72-seat capacity community meeting room, a teen room, a quiet room, two study rooms, and a Ready to Read room for kids. The library is designed for 67,000 books and materials.

Waters was very humble when referring to the name of the library.

“Other than the birth of three children and a marriage of 50 years, this is the most humbling thing that has happened to me,” said Waters. “It’s unbelievable.”

The Pocket-Greenhaven Friends of the Library group formed in 2005 to begin fundraising for the project and worked at getting the books for the library.

“Dolores (Nuse) and I have been members of the Pocket-Greenhaven Friends of the Library since 2005 and we were the only group to start without a building,” said board member Kathi Windheim. “Our group had the growing support of you, the community, and 20 blue portfolio folders containing letters of support from Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Assemblymember Dave Jones, (former) Mayor Heather Fargo, and Councilman Robbie Waters.”

“Today, we only have one of those blue folders left.”

Community groups such as the neighborhood Elks Lodge and Curves Fitness Center hosted book sales, and business such as the Pocket Rotary Club, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream, Subway, and Hey Dude! Where’s My Yogurt also provided support.

“Thank you for showing what is possible,” said State Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg regarding the Friends of the Library and those who worked toward the construction of the facility.

“Thank you for never having the word ‘no’ in your lexicon,” said Steinberg. “This is a very happy day for Sacramento, but it is a happy day for the state as well because it shows what we can do.”

The Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library is the third library to open up in the Sacramento Public Library system over the past year. A new library opened in Valley Hi-North Laguna one year ago, and the Belle Cooledge library recently refurbished.

“This is an opportunity for us to just be thankful,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson. “We opened three libraries this year. That is a big deal.”

Various dignitaries attended the event including former Mayor Heather Fargo, former Mayor and current County Supervisor Jimmy Yee, County Supervisors Roberta MacGlashan and Don Nottoli, City Councilmembers Bonnie Pannell, Lauren Hammond, Sandy Sheedy, and Kevin McCarty, Interim City Manager Gus Vina, and City Attorney Eileen Teichert.

For Waters, it was about giving thanks to the community.

“I just want to thank you for the naming of the library and for letting me represent you for 16 year,” said Waters. “I’ve really enjoyed it.”

“Hot Moms and Cool Kids” strut their stuff at fashion show

2010-08-02T05:12:45Z

Moms and children strode in fashionable attire on a pink and white striped runway last Friday to raise funds for the Sacramento Children’s Museum.

A couple hundred people gathered at 33rd St. Bistro in Midtown to support the fundraiser for the museum that begins demolition today. Ten dollar tickets benefited the museum directly.

Sponsors Koukla Kids Boutique, M.E. Boutique, Firefly Salon and Boutique and 33rd St. Bistro began planning the event only three weeks ago. Kathryn O’Connell, co-owner of Koukla Kids, said they saw a need for a fundraiser to benefit a place that could be fun, safe and educational for children of the Sacramento area.

“All the other major metropolitan cities have a children’s museum, and we don’t. That’s,” she said. “what drove us to do an event.”

O’Connell said the turnout for the fashion show was far beyond what they expected.

“We oversold the event,” she said. “People were eager to participate. I think they saw the need for something so valuable for Sacramento.”

Moms and kids modeled clothing from the boutiques, starting their runway walk in the M.E. Boutique located next door to 33rd St Bistro. After strutting outside on a multicolored chalk-drawn floral runway, they ended their loop inside the bistro.

Ten mom models and their children participated, all chosen by the sponsors. All clothing modeled was available for purchase, with 20 percent of the proceeds going to the museum.

Alan Godlove, president of the board of directors for the children’s museum, served as emcee for the event. He announced raffle ticket winners, which were available for purchase at $1 per ticket.

He said the museum, which is expected to open in March 2011, will focus on children from ages 0 to 8.

“There are a lot of many wonderful museums in Sacramento, but the focus on that age group hasn’t existed in awhile,” Godlove said. “It gives young children a way to learn in an environment that parents can feel comfortable in.”

Godlove, who has young children himself, said parents can feel safe letting their young kids roam around the museum.

Natalie Truman, who handles fundraising development for the museum, said the Sacramento community will have the option of becoming a founding family. The family’s name will be memorialized in a tribute displayed in the museum.

“The founding families campaign is $500 or more and donor recognition on the wall to the first 500 families, with all proceeds going directly to construction,” she said.

The idea for the museum began six years ago when two school teachers got together after visiting a children’s museum in another city. Founding partners, The city of Rancho Cordova, the Junior League of Sacramento and Roebbelen Contracting, Inc. helped bring the project to a reality.

For more information on the Sacramento Children’s Museum, visit sackids.org.

Great Chefs 2010

2010-07-14T18:06:10Z

Great Chefs 2010 is coming this August! Great Chefs is a gourmet celebration to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento. It will be taking place on Saturday, August 21, 2010 from 6p-9p at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Capitol Plaza. For this 9th annual event, head chefs from some of the area’s finest restaurants, wineries and breweries will be pairing foods and beverages for a fun-filled, one-of-a-kind evening. In addition, the evening includes a silent auction and dancing. And the delicious desserts are not to be missed.

Some of the featured restaurants will be Aioli Bodega Espanol, Bake Sense Inc., Just 4 U Catering, Event Architects, California Capitol Chefs Association, Sacramento Cookie Factory and River City Brewing Company, just to name a few.

Last year’s attendance at this event was over 400 people, and we are expecting an even greater success this year. Pre-sale tickets to Great Chefs are available now for $50 per person, or a 6-pack deal for only $260. Tickets will be $65 at the door on the night of the event. To purchase tickets now, please visit www.bbbs-sac.org or click here. Holiday Inn Sacramento Capitol Plaza is located at 300 J Street, just off the I-5 freeway.

Put Your Paws to the Pavement for Doggy Dash

2010-05-27T02:29:43Z

Stretch those legs and flex those paws for the 17th annual Sacramento SPCA Doggy Dash June 5 in William Land Park.

Approximately 4,000 people and their canine companions are expected to attend, and will gather in the Village Green Area of the park. Festivities begin at 8 a.m. and will continue until 1 p.m. Participants may register with or without a dog.

The SPCA hopes to raise $250,000 through Doggy Dash.

"This is our largest fundraiser of the year," SPCA public relations director Lesley Kirrene said in an e-mail. "All funds raised go to help us care for the more than 12,000 homeless animals that will come to the SPCA this year alone. We have had such a terrific response to the event in the past — it grows every year — that we set a loftier fundraising goal each year."

So far they have raised about $128,000.

The SPCA is a non-profit, independent organization that relies on private donations and fundraising events, like Doggy Dash, to support general operations.

Participants may choose from a 2K walk, 5K walk or a 5K run.

"We urge people to be very aware of what both they and their dogs are capable of physically before entering," Kirrene said. "We do have water stations and people checking throughout the course."

After Doggy Dash, join the SPCA for the free Bark at the Park Festival. Register for Pup Shows (which include contests for the ugliest dog, best smile, best kisser and best costume), watch the high-flying frisbee contest and the Sacramento Police Department's K-9 unit demonstration. Stay for the Pug Races, visit booths of pet-friendly businesses and learn about other Sacramento animal rescue organizations. A pet psychic and pet photographer will be on hand. Dog DNA testing and canine heart testing will be available. The SPCA will have adoptable dogs at the festival as well.

Dogs are required to be current on vaccinations and be at least six months old. Dogs must wear current ID and license tags at all times. The SPCA prefers one leashed dog per person, but will allow two well-behaved leashed dogs. Leashes must be six feet or shorter. The SPCA asks that if your dog is not sociable, please do not bring him/her.

Contest registration is $5 per contest and will be available at the Doggy Dash event.

"Doggy Dash is the largest event of its kind in Northern California, and has become a 'don't miss' event for animal enthusiasts," Kirrene said.

In light of the Sacramento County animal shelter's potential closure due to further budget cuts, local animal rescue organizations may face a torrent of homeless animals and veterinary needs. Fundraising and donations are needed across the board.

"The SPCA is doing all we can to assist Sacramento County Animal Care & Regulation," Kirrene said. "We are completely separate entities, however we are very supportive of them and their efforts to stay open and avoid further budget cuts."

Registration is $25 per individual and $30 per team participant until Friday. Late registration is $30 per individual and $35 per team participant from Friday through June 5.

Online registration closes June 2. Registration is available June 2 through 4 at the Arden Petco store from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1878 Arden Way. Otherwise, registration at the event starts at 7:30 a.m.

Photos courtesy of Lesley Kirrene and the Sacramento SPCA.

Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

Health and Fitness Week - Unofficial Declaration!

2010-05-12T21:07:12Z

Share the news! The Wellness Task Force unofficially declares the third week of May, "Health and Fitness Week." To celebrate we are offering two great opportunities to engage in some fun activities with us.

Let’s Move! Walk the Park
Join the Wellness Task Force and your downtown Sacramento friends in a fun walk around the Capitol and receive a free goodie bag for participating!
Thursday, May 20, 2010 from Noon to 12:30pm
West Steps of the State Capitol

RSVP here by May 17th to ensure you receive your goodie bag. We'll need your name, email address and phone number. View event flyer. This event is sponsored by the SmartSpot division of PepsiCo.

Fit Crawl 2010
There are still a few tickets left! Take this opportunity to experience some of midtown Sacramento’s most exciting fitness activities in one day! On May 22nd from 1pm to 5pm, you can punch, kick, stretch (and more!) your way through the afternoon. Five local businesses, Asha Yoga, Bodytribe Fitness, Fleet Feet Sports, Sacramento Pipeworks, and Ultimate Fitness will offer free mini-classes or demonstrations to participants of the Fit Crawl 2010.

“Crawlers" will rotate between participating businesses on bicycles to sample a variety of fitness activities, receive special offers, and meet new friends. Unwind afterward with light food and beverages at L Wine Lounge.

Tickets can be purchased in advance only at: Asha Yoga (1050 20th Street), Ultimate Fitness (1705 I Street), Bodytribe (920 21st Street)

All proceeds benefit the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness. For more information click here.

Please help Big Brothers Big Sisters fund raise for WALK 'N ROCK FOR KIDS

2010-05-12T20:22:38Z

This Saturday Jimmy Valoria, "Big Brother" and Marketing Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and his "Little Brother" Saxon are doing a car wash to support their fund raising efforts for WALK ‘N ROCK FOR KIDS. All proceeds of the car wash will directly support the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Please go out and get your car washed. It will be taking place between the hours of 9a and 2p at the Smog 'N Go parking lot, located at 9580 Harbour Point Dr. in Elk Grove. Please come support and tell everyone you know. If you can not come out, you can also donate directly to Jimmy's online fund raising webpage. To do so, click HERE.

Thank you to Jack Williams and Smog 'N Go for their much-appreciated support of Big Brother's Big Sisters, Walk 'N Rock, and Hope Productions. For more information on Smog 'N Go, visit smogngo.com.

About Walk 'N Rock

WALK ‘N ROCK FOR KIDS, taking place Sunday, May 30, 2010 at Raley Field in West Sacramento, is a fund raising walk and benefit concert event will unite the community for a day of fun to raise funds to support our local children. The event kicks off with a community 5K walk in the morning that begins at Raley Field. Later that same evening, Hope Productions and community corporate partners will host an exclusive VIP reception and benefit concert on our behalf, which is open to the general public. The proceeds from the concert will be divided among this year’s Hope Production Foundation nonprofit alliance partners. The concert will be performed by iconic female rock band Heart, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar. For more information on Walk 'N Rock, visit www.bbbs-sac.org.

Events planner rolls with times

2010-04-09T03:56:23Z

Sharon Gerber has been planning nonprofit fundraising events in Sacramento for more than five years. And she's never experienced such a challenging climate for giving.

She started her business, Six Degreez, after working as a community development manager for Wells Fargo.

Gerber knew she could make more money if she arranged events for corporations. But she chose to work with local charitable organizations after becoming aware of the great need there.

"My passion, my heart, goes out to the nonprofit sector," she said. "That's where I feel like I can have the most impact on this community. And it makes me feel good at the end of the day."

Since then, Gerber has developed signature events like the "Suits & Slippers" breakfast for the Roberts Family Development Center and shows such as "Blues for Baby & Me" for the Mercy Perinatal Recovery Network. Her fee for an event usually ranges from $5,000 to $40,000.

With her buoyant personality, Gerber has also developed a reputation as a community development specialist and event planner no one can say "no" to. She persuaded Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn and Ken Larson of Hewlett-Packard to play the Blues Brothers and Sen. Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento to dress like Neil Diamond and lip-sync to "Forever in Blue Jeans" at the perinatal event in 2008.

"She has very unique events where she tries to have a lot of fun with so-called celebrities in town," said Cohn, who's volunteered at several. "She also tends to pick really worthy charities to help out with, so you're willing to embarrass yourself."

This year, Gerber and her clients have noticed a trend due to the continuing recession: Businesses haven't been able to provide the same size sponsorships. Corporations, developers, banks and law firms that have bought $10,000 to $25,000 sponsorships at an event — with a few reaching $50,000 to $100,000 — are now giving $5,000, $1,000 or nothing at all, Gerber said.

Big corporations are also getting more donation requests from struggling nonprofits. They're coping with the increased need by spreading donations out more. That sometimes leaves companies making the same amount of donations but in smaller amounts.

Wells Fargo, a regular sponsor at Gerber's events, expects to donate to more nonprofits this year after the number of requests has grown.

"At this time, we are receiving 20 to 25 grant requests a day from various organizations, which is a large increase from years past," said Julie Campbell, a spokeswoman for Wells Fargo in Northern and Central California.

However, the company is not cutting its charitable giving in 2010. The company will give away $3 million in its Northern California region — the same as last year — and more than $200 million nationwide, making it one of the largest corporate givers in the country, Campbell said.

Cécile Mouette Downs, executive director of the Sacramento French Film Festival, said many regular sponsors — a marketing firm that's given $2,500 and a travel agency that has given $1,000 to $1,500 for several years — can't support the festival in June. Her nonprofit is still waiting to hear from donors who would have already given answers by this time in years past.

"Last year was a start," she said. "This year's even worse."

Gerber said she has always kept event costs down for clients by recruiting local celebrities to star at events, rather than building events around a keynote speaker costing $25,000 to $100,000. She's now making other adjustments so clients' events can continue to draw people.

For example, she's keeping ticket costs down by developing more unique events around cocktail receptions, breakfasts and coffees, instead of more traditional lunches and dinners.

She's using unusual locations such as art galleries and courtyards rather than hotels. Normally, half of her events have been staged in hotels. Last year, she staged only 25 percent there. This year, only one event will take place at a hotel, Gerber said.

Gerber is also making events shorter and ending them earlier — by 8:30 p.m. instead of 10 or 11 p.m.

"People appreciate that, and in this economy, they want to be at home with family," she said.

Choreographed, musical shows continue to be her most popular fundraisers. Gerber's passion for putting on a good show hit her young. She and her sister sang duets in the garage for the neighborhood, and she later starred as the biblical Esther in her synagogue's annual performance of the Purim spiel. Every year for 10 years.

Gerber said she likes to create entertaining events so everyone walks out smiling.

"At the end of the day, I get to go to sleep knowing I made a difference," she said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter covering business and development for The Sacramento Press.

Join Big Brothers Big Sisters for Walk 'N Rock

2010-04-01T22:28:05Z

I am pleased to announce that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento has been chosen as one of Hope Productions Foundation’s 2010 Nonprofit Alliance Partners for the 2nd annual WALK ‘N ROCK FOR KIDS, taking place Sunday, May 30, 2010 at Raley Field in West Sacramento. This fund raising walk and benefit concert event will unite the community for a day of fun as we celebrate and raise funds to support our local children.

The event kicks off with a community 5K walk in the morning that begins at Raley Field. As a nonprofit alliance partner we are recruiting teams and raising funds for our cause while also building awareness for the overall effort. This is where we need your help. Our goal is to have as many teams as possible walking on our behalf.

Later that same evening, Hope Productions and community corporate partners will host an exclusive VIP reception and benefit concert on our behalf, which is open to the general public. The proceeds from the concert will be divided among this year’s Hope Production Foundation nonprofit alliance partners. The concert will be performed by iconic female rock band Heart, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar. Tickets start at just $40 and are available through ticketmaster.com.

Please visit http://www.bbbs-sac.org/ to get more information and join the Friends of Big Brothers Big Sisters team or start your own!

Bowl for Kids Sake a BIG Success!

2010-04-01T22:17:07Z

On February 27th, over 200 people came out to 2010 Bowl For Kids Sake. It was a day filled with fun and excitement while raising over $43,000 for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. Tina Macuha (KOVR13/CW 31) and Darla Givens (News 10) came out to MC the 9:30 and 11:45 sessions and both did a great job. Country Club Lanes and it's staff helped us put on a wonderful event.

We would like to thank our sponsors Campbell's Soup, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, California Family Fitness, Champion Awards, Country Club Lanes, Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza-Sacramento, Kaizen Design, Markstein Beverage, Peppermill Reno, Wal-Mart, Wells Fargo and Western Blue. We would also like to thank our raffle donors Costco, Dimple Records, GameStop, McDonalds, Music Circus, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, Safeway, Starbucks, Tahoe Donner and Wal-Mart. And a special thank you from Big Brothers Big Sisters to Vino Farms, Peppermill Resort, and Sands Regency for the major prize donations. And of course a heartfelt thanks to our event volunteers. We could not do this day without you.

Now to the bowlers...

There were some outstanding fundraisers this year. Just to put this in prospective, we had 100 less bowlers from 2008 but raised the exact same amount of money! Yes, it’s true–we had some powerhouse fundraisers in 2010. Special thanks to our top three: Cynthia Leon, Jason Schmelzer and Antonya Williams. Cynthia and Jason started their battle in 2009 where they raised a little over $5000 for the event. This year, their total was just shy of $9000 and Cynthia edged Jason out for the first place trophy by $58.39. The other powerhouse of the day was Antonya. She raised $3900 with her team of three raising $5375. Just remarkable fundraising. And that’s not all. We had 28 people that raised over $250 each.

Talk about a rowdy group. The most enthusiastic teams were REALLY enthusiastic. At the 9:30 session, Best Buy Woodland probably couldn’t talk after they got home because they out shouted all of the other 30 lanes during the morning session. At 11:45, Owen Dunn made their presence known taking home the trophy for the 2nd year in a row. Finally, at the 2:00 session (even though the Striking French Swans were the loud and mighty 6) American Eagle Outfitters took home the trophy.

There were many other awards given out and some great raffle prizes. It was an event, whether it was your first or your fourth, that will be remembered. Thank you to ALL of the participants and we hope to see you again soon!

Local efforts to aid disaster in Haiti

2010-01-17T04:11:37Z

In wake of the recent disaster in Haiti, many people are looking for ways to help the victims. There are various ways to do so on a local level, and some businesses are already making a difference. From big to small, fundraisers and donations are giving Sacramentans ways to reach out to Haiti. With the damage still unknown, there is still more we can do to help.

Here’s what you can do to help with disaster relief in Haiti:

-Local businesses and communities can take the initiative to raise and donate funds to the Sacramento-Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross, whose spokeswoman Trista Jensen says, “The best thing that people can do right now is to make a donation.”

KCRA 3 is joining with the Sacramento Sierra American Red Cross chapter to raise funds to help the victims in Haiti. On Monday from 4:30 a.m. until 7 p.m., the station’s Call 3 volunteers will be taking calls at 916-447-2255 if you'd like to make a donation.

Reach out to a local business you frequent and ask them to donate a percentage of their sales for one day, one hour, or even one item. Also, consider contributing to efforts already set in place, especially if it means shopping, dining, or attending events at an alternative venue that will donate some of those sales.

Raley’s, the West Sacramento-based grocer, has set up checkstand collection boxes for American Red Cross aid to Haiti at all 134 Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source stores, beginning Saturday. Raley’s will accept donations through Feb. 13 and said Friday that it will give 100 percent of the donations directly to the American Red Cross and will pay for all its administrative costs.

Also joining the efforts is Punch Line Comedy Club , who will be hosting a comedy benefit February 2nd and will donate 100 percent of it’s ticket sales to Haitian relief. On February 17th Marilyn's will be hosting "Helping Hands for Haiti," a benefit show featuring local artists (visit soulsandsounds.com for more information).

Do you know of other local fundraisers planned? Are there restaurants, entertainment venues, or other local businesses pitching in to donate to the victims of the Haiti earthquake? If so, we want to spotlight them on The Sacramento Press. Please comment below or email mona@sacramentopress.com.

Check back this upcoming week for more information about how you can contribute to local efforts.

Social Media for the Social Good—Non-profits Explore New Methods of Outreach

2009-11-20T04:17:59Z

Three local non-profit organizations were featured in a Sacramento Social Media Club panel on Tuesday evening hosted by the Sacramento State College of Continuing Education. The panel included Celia Cortez, Projects and Event Manager for the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Jordan Blair, Board Member for River City Food Bank; and Jon Benorden, Program Coordinator for the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Service (CARES). Lesley Miller, Media Director for 3Fold Communication, also sat on the panel. Moderator Josh Morgan, principal at Morgan/Dorado and program director for the Sacramento Social Media Club, focused the discussion on how non-profits are using social media to educate, engage, and build lasting relationships with their communities.

Facebook was the unanimous point of entry into social media for all three organizations. Cortez said the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber selected Facebook because it was the most popular platform among their member organizations; Blair choose Facebook for River City Food Bank because it is the platform upon which he spends the most time. “Facebook provides an easy way for people to connect with causes and non-profits thanks to its one-click ‘become a fan’ feature, “commented Morgan. River City Food Bank, where many of their long-term contributors are past retirement age, is finding that Facebook helps them to engage with the next generation of donors. However some of their loyal supporters are stepping out into social media as well; an 85 year old volunteer joined Facebook just so he could “friend” the River city Food Bank. Benorden said that their “old school” supporters are beginning to mesh with the new people they’ve engaged through their group & page on Facebook but that CARES still has a long way to go.

Both the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and CARES are also using Twitter to promote their organizations and causes. Miller said 3Fold encourages their clients to cross post on multiple social media platforms to increase the traffic among all the sites. For example, use Twitter to remind people the organization is on Facebook or create an event on Yelp and ask people to write a review. I frequently use Twitter to drive traffic to SARTA.org’s website or LinkedIn group where more detailed membership and event information is available.

CARES created both a group page and a fan page for its campaign “Are You the Difference” which strives to eliminate new cases of HIV in the Sacramento region by 2015. Benorden plans to expand the campaign to include other platforms like Flickr and YouTube. On YouTube, CARES wants to personalize and promote their campaign by featuring user generated videos about how individuals can be or are the difference in eliminating new cases of HIV.

The biggest challenge for all of the organizations is finding the time to manage and maintain their social media accounts. Cortez shared that she uses cross posting tools to lessen the amount of time she spends managing each platform the Hispanic Chamber employs. Tweetdeck, Hootsuite and Seesmic were mentioned as free services for managing multiple accounts and platforms and Radian6 was recommended as a new professional service for this purpose. Benorden prefers to uniquely post to Facebook and Twitter to keep variety in the CARES messages, but he sticks to a common theme. Blair, who in addition to his responsibilities as a board member of the River City Food Bank works a full time job, schedules time on his weekly calendar to tend to his social media chores. When asked if a volunteer could handle the job, the general consensus among the panelists was that most volunteers and interns do not have enough depth or experience with the organization or its causes to determine social media platform content or to respond to questions and remarks received by followers and friends on the sites. For CARES, sensitivity to and experience with HIV/AIDS is a must for anyone representing the organization on its social media platforms.

The panel wrapped up with a discussion on event promotion using Facebook ads and other tools. All of the organizations are considering using Facebook ads and River City Food Bank has budgeted money for this purpose next year. Benorden pointed out that even if no one clicks through an “Are You the Difference” ad, if enough information is included about the campaign, there is value in people seeing the ad multiple times. Miller said 3Fold advises their clients to put nearly as much energy into post event promotion as they do pre event. Blair followed this advice after a recent River City Food Bank fundraiser, uploading event photos long into the night. The post event promotion is a valuable investment in the success of future events and helps those who attend feel more part of the organization—especially if they are featured in a photo!

After the panel ended, participants informally exchanged ideas on how they are using social media and also had a chance to meet the panelists and ask more questions. The event was live tweeted by volunteer Ira Cohen on behalf of @SMCSac using the hashtag #smcsac. The venue provided by Sacramento State College of Continuing Education is well equipped for meetings and seminars and the Senior Program Coordinator, Toni Ramirez shared that the college is considering offering courses on social media in the future.

Social Media Club, an international non-profit organization, brings together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Free events are normally held on the third Tuesday of each month, but in December, the group is planning a Holiday Party or “holitweetup” in partnership with SacTweetUp on December 10 at Hot Italian in midtown. In January, the normal schedule of monthly panels will resume. For information about the Sacramento Social Media Club and its events, join their groups on Facebook and LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.

Photgraphs by Marie Young Photography. For more photos of this event visit her Facebook Page

Sacramento Social Media Club Leadership Team:

Julie Berge, Angela D'Arcy, Laura Good, Suzanne Hopkins, Ronnie Ledesma, Jeff Marmins, Josh Morgan

Benefit Auctioneer Raises Big Bucks for Area Non-Profits, Despite Tough Economy

2009-11-05T18:42:47Z

Professional benefit auctioneer David Sobon raised more than $102,000 for charitable causes in a recent three-day weekend of back-to-back live auctions—defying recent economy-driven declines in charitable contributions that have decimated many Sacrament-area non-profits.

Sobon, a partner in Maximum Benefits Auctions, presided at a live auction Friday, Oct. 16, that raised more than $25,000 for Faces of Tomorrow, a Yolo County organization that funds facial surgery for Ecuadoran children with cleft palate. A second live auction Saturday, Oct. 17, raised more than $23,000 for the Woodland Sunrise Rotary’s project to provide cooking stoves for impoverished families in Guatemala; and a third live auction Sunday, Oct. 18, raised more than $56,000 for the Susan G. Komen Sacramento Valley Affiliate.

Over the past year, Sobon has established an impressive record of exceeding prior year fundraising proceeds for nearly 20 charity events. “Ignore what everybody is saying about the economy,” Sobon says. “People still want to give; people still have money to give. You just have to ask them the right way.”

The Faces of Tomorrow auction that raised $25,000 was Sobon’s first for that organization; in comparison, the organization’s 2008 auction, which did not utilize a professional auctioneer, raised approximately $10,000. Both the Woodland Sunrise Rotary and Susan G. Komen Sacramento Valley Affiliate had used Sobon’s services the prior year, yet both posted increased revenues at their October events, despite a tough fundraising environment. Proceeds from the Woodland Sunrise Rotary auction on Saturday were up slightly over last year; proceeds from Sunday’s Susan G. Komen auction—part of Rancho Murieta Country Club’s Tee Up Fore the Cure golf event—were up a whopping 300 percent over last year.

Sobon is one of fewer than 200 auctioneers nationwide trained as benefit auction specialists by the National Auctioneers Association. His auction clients have included SACTO (Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Organization), Sacramento Waldorf Schools, Families First, and and numerous Rotary and other service clubs. "David added tremendous value to our annual auction,” said SACTO Executive Director Barbara Hayes. “Not only did the auction proceeds more than triple under his leadership, the auction was handled professionally and tastefully, and our guests loved the show."

Indeed, for the charities, Sobon's live auctions become an exciting addition to the entertainment lineup. At the recent Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Installation Dinner, which raised nearly $20,000 for at risk gay and lesbian youth, he kicked off the live auction with a bidding frenzy of restaurant gift certificates. The crowd response was immediate and boisterous as bidders waved their paddles and volunteer “spotters” clacked noisemakers to signal each bid. In March, Sobon’s live auction at the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center’s annual Lambda Awards grossed nearly $25,000.

“David's experience in working with nonprofits gives him a wealth of insights that add value to events he is part of. He made fundraising fun for our audience, and they responded,” said Kristen Kirkpatrick, development coordinator for Susan G. Komen Sacramento Valley Affiliate. “David is truly committed to helping nonprofits succeed, and his passion for the causes he works with contributes to the event success.”

Sobon, who is a partner with veteran auctioneer Jack Young in Maximum Benefit Auctions, is one of fewer than 200 auctioneers nationwide trained as benefit auction specialists by the National Auctioneers Association. “I don’t do cattle; I don’t do cars,” Sobon says. “I only want to help people raise money for their non-profits.”

Upcoming Sobon live auctions include fundraisers for Gateway High School in San Francisco on Nov. 14, 2009, and for Folsom High School on Nov. 20, 2099.

Sobon, Young and benefit auction expert Michele Holman will present “Maximizing Your Benefit Event,” a free all-day workshop on planning and producing benefit auctions, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, at the California Auto Museum in Sacramento. Visit www.maximumgiving.com for event details and registration.

For more information about David Sobon and Maximum Benefit Auctions, visit www.maximumgiving.com or call 916-730-3330.

Sacramento Child Advocates 5th Annual Benefit for Children

2009-10-28T17:32:30Z

For the past 18 years, Sacramento Child Advocates (SCA) has been providing representation for every child entering our dependency court system in Sacramento County. Currently, we represent 4700 children within the dependency system and we never turn down any child brought before the court. SCA was established in Sacramento to be their “voice”, their personal advocate with a very determined mission. SCA does this through a unique model of using both attorneys and social workers. Foster youth who are represented in this manner truly have a partner in designing their future, someone they can trust, someone that is always looking out for their best interests. When a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect and enters the court system, an SCA attorney takes their cases, and advocates for their best interests. SCA works hard to ensure that these kids' needs are being met, and that they are living in a safe and healthy home.

SCA needs your support to continue to help these kids, and make sure that no foster child falls through the cracks.

The 5th Annual Benefit for Children will be held on November 8th at 2:00pm at the Radisson Hotel. Tickets are $75 each, and sponsorships are still available. Come out and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of great food wine, and raffle prizes while helping to improve the lives of foster children in Sacramento.

For more information visit www.5000kids.org, or call Katie Walker at 916-364-2365.

Thank you in advance for your support!