Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "non-profit"

"Where We're Born" - Solid Ensemble Brings Big Talent to Small Space

2012-02-06T03:57:09Z

Where we’re born is more than a location, it’s part of who we are.

Where We’re Born, the stage play by Lucy Thurber, is a strikingly simple and honest look at a young woman’s struggle with life change, the desire to and difficulty of leaving the comfort of your home and history—however hurtful it may have been. It is not a story, but a more like a series of snapshots taken during the course of a few days when the relationships and potentially, lives of three people are forever altered.

The catalyst for all of this is Lilly (Jessicah Neufeld), on a quasi-vacation from college. She arrives back in the small Western Massachusetts hill town she calls home just as a domestic crisis is unfolding between her cousin, Tony, (Brian Harrower) and his girlfriend, Franky (Kelley Ogden), but rather than creating a welcome diversion, she unleashes unexpected drama of her own.

The cast of five, under the direction of Lisa Thew, gives solid individual performances, as well as performing keenly and comfortably as an ensemble.

Harrower gives an especially subtle, but emotional and compelling interpretation of Tony, a guy who spends most of his time drinking beer, smoking pot, playing pool, and listening to rock and roll with his best buddies, but also has a deep-seated need to keep all of the women in his life happy.

David Chernyavsky and John Gregory Young round out the cast as Tony’s ever-present pals.

Ooley’s is a little-known theater, intimate, but more than adequate. KOLT Run Creations makes good use of the space, and there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Even the concessions are notable, provided by Num Nums, homemade for each performance and chosen specifically for each show. (Lime mini-cupcakes: To. Die. For.)

Having just seen another local show earlier in the week, it was impossible not to compare and contrast the quality of the productions. The lead actress in the previous show tripped over numerous lines (more than a week into the run) and--along with others in the cast--over the area rug that kept flipping up throughout the show.

Not fatal mistakes, but distracting flaws.

When the lights came up at the end of Where We’re Born, my guest and I turned to each other and marveled that two hours had already passed.

That’s a rare and excellent entertainment experience.

If only there’d been more people there to share it.

Where We’re Born, February 3rd-26th. Ooley Theater, 2007 28th Street (near T Street). Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM; Sundays, February 19th and 26th at 2 PM. koltruncreations.com or (916) 454-1500. This production contains adult content.

Eateries and "Drinkeries" wanted for Sacramento Chef Challenge

2012-01-18T19:00:41Z

2012 marks the tenth anniversary of our region’s premier culinary competition the Sacramento Chef Challenge, and organizers are inviting local restaurants, wineries, breweries and specialty shops to showcase their fare at the June 23rd event.

The Sacramento Chef Challenge is a culinary extravaganza featuring two live cooking competitions, lavish food, wine and beer sampling, live music, raffle prizes and more. The event is expected to draw a crowd of over 1000 guests in celebration of INALLIANCE, a local nonprofit that has provided support to people with developmental disabilities for 60 years.

“Our vendors draw a huge crowd each year by providing a variety of samples to our guests,” says INALLIANCE Executive Director Diana DeRodeff, "It is a great way for both fledgling and established companies to connect with community members, while supporting the organization.” Most event booths are free of charge, and vendors have the opportunity to win prizes.

The Sacramento Chef Challenge will see some exciting changes for 2012, including live entertainment and a new venue. The event will be held outdoors at INALLIANCE, where both vendors and guests will have a little more room to move. “We have just outgrown our old venue,” says DeRodeff, “And, we are eager to share our beautiful campus with the community.”

INALLIANCE has been in the Sacramento area since 1952, but few people know about the nonprofit’s work, because they tend stay in the background promoting the abilities of their participants. The programs INALLIANCE provides to people in the community focus on independence, quality of life and choice. “People with developmental disabilities are very capable. When given the opportunity they flourish, and that makes for a happier and a healthier community,” says DeRodeff.

The Sacramento Chef Challenge will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2012 beginning at 4:30pm, and tickets are only $25. If you are interested in becoming a vendor or purchasing tickets, visit www.chefevent.com or call 916-381-1300 x 170.

Disclosure: Jessica Bean is an employee of INALLIANCE

KOLT Run Creations Celebrates Their First Season

2012-01-16T17:19:12Z

Every beginning writer at one time or another has been admonished to “Show me, not tell me,” by a mentor or instructor.

If last night’s Revelations 2012 is any indication, theater companies would be wise to follow the example of KOLT Run Creations and take the same advice to heart.

Revelations 2012 was a party, a preview, and review, all in a tidy little two-hour time frame. It was a chance for patrons and potentials patrons to appreciate past productions and sneak a peek at what’s ahead in the season to come.

Actors from past seasons and the upcoming shows were on hand to present a forty-five minute performance of short scenes that did a brilliant job of showing the flavor of the company in the past and the direction it will be going with the next three productions. Very clever. It helps that KOLT, as intimate as their productions are, always manage to secure some of the most accomplished actors in the area.

Show us, don’t just tell us.

Also on hand was a gold buyer, so, theoretically, one might have raised the money for a season subscription right then and there—pretty savvy, huh?

There were snacks and desserts from Num Nums, a catering company whose sole mission is to provide concessions for independent theater.

Raffle prizes were handed out.

It was fun.

Perhaps interest in local theater would increase if more people experienced the fun component.

Kudos to Kelley Ogden and Lisa Thew of KOLT Run Creations for taking that first shot!

KOLT Run Creations will present Where We’re Born by Lucy Thurber at Ooley Theater, February 1-26th. Tickets and more information about the entire season can be found at koltruncreations.com or (916) 454-1500

Ending homelessness in Sacramento with better social business workflow – C7group to provide Sacramento Steps Forward with consulting services

2011-12-30T03:54:58Z

Sacramento Steps Forward is a non-profit tasked with a critical mission of ending homeless in Sacramento by 2020, serving as a national example of how to end chronic homelessness. Beginning in January 2012, C7group will partner with Sacramento Steps Forward staff and volunteers to implement social business strategy and tactics for their organization.

Social media technology increases the number of communication channels available to listen and respond to the community and social business procedures often improve workflow processes. For Sacramento Steps Forward, social business integration plays a dynamic role to fulfill their mission and communicate internally and externally to staff, volunteers, donors, community resource partners and the homeless community.

“The audiences that we need to reach are vast and varied and the information we need to share is often time sensitive,” said Ben Burton, Executive Director, Sacramento Steps Forward. “We are pleased to partner with C7group who understands social media tools and applications, but also brings the knowledge of the business culture and workflow changes required to integrate social technology throughout our organization,” added Burton.

Sacramento Steps Forward has planned Sacramento Homeless Connect the last four years, and partners with other several community agencies that offer assistance to the many aspects of homelessness, including the partnership with Volunteers of America to operate the Winter Sanctuary program. Visit Sacramento Steps Forward.org for more information about their mission and a full list of their community partners.

C7group is transforming the services marketplace by helping organizations realize the potential of their business from a “customers and people first” perspective. C7group integrates strategy with social business technology and workflow practices to provide clients with a complete, integrated custom business solution. C7group’s goal is to help business ensure a sustainable model for business culture and work-style for the social, digital age. For more information about C7group, visit www.C7group.com.

Disclosure: I am the Vice President, Communications at C7group.

Iceland Home to the 2011 Holiday Show

2011-12-20T02:51:12Z

About 20 people performed in the two performances of the 2011 Holiday Show on Saturday at Iceland Skating Rink and raised over $1,000 to help repair the large roof, the next project to make the rink a year-round facility once again.

This is the first ice show since the March 2010 fire.

“The performers have been practicing twice a week since the ice rink opened in November,” said Terrie Kerth, daughter of one of the two co-owners.

Janelle Cardoso is the director and choreographer of the show.

“All the skaters are very technically sound,” said Cardoso. “Most of them have show skating experience.”

Towards the end of the hour-long show Carmen Melissa, who was sitting next to the author, spoke positively of skater Susan Algarne, “You have skaters, then you have your skaters who are natural performers.” Algarne skated to “Let It Snow.”

Cristal Johnson, who came with her family said, “It was unexpected. We came to skate but the show was happening. We loved it.”

Over 100 people attended between the two performances.

To continue to serve the Sacramento community for another 70 years, Iceland recently gained non-profit status. Its main focus is to teach people how to skate.

“We need to let kids know there is a better place than the streets,” said Melissa. “Here you can be part of a family.”

As a volunteer for five years, Harley McCarthy enjoys being on the ice.

“Its a great way to relieve stress,” said McCarthy.

Private skate lessons are only $1 a minute and public skate can be enjoyed during the afternoon hours for $5 including skate rental.

Individuals or groups who donate to the rebuilding of Iceland will receive personalized glass blocks. More details can be found online at www.skatesacramento.com or by contacting Terrie Kerth at (916) 992-4836.

A Unique Gift that Supports the Community

2011-12-19T19:12:40Z

For anyone who is still looking for unique holiday gift ideas, the Northern California nonprofit INALLIANCE may have just the solution- tickets to the "Sacramento Chef Challenge" at 4:00 p.m. Saturday ~~Friday~~ , June 23, 2012.

The well known culinary extravaganza features two live culinary competitions, food sampling, wine and beer tasting, live music, raffle prizes and more! But, the best part is-100% of proceeds go to programs that support people with developmental disabilities!

"2012 marks the 10th anniversary of the Sacramento Chef Challenge, which means we will be pulling out all the stops and slashing ticket prices,” says INALLIANCE Executive Director Diana DeRodeff.

INALLIANCE provides work and life skills training, supported employment services and assistive communication for people with developmental disabilities. “Our mission supports the belief that people with developmental disabilities have an absolute right and responsibility to be fully participating members of the community, and the Sacramento Chef Challenge is a way for us to raise vital funds for our programs while connecting with the community in a fun and positive way,” continues DeRodeff.

Rancho Cordova resident Anthony Paradiso has attended the event for the past four years and says, “I look forward to the Chef Challenge every year. It is exciting and offers a huge variety of food, wine and beer! I love a good competition and the chefs put on a great show.” Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased online at www.chefevent.com or by calling INALLIANCE at 916-381-1300 x170.

“There are many food events out there, but I support the Sacramento Chef Challenge because it is a quality event that benefits a great cause,” adds Paradiso. To learn more about the Sacramento Chef Challenge, purchase tickets and see photos from past years visit www.chefevent.com today!

Disclosure: Jessica Bean is an employee of INALLIANCE

Waldorf School Fair Celebrates 23rd Anniversary

2011-12-12T05:04:48Z

Two years ago, Camellia Waldorf School’s Winter Faire was hit by something unexpected: rain. It flooded the parking lots, turned a dry creek into a creek and threatened the good spirits of the day. Participants shifted into the school for cover, while vendors put up their canopies and served hot chocolate and soup. Despite the rain, it was one of the busiest fairs that school has hosted, with reportedly 1,000 visitors.

“It didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s feelings,” event co-chair Sarah Rucker said. “It’s a reflection of the norm at Waldorf School. If it were snowing, we’d still have a blast.”

This year, the Winter Faire began under a cloudless sky on Saturday, December 10th, on the school grounds. Despite microphone trouble, the fair opened with the Southern Brothers Drum and Dance group, which had children to teens to adults performing dances of Native American origin. As they had for the past four years, they set the stage for the significance behind the event, with dances like “The Caterpillar Dance” involving transformation and change.

“It’s a blessing when they come,” co-chair Marisa Cheung said. “It sets the tone for the event. I always feel truly awakened when they perform.”

This year was the Winter Faire’s 23rd anniversary, which isn’t much younger than the school itself. When the fair was first created, Camellia Waldorf School was only a kindergarten and had yet to form its additional eight grades.The co-chairs shared the two main purposes for the fair: having a good time and public outreach.

The fair has always had an education room available, organized by school admissions director Deirdre Johnson, where families can see the schoolwork and artwork of the students and ask any questions they might have about the curriculum.

Aside from this, the fair is oriented to family fun. Children run around playgrounds with painted faces, older kids meet up by the vendors and artisans, and parents encourage their little ones to make candles or find the arts-and-crafts table.

A newer addition to the fair is the gingerbread house exhibit. Run by Nancy Ciraulo, the exhibit displays over 30 gingerbread houses for silent auction, donated by many nonprofit organizations. This year, houses were donated by the Asian Community Center, McKinley Library, My Sister's House, One Village, Sacramento/Yolo Mutual Housing Association, Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, Sharing Parents, and Short Center South. Ciraulo described it as a “community collaboration.”

Inspired children can also make their own gingerbread homes for $3. The small cost goes into school funds, as does the silent auction. The 40 vendors and artisans nearby also donate 20 percent of their revenue, making the Winter Faire a fundraising opportunity as well.

The vendors sell everything from toys and books to clothes and jewelry, and a few even have fresh treats. The school has a cafe offering fresh soup meant for the Golden Ladle Soup Competition, with soups from Capitol Garage, Taylor’s Kitchen and Cafe Bernardo. By the outdoor seating of the cafe, students and parents play music, the Christmas-themed tunes falling into the hum of hundreds of voices.

Even kids lend a helping hand at the fair. At The Children’s Store, no adult is allowed entry, only children with tickets for purchasing items. For those a bit too young to read or count, the store has fifth graders from the school ready to guide them. There was also a circus performed this year by sixth, seventh and eighth graders, with kids walking on stilts, riding unicycles, balancing plates and wearing goofy hats.

Other performances this year included puppet shows and a magician. A “pocket person,” or a clown covered in pockets, roams the fairgrounds. Children can give the pocket person a ticket in order to take a pre-wrapped gift out of one of these pockets.

“(Winter is) traditionally a time that people want to hibernate,” Rucker said. “But not here. They get into the spirit of the season.”

Camellia Waldorf School began small, as did the Winter Faire. Now, both the school and the fair have grown to something greater than first intended. The future looks bright for them, even in the depths of winter.

Editorial Note: Spelling corrections have been made to Deirdre Johnson's name and Sarah Rucker's name after this article was published.

Bicyclette: Helping women bicyclists learn bicycle repair and maintenance

2011-12-09T04:01:26Z

Bridging the gap between male and female bicycle enthusiasts, female mechanics at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen are helping women learn the technical skills needed to maintain and repair their own bicycles.

Bicyclette is an after-hours session hosted by Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen, located at 1915 I St., that is exclusive to women, transgender and female-identified people, according to Andrea Havelaar, 37, outreach coordinator for the shop.

The free session is held from 6 - 9 p.m. every third Monday of the month.

"In our society, there is the tendency for guys to do things for a woman instead of thinking that she has to do it for herself," mechanic Robin Evans said. The Midtown resident has been working as a bicycle mechanic for three years at Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen.

Through Bicyclette, Havelaar said, women will gain the bicycle mechanic skills and the confidence to make them more comfortable coming to the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen's regular hours.

During the three-hour session, the first hour is usually dedicated to a mini class on a specific bicycle repair or maintenance skill such as fixing a flat tire or brake adjustments, and the remaining two hours are devoted to hands-on work.

Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen is a nonprofit bicycle shop that offers low-cost bicycle maintenance and training to members. As a community-run organization, all workers and mechanics are volunteers. They are funded through $5 daily shop fees or $50 yearly memberships, according to the shop's website.

Havelaar said that the patrons will do the same activities as they would during normal hours at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen – the mechanics will show them how to do maintenance and repairs on their bicycles. Tools are provided at the shop.

"We get college-aged women, middle-aged women with their nieces and even older women in their 60s," Havelaar said.

Bicyclette was created to encourage more women and female-identified bicyclists to come to the shop and learn bicycle maintenance and repair who might be otherwise apprehensive because of a male-dominated bicycling and bicycle mechanic scene, Havelaar said.

"I don't want to make it sound like our normal shop hours are not ideal for female or transgender to come to, because we do get women all the time, it's just not as many as men," Havelaar said. "Some women tend to learn better from other women, and I found that with myself. That was one reason why I wanted to do this and to get this started."

Evans explained that since women in general have longer legs and shorter torsos, a shorter handlebar or a shorter bicycle stem might be some of the parts women need to change on their bicycles for a better fit.

"A lot of times, bicycles were originally made to fit men," Evans said. "In order to have a comfortable ride, you might need to change things up a little bit."

On Sept. 19, the first Bicyclette, 12 patrons attended, which is a lot considering there are only two female mechanics who offer technical assistance: Robin Evans, 29, and Shannon Southwood, 34, both Midtown residents. The last two meetings had only three to four who attended, Havelaar said.

“Our male staff is also very supportive of Bicyclette as they would also like to see more female mechanics and more females getting into cycling in general,” Havelaar said.

For more information on Bicyclette, visit www.sacbikekitchen.org.

A Dash of Spice and a Hint of Competition Make a Great Holiday Gift

2011-11-30T17:13:48Z

Tickets for Sacramento’s Premier Culinary competition are on sale just in time for the holiday season! The Sacramento Chef Challenge (previously known as the Celebrity Chef Challenge) features a head to head battle between three professional chefs, and tickets make a great gift for the amateur chef, wine connoisseur or food lover in your life.

In 2012, the Sacramento Chef Challenge will be celebrating its tenth year, and in honor of this achievement, organizers are slashing ticket prices, adding new attractions and allowing guests to determine “Whose cuisine reigns supreme!”

Chef Challengers will have three hours to prepare and serve a specialty menu based on a surprise theme. Guests will have the opportunity to sample the dishes and vote for their favorite. The event also boasts a lavish food, wine and beer show, where guests can sample from a variety of regional vendors. If all of this isn’t enough, the 2012 Sacramento Chef Challenge will include a Cake War pastry chef competition, live music, silent auction and raffle.

The Sacramento Chef Challenge will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2011 from 4pm-9pm at 6950 21st Ave in Sacramento. Tickets are $25 per person and all proceeds go to support INALLIANCE, a local nonprofit that supports people with developmental disabilities. For more information visit www.chefevent.com or call 916-381-1300 x 170.

Disclosure: Jessica Bean is employed by INALLIANCE

MidLife GridLife - Shoot Up, Shut Up, Step Up?

2011-11-26T01:44:22Z

I went downtown on Thanksgiving morning and saw people feeding the homeless and it really pissed me off.

It seems to me that feeding the homeless once a year on Thanksgiving is a little like only going to church on Christmas Eve.

But, yes, there is more to this than what you may initially perceive as my Mother Superiority complex.

I need people to stop feeding the homeless on my block. Period.

I work at Quinn Cottages, a program that provides housing for homeless people who are ready to change their lives, to move from the streets and become self-sustaining. Many of them are in recovery from drug and/or alcohol addiction.

Many have mental health issues. All of them are committed to change. All of them perform at least 12 hours of community service a month, and most many more than that, closer to 30.Some are in the process of reuniting with children or reestablishing relationships with other loved ones that became broken during months or years of poor decisions.

Quinn Cottages is located on North A Street, just off of 16th Street. Next door, is a shelter program, one of several run by Volunteers of America. Also helping their clients to remain clean, sober, and committed to the positive choices they are making while waiting for more permanent accommodation.

Homeless people not in programs tend to congregate outside on the street anyway. They hang off the curbs, discouraging people from parking. They smoke dope--I know this because when I walk to my car I can smell it—well, I think so, anyway; I’m told it smells like oregano-- they talk trash, and they leave trash.

They throw running shoes up over the power lines to signal the availability of drugs for sale.

Eventually, law enforcement will manage to get them to disperse and things will start to look decent and safe again (although the shoes stay, and I don’t know what the ramifications for actual business practice are).

And then, within a few days or a week—a month at most--cars and vanloads of good Samaritans pull up with food to lure even more of them back to our block.

Yes, Them.

Those people.

It has, at this point, become a game of Them and Us.

I am not a hater of homeless people. I have said before that not only have I spent years hanging out and working with homeless people, but that they are not a category unto themselves: the only thing a lot of homeless people have in common is being designated homeless by the county or not sleeping in a societally sanctioned home.
I’m okay with homeless people. I have a problem with riff raff.

I’m okay with teenagers who like gangster rap. I have a problem with gangsters.

I am not a hater of people who feed homeless people, although I used to cringe at the use of the word “feed” until I saw the frenzied events of which I speak, and it resembles nothing so much as that.

I take issue with the lack of forethought and sensitivity with which these forays into charity work are conducted.

The people who stay at Quinn Cottages and Volunteers of America have made a choice, an often difficult and life-wrenching choice.

Depending on their personal circumstance—shelter v. Transitional Housing—they may have years, months, weeks or minutes of clean time. It might still be taunting them with future failure.

And what do we ask them to do?

Walk a gauntlet.

A gauntlet of syringes, and smoke and sneakers overhead 24/7.

I hear a whisper. A little defiant whisper saying something about “real life.”

But this isn’t real life; this is Early Recovery—from something that sucks, whatever that something was—and it’s hard enough without being tested on the way to your own front door every day. It’s especially challenging for those who weren’t at all sure they’d ever have—or deserve to have—a front door again.

There are people over the past few years who have put forth plans that seemed basically to want to make the homeless vanish, or at least, speculate that if they continued to spin the plans long enough and fast enough, they would run off or be sent somewhere and the problem of unattractive people schlepping about the streets would right itself.

The homeless people are in Roseville and Elk Grove. When enough turn up in Granite Bay and (I know, I know!) Rocklin, and someone petitions for a shelter, that might be the first strong mayoral candidate to succeed in this area—and you go Placer County; just don’t be haters!

But I digress.

I am beginning, as I always suggest people do, with my little corner of the world. I am not proposing that groups stop catering meals for the people on the street. I am not imagining that people will stop smoking or selling drugs or throwing garbage on the streets.

Just our street.

Three blocks down, Loaves & Fishes provides an amazing array of services for homeless and low-income individuals during the week. They are openly non-discriminating about the level of sobriety of their patrons. Organizations could set up there on the weekends when L&F is closed. Or, on weekdays nearby, where the behavior has been deemed unofficially acceptable.

From my perspective, it would also be great if the organizations communicated, so that they didn’t all show up at once, since people can only gorge themselves on so much food and carry so many provisions at one time.

This brings me to my second subtle suggestion: spread the love and joy throughout the year.

I will give you a very different example.

I have worked in two different programs where families are adopted for Christmas, and sometimes for Thanksgiving, as well.

Thanksgiving typically involves donation of the ingredients for a traditional meal, maybe the necessary tools if the kitchen isn’t well stocked. The family drops off bags of food, introduces themselves, asks some questions about the sizes and interested of family members, and says they‘ll see the family around Christmas.

Christmas can be a very different story. Christmas can be crazy.

Think about buying your child that gift you really can’t afford because you know you haven’t been around as much as you wanted to be this past year, and you feel really bad about it, so you want him to be able to have something really cool, because it’s the thing you can do.

Now take your child out and substitute a homeless boy or girl—or five.

Now follow the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be. You’re that child’s mom. You finally have your three years of sobriety/stable mental health. Your kids are working with you again. You have a job and you’re not getting government money anymore. For the first time you’ll be able to pay for your own Christmas! You don’t have credit, because that’s part of what got you in trouble in the first place, but you have cash saved all year just for this purpose.

But as you gather your purchases, the purchases your started out so proud of, you begin to hear their voices…This is the ghetto version, Mom! I asked for the other one, not this one! Is that all? Rather than give a child a Christmas once a year that a family will never be able to match once they're on their own, why not spread your time throughout the year with a family, modeling parenting skills, budgeting, talking about the other meaning in a holiday that doesn't revolve around expensive goods. Instead of throwing all of your money at Thanksgiving, endow or facilitate a monthly or weekly group that a program could otherwise not afford.

Find a program that means something to you, and ask them what they really need. Seriously. A Horton Hears a Who moment: Not only will they appreciate your generocity, but they will take note of and appreciate your empathy--I guarantee it.

Those of us, who work in mental health, recovery, and social services, do appreciate volunteers, and people who give service.

As long as it is a service.

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own." ~Benjamin Disraeli

"You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence is not an event -- it is a habit."

-- Aristotle

More about how you can support the agencies mentioned is available at:

Cottage Housing www.cottagehousing.org

Loaves & Fishes www.sacloaves.org

Volunteers of America www.voa-sac.org

Sacramento Social Media Club to host 'Best Practices for Charities'

2011-11-04T15:29:28Z

Through their use of Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and other social media tools, many local charities have spread their message, raised funds and increased public awareness of their cause in order to promote social change. In the hopes of spreading their stories and inspiring other philanthropic organizations to do the same, four local charities will be conducting a panel discussion at the Sacramento Social Media Club’s “Social Media Best Practices for Charities” on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Urban Hive.

Moderated by Clay Nutting, director of Concepts 4 Charity and account executive for 3Fold Communications, the event will include panelists: Kate Towson, Americorps VISTA with Sacramento Steps Foward; Julie Bornhoeft, director of development and community relations for WEAVE, Inc.; Misty Avila, eAdvocacy coordinator for Aspiration Tech; and Chris Brune, director of creative services at Macer Media (Sacramento Press), for the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.

The event will stream live on Ustream starting at 7 p.m., and can be followed on Twitter by using the hashtag #SMCSAC. The event is free, but donations will be accepted on behalf of the Sacramento Food Bank and the River City Food Bank. Donations up to $500 will be matched by CGI as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility Program.

In addition to panel, the Sacramento Social Media Club will be hosting a social media tune-up workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 15 from 6-to-8 p.m. at the Urban Hive. At the tune up, charities will be matched up with marketing practitioners and agencies for one-on-one reviews of their social media platforms, with specific recommendations on improvements after the consultation. In order to participate, charities must RSVP in advance.

The Urban Hive is located at 1931 H St., Sacramento, 95811. Space is limited for both events. Click here to RSVP for the Social Media Best Practices for Charities panel. To RSVP for the social media tune up, email smcsacto@gmail.com.

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About the Social Media Club: The Sacramento Social Media Club was founded in March 2009 by local social media activists. Its monthly events bring together journalists, publishers, students, communicators and other interested collaborators to facilitate discussions about the key issues facing our society as technologies transform the way we connect, communicate, collaborate and relate. The Social Media Club’s primary mission is to promote media literacy and standard technologies, encourage ethical behavior and share best practices. To find out more, join their groups on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

About the author: Brittany Wesely is the Associate Community Benefit Health Specialist for Kaiser Permanente, and a member of the all-volunteer leadership team for the Sacramento Social Media Club. Follow her on Twitter @brittanywesely.

Council discusses regional approach to addressing homelessness

2011-11-03T01:25:07Z

The City Council is considering whether the city of Sacramento will join in the creation of a public-private collaborative agency to address the problems of homelessness in the region – an issue that does not recognize political boundaries.

Representatives from the city Neighborhood Services Department and the county Department of Human Assistance presented a report to the City Council Tuesday outlining a plan for creating a joint powers authority to align city and county governments with a nonprofit entity.

“The JPA would be the overarching policymaking body,” Sacramento county spokeswoman Kerri Aiello said Tuesday. “Sacramento Steps Forward (a nonprofit corporation) will ultimately be the umbrella over program implementation.”

In any given month in Sacramento, there are more than 3,000 people without homes, according to Ben Burton, executive director for Sacramento Steps Forward. That number includes people in emergency or transitional housing.

Of that number, Burton said more than 1,000 are actually on the street each night.

At one time, the county administered all government-funded homeless programs for the city and county, Burton said, and recent budget cuts have left homeless programs for Sacramento severely lacking in funding.

“When the funding ended, we had to ask ‘what do we do now?’ “ Burton said. “We start looking for additional dollars now.”

SafeGround representative John Kraintz said Tuesday that the goal of the JPA/nonprofit collaboration would be to maximize the ability to secure funding grants from the greatest variety of sources.

“Some programs have to be administered through the government to get public grant funds,” Kraintz said. “And nonprofits have a better ability to get private dollars.”

A nonprofit can access private funding more quickly than government, and some government funding can only be accessed by a government entity like a JPA.

Aiello said that certain homeless dollars – primarily Housing and Urban Development funds – can only be applied for by a government agency, and that would be one role of the JPA part of the partnership.

Another benefit of a combined JPA/nonprofit effort is the ability for many jurisdictions to share data and work together to plan regionally, Derrick Lim, Neighborhood Services manager, said Tuesday.

“It’s still in the conceptual phase right now,” Lim said. “The whole point is to have everyone in every jurisdiction sharing the same information.”

Representatives from regional City Councils and the Board of Supervisors would comprise a JPA Board whose role would be to accept grants that are only available to public agencies.

The JPA Board would award those funds to the nonprofit agency to administer. The JPA Board would also advise on major policy goals and serve as the community’s voice on the issue of homelessness, according to the report.

According to the report to the City Council, the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance was the primary administrator of homeless programs in Sacramento since 1993. The city of Sacramento relied on the county to coordinate and administer programs on behalf of the city.

By the end of 2010, the DHA no longer had funding available to administer homeless programs as it had been doing, Aiello said.

“Everyone went broke, and the county pulled out of all their homeless projects,” local homeless advocate Tracie Rice-Bailey said Tuesday. “Now they are trying to put together this umbrella nonprofit to find how many ways they can keep roofs over people’s heads.”

In September 2010, the Sacramento City Council and county Board of Supervisors started discussing a conceptual plan to create a new public-private structure to end homelessness.

In March, the City Council approved transitioning the administration of homeless programs in the city away from the county DHA to Sacramento Steps Forward.

Sacramento county DHA staff have been presenting the JPA proposal to other city councils in the county and the Board of Supervisors to get feedback and ideas for the structure of the potential JPA.

“(County Department of Human Assistance director) Paul Lake has been out to Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, Folsom and other areas of the county,” Aiello said.

The response to the idea has been positive, according to Lake.

“Other cities are very enthusiastic and want to move forward,” Lake told council members Tuesday.

Councilman Kevin McCarty said he is in favor of the proposed JPA structure for dealing with homeless issues in Sacramento.

“Bottom line: Regional solutions are needed here,” McCarty said Wednesday. “The more local governments teaming up and partnering to tackle homelessness, the better.”

The initial target date for having a JPA in place was July, but Lake said the date had to be adjusted because they needed more time to allow Sacramento Steps Forward to assume responsibility for managing grants.

“Neither the county nor Sacramento Steps Forward want to transfer responsibility until it can be a wholly successful transfer,” Lake said Wednesday. “We are hopeful that Sacramento Steps Forward will begin assuming (grant responsibility) early in 2012.”

Ben Burton, the new executive director for Sacramento Steps Forward, said Wednesday that this as an opportunity for creating a more innovative approach to homelessness.

“Once the (JPA) program is implemented,” Burton said, “we will put an agenda together to begin regional planning. It will start with an assessment of where we are today.”

Burton said it is essential that the multitude of jurisdictions in the region – cities, counties and private community agencies – start sharing data and local plans to address homelessness issues.

“This type of planning will strengthen our competition for federal dollars to provide services,” Burton said. “It’s cheaper to prevent homelessness than to take someone through the whole system.”

The City Council didn’t take any action on the proposal report Tuesday.

DHA and city staff will take the proposal to the county Board of Supervisors for discussion and feedback in December, Aiello said. A draft JPA agreement is expected to follow soon after.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

3,400 local children and youth are growing up in foster care. Over 1,000 need a permanent home today.

2011-11-01T22:00:14Z

November is National Adoption Month. As the nation recognizes this important social issue, counties and communities across California will promote adoption and permanency awareness through activities and events that bring attention to the needs of the over 25,000 children and youth living in foster care throughout the state waiting for families to love and adopt them.

November 3, 2011 is National Adoption Awareness Day. On November 3, 2011, the month-long effort will kick off, raising awareness about the thousands of children in California waiting for families, celebrating those special people who have provided a loving home to children in foster care, and inspiring others to come forward and be a forever family to children and youth.

Special Event
National Adoption Awareness Day - California State Capitol - “Calling Out of Names” - 11 am to 6 pm
On the North steps of the California State Capitol, state and community leaders, adoptive parents, former foster children and child advocates will “call out” the names of children and youth who continue to wait for family love and belonging. This meaningful event will recognize the thousands of children in California waiting for forever families as well as those who have come forward to provide permanency to children through adoption. Three local families will be recognized with 2011 Adoptive Family of the Year awards.

Adoption Orientation inside the State Capitol: 4:45pm – 5:45pm:
A unique and intimate orientation will be co-hosted by three local agencies specializing in finding permanent families for children and youth living in foster care. The orientation will be held inside the State Capitol in room 113 . This orientation is open to the general public.

A candlelight vigil concludes the event at 6pm.

Get Involved. Become A Parent.
To learn more about how you can help strengthen our community by becoming a permanent family to a child or children in foster care in the greater Sacramento area.
Please visit the websites of one of these sponsoring agencies:
          EMQ FamiliesFirst: www.emqff.org
          Lilliput Children's Services: www.lilliput.org
          Sierra Forever Families: www.sierraff.org

November 1-14:
The Capitol Heart Gallery – a display of beautifully taken photographs of children and youth living in foster care in California and continue to wait for a family – is featured at the State Capitol.

Disclosure: Written by: Sara Hanson, Public Relations Specialist, Sierra Forever Families and the National Adoption Month Coalition

Día de los Muertos Festivities with La Raza Galería Posada

2011-10-30T01:51:28Z

Día de los Muertos—Day of the Dead--is a Mexican tradition that stems from
Meso-American societies, and was heavily influenced during the Spanish Conquest of Mexico in the XIV Century.

During Día de los Muertos families create ofrendas (offerings) for loved ones who have passed. Día de los Muertos is observed in various forms throughout the American Continent and is an important pillar of Mexican, Latino and Chicano culture in the United States (La Raza Galeria Posada).

Although the Day of the Dead actually falls on November 1st, festivities are being held this weekend by La Raza Galeria Posada in a special location, between J and K, 20th and 21st Streets in Midtown.

The central focus is the display of altars.

They are as diverse as the souls who inspire them; some are small and simple, others large and elaborate. Many are traditional. They include the bread, salt, foods and flowers, and many other ingredients culturally appropriate for sending someone safely into the next life. Others are less orthodox.

All are an obvious labor of love, born of loss.

For the uninitiated, the exhibit may be unique in its blend of sorrow and celebration.

It’s also an opportunity to teach children and young people about grieving and loss.

The festivities resume Sunday morning. Admission is free.

8 am: Panteón Re-opens.
12pm-6pm: DJ-Albert Garnica playing oldies, rancheras, viejitas, and other requests ($1/song)
12-2pm: Cempazuchitl Flower Making Workshop*- ($5/person)
2:30pm-4pm: Mask-painting Workshop*- ($10/person)
4:30pm-6pm: Mask-painting Workshop*- ($10/person)
7:30pm: Closing Ceremony

Non-Profit The Effort Holds Pre-Halloween Events for Formerly Homeless

2011-10-25T19:13:24Z

On Thursday, October 27, from noon to 2 p.m., Sacramento non-profit agency, The Effort will hold a pumpkin carving party and Halloween door decoration contest for their client/residents at the new affordable housing community of Boulevard Court. (5321 Stockton Boulevard).

The carving party and decorating contest, like other activities facilitated by staff of The Effort, are held to reinforce a sense of community and ownership.

“For many of our residents, this is the first time in many years when they will be able to celebrate any holiday season in their own home,” said Effort CEO Jonathan Porteus, “The simple act of decorating a door in effect says…Come to my house…a major declaration for someone who has been chronically homeless.”

Currently, 49 of the 74 Boulevard Court residents receive wrap-around services from The Effort, everything from primary care treatment, mental health counseling and substance abuse counseling to vocational and educational placement.

“We follow a medical mantra that Housing is the Fifth Vital Sign like a pulse or blood pressure” says Effort CEO Jonathan Porteus. “When provided with stable housing and wrap-around support, all of our clients’ needs become less urgent and they start preventing issues by working with our medical and social support staff instead of reacting to runaway crises because they didn’t have adequate support.”

The Effort also provides art therapy classes, cooking classes, and facilitation of men's and women's groups.

Says Porteus “This housing model also has a highly positive financial impact for the whole community because many of our clients are people who would otherwise be seeking routine medical care in an Emergency Room and now they have an on-site federally-subsidized clinic and case managers who can open the door to all of the services they need in the community.”

theeffort.org

Disclosure: Steve LaRosa is the media director for The Effort

The Ripple Effect: "The Dark Pool" Showcases A Cooperative of Cross-generational Creativity

2011-10-11T18:03:42Z

[Jim Krall’s six year old daughter has just been kidnapped] ...from her own birthday party in front of his family and friends-and no one seems to care but him. Alone in his devastation, Jim Krall sets out on a nightmarish quest to find his child. This obsession will lead him into a world of Dark Pool investments, DNA manipulation, String Theory, time travel and alternate realities...

It started with Sam.

Sam was a graduate of Natomas Charter School.

He was bright and creative and bored.

He isn’t any of those things anymore.

Last year he took his own life. Now he is an inspiration.

Rick Gott is an actor.

Rick Gott is a teacher.

He was Sam’s teacher.

He sees a lot of students graduate from his classes in theater and film who are bright and creative. Many of them go on to community colleges or university programs.

But for many of them, formal education is not a good fit. Their talent and energy buzzes and crackles and smolders in a post high school limbo that is frustrating and often depressing.

It is a feeling not unfamiliar to actors and other industry professionals in this town, many of whom commute elsewhere to ply their trade with any measure of success; many of whom have simply resigned themselves to other peripheral or even unrelated careers after years of bit work and unreliable pay.

Gott, a long time local actor himself, was becoming more and more discouraged watching his students emerge into the already stagnant job market, in danger of becoming jaded before they’d even tasted the success he knew they had the potential to earn.

What if, he theorized, there was a way to bring all of these people together,
the young, energetic students, still honing their various crafts and the myriad of seasoned professionals who have so much to offer in the way of experience?

“I realized when I opened my eyes that I have a gold mine here!” said Gott, when we spoke recently in the black box theatre that serves as his classroom at Natomas Charter School.

So, last spring he started pitching friends and associates of mine on the idea of collaboration.

“No one had money, but everyone had value to contribute.”

The project they settled upon was a Web TV series.

“It just made the most sense, financially,” explained Gott.

The result is “The Dark Pool,” set to launch October 13.

Gott penned the episodes and five have been produced with support from students; Iron Mountain Film; actors from B Street Theatre and Capital Stage, as well as other local talent; Frank Casanova, who offered his studio; and many others. Nationally syndicated financial columnist Phillip Larrea is acting consultant for the financial matters in the series.

The protagonist, John Krall, works on Wall Street - timely, hmm?

Council Member Angelique Ashby even makes an appearance. Each episode has a different director and a different producer.

To date, about $200 has been invested.

“I had some problems with my printer that had to be dealt with,” shrugs Gott, “Or we might be able to say we hadn’t spent anything.”

The ultimate success would be to create a company with no venture capital.

“Facebook has a partnership program,” explains Gott, who has clearly given the process some thought. “We’d like to be able to use that to finance the next five episodes.” The next goal would be to pay people a small stipend.

But for Rick Gott, it will never be about money.

It will be about watching his students continue to grow under the mentorship of those who came before them, of reciprocal learning.

It will be about providing opportunities and exposure for local industry talent of all levels.

It will be about Sam.

Support “The Dark Pool” project by hitting “Like” on the Dark Pool fan page on Facebook and by jumping into the series October 13 on YouTube. Your support will create further opportunities for young people in projects to come.

Are We Stifling Nonprofit Innovation?

2011-10-06T16:45:50Z

Are we stifling nonprofit innovation?

Harvard Professor Dan Pallotta, author of a best-selling book on philanthropy, will speak tonight in Sacramento on the invitation of a group of civic leaders who want to “encourage new thinking and increase philanthropic support that will lead to stronger nonprofit organizations in this region.”

His books and ideas are described as insightful, pithy and challenging. “We feel Dan can help us stimulate dialog that will lead to more effective charities and an improved quality of life,” said Catherine Connolly, chair of the event organizing committee and past president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Pallotta is the chief architect of Pallotta TeamWorks’ highly successful advertising and marketing efforts that raised more than $500 million for causes related to AIDS and breast cancer. He is a weekly contributor to the Harvard Business Review online and is a William Jefferson Clinton Distinguished Lecturer who has spoken at colleges and universities nationwide. In his most recent book, Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential , Pallotta calls for dramatic change in the way nonprofits are regulated, treated and evaluated. He talks in the book’s foreword about “giving charity equal rights with the rest of the economic world and allowing it to use the system everyone else uses to get things done –free market capitalism.”

The presentation tonight will be held in the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria from 5 - 8 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $40. A question and answer session and book signing will take place after the presentation.

Event organizers are the Nonprofit Resource Center and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Sponsors are the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLC, The Sacramento Bee, Capital Public Radio and Runyon Saltzman & Einhorn, Inc.

Pallotta’s appearance follows the recent release of research by the Greater Sacramento Generosity Project, an initiative launched earlier this year by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation and the Nonprofit Resource Center, with support from individuals, the regional business community, health systems and educational institutions. The research revealed that residents of the Sacramento region are less likely to give and donate fewer dollars than the national average.

Join the conversation tonight!

Disclosure: I am a volunteer board member for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, one of the partner organizations bringing this lecture series to town.

Urban youth lounge Vibe opens Oct. 8

2011-10-06T06:57:13Z

After several years of planning, Vibe, the new urban youth lounge, will host a party at 5 p.m. on Saturday to celebrate its grand opening. Located at 1725 K St., the center will provide a place for teens to do their homework, socialize and be safe, said Catherine Pentoney, spokeswoman and former chair of Vibe’s Board of Directors.

Since 2007, the Vibe Foundation has been raising money to open its youth lounge. The nonprofit organization was founded by Julian Nagler and David Schenirer.

“Vibe was a concept that came out of a need in Sacramento for the youth to have productive things to do,” said Nagler, one of Vibe’s co-founders.

Nagler said he believes places like the Boys and Girls Club of America didn’t have the ability to attract modern teenagers.

“There needed to be something else in Sacramento that had a more inviting social atmosphere,” he said.

Nagler said that he and Schenirer came up with the idea for Vibe after the Sacramento Youth Commission identified “a significant lack of safe and relevant places for Sacramento teens to socialize, connect to community resources and seek … employment.” They then surveyed teenagers across the city, asking them what they would like to see an after-school hangout look like. Before long, the idea of Vibe began to solidify.

One of the main ideas behind the center is that teenagers should play an active role in administrative decisions. Two boards, a youth board and an adult board, are in charge, but the youth board has the final say on most matters.

Many prominent people are on the board, such as City Councilmembers Angelique Ashby and Steve Cohn, Steve Briggs, the marketing manager at The Sacramento Bee, and several students from local high schools.

The party on opening night will feature performances by a wide variety of local teen musicians. Pentoney says that many genres, from hip-hop to indie acoustic, will be represented. Some of the acts include the 2011 Jammies 3rd place winner Parie Wood and the spoken-word group Sacramento Area Youth Speaks.

During some of the musical sets, performance art will take place as well. Pentoney said that Matt Bird, a local visual artist, will be doing an art piece on a blank wall while the musicians play.

The party is free and open to the public. Food will be sold, including coffee donated by Starbucks and baked goods made by Vibe’s teenage volunteers. Pentoney said that the money raised will go to help fund the lounge and its activities.

“We want people to come out and participate,” she added.

At the party, teenagers will be able to sign up for a Vibe membership, which Pentoney said will be structured similarly to a gym. Any student enrolled in high school is eligible for a membership.

The cost of a membership has not yet been set, but Pentoney said that it will be around $10 per month. Members will be allowed one guest to encourage more people to sign up. She added that scholarships will be available to low-income teenagers who are willing to work on site at Vibe.

Membership will allow teens to come after school and take advantage of the center’s amenities, such as laptops and tables, to do homework and hang out with friends, said Pentoney. They will also host regular events.

“(There will be) everything from rap battles to video game contests to poetry readings,” she added.

She said that to decide what events will be held at Vibe, surveys will be done routinely at local high schools to get a feel for what would be popular.

“We try to make all of our events reflective of what the youth in Sacramento want,” Pentony said.

Pentoney said that she believes Vibe will have a positive impact on high schoolers growing up in Sacramento. “The way I look at (Vibe) is that it’s a place for people to teach and inspire each other and to do things that they otherwise couldn’t,” she said.

Waste Connections, Inc. supports charitable golf tournament with proceeds to help children in foster care.

2011-10-04T22:10:36Z

Waste Connections, Inc. sponsored and helped fundraise $145,000 during Sierra Forever Families’ seventh annual Golf Classic for Kids tournament at Serrano Country Club on Sept. 12.

The funds raised during this year’s tournament will help more than 20 children living in foster care find permanent placements with loving families. This tremendous success of the 2011 tournament would not be as significant without the gracious support of Ron Mittelstaedt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, along with Jerri Hunt, Vice President of Employee Relations, of Waste Connection, Inc.

Hunt, who retired from the Board of Directors of Sierra Forever Families in July, served as the four-time Chair of the Golf Classic Committee. Hunt’s passion for the cause and her enthusiastic leadership of the committee proved to be an integral part to the success and continuation of the tournament. For the past four years, Mittelstaedt and Hunt have donated their time and have worked with national vendors and global business associates to help prepare and sponsor the agency’s signature fundraising event. Some of these sponsors include but are not limited to the following: Evergreen Flexible Bonding Solution, Littler Mendelson, Blue Shield of California, Pacific Coast Companies, Inc., RecycleBank, the SureWest Foundation, and Vision Service Plan.

During their four-year involvement with the tournament and enduring support of the agency’s mission, Waste Connections, Inc. helped Sierra Forever Families raise more than $550,000, transforming the lives of more than 110 children living in local foster care.

At this year’s tournament closing ceremony, hosted by local personality Kelly Brothers, Hunt was recognized for her leadership with an excellence in service award and stated in her acceptance speech that helping children through this tournament has been, “the most important project of my life.”

One of the most touching recognition pieces Hunt received during the closing ceremonies were two homemade thank you cards from two sisters who directly benefitted from the efforts and commitment of Waste Connections, Inc.

Bob Herne, Executive Director of Sierra Forever Families, acknowledges Waste Connections, Inc. for their four-year commitment. In four years, Hunt, with the support her company and affiliates, has transformed a tournament that was heavily impacted by an ailing economy. “Her tireless efforts and passion to help children find the loving homes they deserve has successfully positioned Sierra’s Golf Classic as a tournament that is now regionally-known as one of Sacramento’s best,” said Herne.

Bob Herne continues, “Waste Connections, Inc. has generously benefitted local Sacramento charities for many years. With the support from Waste Connections, Inc., Sierra Forever Families has been able to transform the lives of hundreds of children living in foster care, which has not only impacted their lives, but the lives of their forever families, leading to increased opportunities of hope and positive outcomes for our children.”

Sierra Forever Families is committed to hosting the eighth annual Golf Classic for Kids tournament tentatively set for September 2012. For more information, or if you would like to be a sponsor for the tournament, contact Bobby Cobbs, Development and Public Relations Officer at 916.368.5114.

About Waste Connections, Inc.:
Waste Connections, Inc. is an integrated solid waste services company that provides solid waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services in mostly exclusive and secondary markets.The Company serves more than two million residential, commercial and industrial customers from a network of operations in 31 states. The Company also provides intermodal services for the movement of containers in the Pacific Northwest. Waste Connections, Inc. was founded in September 1997 and is headquartered in Folsom, California.

About Sierra Forever Families:
Founded in 1983, Sierra Forever Families mission is to transform the lives of children in foster care by building and nurturing permanent families. Traditionally focused on finding families for harder-to-place children living in foster care, Sierra has successfully placed more than 2,700 children with permanent, loving families in their 28 years of service. Since 2009, Sierra has also provided positive mentors to children who currently in foster care.

Disclosure: Written by: Sara Hanson, Public Relations Specialist, Sierra Forever Families

Rock and Radio Redux - New Space and Extra Dates to Visit Your Rock-n-Local Past

2011-09-30T05:20:30Z

As you enter, to the left is the cornerstone collection of Crabshaw Corners and Oasis Ballroom artwork from Roger Shepherd, Jim Carrico, and Jim Ford. Rock enthusiasts may marvel over the nearly complete collection of psychedelia from the Sound Factory. And any native Sacramentan over a certain age will wax nostalgic at the wall of Tower calendar posters on display.

Dennis Newhall, founder and curator of the Sacramento Rock and Radio Museum, has assembled and showcased a myriad of rock and radio memorabilia dating back to 1957.

Newhall started listening to rock and roll when he was six years old and Hounddog was at the top of the charts.

Every inch of his West Sacramento bedroom was covered with posters, but when he took them all down to study radio at CSUS, he stored them carefully away in a watertight box (a fact that would be surprising to no one who knows Dennis and his fastidious ways), and set them aside for a reason then unclear.

Dennis is still covering the walls with rock memorabilia, but thanks to support from Tucker Media, he has a lot more space to pursue his passion.

What is now the museum began as more of a memorial to local rock and roll.

Newhall, who had spent his radio career at, among other places, legendary rock station KZAP and KROY, was working at Nakamoto Productions. The studios happened to be located in the building that had once housed Crabshaw Corners, and later The Oasis Ballroom, site of countless concerts throughout the ‘60s, ‘70s and early ‘80s.

On a whim, Newhall and his friend Jeff Hughson began picking up promotional memorabilia from the old venues and hanging it in the studios. The idea caught on.

“Ray [Nakamoto] said, ‘If you keep finding them, I’ll keep framing them’,” Newhall recalls.

It wasn’t long until Dennis had covered a new set of walls. A few years later, in 2003, the collection had grown substantially, and they began opening for Second Saturday.

“We were right in the epicenter, here on 20th Street,” says Newhall of the former location between the 20th Street Gallery and Lush salon, “And people seemed to appreciate looking at the artwork and remembering the concerts they’d been to.”

Primarily through word of mouth, and Second Saturdays, word of the museum’s offerings and Dennis’s dedication to preserving local rock culture have spread.

After Mayor Kevin Johnson took a turn down Memory Lane, he commissioned Newhall to put together a small private collection for him.

This Saturday, Newhall has been asked to present the Jazz/Funk award at the Sammies, also a nod to his ongoing work as a jazz announcer at KXJZ. The museum will also be open from 5-9pm to take advantage of crossover fans from the Sammies Block Party.

Due to some changes in management, and with support from Tucker Marketing Group, the museum recently moved to a new home—next door to the old one, at 911 20th Street.

Newhall calls it a vast improvement.

“Being in the old Oasis Ballroom was a terrific inspiration for getting the museum started,” he concedes, “But this is a much better viewing space.”

Bill Tucker loved the idea of giving space to the newly formed non-profit.

“It’s a great environment to work in,” he smiles, gesturing around what is surely one of the coolest “lobbies” in town. “And it really puts the clients at ease.”

Having recently achieved non-profit status as a 501(c)3, the Rock and Radio Museum can now actively fundraise, which is an exciting prospect. Not only does the artwork cost money—although some of it, including those well-preserved childhood posters, has been donated—but the days of thumb-tacking things to the wall are over.

“Framing alone is a considerable expense,” says Newhall.

Currently, the museum is open only for Second Saturdays, April through October, or for occasional special events, like this weekend’s block party. They are considering making the space available for select fundraising events, and viewing is available by appointment.

You can also see some of the collection or make a donation at sacrockmuseum.org

Drink Wine, Marvel at Art, Dance to Live Music all to Support Orphans in Mexico

2011-09-20T16:45:59Z

On September 30, 2011, at Beatnik Studios, aspects of Sacramento’s finest culture will come together to support a truly inspiring cause. From 5pm to 9pm entrance is free and guests can stroll the studio looking at P.R. Brown’s photography show “The Known and Travel” while noshing on appetizers. Wine lovers can purchase a souvenir glass for wine tasting and entrance into a gourmet gift basket raffle. 100% of the proceeds are directed towards transforming the lives of orphaned and poverty-stricken children. Guests can further show their support by bidding at the silent auction. After 9pm a suggested donation of $5-$10 is appreciated as the stage opens up to live performances from Katie Jane, Alyssa Cox, Step Jane, and Exquisite Corps.

Beatnik studios, located on 17th Street and Broadway, is known for supporting charitable causes. The nonprofit organization 2Build 4Ward International (2x4 International) is no exception. A group of California State Employees initiated the organization to bring attention and solutions to issues in developing countries. Their mission is to partner with community-based projects and disadvantaged groups to support education, health, infrastructure and small business development.

While the organization has already sent and shipped barrels of goods to a hospital in Ghana, this event will further their project to build an orphanage in Tuxpan, Jalisco Mexico. The organization has received a donation of land, a commitment from a Canadian architectural firm to the project, and the partnership of a local Mexican organization. Over half of Mexico’s population lives in poverty and the UN estimates that there are 10 million orphans living in Mexico.

The featured artist, P.R. Brown, is best known as a Grammy nominated music video director. Brown has worked with musicians such as John Mayer, Three Days Grace, The Smashing Pumpkins, Seal, Prince, Alicia Keys, Slipknot, Matisyahu, Goo Goo Dolls, and Death Cab for Cutie. His collection of travel photos and high fashion will be featured at Beatnik for the entire month of October.

For those interested in supporting 2x4 International’s cause, but cannot attend, online bidding for the silent auction photos can be accessed through their website. If you enjoy art, wine, music, and helping others, then come celebrate at 2x4 International’s first annual Wine and Art Event.

2x4 International is a registered 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to development projects abroad. For further information please visit http://2x4international.blogspot.com

Disclosure: Chelsea Berg is the Fundraising/Volunteer Administrator with 2build 4ward international.

Blues Festival and Pasta Cook-Off Fundraiser-October 2nd

2011-09-15T22:27:11Z

10 Bands…10 Restaurants…5 years.

We did the math…it adds up to big fun at the…

5th Annual Blues for Life, which takes place on Sunday, October 2nd, from 1pm to 7pm, at the Torch Club, 904 15th Street. (inside and out in the parking lot…two stages)

This popular fundraiser, described in this news release, which has grown every year, benefits Albie Aware Breast Cancer Foundation, which raises money for expensive diagnostic breast cancer tests such as PET scans and mammograms for women in need.

At Albie, we like to say, “Your mother, your sister, your daughter, your best friend... Who Cares?…..Albie Aware!

Besides performances by the area’s leading blues bands, the popular Pasta Cook-Off featuring 10 top Sacramento restaurants, will be featured. Attendees will be able to taste them all for a mere $10. Doing the math again…we think you get it…

All Star Line-Up of Bands:

The Nibblers
Mercy Me!
Walking Spanish
Kaye Bohler
Ron Hacker
Gino Matteo
Bone MacDonald
Sista Monica
Trubaduo
Pailer, Adams & Joyce

Participating Pugilistic Potentates of Pasta
(aka: Competing Pasta Cook-off Restaurants)

Blue Prynt Restaurant & Bar
Clark’s Corner
Evan’s Kitchen
House Kitchen & Bar
Lucca Restaurant & Bar
Mama Susanna’s Ristorante Italiano
Michelangelo’s Italian Restaurant
Rio City Café
(2 restauarants TBA)

Silent auction items:
Flat screen TV
Signed art works
Trips and much more

50 Raffle Items
Including restaurants & local entertainment certificates

For more information, please visit: www.albieaware.org

Tickets available now at eventbrite.com

Disclosure: Steve LaRosa is the Media Director for Albie Aware Breast Cancer Foundation

Seventh annual Suits and Slippers raises money for children's center

2011-09-15T04:58:31Z

Nearly 300 people arrived at Arden Mall’s Market Square at 7:30 a.m. dressed in their business suits and slippers. They had come to enjoy a plethora of breakfast cereals for the seventh annual Suits and Slippers event hosted by the Roberts Family Development Center. Guests were provided with bowls of cereal along with Starbucks coffee, muffins, bananas, yogurt and orange juice.

People marvelled over creative cereal sculptures and enjoyed their breakfasts as Derrell Roberts, co-founder and CEO of the RFDC, mingled with the crowd.

“It’s made people think of the center as a place for kids to grow,” Roberts said, referring to how the event has impacted the RFDC.

Roberts said that the RFDC provides family-oriented services to more than 200 students in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, including ones in North Sacramento, downtown and the River District. They provide everything from after-school tutoring for schoolkids to parenting workshops for adults.

Three school districts, Twin Rivers, Robla and Sacramento City Unified, also work with the RFDC. “We work with (these) three districts very closely,” Roberts said.

People walked around talking with each other and participating in the silent auction, which sold everything from collector comic books to signed sports jerseys. The floor was an array of brightly colored shoes and shapes, with everything from bright pink cats to large racecars appearing on people’s slippers.

Few people were aware that judges were secretly walking among them, looking to find three pairs of slippers to award as the most worn, most creative and the best-looking animal slippers.

The RFDC Youth Choir performed “Uma Familia” as people settled into their seats with their breakfasts.

“Since 2005, this event has netted the RFDC over $350,000,” said Debbie Hammond, who along with Hayes Bernard won last year’s cereal-eating contest and served as MCs at this year’s event.

Roberts said that even more money has been raised indirectly because of the event.

“(Suits and Slippers) has raised another half million dollars in terms of relationships that have developed with the people who have attended,” he said.

But Roberts also said that he believes Suits and Slippers has done much more for the center than just raise money. It has brought visibility, which he said is what the center needs most right now.

Roberts credited the creation of Suits and Slippers to Sharon Gerber, president and founder of Six Degreez, Inc., an event planning firm.

Gerber said she got the idea seven years ago from a restaurant in Los Angeles called “Cereality” that served cereal for every meal of the day. She adapted the idea to fit a fundraising event and pitched it to Roberts, who thought it was great.

Through her many connections, Gerber was able to secure use of the Arden Mall’s Market Square and was able to get General Mills to donate all of the cereal. The milk was donated by Crystal Cream, and Raley’s provided the rest of the food. These donors have been consistent over the years.

The cereal-eating contest has been a staple for several years. The contest involves prominent Sacramentans racing to be the first one to finish a bowl of cereal – milk and all. The winners get their pictures placed on boxes of Wheaties.

“It’s really fun because you’ve got pretty important people in town with milk dribbling down their chins,” Gerber said.

After the Youth Choir performed a rendition of Alicia Keys’ “No One”, the cereal eating contest was ready to begin.

This year’s contest had many of the Sacramento area’s most visible people vying for their place at the top. For the girls, Annale Penny of Fox 40 won the contest with Kix as her choice of cereal, while Leroy Tripette from Intel took first place for the boys, eating Cookie Crisp.

After the cereal-eating contest, the winners of the best slippers awards were announced. Michael Smith was recognized for having the best animal slippers. His slippers were rabbits that could bite down on things. Paula Swayne won most creative with her purple and mop-like slippers, while Patty Cota’s long-loved slip-on slippers earned her the award for most worn. These three winners will also be put on a box of Wheaties.

The cereal sculpture contest was the event everyone had been waiting for. Introduced last year, the contest required contestants to build sculptures made mostly out of cereal. The theme this year was the 10th anniversary of the RFDC.

In third place, “The Loving Garden” by Joy Gee.

In second place, “Mended Hearts” by Arabella Grayson.

In the end, Daphne Burgess won First place with “Stay Faithful and Stay Focused.” Burgess also won last year’s contest.

The RFDC also awarded companies and individuals who have had a significant impact on the center. Recipients included the Friedman Family, General Mills, Jack and Jill of America, City Councilman Rob Fong, and Kathy Henry, a devoted volunteer at the center.

The future of Suits and Slippers is uncertain.

“Sometimes I think events run their course,” Gerber said.

“Every year since the fifth year, we’ve said, ‘We’re not gonna do it. This is the last (one),’ ” Roberts added.

But Gerber did not rule out continuing the tradition for at least another year, saying that it is something that has yet to be decided.

Kids ride for kids

2011-09-12T20:44:40Z

"I did it!" is an often heard refrain after the Mustard Seed bike ride for kids.

On Sunday, September 25th the 7th annual Mustard Seed Spin in Sacramento will take place on the American River bike trail. This bike ride -- by kids for kids -- has already raised and donated $120,000 to the Mustard Seed School for homeless children. All rider fees are donated directly to the school. More than 700 riders are expected this year, slightly more than last year. The bike ride introduces kids under the age of 18 to organized cycling, teaches bike safety, and hopefully creates a whole new generation of bike commuters. There is also a bike Scholarship Program which hosts 50 underprivileged kids at the ride. They go home with a refurbished bike, a new helmet, and a great sense of accomplishment and belonging!

The bike ride starts at William Pond Recreation Area at 11am on September 25th. Kids (and their parents) can do a 6 mile or 12 mile ride. Lunch and ice cream are served after the ride along with a raffle drawing for several new bikes. Please consider riding yourself or with a group of friends this year. You can go to www.mustardseedspin.org for more information.

Since obtaining non-profit status in 2010, the Mustard Seed Spin has expanded its mission to bike safety outreach to community centers and underserved schools.

Step Up and Step Out - AIDS Run/Walk 2011

2011-09-09T06:57:26Z

Would it surprise you to know that AIDS rates are on the rise again?

As someone who lost only a few friends to AIDS, but was nearly frozen with fearful anticipation waiting for the results of that first test in the ‘80s, it certainly surprised me! It further amazed me that anyone who has seen the devastation the results of a compromised immune system can cause would continue to engage in risky and potentially fatal behavior.

But they do.

But the most disturbing information by far, was that one of the reasons that HIV continues to spread is that it’s considered by many in high-risk groups to be “no big deal.” The rationale—if it can be considered that—is that people do so well on the medication (think Magic Johnson) that it’s not really the death sentence it used to be.

If only it was so simple.

The truly rational mind would realize that contracting AIDS is a crapshoot. Once you are positive for HIV, the odds that you will die from any number of things go up. You are vulnerable. Medication works well for some people, and not for others. Medication is hugely expensive. HIV/AIDS is a preexisting condition, so if you are not Magic Johnson and need to get health insurance, this can be a problem.

Where HIV/AIDS is concerned, not only is ignorance not bliss, it is suicide.

Or murder.

That’s where AIDS Walk comes in. The Sac Valley AIDS Run/Walk is, ostensibly, a fundraiser, but, in reality, isn’t one of the big moneymakers for the cause. It’s most important function is to raise community awareness about the disease and the organizations that fight it and serve the sufferers and survivors.

Co-chair Julie Kennedy talked with me about how this year’s run/walk differs from past events.

Most notably, the walking course is only half as long. The former course was a 5K, or about 3 miles. This year the revised course will leave the Capitol and head toward the Tower Bridge and back, for a total of 1.5 miles.

“It will save us money on street closures and police escorts, which is a factor to consider in this economy,” admits Julie Kennedy, “But more importantly, it will also allow survivors to participate more comfortably, which has been a concern in previous years.”

The runners’ route will remain a 5K.

Julie Kennedy is also hoping the shorter route will bring a sense of community back to the event. She’s hoping to see the return of tribute signs, and the costumes and camaraderie of years past.--whatever it takes to get people reengaged.

Kennedy also works at CARES, a nonprofit HIV/AIDS clinic in Midtown.

“I recently had a 19-year old test positive, “ she tells me, “The HIV tester was talking with him and he was excited that it was his birthday the next day. He was telling her about his birthday plans.” She paused a moment.

“Then she went down the hall to get the results, and she has to tell him it’s positive. She wanted to cry.”

There are too many stories just as sad, she said.

So if there were one final thing she could say, it would be,

“If I could say just one thing,” she says, as we are about to part company. “It would be, Help! AIDS needs help. Please walk. If you can’t walk, donate.”

She pauses, thinking about the clients she will return to.

“Let’s bring this back into the light.”

You can register a team or as an individual on line in advance at www.sacvalleyaidsrunwalk.org or in person up until the beginning of the event, which will be held on Sunday, September 18.

AIDS Walk is a Capital City AIDS Fund event that benefits number of charitable organizations. This year, among them will be CARES, who will use the money to support their Positive Speakers Program; Breaking Barriers, who provide mobile testing and transportation for people with HIV; Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center; Sunburst Project, a camp for children with a parent who has HIV; Golden Rule Services, serving gay men of color; Harm Reduction Services, providing needle exchange and HIV testing; Oak Park Outreach needle exchange; Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation of Auburn; and Chico Stonewall Democratic Club.

MidLife GridLife - Homeless by chance or choice?

2011-09-09T06:05:28Z

Leaving Crest Theatre recently, my sister and I were approached by a man who asked us if we could spare a dollar.

My sister, to the best of my recollection, shook her head, which is what I would expect, as neither of us can generally spare any money, nor do we typically carry cash we might “accidentally” spend on non-essentials. I, however, went a step further.

“Where do you stay?” I inquired.

The man, a slightly overweight African American in his forties, smiled.

“We’re in West Sacramento, ma’am, me and my wife” he replied.

“Are you outside, then?” I continued, “Camping at the river?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Are you able to work or do you just prefer to be outside?”

“Yes, I am. I worked for quite awhile, but my wife, she has a lot of problems with her mental health. She doesn’t do well when I’m gone for very long, so eventually I had to quit. Now I just do what I can.”

“That must be really hard on you,” I said sincerely.

“Sometimes,” he admitted, “But not as hard as it is for her.”

What is the point?

Certainly not that if a homeless person asks you for money that you engage him or her in conversation.

I have spent the last five or so years working with homeless and formerly homeless people, and five years previously working with severely—severely--emotionally disturbed teenagers. For whatever reason, I have always felt comfortable among people who function outside the norm.

The point, if it can be so specified, is that homelessness is complicated. Homeless people are a diverse group just like the rest of us. This is seldom discussed in the media, who tend to get their quotes from politicians and committee members, but it’s a hot topic among those of us in the trenches.

Some things I can share, anecdotally, that you may or may not know:

• All homeless people do not consider themselves homeless; they do not want to live indoors.
• There are generations of homelessness in families and they take what they do—often panhandling very seriously; they have no desire or intent to change.

A local café owner shared the story of a man who used to sleep next to his place of business. He felt compassion for the man and did everything he could to find a place for him to stay, get him signed up for benefits, none of which he was really cooperative about. He continued to turn up outside the café, and eventually he became sick, and sicker. An ambulance was called, but the man refused to get in. He died outside the café, refusing medical help, while the owner stood by.

• Putting a roof over someone’s head does not mean they are no longer homeless.
• Homelessness is a life skill, and to acquire a different skill set requires support, especially if recovery from substance abuse or untreated mental health issues is involved.
• Very few programs can afford—or choose--to put services before housing. If that is the case, you might as well put revolving doors on the living spaces.
• Failure is more expensive than success. In so many ways.

As for being approached on the street or at intersections, that’s not for me to advise on. Personally, I am of the “Give a man a fish or teach a man to fish” school of thought. I always ask, when reasonable, if a person knows where to access services, but I don’t feel obligated to share my income.

Because I spend 40+ hours a week working with formerly homeless people, I can’t honestly say I do much volunteering either. I have served lunch at Loaves & Fishes, as has my son.

• Volunteer opportunities abound in social services, especially with all of the recent budget cuts.

Rumor has it, that at one point, the Department of Human Assistance was short-handed and thought they might be forced to use interns in some positions—until they realized they didn’t have a person with an MSW left in the department to supervise the interns!

Imagine how that translates to us in the non-profit world.

• If you have time, and a skill or talent, there is a place that needs you.
• If you have money to spare, spread it around; we all need it.

Look at your options, though.

Do the job training program “graduates” actually get and keep jobs?

Do the programs the agency says it created actually exist?

How does the staff feel about where they work? Is there a high turnover rate?

Spend a day getting a feel for what you’re supporting. If you like what you’ve seen and experienced there, share it with your friends or your company.

And your kids.

My son once donated all of his Circus Circus arcade winnings to Mustard Seed School when he was (I think) about 8 years old.

He received a tour and subsequent thank you letter in the mail, which I’m pretty sure he saved. It gave him a sense of accomplishment, and of helping the children—and it kept 20 stuffed animals from being introduced unnecessarily into his bedroom; win/win.

Back to the original issue of what to do when approached by someone for money. Again, I maintain that everyone has to make that decision individually.

What I will say is that, unless someone is in the midst of a psychotic break, he or she has no need to be hostile or rude in approaching you.

It’s an intimidation tactic, plain and simple.

Homelessness is not license to be a jerk, and almost any formerly homeless person will agree.

But neither is being the one with money.

Just sayin’.

Website provides accessible commute alternatives for employees

2011-09-08T03:31:50Z

As the central hub of economic and cultural activity for the six-county metropolitan area, it’s no surprise that Sacramento doesn’t meet the region’s air quality goals with the overwhelming amount of traffic on its streets and freeways every day.

In an effort to improve traffic conditions, mobility and air quality in the metropolis, 13 nonprofit local transportation management entities provide commuters with affordable solutions through the Sacramento Region Commuter Club.

The Commuter Club is an online database through which registered employers and commuters living or working within the six-county region can find information for alternative transportation to and from the workplace.

Each transportation management entity is partially funded through grants from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), an association of local governments in the six-county region which spans the counties of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba including 22 cities. SACOG itself is funded by the Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality improvement program. For a map of the SACOG area, click here.

“Parking is expensive. We want to reduce the number of cars coming into the downtown area,” said Marilyn Bryant, executive director for the Sacramento Transportation Management Association (TMA).

The club is currently host to 14,134 registered members and 1,111 registered employers which are divided amongst the thirteen nonprofit transportation management entities.

Members are provided with a number of benefits, including access to a commuter database through which they receive webpages of information on commute alternatives, potential carpool partners, bicycle commute help, and public transit schedules. Members may also participate in weekly drawings when they log their commutes in their commuter diaries, but the largest incentive for some is having access to the Emergency Ride Home Program.

“One of the things that prevents people from using alternative or public transit is – what if there’s an emergency?” said Sarah Janus, program coordinator for the North Natomas TMA.

The Emergency Ride Home Program provides commuters with the opportunity to download a voucher from the membership website that pays for a rental car or taxi if they didn’t ride alone to work that day and have an emergency or unscheduled overtime without access to a car or way home from work.

The member logs onto their commuter club account and (if their employer is a member of the transportation management entity) can download a voucher at their work. Once the voucher is used, the car rental or taxi company bills the TMA directly.

Each member is entitled to up to six vouchers per year, which “is normally more than enough than what most folks need,” said A.J. Tendick, public information coordinator for SACOG.

The program is available in large part to members whose employers are registered with the commuter club and pay an annual membership fee to cover the cost of transportation vouchers. The cost of the vouchers is dependent on the number of miles traveled, for example, the cost of a voucher from Sacramento to Davis is around $45.

The member will take a taxi through Yellow Cab Co. of Sacramento for trips up to 20 miles, which includes a 10 percent gratuity. Commuters travelling 20 miles or more may use the voucher for Enterprise RentaCar and is responsible for returning the car within 24 hours.

The only TMA that doesn’t require members to pay a fee for access to the program is the North Natomas TMA.

At a time when the economy makes it difficult for members to pay those fees, it’s important that we find a way to make these programs accessible, Janus said.

The loss of revenue from the exclusion of membership fees is generated through property taxes, she added.

The Commuter Club began through the 50 Corridor TMA in 2001, though the TMA has been functioning since 1993. Currently host to more than 130 members of developers, residents and government, the 50 Corridor TMA seeks to create a community of residents and employers along the Highway 50 corridor, providing traffic updates and construction details.

“Our TMA staff was spending a lot of time driving along Highway 50 trying to keep in touch with our employers and commuters,” said Rebecca Garrison, executive director for the TMA. “It made sense that if a website could tie us all together along the corridor for a month, it could provide a platform for our ever-increasing demand to work with commuters on a day-to-day basis.”

Once the 50 Corridor TMA set up the commuter club, SACOG and the other TMA’s across the region became involved three years later in 2006.

“We all kind of partnered together through SACOG which brought (the commuter club) to us regionally,” Janus said.

The Sacramento TMA has about 60 state departments in membership alone. No commitment is required on part of the employers, except for the annual fee, which is different for each TMA in the partnership, and the benefits are free for anyone interested in being a member.

"It’s a TMA-by-TMA decision," Tendick said.

The fee may depend on the square footage of the property itself, the residential base and employer base, or the number of employees each registered employer is covering through their fees. for example, the Air Quality Management District has about 100 employees in total, and pays a membership fee of about $1000 each year.

“We have one of the highest percentages of members – over 70 percent of our employees use alternative modes of transportation,” said Rachel Dubose, air quality planner and analyst for the Air Quality Management District. Dubose is also the commute coordinator for the AQMD. Each business registered with a TMA has an in-house commute coordinator to help employees find alternative ways to get to work, conduct surveys, attend TMA meetings and distribute new information to employees.

The AQMD also offers its employees an extra incentive of a $5 subsidy each day they get to work without using a car.

“For some people, it’s just a nice ‘thank you’ kind of thing,” she added. “A lot of employees take advantage of the program, and they save a lot of money in the long run.”

Anyone can register to be a member of the commuter club, and which TMA they associate with depends on their residence and place of work.

“I don’t know if it’s more important now or earlier on,” Garrison said. “It has always been an efficient way to deliver services and information to a large geographical area.”

“Traffic congestion and air quality has improved in downtown because less people have been driving to work,” Bryant said.

Both Garrison and Bryant said they will be revamping their websites soon. A new prize component will be added for the 50 Corridor TMA.

To become a member of the commuter club, one must provide information including home address, worksite and employer, main commute corridor and mode of transportation as well as total mileage in a day’s commute. The database then works to find matches for possible commute alternatives including vanpool/carpool and other cycling or public transit options.

“It’s amazing what people can do with all of the information at their fingertips,” Janus said.

We’re in the air district, and we’re tasked with keeping up the air quality – the best way is to reduce the vehicle miles traveled, Dubose added.

For more information on the Commuter Club and which transportation management association serves your area, click here.

Sacramento Children's Museum opens its doors Thursday for children under 8 to explore

2011-08-26T04:32:34Z

After seven years of planning and development, the Sacramento Children’s Museum opened its doors Thursday morning after 24 little hands, holding red scissors, cut the green ribbon in front of more than 300 people waiting to explore the new museum.

The Sacramento Children’s Museum is a nonprofit corporation founded in 2004, that focuses the interactive exhibits on math, science, art and social learning skills for children ages 8 and under.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2701 Prospect Park in Rancho Cordova, children could get their faces painted with bright swirls of pinks, blues and greens, or watch a colorful balloon be shaped into a sword or a giraffe while they waited for the ribbon-cutting. Some wore red firefighter hats they received from one of the four firefighters present from the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.

A lime-green and red balloon arc enhanced the entrance to the museum, which was quickly filled with energetic children exploring the six interactive exhibits.

“We needed something that gave parents a safe environment for them to bring their young children and allow them to play and to learn,” said Alan Godlove, president of the Sacramento Children’s Museum.

The Sacramento Children’s Museum has six exhibits with a seventh, Solar Car Racers, sponsored by SMUD, to come in September.

They include Waterways, Airways and Raceways, World Market, My Neighborhood, Baby Bloomers and Studio of the Arts.

“Children are encouraged to go and play with everything in the museum,” Director of Operations Sarah Coffman said.

“We have experience specialists, who guarantee that the experience of our visitors is amazing, and children are encouraged to try things multiple times, so they can try it a different way and learn, really, by doing,” Coffman said.

Children can use one, two or 15 golf balls on the multiple ramps in the Raceways exhibit to test and observe objects in motion through physics principles such as velocity, speed and friction.

Airways was a popular exhibit with a line of children waiting to stuff their colorful yarn balls into the suctioned clear maze of tubes.

Claire Poch, 10, said she liked the museum because it helps children learn new things.

“Well there is a really cool thing (Airways exhibit) where you put (yarn balls) in it and it goes around with the air (through clear tubes), and it’s really cool watching it, and it shoots out (from the tube),” Claire said.

Two-year-old Benito Dimas visited the museum with his dad.

“I played golf!” he yelled about rolling golf balls down the ramps in the Raceways exhibit, and he said he liked playing with the water in the Waterways exhibit.

Timothy Sanders, 5, said he enjoyed playing with glow sticks and watching them light up, and he hopes to visit the museum again.

The My Neighborhood exhibit features a farmer’s market with lifelike fruit in baskets that teach children about healthy eating, and a sensory activity including spices in different jars that children can smell.

A glass wall, dividing the Studio of the Arts craft section from the rest of the exhibits, is used for painting and drawing on the glass. The area behind it has multiple tables and chairs with colorful drawers under a large tinted window that house supplies for arts and crafts.

Baby Bloomers is like a large play pen for babies and toddlers filled with different toys specifically made for development stages of children 3 and under, Coffman said.

The idea for the museum grew from a local mom of two, Kathleen Palley, founder of the Sacramento Children’s Museum, whose first experience in a children’s museum was in Denver seven years ago on a family trip.

“I just knew it was something that I wanted to be able to bring my children to again. Sacramento didn’t have anything at all like a children’s museum, so I figured if we didn’t have one, then I would develop one,” Palley said.

As a former elementary school teacher for seven years, Palley said she observed in the classroom that children have different learning styles. She said she helped incorporate that into the children’s museum exhibits, allowing them to explore using the auditory, visual and kinetic learning styles.

“The idea of the freedom to explore and touch everything,” Palley said, was what interested her the most about a children’s museum.

Coffman, who said she has experience from working at the Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose, said that teachers are encouraged to arrange field trips to the museum, and said that she expects mornings to be filed with different field trips.

“The Children’s Museum exhibits are in line with the state standards,” Palley said about the educational benefits and the opportunities for teachers.

The front desk offers additional learning materials that parents or instructors can use before and after their visit.

Palley explained that there is a focus nationwide on the importance of early childhood development, but said that, “as a community we don’t provide as many resources as we could for these little kids.”

Godlove said that the Sacramento Children’s Museum is accepting donations.

“We are still accepting donations and would love to fill out our final 500 founding families. We have about 400, so there is still 100 slots,” Godlove said.

The first 500 individuals or families to donate will be recognized with their names permanently placed in the Sacramento Children’s Museum, according to the website for the museum.

“The mission of the Children’s Museum is to spark a passion for lifelong learning,” Palley said. “So we are hoping by providing these opportunities to these young children, that it will show them that learning can be fun, and as they grow and continue to go through school, that they will hopefully find something they are passionate about.”

For more information, donation opportunities, operation hours and admission prices, click here.

More than 1,000 local nonprofits lose exemption

2011-06-24T00:43:36Z

The Internal Revenue Service announced June 10 that it revoked the tax-exempt status for more than 1,000 nonprofit organizations in Sacramento, though the majority of them were no longer in existence.

Those that still exist, including several Sacramento-area organizations, will have to re-file for their tax-exemption status, said IRS spokesman Jesse Weller.

“We believe that most of the organizations on the list are defunct, although some may still be in existence and just didn’t get the word,” he said.

Nationwide, the number of nonprofit organizations whose tax-exemption status was revoked was 275,000.

The revocation was an automatic action taken after the passing of a pension reform act in 2006. Nonprofit organizations are required to file paperwork with the IRS each year under the parameters of the law, and those that do not file anything for three consecutive years get their status revoked.

“This was the main action from the law change,” Weller said. “Going forward, we expect a lot less to be revoked.”

One of the Sacramento organizations that’s still in existence and had its tax-exempt status revoked was the Sacramento City Taxpayers’ Rights League, located at 2509 Capitol Ave.

The letter from the IRS came as a surprise to President Mark Whisler.

“They sent a letter saying I hadn’t filed, but we file our paperwork every year,” Whisler said. “I was surprised. Who knows? Maybe they transposed a digit in the paperwork somewhere.”

Whisler said his organization watches out for taxpayer rights in Sacramento and sued the city over the loan to Arco Arena in the 1980s.

He said he thinks the move to revoke tax-exemption status is a good one, since it should clean up the list of nonprofit organizations.

“The nonprofit database has been cluttered for years,” he said.

In his case, he said he has 30 days to reply to the IRS letter and work from there.

Weller said organizations whose nonprofit status was revoked will have to reapply for it, typically a process that takes three to six months. The fee for a small organization that takes in less than $50,000 per year amounts to $100. Larger organizations have fees from $400 to $800.

“The law required a revocation,” he said. “The IRS has no discretion over it. If it’s still in existence and wants to get back its tax-exempt status, they can reapply.”

Bob Achermann, executive director of the California-Nevada Soft Drink Association, a trade organization for soft drink bottlers, said questions from The Sacramento Press were the first things to alert him to the revocation of his tax-exemption status. The association is based in Sacramento.

“It’s not only shocking,” he said, “but we have been filing tax returns for over 40 years.”

He said the address in the list of organizations with revoked nonprofit status the IRS had an address that was 20 years old.

“We have filed tax returns all these years, under our current address, and we have filed under the same name all these years with the correct address,” he said.

Achermann said he will be doing what is necessary to retain tax-exemption status.

Weller acknowledged that some organizations could have slipped through the cracks of the IRS’ outreach campaign.

“It’s definitely true that somebody moved and didn’t get the letters or the word in some way over the last three years,” he said. “Basically, the law is clear. We don’t have the discretion to say, ‘OK, because you didn’t know about it, you can have (tax-exemption status) back.’ ”

All donations given to nonprofit organizations until the revocations went out are still recognized as tax-exempt, and Weller said that won’t present a problem on tax returns.

He recommended checking to make sure an organization is tax-exempt before making donations by checking the IRS website.

For a list of nonprofit organizations with tax-exemption status revoked by state, click here.

For a list of all nonprofit organizations by state – whose status was not revoked – click here.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Wash Away Domestic Violence

2011-06-21T21:54:08Z

Many of the women staying at WEAVE’s Safehouse have left their homes with only the clothes they are wearing. In their rush to escape they rarely have time to pack essentials like shampoo.

Please help WEAVE provide comforting essentials to the women seeking refuge at our Safehouse.

Help WEAVE Wash Away Domestic Violence. Purchase low-cost shampoo, conditioner, and lotion (an entire set of three is only $12! including tax and processing fee) through our Avon drive and you help in two ways:

1) Provide comforting essentials to the women and children in the Safehouse,
2) Fund life saving programs, because 30% of every sale is donated back to WEAVE by Avon.

300 bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and lotion will meet the needs of WEAVE’s Safehouse families for one year. Please help by making a purchase today. The products will be sent directly to WEAVE.

If you would like to purchase additional products for yourself, please click here.

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

Local businesses 'Like' Advanced Facebook for Business workshop

2011-06-21T07:29:15Z

93% of all American ~~adults~~ adult internet users are now on Facebook. While this is not a surprising statistic for anyone that has fielded a friend request from their mom, aunt or even grandpa, it does make it harder for small businesses to ignore Facebook as a platform to engage their target demographic. The argument that a business targets an older or less tech savvy demo than Facebook users just doesn’t hold water any longer.

Businesses without a Facebook presence are not just passing up a valuable opportunity to engage their customers, provide customer service, and gain new consumers; they're falling behind. But just being on Facebook and setting up a business page isn’t enough. A Facebook presence must be maintained and used strategically to add real value to your brand.

Enter Josh Unfried speaker at The Social Media Club of Sacramento's recent workshop, “Advanced Facebook for Business”. Unfried, the CEO of WindFarm Online Marketing, spent almost two hours teaching SMCSac members, many of whom run or work for local businesses, how to take their Facebook presence to the next level. In addition to the obvious benefits of improving customer connections, staying top of mind, driving sales through promotions and increasing visibility, Unfried asserts that Facebook is now allowing businesses to "transform customer service into marketing".

"Everyone is now able to watch how you handle a complaint, or answer a question," points out Unfried. "For those that give great customer service this is a tremendous opportunity. For those that don't, the consequences can be equally negative."

Once Unfried covered the benefits and FAQs of using Facebook, the advanced tips started to fly. Even those in the room who had seemed relatively smug about their Facebook skills were soon scrawling notes and asking in depth questions. Unfried walked through the steps of setting up a business page, not because most hadn't already done it, but because, he wagered, not all of them had done it as well as they could have. A few lesser known gems:

Facebook Business Account: Facebook generally requires users to have a personal profile in order to create a Facebook Business page. However, if you have no desire to ever have a personal Facebook profile and would like to manage a Facebook Business page only, it IS possible to create a Facebook Business Account, which does not require a personal Facebook profile.
'Tell Your Fans' feature: If you've created a new Facebook business page and are ready to start accruing 'likes' you can make sure all your current and loyal customers know about your page. Simply use the Tell Your Fans feature to upload a .csv file of your email database. From there you can do an email blast to your current contacts making them aware of your Facebook page and asking them to 'Like' your business.
Launch your page with a variety of content: before you 'Tell your fans' or share the page with your friends, make sure they don't see a blank or boring page when they get there. Videos and photos are the most engaging pieces of content a page can have. Make sure before you market the page you've already posted a mix of text, links, videos, and photos to make your page interesting when new users arrive.

Once the page is set up and ready to go, its time for the most important tool your Facebook page offers: engagement with your fans. Unfried spent a fair amount of time reiterating that engagement is key to successful Facebook marketing efforts. Increased engagement with your fans not only endears your brand to those you're engaging with, it keeps your posts higher in their news feed. The 'Top News' feed posts are ranked by which posts users are interacting with most. An engaged discussion with many comments and likes will keep your brand at the top of your 'fans' news feeds for much longer than it might otherwise.

"Does this inform? Does it inspire? Does it entertain? Does it connect?" he asks. "Ask yourself this before you post from your page."

And don't discount the "magic of randomness". Unfried shared an example of a client that is family dentist in Roseville. The most popular post shared on their wall was simply, "What color is your toothbrush?" Something about the question proved to be irresistible to the dentist's fans. The dentist was able to stay top of mind for each of their Facebook fans as they read and debated toothbrush colors. That single post allowed the dentist to remain at the top of the Top News feed for several days.

Tidbits such as these just scratch the surface of the (over) 90 minute presentation. Workshop attendees were so engaged, that as
Unfried noticed his time running low with some great content still to cover, the audience urged him to continue past his allotted time in order to glean more Facebook wisdom. When one member asked how to convert a personal profile to a business page, Unfried directed those interested to his detailed blog post on the subject, as it was more than time allowed.

Other topics covered in the workshop included growing your Facebook presence, Facebook ads, engaging other businesses, connecting Facebook to your website and more. To see Josh Unfried's Advanced Facebook for Business presentation in its entirety watch the archived UStream.

This 80 person event, which included food provided by Ten 22, beverages by Chic-fil-a, and prizes from the Sacramento Business Journal, was open to members of the SMCS and the general public. SMCSac simply requested a $10 donation to help the club continue to organize events and workshops about various social media topics. For more information about upcoming Social Media Club, Sacramento events, follow @SMCSac on Twitter. To attend the July 12th SMCSac event, register for Social Media & Motherhood on Eventbrite.com.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of Social Media Club of Sacramento

Getting Ready to Run

2011-06-07T21:23:22Z

Runners, walkers and outdoor enthusiasts will take to the trails on Saturday, October 8, 2011 when local nonprofit InAlliance hosts the 3rd Annual Gold Rush Fun Run & Walk fundraiser on the El Dorado Trail beginning in Placerville. Participants will weave their way through the Sierra Nevada Foothills in 10 mile, 10K, 5K and 1 mile races along what used to be the Michigan California Lumber Company railway corridor. Following the races, guests will enjoy a Finish Line Celebration featuring refreshments, music, vendors, raffle prizes and awards ceremony. The races will all be chip timed by Synergy Race Timing and all race winners will receive custom medals.

The event is an annual benefit for InAlliance, a local nonprofit that has been serving people with developmental disabilities since 1952. All proceeds will go towards the work and life skills, supported employment and supported living services InAlliance provides to people with developmental disabilities in El Dorado and surrounding counties. Last year, 300 participants finished the race to raise over $8,000; this year organizers hope to double that amount.

Registration is now open online, in person or by mail. Races are open to people of all ages and InAlliance is offering a discount on registration, free raffle tickets and a free eco tumbler to everyone who registers by September 17. For more information visit www.goldrushfunrun.com or email jbean@inallianceinc.com.

Charity Happy Hour Aboard the Delta King

2011-06-06T19:11:41Z

Join WEAVE and TheGridLife.com on June 9th for a charity happy hour aboard the Delta King! Enjoy your favorite drink in a great atmosphere and meet some of this seasons Sacramento Mountain Lions Cheerleaders! There will be LIVE music by Hans Eberbach. This is going to be a good time for a great cause!

Event Info:
1000 Front Street
Sacramento, CA
Thursday, June 9th 2011
6:00PM-8:30PM

Hosted by: TheGridLife.com
Featuring: Sacramento Mountain Lion Cheerleaders and live music by Hans Eberbach

Watch the video on YouTube

Share the event on Facebook

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

Registrations now open for BIke Kitchen's third annual scavenger hunt

2011-05-28T01:01:13Z

The Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen is pleased to announce that registrations are (finally) open for the third annual "Hunt the Grid" bicycle scavenger hunt. This year's hunt promises to be the best yet, with more prizes, more teams, and more clues to suss out and items and places to hunt for! Test your knowledge of midtown and downtown and your eagle-eyes against the Bike Kitchen's volunteer huntmasters!

That's not all; Hunt the Grid III will segue into a special fifth anniversary Second Saturday party at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen! After five years of operation across two Sacramento locations, a tremendous group has come together to wish the Kitchen well on its next five years. The Alkali Flats and Cooper McBean will be coming back to play at the nonprofit shop, and Duder Manor will be showing off some wonderful art. And New Belgium Brewing, superhero brewery of the first Hunt the Grid afterparty, is back with plenty of beer to quench after-hunt thirsts and one-of-a-kind promotional materials like their mobile silk screener!

To register a team for the scavenger hunt, e-mail register@sacbikekitchen.org with the name of your team and team members.

All prospective hunters must be 18 years or older to play, limit four per team.

In a nod to the sluggish economy, the registration fee this year is $10 per team, due at sign-in.

Each team will need a way to carry small items around on bike and a digital camera or phone and are encouraged to bring sunscreen and water.

Registration and sign-in start at 1:00 PM at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen (1915 I Street); the hunt begins at 2:00 PM and ends at 5:30 PM.

The SBK Fifth Anniversary Second Saturday party starts at 6:00 PM.

All proceeds from the Hunt the Grid scavenger hunt and Fifth Anniversary party will benefit the 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen, an organization dedicated to providing low-cost do-it-yourself bicycle maintenance to all bicyclists and prospective bicyclists in the Sacramento area.

Matsui Announces Over $2 Million in Grants for Local Organizations to Hire 253 AmeriCorps Members

2011-05-26T14:02:32Z

Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) announced that two local Sacramento organizations will receive a combined $2,087,419 in AmeriCorps grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service, and will be able to hire 253 AmeriCorps members as a result. Congresswoman Matsui, Co-Chair of the bipartisan National Service Caucus, has been continually supportive of both AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service, and has helped lead the fight for adequate federal funding to support programs like these in the last several Congresses.

“As our region continues to work toward economic recovery, these funds will help put 253 AmeriCorps participants to work in our community,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Not only will today’s grants create new jobs, they will create jobs at two of our local nonprofits that work each and every day to make our community a better, safer, and healthier place. I am thrilled that Sacramento will be receiving these funds and recieving the benefits they provide.”

North Highlands-based Child Abuse Prevention Council, Inc. will receive $1,436,679 to support both their Birth and Beyond program and their Youth Investment Center. AmeriCorps members who participate in the Birth and Beyond program will provide parenting education and support services to both expectant parents and those with young children who reside in Sacramento neighborhoods where children are most at-risk of abuse and neglect. Birth and Beyond members will also conduct weekly home visits and parenting education workshops that improve practices and reduce families’ involvement with Child Protective Services.

Members who serve in the Council’s Youth Prevention Center will work as Youth Mentors and Volunteer Coordinators, focusing their service on communication, daily living, work and study skills, home life, self-care, social relationships, money management, and career planning. They will assist foster youth with their academics in the classroom and during summer school by providing homework assistance and meeting with foster parents via home visits.

The City of Sacramento’s START program will get $650,740 for their Get Fit Now! initiative, and be able to hire 124 AmeriCorps members. These AmeriCorps members will teach fitness and nutrition education to children grades 1 through 6, and will also offer adult fitness classes for children’s parents at Family Nights held every six weeks. Additionally, they will establish and maintain school-based gardens where children will learn how to grow nutritional food. These are positions that would have gone unfilled without the influx of federal funds.

Today’s grants are the result of the Fiscal Year 2011 AmeriCorps State and National funding competition, which continue the direction and priorities of the 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and the Corporation’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan. Congresswoman Matsui was a co-sponsor of the Serve America Act when it was enacted in the 111th Congress.

Mara Lee is the Communications Director for Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

Rock out for Big Brothers Big Sisters

2011-05-25T03:49:04Z

On Sunday, May 29, more than 6,000 community members will be walking and rocking out to KISS, all in the name of charity. The third annual Walk ‘N Rock, being held at Raley Field, will split all funds raised between their 2011 non-profit affiliates (see bottom).

Last year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento participated in Walk ‘N Rock for the first time and raised $26,000 through the event. This year, they hope to top that and raise $40,000.

Founded in 1963, BBBS Sac currently has 282 active matches and operates on a staff of only 14. Matching Bigs and Littles and providing training to the mentors would not be possible without donations and successful fundraisers like Walk ‘N Rock.

The Sacramento Press talked to President and CEO Rhonda Staley-Brooks to find out why you should rock out on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento this weekend!

The Sacramento Press: Tell me a little bit about your background and how you got involved with BBBS.

Rhonda Staley-Brooks: I was attending school at CSU Sacramento and needed to find a job because my father would not support my social life. Found BBBS on the job line and applied. I started in 1993 as a Case Work Assistant and worked my way through all Program positions to the current position as CEO.

SP: If you had one minute to explain the organization and its mission, what would you say?

RS: Changing the way children grow up today by providing positive adult role models in their lives. These children are less likely to do drugs, drop out of high school or become a teen parent due to the influences we place in their lives.

SP: How did BBBS become involved with Hope Productions/Walk 'N Rock?

RS: We applied the second year of the organization and become one of the partner agencies.

SP: Are there any notable teams of BBBS staffers or volunteers participating in Walk 'N Rock?

RS: VSP was a huge supporter of Walk ‘N Rock last year. This year, “Walk N Rollers,” led by one of our board members, Lynn Matsuda, is making their way up the leader board.

SP: What are the biggest annual fundraisers for BBBS? How much money is raised, on average, during each?

RS: Bowl for Kids’ Sake raises over $55,000 each year and we are still calculating the books for this year and for sure will surpass that amount. Wine on the Waterfront raises an average of $20,000. Big Disco raises an average of $55,000

SP: Why is it so important to raise funds for BBBS?

RS: The funds are critical to our success. It ensures the safety of our children as we put trained professionals in positions to recruit, screen, match and support every child that enters our program.

SP: Why is it so important for Littles to have mentors in their lives?

RS: As mentioned earlier, they are less likely to do drugs, drop out of high school or become teen parents when they have positive mentors in their life. Currently, we have 139 boys and girls waiting for a BIG.

SP: What is something about the organization that the public might not realize but should?

RS: How many part-time employees (six full-time and eight part-time) are employed to keep this size agency functioning. Also, that we are not funded by the national organization. Each affiliate pays local dues to the national headquarters to receive support, marketing materials and other branded materials so that you don’t have to recreate the wheel.

SP: Besides donating, how can community members get involved?

RS: Volunteering in several capacities: Become a Big - 4-6 hours every week or every other week - matched to a child. Volunteer at a special event: As the need arises, we use a database of more than 300 to call upon when we need volunteers for our special events. Become a Board Member: The board is responsible for the oversight of the organization.

It’s not too late to sign up and start fundraising for your own team! Register here.

Read about Hope Productions here.

2011 Walk 'N Rock non-profit affiliates

* Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, Inc.
* Cristo Rey High School
* Keaton Raphael Memorial
* Okizu
* People Reaching Out
* River Cats Foundation, Inc.
* Wind Youth Services

Volunteers Needed at the Kaiser Women’s Fitness Festival

2011-05-25T00:41:05Z

4,500 women will race in the Kaiser Women’s Fitness Festival benefiting WEAVE on Sunday, June 5th to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault. Now in its seventh year, the event is the largest women’s-only run in the region and runners travel from the Bay Area and the central valley to compete. WEAVE needs volunteers! Sign up now!

All volunteers are required to attend a Mandatory Volunteer Training on Wednesday, June 1st from 5:30 - 6:30 PM at WEAVE.

Volunteer shifts run in 3 – 5 hour blocks from Thursday, June 2nd to Sunday, June 5th. Questions? Contact Ashley.

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

KITC's Evening in Eden

2011-05-23T20:00:27Z

Evening in Eden: Experience It

Step into the garden and join us for an "Evening in Eden" on Sunday, June 5 at 6:00 pm as Kenesset Israel Torah Center, 1159 Morse Avenue, hosts its annual live and silent auction. This year’s fundraising event is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever with new culinary offerings and auction items that include unique excursions and experiences.

Would you like to partake in a private wine tasting and picnic dinner in the beautiful Napa Valley at the award-winning, scenic vineyards of Hagafen Winery? This year’s auction will offer the opportunity to learn how the Napa Valley’s natural geology and climate can be used to produce the best wine varietals. Closer to home, you and your friends can sail on a celebrity yacht cruise, while wining and dining with “front row” seats for Sacramento’s July 3rd dazzling fireworks. Other auction items include Ashland theater tickets and hotel accommodations, an eight course Moroccan dinner for 10 people, River Cats tickets and first pitch, local attractions for children and local entertainment and much more.

Come hungry! There will be wine tasting, micro brew beers, artisan olive oil, and sushi, along with other foods to sample. Learn and taste how to pair beer with gourmet meatballs, and how the bitterness or sweetness of the hops contrast and compliment a sweet or savory food.

The cool sounds of the Midtown Jazz Trio play while you enjoy our beautiful outdoor campus on a spring evening. Midtown Jazz is a band including Renaldo Crookson on tenor sax, accomplished guitarist Narci Gonzalez, and Alex Bessonov on drums. They pack quite a punch playing a smooth mix of jazz, R&B, soft rock, and some Latin.

Kenesset Israel Torah Center’s Rabbi Joel Zeff will be on hand with local celebrity auctioneer David Sobon. Look for great items throughout the silent and live auctions.

Kenesset Israel Torah Center was founded in 1982 and is a member of the Orthodox Union. A synagogue, open to all, KITC offers adult classes, children's classes, public services, social events and its popular teen NCSY "Latte and Learning" program.

You can help support Kenesset Israel Torah Center and enjoy this fun and memorable evening!

RSVP now! Tickets are $75 per person. Sponsorships are available. Invitations are on our website: www.kitcsacramento.org/new_events.html

Permission for photos granted by Joey O’Shea of David Sobon Auctions and Renaldo Crookson of Midtown Jazz.

Disclosure note: Joey O'Shea is the auction coordinator and a volunteer with Kenneset Israel Torah Center, a non-profit.

Volunteers Needed at the Kaiser Women’s Fitness Festival

2011-05-19T00:10:34Z

All volunteers are required to attend a Mandatory Volunteer Training on Wednesday, June 1st from 5:30 - 6:30 PM at WEAVE.

Volunteer shifts run in 3 – 5 hour blocks from Thursday, June 2nd to Sunday, June 5th. Questions? Contact Ashley.

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

PODS of Sacramento partners with Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Event

2011-05-17T22:26:49Z

Territory Manager Brian Bills from the PODS of Sacramento franchise was happy to oblige a request from organizers to donate PODS® containers for the 2011 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Sacramento held on May 7 at Cal Expo.

Officials noted this was the biggest turnout they have ever had with approximately 25,000 people walking, running and raising money to find a cure for breast cancer.

Four PODS® storage containers were used as onsite storage of event merchandise and check-in points for race participants.

Although he did not run or walk Bills also provided services as a mobile DJ, providing music and inspiration to all who passed by.

“PODS is honored to be involved with the Susan G. Komen Foundation,” Bills said. “This was an incredible experience to see everyone, all with such a passion for helping to find a cure for breast cancer.”

PODS of Sacramento is committed to the local community, nonprofit organizations and charities. For more information, visit the website at PODS.com/sacramento.aspx or call 866-229-4120.

Disclosure: Tina Vervoorn is the Public Relations Manager for Consortium Media Services, representing PODS of Sacramento.

Why Margie Mott will Walk 'N Rock for Kids

2011-05-12T21:13:00Z

Hope Productions Foundation’s, third annual fundraising walk and benefit concert to support local children’s charities, Walk 'N Rock for Kids, will take place Sunday, May 29th at Raley Field in West Sacramento. Hundreds of local companies and civic groups have formed walk teams to raise funds for 22 nonprofits which serve Sacramento area children and youth. The morning’s walk will start and end at Raley Field, taking participants to the Capitol and through the Downtown Plaza. Later that evening, Hope Productions Foundation will host a VIP reception for event sponsors and a benefit concert featuring American rock icons KISS, which is open to the public. From volunteers to sponsors, walkers to concertgoers, Sacramento has shown great support of this event. Here is a spotlight on Margie Mott. Read on to learn why she will Walk 'N Rock for Kids.

A little about Margie: I am the Executive Assistant to the Central Division Executive as well as the Corporate Financial Officer of Sutter Medical Foundation. I live in Antelope and work in downtown Sacramento.

What is your role in this year’s Walk ‘N Rock for Kids? I will be co-captain of the Sutter Health Cares for Youth walk team which will support Wind Youth Services.

Did you participate in last year’s Walk ‘N Rock for Kids? While I did not get to go in person last year, I was a virtual walker and co-captain of the Sutter Health Team. Many of my co-workers were able to go and I heard that it was all, and more, than I would have expected. I cannot WAIT for this year’s Walk ‘N Rock!

What was your favorite part of last year’s event? While the concert portion is something to look forward to and culminates a good time and rewards ALL who participate, I also love the fact that much needed funds are being raised to support some very well-deserving organizations directly in our own backyard.

Have you ever received support from one of the benefiting organizations? My son is a leukemia and bone marrow transplant survivor. In the past two years he has finally been healthy enough to attend Camp Okizu, once during a “family camp,” and once during “oncology camp.” I can’t tell you what that organization has meant to us and how much he enjoyed going. It’s a “safe place” to send oncology kids where staff, co-campers, and all the other families are familiar with the world that a pediatric patient now lives in. The location is beautiful and peaceful and the activities are amazing! Dominic is excited about going to camp again this year! And while I am familiar with and support ALL the wonderful organizations served by Hope Productions Foundation, my heart is also touched by Wind Youth Services and the support they provide to homeless youth in our community. Their services are not provided by any other entity to the kids that they help.

Why are you involved in Walk ‘N Rock for Kids? Foremost because of the kids, including my own, who have needs that are addressed in such a powerful way by the various local children’s nonprofits that serve them. In addition, Sutter Medical Foundation where I work is community-minded and encourages and supports employee participation in these activities. And finally I am involved because I love the Hope Productions Foundation team!

Hope Productions Foundation provides training, resources and funding for seven local children’s charities: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, Cristo Rey High School of Sacramento, Keaton Raphael Memorial, Okizu, People Reaching Out, River Cats Foundation and Wind Youth Services. An additional 15 children’s charities will also benefit from abbreviated training and fundraising support through the Walk ‘N Rock for Kids event. With continued support from the community, the Foundation has distributed over $1.5 million in contributions, resources, marketing and in-kind business training to local children and youth nonprofits since its inception in the fall of 2008. More than 51,000 local children have been impacted by the efforts of Hope Productions Foundation.

Sacramento Habitat for Humanity, Welcomes Global Partner

2011-05-10T20:19:06Z

Sacramento Habitat for Humanity will welcome Vittoria Penalba, a partner in Habitat from Nicaragua. For the last 25 years, Sacramento Habitat for Humanity has sent a portion of its funds raised to help under-developed nations, such as Nicaragua, bring decent affordable housing to their people.

Vittoria Penalba’s visit is scheduled from May 10-14, 2011. During that time, she will meet with community members to discuss the progress being made with the Habitat for Humanity, Nicaragua affiliate, and to show the results of the donations made from the Sacramento area. Through the years, their affiliate has been able to build 149 homes thanks to this generosity of the Sacramento affiliate.

“Part of the mission of Sacramento Habitat for Humanity is to build affordable housing not only for those we serve in the Sacramento area but to also assist affiliates in impoverished countries where the raising of funds is much more difficult,” said CEO Ken Cross. “We have invited Ms. Penalba to Sacramento so that she can share the significant impact made from dollars raised in our community.”

Ms. Penalba’s is also in Sacramento to promote a “Global Village Tour.” A Global Village Tour is made up of a group of volunteers from all walks of life who generously give of their time (usually a week), talent (skill and labor) and financial resources (donated funds) to help eliminate poverty housing by building homes in a Habitat partner country, such as Nicaragua.

Disclosure: Trish Moratto sits on the Board of Directors for Sacramento Habitat for Humanity.

Sacramento Opera has three days to raise $14,000

2011-05-10T00:15:54Z

The Sacramento Opera managed to collect more than $20,000 in gift pledges from private donors over the weekend, bringing the total funding needed for next season to $14,642.

“I’m very hopeful that we’ll collect the rest,” said Sacramento Opera General Director Rod Gideons. “We just put out the word, and people have really been responding.”

The board of directors will decide Thursday if enough money has been raised to proceed with the coming season, Gideons said.

So far, $117,358 has been pledged.

After canceling its last two shows of the season – “The Magic Flute” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice” – the opera is trying to raise enough of the $175,000 it needs in order to ensure the financial viability of the next season.

“We’re the only professional opera company in this region,” Gideons said. “We feel like we help complete the arts amenities in this region.”

Keeping live performing arts in the community is one of Gideons’ goals, he said, as no technology can substitute for a live stage performance.

The slowing economy has affected all the arts in Sacramento, according to Gideons and Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra Executive Director and CEO Marc Feldman, but Gideons said the opera has high up-front costs that must be covered, with as much as 60 percent of production costs for a performance being swallowed before the curtain lifts on opening night.

“This economy makes it difficult to raise funds for everybody,” said Feldman, whose Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra is looking into an alliance with the opera. “With nonprofits, we are the first to feel a downturn and the last to feel an upturn.”

Feldman said he has heard that nonprofits can expect a turnaround in funding to come again in three to 10 years, and that for the time being, patrons and supporters of the orchestra are providing the “glimmer of hope” of better times to come.

Corporate donors are hard to come by, he said, since many are experiencing financial woes of their own, and others are being cautious on where to spend their philanthropic funds.

Gideons said the arts provide a community with a sense of its own identity.

“I think, first and foremost, it’s a sense of where we have come from, where we are and where we hope to go as a society and a people.”

Feldman agreed, saying he thinks investing in the arts is important to the quality of life of any city.

“This is the capital city of the seventh-largest economy in the world,” Gideons said. “Arguably, the capital city should be able to fund the arts.”

Pledges are currently being accepted, and they can be sent via email to info@sacopera.org, by calling 737-1000 ext. 305 or by mail to Sacramento Opera, P.O. Box 161027, Sacramento, CA 95816.

Pledges must be for donations within the next 12 months, and those payments can be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or in one lump sum.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Non-profit pledges $50,000 to UC Davis Health Systems Cancer Programs

2011-04-27T17:43:20Z

Sacramento’s Fruitridge Health & Wellness Collective (FHWC) is inaugurating its 5-year pledge to UC Davis Health System, pledging $50,000, which will be distributed evenly between UC Davis Health Systems’ WeCARE! Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer Peer Navigator Programs, which provide outreach, education and support to newly designated breast cancer and prostate cancer patients.

This information was released today in this press release.

"The generous support of Fruitridge Health and Wellness Collective enables us to expand our unique WeCARE! Community-Based Cancer Peer Navigator Program to train more cancer survivors as cancer coaches for newly diagnosed cancer patients throughout our region" said Marlene M. von Friederichs-Fitzwater, assistant professor and director of the Outreach Research and Education Program at UC Davis Cancer Center. "As a cancer survivor myself, I know the value of having a cancer coach by your side as you go from diagnosis through treatment.”

With three relatives afflicted by cancer, two of whom have passed, the donations to UC Davis Health System have special meaning for FHWC Director Caleb Counts, who operates his non-profit medical cannabis dispensary with a focus on helping his patients and the community at large.

“My father is a prostate cancer survivor, my grandmother died a horrible painful death from breast cancer, and my aunt battled breast cancer for 12 years, 9 of them with significant suffering.” said Counts, “Despite the severity of her pain, she wouldn’t use cannabis because it was illegal…she would never risk getting in trouble, so she suffered greatly as it traveled from her breast to her bones and liver…cannabis could have provided her substantial relief.”

In addition to the UC Davis Health System donations, FHWC also operates a number of service programs for their patients.

Compassion Program-Low income or terminally ill patients receive a weekly credit of 22 dollars, weekly food donations from the farmers market and grocery gift cards during the holiday season.

Farmers Market Nutritional Program-Weekly onsite donation of free organic produce and free nutritional workshops to members of FHWC’s compassion program.

FHWC also donates $300 per month to non-profit Harm Reduction Services.

“At FHWC, we are committed to relieving needless suffering,” said Director, Caleb Counts, “We operate legally, per legislation we helped craft with the City Council.”

“Last year I was on the City Council when we unanimously established a new ordinance to deal with Medical Cannabis dispensaries to insure that they operated in a lawful, legitimate and compassionate way and were properly zoned.“ said Robbie Waters, “I have personally toured the facility of FHWC, which is professionally operated. I feel the service they provide to their patients is extremely important.”

Fruitridge Health &Wellness is located at 2831 Fruitridge Road, Suite E. Visit the website for more information at fhwcc.org.

Disclosure: Steve LaRosa handles public relations for Fruitridge Health & Wellness

Feast for the Streets comes Wednesday, honors Bunker

2011-04-23T00:37:25Z

Francis House’s Feast of the Streets on Wednesday will be a bittersweet celebration of both the 20th anniversary of the event, and the life of former Executive Director Greg Bunker, who died in December.

“About 1,000 people came to his memorial service, and this is sort of our memorial for him,” said Forrest Reed, program director for Francis House.

The banquet will kick off with a four-minute video of Bunker’s life.

Francis House is a nonprofit organization founded in Sacramento 40 years ago that offers counseling services, hotel vouchers and help getting California identification to people in need, such as homeless people.

Feast For the Streets is the biggest fundraiser for Francis House, and $56,000 has already been raised in corporate and private donations. About 750 people are expected to be at the event, with ticket prices at $50.

“We’ve managed to keep the ticket price steady,” Reed said. “It really is one of the premiere food events in Sacramento, but it tends to fly under the radar.

Lining the walls of the Scottish Rite Center Wednesday night will be 40 restaurants and six wineries, including Mimi’s Cafe, Mulvaney’s B&L, Ettore’s European Bakery, Thai Basil and River City Brewing Co.

According to Lisa Schulze, office manager for Mulvaney’s B&L, co-owner Patrick Mulvaney has been working with Francis House and the Feast for the Streets for the past several years.

“I think what’s important to him and his wife, Robin, is they’re helping to get resources to people who don’t have basic resources – like education and counseling to get out of poverty,” she said.

“I think the importance of it is that if you help these types of organizations, you help break the cycle of poverty because people get stuck in poverty and have no way out without help,” she said.

Reed said that increasing numbers of people have come to Francis House since 2007 asking for assistance, and a small core of 5,000 donors have been able to keep the needed aid flowing, but help is still needed.

“We have two full-time people and three part-time people, and we’ve managed to touch 30,000 people, but we’re still having to turn some away,” he said.

Just over 81 percent of every dollar received goes directly to those in need, Reed said, adding that it’s a number he feels very good about.

Carla Meyers is a volunteer co-chairing the organization of Feast for the Streets, and she said she started as a volunteer several years ago.

“I’m retired, and I wanted to do something where I could interact with people and not stuff envelopes,” she said. “From the beginning at Francis House, you sit with clients and do resource counseling, help with getting a California ID and send them to various resources. I just thought it was a really great way to give back.”

Attendees will be able to eat their fill around the tables at the event Wednesday, Meyers said.

There will also be a silent auction in a room adjoining the banquet area as well as a live auction on the stage.

“We get 700-plus people,” Meyers said. “It’s great food and great entertainment, and you get to give back to those less fortunate.”

Tickets can be purchased online or in person at Francis House, 1422 C St. Reed said tickets will be sold at the door beginning at 5:30 p.m., but the event is expected to sell out.

The Scottish Rite Masonic Center is located at 6151 H St.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Will Durst Comedy Night Helps Access Sacramento - Friday 7:00 PM

2011-04-18T01:56:15Z

The Humor Times (20 Years) and Access Sacramento (25 Years) Celebrate Anniversaries Together with a Comedy and Variety Show Featuring Comedian Will Durst and many other performers including the 40’s vocal harmonies of “Sister Swing”, a Marilyn Monroe impersonator, a magician and local improvisational comedy troupe The Anti-Cooperation League.

Joint Anniversary Celebrations -- As print publications nationwide continue to fall by the wayside, the Humor Times is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary. And as corporate media continues to consolidate, Access Sacramento celebrates its 25th anniversary as the area’s local, community-operated TV, radio, and Internet production resource.

The public is invited to a combined bash featuring the celebrated, world-touring comedian, Will Durst, on Friday, April 22nd at 7:00 PM in the Coloma Community Center Auditorium, 4623 T Street Sacramento, CA. 95819. Food, beer and wine will be available. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Advance tickets may be had online at www.HumorTimes.com or purchased by phone with a credit card and mailed out prior to the event by calling (916) 456-8600 ext. 0 during normal business hours.

Entertainment -- Mr. Durst is perhaps the most prolific and well-known political comedian in the U.S. The Humor Times has featured his column for years, and “people who have never seen him live will be blown away,” said James Israel, publisher/editor/founder of the Humor Times. “He was a stand-up comedian before he ever wrote for publications, and as good as his column is, he’s even funnier in person,” he added. The New York Times says the Emmy-nominated comedian and writer “is quite possibly the best political satirist working in the country today,” and the Chicago Tribune calls him a “hysterical hybrid of Hunter S. Thompson and Charles Osgood.”

Also performing will be Sister Swing, an “Andrews Sisters-style” vocal jazz trio who will perform a few humorous songs featuring fine harmonies. The “variety show” theme continues with Absurd Entertainment’s top-notch Marilyn Monroe impersonator, Marion Le Clerc and magician Joseph Bossenmaier, (named “best magician” in Sacramento by the Sacramento News & Review). The laughs continue with Sacramento’s longest-running, long-form, improv comedy troupe The Anti-Cooperation League. A “carnival atmosphere” is planned, with all manner of roving performers including the Sac City Rollers (women’s roller derby team) jugglers and other acts.

The Humor Times -- Founded in early 1991, the Humor Times (formerly the Comic Press News) released its first free issue in Sacramento, fittingly, on April Fools Day of that year. That issue, now a collector’s item, featured four pages of an editorial cartoon re-hash of the Gulf War, which was just winding down at that time. Local readers were immediately hooked. Of course, that was back in the day when printed periodicals were still profitable. Those remaining have something unique to offer, as does the Humor Times. The publication transitioned from a free give-away to a paid circulation magazine in 2008, and is now available by subscription, or in stores, such as Newsbeat (Sacramento and Davis).

Humor Times features political and non-political cartoon panels and strips. The Humor Times uses humor to review the news on a monthly basis, helping readers, as publisher/editor James Israel says, to “laugh at the news, rather than cry about it.” Specifically, the publication features the cream of the crop of editorial cartoons, humor columns and “fake news” – similar to the satire made famous by The Onion newspaper and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In the works: more cartoon and video galleries, humor blogs, columns, and interactive fun such as cartoon and video submissions, contests and more. Subscriptions to Humor Times are $19.95 a year (12 issues) in the U.S., and may be purchased at the website. A digital edition is available at less than half the price.

Access Sacramento – Provides an “amplified voice” for the thoughts, dreams, opinions and community events locally since 1985. Access Sacramento is a nonprofit community media organization dedicated to binging the tools and training for television, radio, and use of the Internet to all Sacramento County residents. We reach an audience of up to 265,000 Sacramento County homes on Comcast and SureWest cable channels 17 and 18 and more than 1,200 daily views watching channel 17 “streamed” at www.accesssacramento.org. Visit our website for program and training information. To become a “community reporter”, go to www.accesslocaltv.org for neighborhood news organization “blogs”, on-demand videos and Twitter posts. “A Place Called Sacramento” celebrates its 12th year as the premiere local film script writing event and film festival. At Access Sacramento, you can:

* Learn the steps needed to create your own TV show
* Be your own anchor using a computerized “virtual” television studio
* Become a community “Neighborhood News” reporter or blogger
* Host your own cable radio program and “stream” to the world on the Internet
* Record a music performance or video in the four-camera television studio
* Use Web 2.0 techniques on the new community reporting web site AccessLocal.tv
* Write, produce, and distribute your own “Place Called Sacramento” movie

Viewers of Access Sacramento channels 17 and 18 experience unique entertainment, challenging points of view, varied religious beliefs, diverse political opinions, and cultures and languages different from what you see and hear on the other, commercial channels. The public is invited to meet their neighbors at Access Sacramento by taking a class, creating a program, volunteering to help a group production effort, develop a community web blog using AccessLocal.tv, or by simply watching the community channels 17 and 18, as well as listening to community cable radio “The Voice of Sacramento”.

Disclosure: Ron Cooper is the Executive Director for Access Sacramento.

5th Annual Women in Brewing

2011-04-15T20:04:09Z

Stop by Rubicon Brewing Company tomorrow, Saturday April 16th, for the 5th Annual Women in Brewing Festival!

Many talented female brewers have been invited to showcase their special recipes and hard to find brews at this event. Featured beers include special brews from Sierra Nevada, Lost Coast, Auburn Alehouse, Stone, Santa Cruz Mountain, Blue Frog, Moylan's, and more! There will even be a silent auction with amazing prizes donated by local businesses.

In 2007, the Rubicon Brewing Company established the Women in Brewing Festival in an effort to honor the hard working women, yes WOMEN, of the brewing industry. Rubicon Brewing Company is deticated to supporting WEAVE and raising awareness about sexual assault . The proceeds from Women in Brewing go directly to support WEAVE's vital sexual assault programs.

Saturday, April 16th All day! (11am - 'til the cows come home)
Rubicon Brewing Company
2004 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

V-Day Sacramento 2011

2011-04-15T02:24:59Z

WHAT is it?

V-Day Sacramento 2011 refers to the 2011 Sacramento community production of The Vagina Monologues that will be held in April 2011. It is a project of Northern California Association for Women Take Back the Night based in Sacramento (Sacramento WTBN).

In addition to bringing the local and international plight of women and girls to the forefront, the goals of V-Day Sacramento 2011 are to raise money to benefit local anti-violence organizations and to channel awareness into action. In 2011, the proceeds from the V-Day Sacramento 2011 production of “The Vagina Monologues” will benefit WEAVE, Sacramento Women Take Back the Night, and My Sister’s House.

Learn more about V-Day, V-Day Sacramento 2011 and Women Take Back the Night at vdaysacramento.org.

Join V-Day Sacramento 2011 on Facebook

Follow V-Day Sacramento 2011 on Twitter

Sacramento Women Take Back the Night is proud to host the first annual Sacramento benefit production of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues.” We have an incredible cast ready for two wonderful nights!

WHEN / WHERE?

Performances are as follows:

The Guild Theater:
Friday, April 22
Doors open at 6:00pm (silent auction at this time)
Show at 7:00pm
Tickets can be purchased through EventBrite here

The Crest Theatre:
Tuesday, April 26
Doors open at 6:00pm (Reception and silent auction at this time)
Show at 7:00pm
Tickets can be purchased through tickets.com here

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

NCAC is Teaming Up for 2011

2011-04-11T22:51:57Z

Teams, teams and more teams! It’s not a novelty concept when it comes to raising charity dollars. Drawing strength in numbers, allying forces and forming teams creates not only a more fun and competitive atmosphere but certainly adds up to a greater means.
Whether it be veteran Teams Space 07 & Team Kaiser Permanente, the Mass of Team CARES, Team Breaking Barriers, the money-making dynamic machine of Team One, Team Badlands/SacGLBT, the Pavement Posse, or just plain Team Awesome, the 2011 NorCal AIDS Cycle has more to offer this year than ever before. More people, means more parties, means more fun, raising more dollars. And yes that more often than not does include cocktails, wine, beer, appetizers, raffle prizes and free giveaways when it comes to NCAC spirit.

The charity bike ride, formerly known as the NorCal AIDS Challenge, NorCal AIDS Cycle (NCAC) is the premiere cycling fundraising event for HIV/AIDS service providers in the Northern California region. Since 2005 the grass roots organization has raised nearly $900,000 for friends, family and loved ones affected by HIV/AIDS living in the Greater Sacramento area. Year seven is taking place May 12-15 2011 and NCAC participants are well on their way of eclipsing the $1 million dollar mark. You do not have to get on a bike to support this extraordinary Cause. God knows you wouldn’t want to be caught dead in a pair of spandex biking shorts…Or would you.

The route itself consists of a 4-day 330 mile counter-clockwise journey traveling north beginning (Day 1) at Beals Point in Folsom and traveling 95 miles along the rolling terrain of the foothills near Lincoln, Loomis, and Auburn before finishing the day at Gridley in the heart of the Central Valley. (Day 2) Cyclists are able to choose between two different 90-mile routes. Both options include cycling the historic towns of Oroville and Durham before ending the day with a pleasant cruise along the banks of the Sacramento River and evening camp in Colusa. The more challenging option takes cyclists up Table Mt., to add a steep climb, and 10 miles to the day. Cyclists seeking less challenging terrain will circle around Table Mt., still enjoying some rolling hills around the mountain’s base. (Day 3) Arguably the most gorgeous scenic day is an 85 mile trek that begins on the flats and breaks away into rolling hills followed by a seven mile climb out of the valley. From there, it’s a mostly-downhill ride along Cache Creek as it empties out into the Sacramento Valley. We’ll ride by the newly expanded Cache Creek Casino Resort before stopping for the night in Woodland. (Day 4) The easiest, most memorable day of the ride and final stage is completed with a flat 50 miles from Woodland to Winters to Davis, then back to Sacramento.

For those potential cycling participants that are interested but do not have the time or might be intimidated by the 4-day event can consider the “Weekender.” This is a great option where cyclists can join camp in Colusa on Friday night, May 13, and ride approximately 140 miles of Day 3 and Day 4 of the NCAC route on May 14 & 15. The ride ends in dramatic fashion at the West steps of the State Capitol where families, friends and other community members provide a warm and inspiring welcome home to the cyclists, crewmembers and all participants that support the event.
All cyclists, including weekenders, are required to raise a minimum of $1600 and pay a registration fee of $75. Participants that raise over $2000 will receive a free NCAC 2011 jersey. Training is well underway for the May 2011 event. Organized rides are held every weekend through April and helmets are required.

Of course, you do not need to actually ride in order to participate during the actual 4 days of the event. Crewmembers are critical in making NCAC operate successfully. A number of Crew activities are available including Support and Gear (SAG), Rest Stop & Lunch, Route Marking and Gear and Campground Services. Each crewmember is required to raise a minimum of $250. Motorcycle (Moto) crew help is also needed. The motocrew might have the luxury but do have the responsibility of escorting cyclists out on the roads.
The primary beneficiaries of this year’s Ride are CARES, Breaking Barriers and the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center. Mini-grant recipients include Minor Shasta Trinty Tehama HIV Food Bank (Redding), Golden Rule Services, Caring Choices(Chico), HARM Reduction Services and the Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation. Top-Tier Sponsors include Kaiser Permanente, Western Health Advantage, Thunder Valley and GernerChiropractic In-kind sponsors thus far include Outword, 3Fold Communications and BrandedSac. For more sponsorship information contact Jim McCann at JimNCAC@gmail.com or (916) 849-5733.
There is still time to train and register for this amazing lifetime experience of a Ride. To register, donate, or find out more about NCAC visit our website at www.NorCalAIDSCycle.com. Keep an eye on our website Training and Events Calendar as well. Chances are you might have a lot more cocktail & dinner parties and wine & beer tasting events to go to from now until May 12th. Support your favorite rider, your favorite team and most importantly, support HIV/AIDS agencies here in your local community. They need it now more than ever before.

Disclosure: Jeff O'Connor is a NorCal AIDS Cycle Committee Member

KISS: The rock band, the music, the make up

2011-04-08T17:54:55Z

Attention all KISS Army. Yes, that means you. Dust off those platform shoes, dig in the closet for your skin-tight pleather and cover your face in your kid’s Halloween make up because your favorite rock band is coming to town – KISS.

One of America’s most influential rock and roll bands is coming to Sacramento during Memorial Day Weekend. The legendary rock stars that have performed at the Super Bowl, Olympics and “American Idol” – Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer - will be at Raley Field on Sunday, May 29 as the headliner for Hope Production Foundation’s Walk ‘N Rock for Kids 2011. All proceeds benefit Sacramento region charities.

Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster and range from $40 - $125 each. “The Hottest Show on Earth” will be up close and personal during the performance at the intimate venue, Raley Field; all for the benefit of their fans or the KISS Army. Expect to see the smoking guitars, shooting rockets and other pyrotechnics the band is known for during its 37-year-career.

Lace Up Your Shoes and Get Ready to Rock: Five Ways to Prepare for KISS

Worldwide sales for the rock band’s albums now exceed 100 million albums and don’t include its wide range of other products or reality shows such as “Gene Simmons Family Jewels.” Due to a schedule of high-profile international tours and stadium performances, Sacramento KISS fans have only rarely had a chance to see their favorite rock stars on home turf with the most recent performance at ARCO Arena in 2009.

“KISS raised the bar for what a rock concert should really be,” said KISS bassist and singer Gene Simmons.

The morning of the concert will feature the “walk” portion of Walk ‘N Rock for Kids 2011 as more than 6,000 walkers will lace up their sneakers (before lacing up their platform boots) to raise money for Sacramento charities including but not limited to: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Cristo Rey High School, Keaton Raphael Memorial, Okizu, People Reaching Out, River Cats Foundation, Wind Youth Services.

Team Warrior Princess Sends 23 Kids with Cancer to Camp Thanks to Walk N Rock

This is the third year for Walk ‘N Rock for Kids. Previous performances include Journey, Sammy Hagar and Heart. Hope Productions Foundation is a Sacramento-based nonprofit that provides support and training at no cost for local charities serving children and youth. Their services include training and guidance for nonprofits to improve their marketing, fundraising, partnerships and board cultivation so they may become more efficient and increase their potential for long-term sustainability. Through events such as Walk N' Rock for Kids, Walt Gray Ride, Hope in Harmony and generous business sponsorships, they have raised and provided over $1.5 million in contributions, resources, marketing and in-kind business training for local children's charities.

To learn more, visit www.walknrock.org.

Walk N Rock 2011: Lace up your shoes and get ready to rock

2011-04-08T17:16:55Z

Walk ‘N Rock for Kids will be returning to West Sacramento’s Raley Field on Sunday, May 29 for its third year featuring a fundraising walk in the morning and concert in the evening headlining the rock band KISS. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster.com.

Hope Productions Foundation, a nonprofit that provides support and training at no cost for local charities serving children and youth, created this annual charity event. Through Walk ‘N Rock for Kids and similar fundraising events, Hope Productions Foundation has raised over $1.5 million and supported 22 local charities making a difference in the lives of 51,00 local youth.

There are five easy ways to support or participate in Walk ‘N Rock for Kids 2011:

Sign up for Walk ‘N Rock for Kids. Over 400 teams and 6,000 people participated in last year’s “walk” of Walk ‘N Rock for Kids. Create a team or join an existing team. The walk starts at Raley Field and continues over Tower Bridge to the Capital and back. The route features local bands, activities and concludes with entertainment, food and fun! Sign up at www.walknrock.org.

Buy tickets to KISS. The iconic rock band KISS will be performing at Raley Field the evening of May 29 with all proceeds benefitting local charities. Tickets may be purchased online through Ticketmaster.com or at the Raley Field Box Office. The concert is expected to sell out fast due to the strong contingency of KISS Army fans, so buy your tickets now.

Volunteer for Hope Productions. It takes hundreds of volunteers to help organize and implement this large-scale event. Volunteers are needed the day of the event as well as in the weeks leading up. To learn more, visit www.hopeproductions.org.

Become a corporate partner. Local businesses have played a critical role in the success of Walk ‘N Rock for Kids. Their support through the donation of resources and manpower make the difference in the lives of thousands of local youth. Current partners include: Kaiser Permanente, Vistage, Walmart, Wells Fargo, Big Hairy Dog, Waste Connections, Western Health Advantage and over two dozen more. For a complete listing of corporate partners or to join the list, visit www.hopeproductions.org.

Join the KISS Army. Affectionately referred to as the KISS Army, KISS fans are known for their loyal devotion, painted faces and tongue dropping poses. Upload your best KISS photo on the Hope Productions Facebook page or tweet the images using the hashtags #kissarmy and #walknrock. Learn more about the KISS Kulture at www.kissonline.com.

To learn more, visit www.walknrock.org.

Local Nonprofits prepare for Graduation

2011-04-07T19:02:35Z

Hope Productions Foundation is a Sacramento-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides support and training at no cost to local charities serving children and youth. Services include leadership training and guidance for nonprofits to improve their marketing, fundraising, partnerships and board cultivation so that the nonprofits become more efficient and increase their potential for long-term sustainability.

With continued support from the community through their Walk ‘N Rock for Kids event, the Foundation has distributed over $1.5 million in contributions, resources, marketing and in-kind business training to local children and youth nonprofits since its inception in the fall of 2008. Walk ‘N Rock for Kids is an annual fundraising walk and benefit concert that Hope Productions Foundation hosts at Raley Field over Memorial Day weekend.

The Foundation is currently working with seven Nonprofit Partners that encompass the following areas of service: Advocacy, At-Risk Youth, Education, Illness/Research, Wellness and Youth Development.

The inaugural group includes: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, Cristo Rey High School, Keaton Raphael Memorial, Okizu, People Reaching Out, Wind Youth Services and The River Cats Foundation. These partner organizations are in their final year of Hope Productions Foundation’s three year training program, coupled with leadership development and fundraising support. This summer, the group will celebrate their graduation from Hope Productions Foundation’s program.

Upon submitting their strategic business plan and completing an evaluation, each organization will be considered a Hope Productions Foundation certified nonprofit, complete with a seal of certification to be displayed on the organization’s website. Local corporations and grantors are being alerted of the significant commitment to fundraising and nonprofit management best practices that each organization has made by completing the program.

Hope Productions Foundation and commencement host Wells Fargo would like to thank and congratulate each of the graduating organizations on their accomplishment. Organizations will be honored at Walk ‘N Rock for Kids on May 29 and at the graduation ceremony on June 29.

The next class of Nonprofit Partner organizations will be selected from the current 15 Nonprofit Affiliate organizations. Applications for the next group of Nonprofit Affiliates will be available and accepted this June. For more information, visit the Hope Productions website.

To support any one of the 22 children’s charities benefiting from Walk ‘N Rock for Kids, you can join or start a walk team on their behalf at www.walknrock.org.

Full Circle Treatment Center Raises the Bar on its Fundraising Efforts

2011-04-07T14:10:46Z

After Full Circle Treatment Center became a Nonprofit Affiliate of Hope Productions Foundation in the fall of 2009, executive director Erin Johansen learned some encouraging tips to increase community support for her organization.

First, Johansen raised the bar on her team’s fundraising goals for this year’s Walk ‘N Rock for Kids event. Last year the team raised $11,000, providing partial funding for more than 30 family scholarships at the Placer County adolescent drug and alcohol treatment center. As impressive as those numbers are, this year Johansen set her sights on raising $25,000, enough to assist 60 percent of the clients at Full Circle.

“Our board members and team captain are fully engaged, and we have a high level of confidence we’ll reach our goal,” said Johansen.

Johansen also changed the way potential donors are approached, professionally honing materials and presentation to better target regional companies. Results were positive.

“In the past year I’ve been able to meet with several prospective major donors using a senior level approach, thanks to the training, connections and credibility we’ve gained through the Hope Productions affiliation.”

One meeting paid off when a local company became a Full Circle sponsor. Another resulted in an event sponsorship, and the third prospect invited Johansen to submit a proposal for funding.

“We’re very grateful for the response we’ve received, and hopeful for the future.”

Johansen explained, “We are a start-up nonprofit organization. We do good work, but we’ve been open for less than three years, and we’re brand new to the fundraising world.

“The mission and training program of Hope Productions Foundation is exactly what nonprofits need for success and sustainability.”

###

Full Circle Treatment Center is the vision of a concerned community and five working professionals in the field of family and youth services. The nonprofit facility provides intensive outpatient adolescent drug and alcohol treatment to youths and their families in Placer County and surrounding communities.

Hope Productions Foundation (link to www.hopeproductions.org) provides training, resources and funding for seven local children’s charities: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, Cristo Rey High School of Sacramento, Keaton Raphael Memorial, Okizu, People Reaching Out, River Cats Foundation and Wind Youth Services. An additional 15 children’s charities will also benefit from abbreviated training and fundraising support through the Walk ‘N Rock for Kids (link to www.walknrock.org) event. With continued support from the community, the Foundation has distributed over $1.5 million in contributions, resources, marketing and in-kind business training to local children and youth nonprofits since its inception in the fall of 2008. More than 51,000 local children have been impacted by the efforts of Hope Productions Foundation.

Team Warrior Princess sends 23 kids with cancer to camp

2011-04-07T08:10:09Z

At the ripe age of six and a half, Juliette Geney can make a powerful claim like no other little girl her age. Last year, her Team Warrior Princess raised more than $23,000 during Walk ‘N Rock for Kids, sending 23 children with cancer to Camp Okizu in the Sierra foothills.

Okizu provides peer support, respite, mentoring and recreational programs to meet the needs of all members of families affected by childhood cancer.

Juliette’s goal was to send 21 kids to Camp Okizu. Thanks to supporters of her Walk ‘N Rock for Kids team and a surprise call from an anonymous donor, Team Warrior Princess was able to surpass that goal.

Warrior Princess — the name Juliette assumed during her own cancer treatment — had another goal for last year’s Walk ‘N Rock for Kids: to walk the entire 5K route through downtown Sacramento. She did, crossing the finish line with family and friends, shouting, “I did it!”

Both milestones were significant, given Juliette’s story.

At four and a half, Juliette was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Her mother, Kirsten Geney, recalls having to carry Juliette into the hospital on the day of her diagnosis, making Juliette’s gleeful stride across the finish line especially poignant.

“I am thankful for so much,” said mom, Kirsten, “including the generous donations given to Okizu and for the healing that will come to so many families affected by childhood cancer.”

She added, "I’m so thankful for Juliette and the opportunity she’s been given to learn that she can make a difference in this world.”

For the past two years, little Juliette has taken an active role in drumming up interest in Walk ‘N Rock for Kids by distributing event materials, unafraid to approach local businesses and ask them to display posters “to help kids like me.” Juliette also appeared in a public service announcement promoting Walk ‘N Rock for Kids.

“It’s a way for her to do something positive, and a way for us to deal with this together,” says Kirsten.

Juliette just completed more than two years of chemotherapy treatments and has been given a clean bill of health. Kirsten explained, “Juliette’s prognosis is better than it would have been 20 years ago, thanks to medical advances.”

Again this year, Juliette plans to join mom Kirsten, dad Christian and little brother Maxim to cheer on the estimated 10,000 walkers who champion local children’s charities at Walk ‘N Rock for Kids.

Learn more about Juliette’s story. You can join or contribute to Juliette’s efforts to raise funds for Okizu at www.walknrock.org/teamjuliette .

WHAT is FEAT?

2011-04-02T09:34:35Z

Throughout my 'radio' years here in Sacramento, people have asked me about my involvement with FEAT--a non-profit organization of parents, family members, and treatment professionals dedicated to providing best outcome Education, Advocacy and Support for the Northern California Autism Community. FEAT stands for Families for Early Autism Treatment. My answer is simple. Someone in the media needed to help. When I first started to help FEAT the term autism was still relatively unknown to the mass audience. Back then, when one would say, autistic--people thought we were saying, artistic. I knew I needed to help with the enlightenment of autism. I realized then, these parents needed more than a bake sale.

My involvement with FEAT started in 1993 when I was with radio station Y92. I was walking by a store front and a few ladies were holding a bake sale. I was curious what the sign, FEAT, meant. They explained the non-profit organization and it's infancy. They enlightened me about autism and it's necessity for early treatment. Having a friend in L.A. who's nephew has autism, I was curious and offered my services to the non-profit organization. Along with Y92's reach to the public, I helped FEAT put on their first "Night of Caring" dinner and auction. I invited local celebrity Tim Busfield to assist me in Master of Ceremonies. From 50 attendees to over one thousand at the annual "A Night of Caring", FEAT's event snowballed year after year and I was honored to be their host.

Now, you hear about the trials of autism everywhere. But, know this--FEAT is not the 'Hollywood" type of non-profit. FEAT are not federally or state funded. FEAT are all volunteer families helping other families. FEAT actually helps families directly here in the greater Sacramento area. FEAT got the UC Davis Mind Institute started. FEAT helps parents better themselves to be advocates for their autistic child. The realities of autism is not fully understood until you talk with a parent who is trying to raise an autistic child. Without FEAT, parents would not know where to go or what to do here in the greater Sacramento area. FEAT of Sacramento has, since their beginning, started numerous chapters throughout the United States. It all started here in Sacramento. These parents, their children and their families are amazing to me.

Feat helps families with the vast spectrum of autism. You can find out more at www.feat.org Oh, and by the way, while visiting the site, you will see that I am currently helping FEAT put on a different kind of benefit-event this year. Sacramento native and superstar guitarist Craig Chaquico will be performing for us. I became friends with Craig while hosting the mid-day show for 12 years on Smooth Jazz 94-7 KSSJ. He graciously agreed to play to help our Sacramento area children with autism have better lives. We will also have Sacramento's premier Santana tribute band, The Rhythm Vandals along with International Food and Wine from Young's Vineyard. We are calling it ROCK'in the Vineyard with 100% of the proceeds going to FEAT!

Join us for a really FUN day Saturday, May 14th. Tickets at www.feat.org

Please share with the greater Sacramento area what FEAT is all about. Share the event, ROCK'in the Vineyard with your friends in every possible network and know that you're loved.

Social Media Club's Sacramento chapter hosts "Blogging for Business" workshop

2011-03-28T23:20:30Z

So, your business has a website. Then you heard that blogs are the thing that every website needs to helps your business connect with customers. So, now your website has a blog... and you have no idea what to do with it. Enter Jennifer Bourn, owner of Bourn Creative and the guest speaker at the Social Media Club, Sacramento (SMCS) workshop, "Blogging for Business". The workshop, held at Drexel University in Downtown Sacramento on March 24th, aimed to help small business owners and other business bloggers ensure the rewards reaped through their blog is worthy of the time spent.

There is no question that blogging, whether for business or pleasure, requires a significant investment of time to be done right. Time alone however, does not a successful blog make. How do you know which platform to use? What are plugins and why are there so many of them? How can you tell which tools are adding to your blog and which are detracting... or worse, distracting your customers from making purchases or connecting with your message? And once you get your blog all set up, what do you write about?

In an intensive 90 minute workshop Bourn spelled out the how-tos, recommendations, and best practices to make a business blog successful. She began by clarifying the goal of business blogs, because many business owners launch blogs without being clear on what they're using the blog to accomplish. The goals of any business blog should be to posisition your company and brand, communicate with your customers, educate your market and showcase your expertise in your field, and to make a personal connection with your readers.

"People don't want to connect with a cold brand," explained Bourn, "they want to connect with the people at the company."

Its the humanity shown through your posts that encourage readers to return or subscribe to your blog. Finding ways to make your posts personal, memorable, and emotional will allow customers and readers to not only connect with your brand, but with you as a blogger. When you connect to customers on a personal, human level trust and loyalty can be gained.

In addition to compelling, personalized content, Bourn stressed the importance of paying attention to the design elements of your blog. "Look at your sidebar [and think], 'How does this bring value to my users?'" Bourn points out that a date based archive system in the sidebar, while often used, is practically useless to your readers, "What does this tell them other than you posted content at some point that month? Delete it."

Other items to remove from your sidebar? Any links that may distract your potential customer from spending money on your site, or lead them away from your blog, including Twitter or Facebook scolls, avatars, and boxes. Bourn points out that we spend so much energy on our social media sites trying to get people to our blog for more content and the chance to convert to a sale. Why, once they get there, would we try to send them away from your focused content back to the world of social media?

These tips were just a tip of the iceberg of expertise shared during the interactive workshop. Attendees were encouraged to bring their laptops to follow along and live tweet the event. The 50 person event, which included food provided by Paesano's, was open to members of the SMCS and the general public. SMCS simply requested a $10 donation to help the club continue to organize events and workshops about various social meda topics.

For more tips on blogging and business, visit the Bourn Creative blog on their website. For more information about upcoming Social Media Club, Sacramento events, follow @SMCSac on Twitter.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of the Social Media Club, Sacramento.

Changing Stereotypes about People with Developmental Disabilities One City at a Time

2011-03-24T21:26:30Z

There’s something unusual happening at the Orangevale Recreation and Park District. It’s not ballet classes or a magic show—although those things are happening. It’s something that has grown behind the scenes and yet is a key part of the parks we enjoy.

For almost 13 years, Orangevale parks have benefitted from a crew that does everything from waxing the slide at the pool, to chalking the baseball diamond. What’s unique about this crew is that it consists of three individuals who have a range of developmental disabilities.

You might not normally think that people with developmental disabilities would be shredding almond branches through a wood chipper, or driving giant lawn mowers across fields, but these guys do that and much more.

The crew was originally hired by Orangevale parks through a work and life skills program run by the nonprofit organization called InAlliance. Since 1952, InAlliance has partnered with local businesses to fully integrate and include people with developmental disabilities in their communities through work.

What would cause a large public agency like Orangevale Recreation and Park District to hire a crew of people with disabilities? According to Park Superintendent, Chuck West, he was hesitant at first for a variety of reasons. He had no knowledge of what developmental disabilities looked like, and was concerned what it would cost the parks in terms of additional energy and manpower to supervise a crew with developmental disabilities.

After watching the crew excel in every task they were given, West quickly changed his own limited expectations, and committed to giving the crew the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of maintaining and operating the parks.

According to West there has been no downside. He regularly gets compliments from park visitors and class instructors alike on how great the parks look. He attributes this to the incredibly detailed work performed by the InAlliance crew. “They show up everyday, rain or shine, and do their work with an incredible amount of commitment,” said West.

Crew supervisor, Fred DeLeon, is provided by InAlliance to ensure that West doesn’t have to worry about managing or overseeing the crew. According to DeLeon, “The crew hasn’t changed in 13 years, but the individuals have grown a lot.”

The men on the crew all live in the area, and thanks to their work at the parks, feel like they’re a real part of the community. Over time West has realized how important it is to include people with developmental disabilities in their communities. “I really think that public agencies have a duty to participate in these types of programs, after all, it is your community,” said West.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes®

2011-03-21T19:35:15Z

Calling all men! It’s time to strap on a pair of heels and Walk a Mile (or just down the block) in Her Shoes. Join Bob Shallit, Patrick Mulvaney, and other local media men, business owners, and leaders. They’re walking because they know that sexual assault affects women, the men who care about them, their families, friends, coworkers, and our communities.

Statistically, someone you know could be a victim: your mother, grandmother, wife, sister, co-worker or friend. We invite the men of Sacramento to throw on a pair of high-heels and walk in an effort to increase awareness about sexual assault in our community.

REGISTER NOW >> (Registration closes April 8th.) Or learn more here >>

The walk is for men, but the block-party at Zocalo and Paesanos is for everyone! Find out how you can walk, sponsor, and join the fun!

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® Sacramento is licensed by Frank Baird and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes®, a Venture Humanity, Inc. Project (www.walkamileinhershoes.org).

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

Francis House features Victoria Vox in benefit concert at The Guild Theatre

2011-03-21T05:50:01Z

Francis House held a benefit concert from 7 - 10 p.m. Friday night at The Guild Theatre. The concert featured Victoria Vox and The Boulder Acoustic Society.

The concert was held in memory of Greg Bunker, former executive director of Francis House, who passed away unexpectedly days after Christmas last year. About 100 people attended.

The music was an old-fashioned folksy blend of eclectic sound. The Boulder Acoustic Society opened with keyboards, drums, upright bass and banjo. The keyboardist switched to accordion and the drummer to a marching band bass drum.

Victoria Vox, 32, lives in Baltimore, Md. She sings and plays ukulele. She said she finally quit her day job in 2003 to tour and perform full time.

She attended the public memorial service for Bunker in January, held in the Westminster Presbyterian Church, which was full to capacity. Forest Reed invited her to make a stop in Sacramento for the benefit concert.

“It was amazing being at the memorial and seeing how many people were there,” she said. “It was packed,” Vox said. “It was really moving to be there, and I know that Francis House does a lot of great things for people,” she said.

“I can only imagine how many people they’ve helped.” Vox said. “I’m honored more than anything to be invited to perform.”

Francis House is a counseling and resource center for poor and low-income families in the Sacramento area. Forest Reed is the new executive director of Francis House.

“Francis House is a cornerstone agency in the social service fabric in Sacramento,” Reed said. ”We touch 30,000 people every year on a first-come, first-serve basis.”

Reed explained about the important services Francis House offers.

“Without identification, you’re stymied and roadblocked,” Reed said. “We put people in motion to get out and handle those things. We provide support for getting California IDs, driver licences and birth certificate,” Reed said. “We’re a connection, a conduit to the rest of the agencies in Sacramento.”

“So many new people have dropped into poverty and homelessness in Sacramento over the last three years,” Reed said. “We help people move forward and get back on track. We ignite change for people.”

Bunker spent his last 21 years as director of Francis House. Reed had only praise for Bunker.

“He was accepting on a very human level,” he said. “He always sought to find how he could help. He loved everybody and didn’t judge people and accepted people as they were. He had a tremendous amount of kindness,” Reed said. “It’s a great loss for us because he was a mentor, a leader, a great friend and a funny guy at the same time.”

A reveler's guide to the de Vere's St. Patricks Day Party in the Park

2011-03-16T19:00:30Z

The weather forecast for Thursday is clear and sunny and Sacramento is counting down the hours to this year's biggest St. Patrick’s Day party.

The de Vere’s Party in the Park kicks off at 10 a.m. on Thursday March 17th at Cesar Chavez Plaza in Downtown Sacramento for 12 hours of St. Patrick’s Day festivities, music, pipes, dancers, food, and drinks. 9th street between I and J streets will be closed to traffic beginning at 5 am to make room for all of the St. Patrick's Day festivities happening in the park. The street will reopen to traffic after midnight.

Advance ticket sales for the Party in the Park available at deveresderules.com end at 11:30 a.m. on March 16, but tickets are available for purchase at the door on Thursday. Party proceeds will benefit Maryhouse, a daytime women and children’s homeless shelter at Loaves and Fishes. You can also purchase raffle tickets to win a trip for two to Ireland for $1 either online via the "Tickets" link at deveresderules.com or on site during the Party in the Park.

Good Eats
Stop by the Party in the Park during your lunch to purchase your ticket to the event and pick up some good eats. Downtown restaurants including de Vere’s Irish Pub, Grange, Café Soliel, Tuli Bistro, and Shady Lady will be serving up great food with menus ranging from pizza, pulled pork sliders, corned beef, and beer brats. Ins and outs are allowed up until 2:00pm, allowing downtown workers the opportunity to take a long lunch at the park, have some wonderful food, and catch Nine 8ths Irish at 11:30am, and Irish Dancers at 1:30pm. Just make sure you leave the park before 2:00pm if you want to gain re-entry later in the afternoon or after work!

Live Entertainment
Live entertainment will rock the park throughout the day featuring traditional Irish entertainment from the Kennelly School Irish Dancers and Sacramento Firefighters Pipes and Drums. 106.5 The Buzz and Radio 94.7 will be on site all day, with appearances by Andy Hawk of Jaime White Mornings on The Buzz, and Casey & Alicia from Radio 94.7. Live musical performances begin at 11:30 am with Nine 8ths Irish, and continue through the day with Whiskey & Stitches at 2:30 pm and the Black-Eyed Dempseys at 4:30 pm. Headliner and San Francisco U2 tribute band, Zoo Station takes the stage at 7:30 pm.

Getting around
If you’re planning to party in the park, make sure you plan ahead to get home safe by having a designated driver, taking public transit, or spending the night Downtown.

Party-goers have a variety of transit options available for the event. The DSP has partnered with Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA) to provide complimentary bike valet service at the Party in the Park. For those driving to the event, a discounted parking rate of $5 after 5 p.m. is available at the City Hall Garage located at 10th and I streets.

Last Call Sacramento will also be onsite to prevent buzzed and drink drivers from getting on the road. The local company will provide complimentary safe rides for event attendees and their cars courtesy of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

Local hotels are also offering special discounts on St. Patrick’s Day for party goers. The Hyatt Regency Sacramento is offering a $99 rate on March 17 with promo code “BFFE Rate Plan.” The Citizen Hotel is offering rooms for $109/night online using promo code “CLOVER” for stays March 16-20.

Keep the Party Going
If your evening isn't over at 10pm when the de Vere's St. Patrick's Day Party in the Park comes to a close, there are a variety of St. Patrick's parties continuing into the wee hours. The de Vere's Pub Party will continue til last call, and is within walking distance. Buy your tickets in advance at sacstpats.com to make sure you can get in after the Party in the Park. Events at Brew it Up!, Gallaghers, Dive Bar, Vive!, Parlare, and District 30 are also very close by. If you're ready for fourth meal, de Vere's has got you covered for amazing Irish food, and Wayside Noodles, Ambrosia Cafe, Pizza Rock, and Cafeteria 15L are all close by and open late with delicious grub to fill your belly.

For more event details, visit deveresderules.com. or sacstpats.com Don’t forget, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (@DowntownSac) be tweeting live from the park all day on Thursday. Follow the conversation on Twitter by searching the hashtag #SacStPats.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is the Marketing Manger for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

"Your Cuts Are Way Too Big, Your Cuts Are Way Too Deep!"

2011-03-14T22:55:29Z

Chants and cheers from nearly 800 concerned citizens filled the Downtown Sacramento streets on February 22 as the “Mommy Tsunami” protest walk finished its final leg from Caesar Chavez Park to the California State Capitol. The walk began on February 19 in Yuba City, where a group of Generation Y moms began a 60 mile journey to the Capitol in protest of Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed $1 billion budget cut to services for people with developmental disabilities.

Participants, families, employees and volunteers from disability advocacy and support groups joined in the rally sporting bright red t-shirts baring a large target that read “A Budget Target Again?” Their message is that the proposed budget cuts are simply too severe, come on the heels of significant previous cuts, and will devastate the entire system. “This cut would effectively dismantle the Lanterman Act,” said
one protester. Over 240,000 Californians currently receive services under the Act and are at risk of losing their services for in-home support, Medi-Cal, dental care, and other services.

Assembly member Jim Beall was the only legislator to come out in support of the rally and told the group that he understands the importance of the Lanterman Act and would take their concerns directly to the Governor. Many service providers argue that the proposed budget cuts hurt the most vulnerable Californians and won’t save the State money. A fact underlined by the $340,000 a year it costs to
institutionalize a person with a developmental disability in a State Center, versus an average cost of around $15,000 per person to provide
community-based services.

In addition to losing health and support services, Californians with developmental disabilities will likely lose their independence, jobs and businesses. Without needed support, these individuals may be forced to move into costly group homes, nursing homes, or State-run Centers. Protesters vowed that this was just the beginning, and their message was clear, “these are hard won rights and we will not let them go without a fight!”

The Vibe Foundation hosts Cake Decoration Contest in Midtown

2011-03-14T05:21:35Z

The Vibe Foundation held Cake Craze Saturday night. The Vibe Foundation hosted their Cake Craze fundraising event Saturday night, pitting nine local bakeries against each other in a cake-decorating contest themed “Generation Y” at 1725 K St.

The event was fundraising for the organization’s opening this summer.

Julia Hidalgo,18, another Christian Brothers senior, is the chair of Vibe’s youth board.

“The fundraiser is really just to get our doors open,” Hidalgo said.

Hidalgo expressed her vision of Vibe as molding to the needs of the youth community that leads it.

“It’s all about what kids want,” Hidalgo said. “If kids want free SAT classes, maybe we’ll do that,” Hidalgo said. “We’re hoping to get our doors open no later than July.”

Chelsea Carter,18, is a senior at Christian Brothers High School and is Vibe’s event planner. She said Vibe’s goal was to provide a place for Sacramento youth to go and hang out at night.

“Basically we want a place for teenagers and youth to hang out in a safe place,” Carter said. “We are working to create a teen urban lounge and career and resource center.”

“It was so stressful to do it and plan it to get stuff done,” Carter said. “Now that it’s here, it’s fantastic. The music and the cakes are super cool,” said Carter. “I’m glad everything is working out well.”

Sweet Cakes was awarded the Incomparable Innovation (best in show) prize.

Kat’s Cakes was awarded the Premium Pioneering (most creative) prize.

Crazy Cake Company was awarded the Optimum Outrageousness (most outrageous) prize.

Cake Castle Bakery was awarded the Supreme Stimulation (best depiction of theme) prize.

The event was well attended with a steady stream of people coming and going. The organizers felt the event went well.

Christine Giffin, Vibe’s executive director, echoed Hidalgo’s sentiment that Vibe activities are open to the interpretation of the youth who lead the organization.

“I’m not attached to any one idea with this place,” Giffin said. “The idea is just whatever our current generation of teens in Sacramento want, that’s what Vibe aspires to be.”

Access Sacramento to start Neighborhood News Bureaus

2011-03-12T01:34:13Z

Access Sacramento is putting together a network of news bureaus in the South Sacramento area. The goal is to get youth to report for their communities, producing news stories about South Sacramento. The effort is based around a website that access Sacramento has set up called accesslocal.tv.

Ron Cooper, executive director of Access Sacramento, said that besides being known for negative news, South Sacramento seems to be absent from the news altogether. He wants to help revitalize the area through empowering the youth to become news reporters and serve them by developing their journalism skills.

“South Sacramento is big area with lots of people and lots of ethnic diversity,” Cooper said. “Stories with positives don’t usually trickle out.”

There are currently five neighborhood news bureau locations. Asian Resources, La Familia, Florin Creek, Pannell Center and Valley Hi-North Laguna Library were selected as the initial locations to host the news bureaus. They were provided with computers, flip cameras and funding for training.

“Young people accept challenges and changes much more readily. That’s always been the case,” said Cooper said. “I like the idea of organizing young people and challenging them to tell the stories of their communities.”

A part of the project is bringing in the technological resources for youth to use. The project is providing computers and cameras to help them report stories. He said that providing the resources and letting youth “play” and experiment will be an important way of developing how the neighborhood news bureaus turn out.

“I’m not launching a five-year plan here. We have some tenets, but it has to be responsive to what we learn along the way,” Cooper said. “Over the next six months, we will gradually widen the sphere and add more neighborhood news bureaus.”

The Sacramento Metropolitan Cable Television Commission provided the initial technological equipment.

“We went to the Sacramento Metro Cable Commission, and they gave the equipment necessary for the initial sites,” Cooper said.

Part of the project is being funded through the California Endowment, which selected South Sacramento as one of 14 neighborhoods across California in need of assistance, said Christine Tien, California Endowment’s Sacramento’s program manager.

“For us, it’s a youth empowerment tool – a good way to generate stories from the youth perspective, especially in the South Sac area,” Tien said. “Currently, the only type of stories coming out of South Sac are crime-related.”

“Part of the grant is for training youth to be community reporters, reporting from their perspective on community issues.” Tien said.

Fong Tran is a youth coordinator at Asian Resources. He works on helping to produce and guide the stories of the young reporters.

“The purpose of the neighborhood news bureaus is to provide an opportunity for grassroots and community organizations to work with youth, and to put out news that comes from the community and the community perspective.” Tran said.

“It’s a chance for, what were marginalized communities, to speak in their own words about events and topics,” Tran said. “It’s a way for youth to get what they want to say out to the mainstream world.”

Access Sacramento is a nonprofit community media organization that provides resources to Sacramento community members to produce independent media. The organization has been producing radio and cable programmes for the last 25 years. The neighborhood news bureaus are the most recent way of engaging the Sacramento community.

To learn more about the neighborhood news bureaus, visit AccessLocal.tv.

Empty Bowls serves up soup to fight hunger

2011-03-02T02:01:35Z

Since stormy winter days have almost everyone thinking about soup, it's a good thing River City Food Bank's 8th annual fundraising event is just days away. As in previous years, Empty Bowls features some of the area’s finest restaurants serving up their best soups- all to raise awareness about hunger in the region.

Everyone who attends Empty Bowls chooses from among 1,500 bowls, hand-crafted by Sacramento students and professional potters. The bowls represent people across the region who don’t have enough to eat. As many as one in seven people report that they don’t always have enough money to provide their families with food. After picking a bowl, attendees choose soup from one of these restaurants: Café Bernardo, R15, Scott's Seafood Grill and Bar, Chops Steaks Seafood and Bar, Michelangelo's, Vizcaya, Lucca, The Broiler, Greek Village Inn, and L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen.

The Empty Bowls evening event, on Monday, March 7, is already sold out. A limited number of tickets are still available for Tuesday, March 8 at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Both seatings feature plenty of beautiful bowls, gourmet soups and desserts. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased on River City Food Bank’s website. All events will be held at the Sacramento Masonic Temple, 1123 J Street.

River City Food Bank is the only Sacramento- area food bank open every weekday to anyone experiencing hunger from anywhere in Sacramento County. RCFB offers nutritionally-balanced 3-day emergency food, as well as compassion. In the wake of the food bank's October fire, this year's fundraising goals are ambitious. River City Food Bank hopes to raise over $100,000.

For more information, and to purchase tickets online, visit www.rivercityfoodbank.org.

Disclosure: Lesley Miller works for 3fold Communications, a local marketing agency. River City Food Bank is a client of 3fold Communications.

Hearts Are Not for Breaking!

2011-02-22T19:31:39Z

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. 1 in 4 teens report verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse from the person they are dating. WEAVE has partnered with local businesses to raise awareness of this growing problem. During the month of February, make a donation at one of the participating businesses and receive your "Hearts Are Not for Breaking" button. 100% of funds raised through the “Hearts Are Not for Breaking” campaign will support WEAVE’s services and programs. Join our "Hearts Are Not for Breaking" campaign and help raise awareness of the important but often overlooked issue of teen dating violence. For more information visit http://www.weaveinc.org/just-teens today.

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

Click a Button & Your Favorite Charity Could Earn $10,000

2011-02-16T20:16:08Z

Want to help end violence against women in our community? Maybe you want to help feed the hungry? Right now, it’s as easy as clicking a button.

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento created an innovative campaign in honor of their 10th anniversary to help raise $10,000 for a deserving charity. 17 nonprofits are vying for the prize. Among them are WEAVE, River City Food Bank, Society for the Blind, and a host of others. By clicking a single button to cast your vote online, you can help your favorite charity earn this critical grant.

You can make a difference in three easy ways: 1) cast your vote online; 2) tell all your friends to vote; and 3) share the voting link on your Facebook and Twitter pages.

Hurry! Voting ends tonight (February 16) at midnight!

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes that you’ll pick YOUR favorite charity. I very much appreciate having a public forum to spread the word. If you’ve got some extra time on your hands, you can click the link to the voting page over and over and over and (you get the point) again! Go vote and help change our community!

Last week to vote for local agencies to win $10K grant from Sutter Health

2011-02-11T18:43:28Z

To celebrate its 10th year of community benefit funding, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS) will award one of its community partners an additional $10,000 grant for 2011. The winner will be determined through online voting that will close on February 16. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) and 16 other local agencies are using social media to help garner the votes they need to win the additional grant money.

"If the DSP is fortunate enough to be granted the additional funding, our organization plans to use it to fund homeless and youth outreach,” said Ryan Loofbourrow, DSP community services director, “Mental illness is one of the leading causes of homelessness. We would love the opportunity to use the $10,000 bonus grant to assist the most vulnerable of our homeless population in gaining access to care and treatment.”

Website visitors can help the DSP win the additional funding by voting at www.smcscommunityvote.com for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s vision statement. The 140-character statement illustrates how each agency is changing the world by improving or saving lives and contributing to our community. The DSP’s vision statement reads, “DSP leads the way in homeless & youth street outreach, making a difference by restoring the heart of our city by first rebuilding lives of the lost & forgotten.”

“Our Street outreach team believes that finding housing for the homeless and positive opportunities for our youth is an investment in our community’s future,” explained DSP Executive Director Michael Ault, “We have the people and the ability but we need funding to help open those doors to success.”

Other agencies receiving grants from SMCS and vying for the $10,000 bonus grant include Stanford Settlement, River City Food Bank, People Reaching Out, Society for the Blind, Sacramento ACT, WEAVE, Cottage Housing, Francis House, Loaves & Fishes, St. John's Shelter Program, Women's Empowerment, Center for Community Health and Well-Being, SPIRIT Project, The Effort, Sacramento Self Help Housing and Cover the Kids.

"No matter which agency wins, the real winner is the Sacramento community, "said Lisa Martinez, DSP director of marketing and outreach, "There is a lot of great work being done in our city by these organizations every day, and we are proud that our community services department is among them."

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is the Marketing Manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership

Annual Winter Wine & Food Fest helps grant 100 wishes to local children

2011-02-01T03:14:06Z

Saturday, the Make-a-Wish Foundation Sacramento and Northeastern California chapter hosted the elegant 23rd Annual Winter Wine & Food Fest, featuring tasting from 120 regional wineries, breweries and restaurants.

The event also offered live music by classic cover band Over the Edge Band, a silent auction hosted by Dave Thompson from MIX 96 and a VIP live auction. The proceeds from sponsors, auction items and ticket sales will help grant wishes to local children “with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.”

This year, the Make-A-Wish Foundation Sacramento and Northeastern California chapter will grant approximately 230 wishes. The goal of the event was to raise approximately $500,000, enough funds to grant about 100 wishes for local children.

“Final numbers aren’t in yet,” newly appointed Director of Development Lea Ann Carlisle said. “But we are very happy with the way things went and (we are) feeling positive about the results.

“Make-A-Wish grants wishes to every medically eligible child” she added. “We won’t turn anyone away. So if more were referred to us, we would seek out other funding to make sure it happens. (The) average cash cost of a wish is about $5,000, so we also seek donors who will ‘adopt’ a wish.”

Held at the Sacramento Convention Center, the fest is the regional organization’s largest fundraising and wish-granting event. With several loyal supports and a few new organizers this year, including Carlisle and Make-a-Wish’s new regional CEO, Kennan Bridge, there was a new style and aura to the historic event, which included a red carpet and “star-studded” interior design, which “ ties into what we do, because our children are stars,” according to Carlisle.

Many area vendors and sponsors collaborated to make the event a success. Supporters included the board of directors, chairs and volunteers, as well as local business owners and working participants who donated their time for the good cause.

One such volunteer vender was Bassil Kamas, a massage therapist from Fair Oaks. Next to several of the wineries and other vendors at the event, Kamas set up his massage chair, where he offered deep-tissue and neck and shoulder massages for more than 30 attendees.

“I got involved because I always like to give back to the community, and what better way to do it through reputable charity events?” Kamas said.

“You really see the best of people in their association for Make-A-Wish,” Carlisle said. “We have a lot of supporters who have been touched by a wish themselves or family members who have been touched by a wish. So many people are touched by our mission and personally experience the magic that we provide.”

Inspired by her life-enhancing story, this year’s Winter Wine & Food Fest planning committee chose to honor 2011 Wish Ambassador Samanatha Louie, who was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia as an infant. Despite several food allergies, her dream has been to learn to be a chef. As a Make-a-Wish Foundation grantee, Louie was able to fulfill this dream by giving her the opportunity to take cooking classes in Italy.

“My expectations don’t include anything special, I am just happy that I have a special chance to have a wish,” she wrote in the event program. “Life is sometimes a hard struggle, but this wish made my life happier. I wanted to be a chef for a long time, but I’m allergic to so many foods … Cooking in Italy makes me even happier, and cooking with my family in Italy is the best thing that could ever happen to me.”

Many of these 100 wishes will be made at the newly built “Wishing Place” at the Make-a-Wish facility in Natomas, one of three Wishing Places in the United States, and the only Wishing Place on the West Coast.

Since the facility was built 14 months ago, about 85 percent of children referred to Make-a-Wish visit the Wishing Place, a magical room filled with stars. Once there, the children are given a coin and key and then make one of several kinds of wishes that include: “I want to be…,” “I want to meet…,” “I wish to have…,” “I wish to go…” and “I wish to give…,” where children can wish to give a gift to a loved one.

“(It’s) amazing that in this economy, with all the challenges people are facing, how it takes children to remind us what really matters,” Carlisle said.

You can learn about future Make-a-Wish events and ways to help grant more wishes by visiting: www.makeawish-sacto.org/

Click a Button. Help WEAVE Earn a $10,000 Grant from Sutter Medical Center. It's That Easy.

2011-01-21T00:49:29Z

Want to help end violence in our community? Right now, it's as easy as clicking a button.

Sutter Medical Center has launched an innovative campaign to help raise $10,000 for a deserving charity. WEAVE is one of the nonprofits participating in the contest. By clicking a single button to cast your vote online, you can help WEAVE earn this critical grant.

What will $10,000 pay for? WEAVE, a 501c3 nonprofit, is the only provider of comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento County. The agency plans to eliminate violence by: educating kids to break the cycle; improving laws to protect victims; and healing survivors.

You can help in three easy ways: 1) cast your vote online; 2) tell all your friends to vote; and 3) share the voting link on your Facebook and Twitter pages.

I am an employee of WEAVE, and am posting this story in response to an invitation to share this news from Sacramento Press staff. We are very appreciative to Sacramento Press for providing this powerful venue to spread the word.

Rhee's StudentsFirst will be based in Sacramento

2011-01-20T21:55:42Z

Former D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has decided to base her new education nonprofit in Sacramento. Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is engaged to Rhee, announced Rhee's decision in his "State of the City" speech Thursday.

Johnson said Rhee's group, StudentsFirst, aims to raise $1 billion in its first year.

"She was asked at the launch where the organization would be headquartered," according to the text of Johnson's speech. "She said that while many big city mayors had come a'courting that the mayor of Sacramento had made the most aggressive overtures."

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Charities team up to feed the hungry

2011-01-15T09:20:27Z

Volunteers are still needed for the second annual Feed The Children event at Cal Expo, which will provide 1,600 families in need with food boxes on Tuesday.

The event is part of Feed The Children’s “Americans Feeding Americans” truck tour, and the Salvation Army and Sacramento Kings will be helping out on the local level.

“It’s something we did last year at the same site, and when Feed The Children contacted us again, we thought it would be a great idea,” said Salvation Army spokesman Syd Fong.

“We just came off our Christmas distribution, but the need doesn’t stop after the holiday season – it goes on throughout the year,” he added.

Fong said volunteers are needed to fill slots in the early shift, which is from 8:30 - noon, and people can sign up through the website.

“Basically, we need people to pick up boxes and drop them off in a person’s car,” he said. “That is the extent of what they’re doing.”

About 50 total volunteers will be helping Salvation Army staff.

The families to receive the food have already been selected, and they came from the Salvation Army’s social services department database.

The Oklahoma City-based Feed The Children was founded 31 years ago, and spokesman Tony Sellars said the organization partners with local groups to identify the families in need.

“We can’t be experts on all the regions we visit, so we rely on the local experts,” he said. “There’s no guesswork involved. We know that when we hand a box to people, it is going to someone who needs it.”

While Feed The Children trucks have been criss-crossing the country for three decades, Sellars said the need increased dramatically once the recession hit.

“Sacramento was one of the cities we featured last year, and we felt compelled to return this year because of the number of children who are in poverty in the area – 67,000 in the county,” Sellars said. “That can fill the Kings’ arena four times over.”

Sellars said the face of poverty and homelessness has changed in the past few years, with 40 percent of the homeless in the country being under the age of 6.

“It’s not the guy living under the ridge drinking out of a paper bag,” he said. “These are kids and families, and a lot of them are asking for help for the first time in their lives.

Each of the nonprofit organization’s 55 semi trucks carries 400 25-pound boxes of nonperishable food items, which provide meals for a family of four for a week.

Also carried on the trucks are boxes of hygiene items such as shampoo and cleaning supplies.

“People are cutting these things out so they can put food on their tables, but in reality, they’re a necessity,” Sellars said. “We give these out so people can go to job interviews and that sort of thing.”

All the food and supplies are donated, either by citizens or corporate partners, Sellars said.

For an interactive map of the cities Americans Feeding Americans visits, click here.

Photos of last year’s event courtesy The Salvation Army.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Coats for Kids warms Sacramento residents

2010-12-31T01:06:35Z

The 20th annual Coats for Kids coat giveaway was held at Cal Expo today. Swanson’s Cleaners, ABC News 10, The Salvation Army and a local The UPS Store partnered to collect and distribute the coats.

Sacramento resident Mike Hainline attended the event to get a new coat. He has been collecting unemployment for almost two years.

“The economy has a lot to do with it, that’s why I came out here,” Hainline said. “I’ve donated coats in the past. I actually received one this year. It helps out to have an extra jacket, plus I got a waterproof one now,”

JoAnn Lemmon is the governor of the North Sacramento Rotary Club. She volunteered her time to help at the event. 

“I wish we had more coats. I think the part that people probably don’t realize is that we need coats for adults as well,” she said. “We have a lot of adults in need of coats, especially larger sizes. It’s something to remember for next year.”

Syd Fong is the public relations director of the Sacramento Salvation Army. He said the nonprofit organization had collected more than 27,000 coats, surpassing its goal of 25,000. Coats are being distributed at locations around California in Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Lodi, Roseville, Antioch and Fairfield.

“In the 20 years that the Coats for Kids program has been going, we’ve collected and distributed over 500,000 jackets,” Fong said.

Brian Levingston, a cadet in Natomas High school’s Airforce JROTC program, came out with other members of his unit to help with security.

“It makes us realize that we really are blessed,” he said. “I like getting out to meet other people, to help them, you know. To let them know that this is a place that they can come and that people care.

“That’s the reason why I like the event: because it shows that people do care and that when there’s times that are hard, like now, you can go somewhere and find refuge if you need a coat,” Levingston said.

Greg Higley is the owner of The UPS Store at Elk Grove and Stockton Boulevard. This was his first year helping to sponsor the event.

“It’s a good event. We’re in partnership with channel 10,” Higley said. “We will be doing this again. We’re going to try and get more coats and more people involved next year.”

Cindy Cain volunteered at the event with Hands on Sacramento.

“It’s my first year,” Cain said. “I’ve really enjoyed it. I usually donate coats. It’s great to see were the coats go.”

News10 and Swanson’s Cleaners created Coats For Kids in 1991. Since then, more than 500,000 new and used coats have been distributed to children and families in need.

Francis House executive director in critical condition

2010-12-29T02:30:18Z

Friends and family are gathering around Sacramento Francis House Executive Director Greg Bunker in a Santa Barbara hospital after the 62-year-old had a heart attack Monday.

“His condition is very serious and critical,” said Forrest Reed, program director for the nonprofit organization, which provides counseling services to Sacramentans in poverty.

According to Reed, Bunker is on life support and not capable of breathing on his own.

Bunker has been at the helm of Francis House for 21 years, helping rebuild the organization after it burned to the ground, Reed said.

“Greg was the person who was hired that brought Francis House back from the ashes,” Reed said.

The organization celebrated its 40th anniversary in October, and Reed said it is currently looking to raise $250,000 for an expansion project.

“(Bunker) has been the primary advocate for anybody experiencing homelessness and poverty in Sacramento,” Reed said. “He’s been an advocate for Safe Ground to decriminalize homelessness.”

With a full-time staff of three augmented by three volunteers, Reed said Bunker has always been “on the front line,” even running the organization by himself at times.

“Everybody here and everybody that’s been touched by him is praying that he comes back to us,” Reed said. “He’s got a lot of good work to do.”

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Photos courtesy Jill Macdonnell.

Non-Profit Dog Show Seeks Sponsors

2010-12-23T05:43:37Z

The Jensen Real Estate Team is proud to present its 2nd annual "Arden Bark Dog Show." The date is set for March 26th, 2011 at Arden Park.

The show is a fun and educational family event. It was established almost two years ago by Caroline Jensen, a Sacramento realtor. Its success persuaded Jensen to turn the Arden Dog Show into an annual event.

Festivities are to include a writing contest for the kids, public speakers, dog talent demonstrations, dog adoption and the famous hot dog stand! Some of the categories are "the longest tail", "mammoth dog", etc... Winners will receive prizes and ribbons. The Masters of Ceremonies will be local TV and radio celebrities.

Nonprofit organizations and local businesses are encouraged to participate as sponsorships are available. Booths are obtainable for a small fee of $25 and sponsorships range from $50 to $1,000. Many packages include perks such as booths at the event, personalized banners, announcement of sponsor at event by host, certificate of appreciation, logo on brochure/event websites and recognition in Arden Park Activity Guide and on AP Website.

All proceeds will benefit the Arden Park Rec & Park District Pet Facilities Program.

Join us at Arden Park (1000 La Sierra Blvd.)
March 26th, 2011
from 10:00- 2:00

For more information contact firstalina@hotmail.com

Make sure to "Like" us on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arden-Bark-Dog-Show/170028239702199

Begin 2011 on the Right Foot!

2010-12-22T19:06:01Z

Race Into the New Year With My First 5K Run/Walk

This annual fundraising event is a flat and fast 5k (3.1 mile) run/walk for people of all ages and fitness abilities. It begins and ends at the State Capitol and loops around beautiful Capitol Park. Proceeds help support Wellness Task Force Programs.

Join us as we kick off the New Year with a walk/run, sparkling cider toast, and a place to write your New Year's resolution!

Check out the new and exciting additions to this year's event, including a Toddler Tumble Busfor kids' entertainment, free sports massages, and free food samples from Grateful Bread, Clif Bar, Blue Diamond, and more! Register NOW!

Sunday, January 2, 2011
California State Capitol
10th Street and Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA

GREAT restaurant deals and raffle prizes, too! Bring your race bib to Lucca Restaurant and Bar in Downtown Sacramento for special menu items and discounts. Win gift certificates to Sacramento Pipeworks, Grateful Bread, Arden Hills Country Club AND training certificates from Mama Bootcamp and Moms in Motion! Special prizes for the team with the most participants, as well!

For more information or to register, visit the My First 5K and Kids' Winter Fun Run website.

Youth Scholarships Available!

Know a young person who'd like participate on January 2nd? We have 30 scholarships available for youth interested in doing the 5K and 30 for kids (10 years and younger) to participate in the Fun Runs.

Contact the Wellness Task Force at myfirst5k@wellnesstaskforce.org OR call 916-534-7750 if you are interested in a scholarship for your youth!

ABOUT THE BENEFICIARY, The Wellness Task Force: Our mission is to create and promote programs and policies to increase access to healthy foods and physical activity in California's schools and workplaces.

Disclosure: Jill Broughton is an employee of the Wellness Task Force.

Last-minute holiday volunteering opportunities

2010-12-22T02:03:36Z

During the current “season of giving,” many well-known volunteering opportunities – including helping at Loaves & Fishes, The Ronald McDonald House and Women Escaping a Violent Environment – already have enough volunteers for the Christmas holiday.

But those involved with charitable work all year say that the need will continue well beyond the holidays.

However, if you’re set on volunteering during the holidays, The Salvation Army still has opportunities.

“We’re ramping up for our Coats for Kids drive,” said Salvation Army spokesman Sydney Fong. “Our big day is Dec. 30.”

Fong said the distribution will be held then at the California Exposition and State Fair.

In addition to needing volunteers on Dec. 30, help is needed to prepare the space at Cal Expo, Fong said, and volunteers can get all the information by clicking here.

“When we have (volunteer opportunities), we post them,” Fong said. “For each listing we have, there is a limit to how many volunteers we can take.”

Fong said many people volunteer around the holidays to be bell ringers and help in other ways, but people need help year-round.

Another organization with year-round needs is Eskaton’s TLC program, which stands for “talking, listening and caring,” according to its website.

“We have over 500 older adult clients who live independently in their own homes,” said Eskaton spokeswoman Terri Becker. “They’re all over the greater Sacramento area.”

Becker said volunteers are needed year-round to phone independent seniors who are often lonely and just want someone to talk to. She added that volunteers can make calls from home, their workplaces or the Eskaton office in Fair Oaks.

This is the ninth year Eskaton has done its “Holiday Helpers” program, in which volunteers deliver gift baskets to seniors living at home who aren’t always able to get out on their own.

This year, delivery routes are “pretty much all taken,” Becker said, but there might be a gift card delivery program in January that will need volunteers.

The best way to get involved, she said, is to call her at (916) 334-1072.

Ronald McDonald House is in a similar situation of needing volunteers year-round, but Volunteer Coordinator and House Manager Lois Polaschek said she is “very blessed with my volunteers” and is able to get help throughout the year.

Anyone wishing to get involved, however, can check the website.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Shedding convenience for military families

2010-12-17T02:25:16Z

Rodney Stanhope is living in a shed at Arden Fair Mall, and he isn’t there to shop.

The shed lacks running water or kitchen facilities, and he “showers” with baby wipes. His living space is just big enough for a cot, a couple of camp chairs and a small shelf for his computer.

Stanhope, a Navy veteran and small business owner who normally lives in Placerville, has one mission this holiday season: collecting toys for military families with one or both parents deployed overseas.

“We can’t bring mom or dad home, but we can make sure they have a happy Christmas,” Stanhope said. “Their parents are out there fighting for our freedom and putting their lives on the line.”

Though he partners with the National Guard, he said toys go to children from all branches of the military, and they’re used all across California, distributed through military personnel tasked with helping families of deployed service members.

Stanhope said that after doing this annually for six years, he was ready to call it quits last year, but something changed his mind.

“Travis Air Force Base had a whole division coming home, 1,200 men,” he said. “(A program called Welcome Home Warrior) had Santa, and he had a sack, and the kids each got a toy. Then, when it was all done, they said, ‘And now there’s one more gift,’ and doors rolled up and their parents came out.”

After only being able to collect 300 toys, Welcome Home Warrior turned to Stanhope for the rest.

Witnessing the surprise Christmas gift for the children made Stanhope vow to keep doing it.

“It still gives me goosebumps just thinking about it,” he said.

Last year, he and other volunteers collected 15,000 toys and enough money to purchase 10,000 more toys, but this year has been difficult.

He has been at the shed since Dec. 10, and will stay there until Dec. 22.

“We have a big hole to fill,” he said.

Last year, Stanhope received a lot of media attention after his generator was stolen, but he said he has had trouble getting the word out this year.

Most-needed are toys for toddlers and kids over 14, but everything helps.

To make it easy for people to donate, Stanhope said anyone can bring toys, money and gift cards to the shed, located in the Best Buy parking lot across from Cheesecake Factory, or make monetary donations online.

Stanhope works through Yellow Ribbon America, a national nonprofit organization, so donations are tax-deductible.

The shed is technically open from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m., with uniformed service members on-hand until 1 p.m., but Stanhope said it’s effectively available 24 hours per day.

“I’m used to lack of sleep,” he said with a laugh.

The hardest part, he said, is being away from his wife for 12 days, as they will celebrate their first anniversary at the end of the year. And the cold.

“But that’s nothing compared to the military,” he said. “Some of them are deployed for over a year without seeing each other.”

Jayma Valentine, who spent 20 years in the Air Force as a nurse, brought a gift card to the shed Thursday afternoon.

“I come every year,” she said. “I don’t have kids of my own, so I figure I can give to them and help them get some decent Christmas presents.”

In addition to donations, volunteers are needed.

Nicolas Brown of El Dorado Hills was helping man the shed Thursday afternoon, and he said he came down to support a good cause.

“I’m a big military supporter,” he said. “They’re protecting basically everything we hold dear.”

To contact Stanhope directly, e-mail him at yellowribbonamerica@yahoo.com.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

New organization to take over the fight against homelessness

2010-12-15T01:47:14Z

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and the Sacramento City Council are moving forward with their plan to implement a new two-tier organization to continue the fight against homelessness.

Current funding at The Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance will run out June 30, 2011. The new organization will be a two-tiered public-private collaboration to fight homelessness in the city and county.

Mayor Kevin Johnson introduced his homeless liaison, Ann Moore, at his weekly press conference Tuesday. Moore is the former executive director of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

“Our intent is to set up a new joint nonprofit/JPA (Joint Powers Agency) with a goal of having it fully operational by the end of this fiscal year,” said Moore. “The actions today at the (County) Board of Supervisors and the (City) Council will actually start the process going.”

The new organization is scheduled to take over The Homeless Continuum of Care by July 1, 2011. The CoC oversees many county programs in the fight against homelessness.

The nonprofit half of the structure would take the reins of the CoC from the DHA. The JPA portion would set policies, procedures, provide a forum for multi-jurisdictional meetings and coordinate public-private sector collaboration.

A Dec. 14 City Council staff report said that the benefit of this public-private partnership is the ability to tap multiple sources of funding. The JPA would have access to federal and state funds.

The nonprofit would manage grants and private sources of funds. The partnership also helps smooth over transitional challenges stemming from funding sources requiring government administration as part of the deal.

This dynamic combination is being modeled after the success of Safe Passages in Oakland and the Community Shelter Board in Columbus, Ohio.

The CoC is a broad government and community response to homelessness in the county that oversees 79 different programs dealing with homelessness prevention, emergency shelter and transitional and permanent housing. CoC manages more than 70 contracts with organizations that provide services to the homeless. It receives $29 million to run its programs from federal and other sources.

The DHA is under a March 15, 2011 deadline to present a working plan to transition CoC to its new administrators.

Sacramento State Students go Ape-solutely Bananas for BORN FREE USA

2010-12-03T19:41:09Z

Sacramento State Public Relations students and Will Travers, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of BORN FREE USA, will be training, stretching, lacing up their running shoes and donning their favorite animal costumes for the Kaiser Permanente MaraFUNrun & Fitness Walk on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 8 a.m.

The students and Travers are running the maraFUNrun for BORN FREE USA; a Sacramento- and Washington D.C.-based international wildlife nonprofit conservation and protection organization.

To help bring awareness to BORN FREE USA and its motto of “keeping wildlife in the wild,” the students and Travers will be running the 2.62 miles in BORN FREE USA gear and some will be participating dressed as monkeys, lions and bananas – oh my!

The Kaiser Permanente MaraFUNrun & Fitness Walk is part of the 28th Annual California International Marathon. The MaraFUNrun follows the last 2.62 miles of the marathon course, crossing the same finish line as the marathoners, and is held in the spirit of fun and fitness for youths and adults.

BORN FREE was originally founded in England in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginal McKenna, stars of the 1968 film, Born Free. In 2002 BORN FREE USA was founded in the United States with the international mission to end the suffering of wild animals in captivity, rescue individual animals in need, protect wildlife in their natural habitats, including highly endangered species, and to encourage compassionate conservation globally.

BORN FREE USA, partnered with the Animal Protection Institute, operates a 186 acre primate sanctuary in Texas, home to over 500 primates rescued from laboratories, circuses, zoos, and private possession.

The Primate Sanctuary and BORN FREE USA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, relying solely on the funding of individual donations, estate bequeaths, foundation grants, and adopt-a-primate programs.

For more information on where you can go bananas and adopt a primate to support BORN FREE USA please visit www.bornfreeusa.org or join the Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/BornFreeUSAFans.

Disclosure: This article was written and posted by students from the Sacramento State University Communications 158 course who are working alongside BORN FREE USA.

Winter Rollerland

2010-12-03T18:42:47Z

WEAVE has been selected as the beneficiary of an up and coming local hot spot. Winter Rollerland will open to the public on Friday, December 3rd at 1630 I Street - right in the heart of Midtown Sacramento. Winter Rollerland promises the Second Saturday appeal of the Midtown Bazaar and the classic entertainment of a good old fashioned roller rink.

Get your skate on with the Sacred City roller derby girls! Meet Slamson, the Sacramento King's mascot on Saturday, December 4th. Enjoy the ambience of holiday lights, disco balls, and hay bales covered in snow. And after you've skated your day away, it's just a short stroll to the Midtown Bazaar - featuring arts, crafts and delicious foods. Have fun and support a great cause!

WHEN: Opening Day is Friday, December 3 at 5:00pm. The roller rink will then be open each Friday 5 -10pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am - 6pm in December.

WHERE: 1630 I Street, on the corner of 17th & I Streets, Sacramento

COST: $5

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We're grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out!

Local Charities Wish for “Regifting” this Christmas

2010-12-02T21:05:37Z

Sacramento CASA is a local nonprofit that helps children who have been removed from their homes because of neglect or abuse and placed in foster care. They are one of more than 1,000 cause-based organizations registered on The Giving Effect that are hoping to connect with new donors this holiday season.

Sacramento CASA is hoping people will donate gifts this holiday season that can be distributed to the children in their care. Kimberly Loya, the organization's Development Coordinator, writes, "These supplies are for school and the holiday season. Some of these children do not have a support system that can provide them with all of the items they need for school. They also may not receive gifts at holiday time. These items will help them feel well prepared and cared for and bring great happiness to them."

Donors use The Giving Effect to connect with charities that need pretty much everything you can spare, from clothes, food, books and shoes, to cleaning supplies, cars, fencing and lumber.

“We are working to create a greater awareness of people in need, which is especially urgent during the holidays,” says Mitchell Silverman, co-founder of The Giving Effect. “Each donation on our site becomes a living story that can be shared on Facebook or Twitter to spread the holiday spirit, encouraging friends to follow your lead.”

Other local organizations registered on The Giving Effect include the Sacramento County Animal Shelter and the Tubman House.

Donating is easy—browse the site by needs, location, and categories to find causes you’d like to connect with. Then, complete a simple form to arrange a pickup, drop off, or shipment. Tax receipts are issued via email when the items are received.

About The Giving Effect

The Giving Effect uses social media to help donors discover and connect with organizations that need items such as clothes, shoes, and food. It’s the first website to create stories around each in-kind donation that can be easily shared online to inspire others to give. The goal is to create a national movement to get food, gently-used items, and more to people in need. The Giving Effect is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY.

About Sacramento CASA

Sacramento CASA volunteers are Court Appointed Special Advocates for children – trained community volunteers appointed by a judge as Officers of the court to speak up for children in juvenile court, and to help to humanize the often frightening and confusing child welfareand legal systems for these children.

Disclosure: Mitchell Silverman is the Founder/CEO of The Giving Effect

Mary Kay provides healing space for domestic violence victims

2010-12-01T02:04:12Z

For children who have been victims of abusive environments, a new outdoor classroom was built, with a performance stage, a mini “Delta Prince” boat-themed playground and a vegetable garden.

Enormous pink-handled scissors were used to cut the ceremonial ribbon at the classroom revealing for Sacramento’s primary crisis intervention provider WEAVE on Tuesday.

Pink balloons also brought color to the ceremony as cosmetics company Mary Kay gifted WEAVE’s Executive Director Beth Hassett with a $20,000 grant check from the Mary Kay Foundation for improvements to the shelter.

WEAVE Director of Development Amber Stott said there are hopes to build new transitional housing units at the site, but future plans are contingent on funding.

Mary Kay Government Relations Manager Theresa Flores said these Nature Explore Classrooms--a program working to provide resources to educators that connect children with nature--are usually constructed in public areas where children can access them.

However, children at the WEAVE shelter rarely have access to these classrooms because of their need for protection from their potential abuser, Flores said.

“We believe in our responsibility as a corporate citizen to do something about women being abused,” Flores said, “And to do something about protecting children.”

Mary Kay partners with WEAVE Inc. and women’s shelters nationwide to implement this classroom project into shelter facilities. WEAVE's classroom was the eighth dedicated to women’s domestic violence shelters by the foundation, which donates $20,000 to 150 different shelters every year.

Flores claimed that Mary Kay is committed to projects like these because, quite simply, “it’s what we do.”

The Mary Kay Foundation has given $20,000 grants to 58 different shelters in California alone.

The 2.4 acre safe-house campus is situated in a confidential location in Sacramento and serves 300 - 400 families each year, Hassett said.

With the revamped outdoor space, charter school and shelter all at one location, children escaping abusive environments can continue their education without exposing themselves or their mothers to possible encounters with their abusers, Hassett said.

Retired news anchor and reporter Stan Atkinson manned the podium at the event and commended Flores and Mary Kay for the work they do to raise awareness about domestic violence issues. Atkinson referred to the outdoor space as calming and said it would act as a healing force for the children who would use it.

Children of WEAVE staff dressed in vegetable outfits demonstrated the many uses of the new space by playing percussive instruments on the outdoor stage, climbing around the playground and planting vegetables plant varieties in a small garden.

Hassett said that children raised in abusive environments don’t learn as well as those raised in safe homes because of fears and anxiety surrounding their unstable home life.

“Part of what we’re doing here is giving (children) a safe place to learn, and the addition of this Nature Explore Classroom is going to be a wonderful linkage with the traditional (indoor) classroom setting that we offer to kids,” Hassett said.

Sacramento County Sheriff-elect Scott Jones referred to WEAVE as a collaborative community partner that he relies on heavily to change the lives of victims of domestic violence.

“WEAVE will undoubtedly be able to rely on us and the Sheriff’s Department, and other regional law enforcement partners, as partners to your efforts as well,” Jones said.

Assemblywoman Alyson Huber’s representative, Elizabeth Kim, presented a certificate of recognition on behalf of the California State Legislature to WEAVE in honor of its dedication ceremony and in welcoming the Nature Explore Classroom.

Kim expressed a special appreciation for being able to represent Huber at such an event given the fact that she is a survivor of domestic violence.

“Having a program like this where women with children have a place to go is very important to have in our community,” Kim said.

Domestic violence survivor Shonquinta Jones came from two generations of abuse, and continued it into a third generation when she married an abusive partner. Jones briefly shared how WEAVE helped her to realize that the cycle of violence was being repeated, and gave her the tools she needed to move on to forge a new future for herself and her daughter.

“Without this (outdoor classroom), the children will grow up to repeat that cycle,” Jones said.

Construction Management Students Awarded Scholarships

2010-11-18T21:13:29Z

The Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange -the region's oldest and largest building industry related association - awarded scholarships to seven students enrolled in the Construction Management Programs at Sacramento and Chico State this week. These students represent some of the brightest and most committed students in their programs and will make outstanding additions to the construction workforce.

The students were awarded scholarships after a process which involved written applications and oral interviews before a panel of industry experts. These experts included representatives from: local general and subcontractors, architects, engineers, suppliers, and other industry related professions. Criteria which made the basis for awarding the scholarship included: community involvement, academic achievement, school involvement, future goals, letters of reference, and industry knowledge.

The Construction Management Scholarship Program of the Builders Exchange was launched in 1982. In the last decade, $100,000 has been awarded to Construction Management students to help further their careers in the construction industry. The students receiving scholarships this year were: Christina Pantera, Jeremy Walson, Stephen Berruzo, Nikki Kantor, Nick Parker, Jose Buenrostro, and Ruslan Bachinsky.

Past awardees of the scholarship have gone on to work in high profile positions within the greater Sacramento construction industry. "We have a proud history of supporting the future leaders of our industry. We strongly believe, based upon the quality of the candidates that our committee interviewed, that the future is very promising.", said Jim Lambert, the Executive Vice President of the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange.

Hearing Thursday for Iceland's outdoor rink

2010-11-16T01:37:44Z

Dozens of skaters are expected to turn out Thursday night when the Sacramento Planning Commission holds a public hearing on Iceland Skating Rink's request to build a temporary outdoor rink.

About 70 skaters have promised to show up to support a rink being built at the site of Iceland, which was burned by an arsonist last spring, said Midtown Business Association Executive Director Rob Kerth, whose family owned the indoor ice rink on Del Paso Boulevard for nearly 70 years.

"It's kind of heart-warming to know that so many folks would like to see the rink open again," said Kerth, a former city councilman.

The family is asking for a special events permit so a 13,500-square-foot, non-profit ice-skating rink can be operated at the historic site for the next two winters, until a permanent replacement can be built. Outdoor recreation facilities must have a special use permit in the North Sacramento area planning district.

The Sacramento City Council doesn't have to approve the permit.

A non-profit called Sacramento Iceland has been fundraising and coordinating volunteer work sessions. So far, about 800 volunteer days have been worked at the rink at 1430 Del Paso Blvd.

The Kerth family initially had hoped to get the outdoor rink open by the facility's 70th anniversary on Nov. 4, and then by this Friday. The opening has been delayed until Nov. 30 to allow time to get the permit and entertain possible appeals.

The family expects to be able to rebuild and reopen Iceland within two years, Kerth said.

"I'm pretty sure," he said. "It depends on a lot of things, but that's sure our goal."

Photo of 2009 Midtown ice-skating rink.

Sacramento Turns Purple

2010-10-25T02:34:25Z

At 3:04 PM on Monday, October 25, Sacramentans will join together, wearing purple, to Break the Silence on Domestic Violence. At the appointed time, Sacramento city sidewalks will fill with a sea of purple as community members walk in remembrance of survivors of domestic violence.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 3:04 PM represents the 3 out of 4 Americans who know someone that has been a victim of violence. October 25th represents the 25% of women who will experience interpersonal violence in her lifetime.

Joining WEAVE on this important day of awareness are students and faculty of California State University Sacramento, Victim Compensation and Govt. Claims Board,CSUS Violence and Sexual Assault Support Services, CSUS Women's Resource Center, Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center, Sacramento Police Department, My Sister's House, and California Coalition Against Sexual Assault. For a complete list of participating agencies and businesses, visit WEAVE’s website.

Community members are also invited to unite in support. Here’s how:

1) Visit WEAVE’s website and sign a pledge to commit your participation to this momentous event.
2) On Monday, October 25, wear purple—the color of domestic violence awareness. Join on Facebook!
3) At 3:04 PM that day, take a short break and walk around the block in solidarity with others to remember those who have survived domestic violence.

“This is an easy way for people to get involved,” says Beth Hassett, WEAVE Executive Director. “Grab your friends or office mates and take a short break. When you step outside, we hope you’ll see other people wearing purple and walking in solidarity. It’s a simple act, but we’re hoping the impact will demonstrate just how many people are affected by domestic violence in our community.”

Students at CSUS created an inspiring video to help spread the word. You can also find details about the event and make your pledge at www.weaveinc.org.

In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We're grateful to Sacramento Press for this forum to get the word out and help us break the silence!

Susan G. Komen's Bid For The Cure

2010-10-21T00:09:52Z

Pink! Pink! Pink!

Pink is plastered everywhere. From the NFL and the MLB players wearing pink, to hundred of placements in the grocery stores, on the TV and in print, it’s impossible to go anywhere without seeing pink. Does anyone not know that it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month? In Sacramento, the Susan G. Komen Foundation twist is “In the Pink”. They started the month off with “Call for the Cure,” a very successful telethon sponsored by KCRA/MY58 that raised an incredible $84,000. Local restaurants, including all in the Paragary chain, are participating in the “Dine Out for the Cure” by donating proceeds from special pink items on their menus. The Baron Gallery is one of many art galleries involved with “Create for the Cure,” where proceeds from donated pieces of art will go to the cause.

The big event is “Bid for the Cure”. Sacramento’s Benefit Auctioneer David Sobon’s entertaining style will show you how much fun it is to help find a cure. A very rare pink diamond butterfly necklace from Michael Greene Jewelry is up for bid, along with a masterpiece created by Chaos Glass Works just for the event. A wine maker’s dinner at Entoria Restaurant for 10 with wines from Sobon Estates and art commissioned for breast cancer research are a few more of many unique ways to help. With most of us affected by breast cancer in some way, $125 is a small price to pay to save a life. That’s the cost of a mammogram.

Held at the beautiful Vizcaya Mansion, this Thursday the 21st of October, there are just a few tickets still available at www.komensacramento.org.

Think “In the Pink” for another great reason to give, Sacramento.

Sacramento Native American Health Center Receives National Recognition

2010-10-05T22:55:34Z

Sacramento Native American Health Center, Inc. (SNAHC) has achieved accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC / Accreditation Association).

Ambulatory medical care includes diagnosis, observation, treatment and rehabilitation that is provided on an outpatient basis.

Status as an accredited organization means the Sacramento Native American Health Center has met nationally recognized standards for the provision of quality health care, set by the Accreditation Association. Almost 5,000 ambulatory health care organizations across the United States are accredited by AAAHC. Not all ambulatory health care organizations seek accreditation; not all undergoing the on-site survey are granted accreditation. SNAHC is only the second Native American Health Center to receive this national accreditation.

“We believe our patients deserve the very best,” said Britta Guerrero, CEO of The Sacramento Native American Health Center. “When you see our certificate of accreditation, you will know that the AAAHC credentialing board has closely examined our facility and our procedures. It means that we, as an organization, care enough about our patients to strive for the highest level of care possible for Sacramento’s American Indian Community.”

Ambulatory health care organizations seeking accreditation by the AAAHC undergo an extensive self-assessment and on-site survey by the Accreditation Association’s expert surveyors – volunteer physicians, nurses and administrators who are actively involved in ambulatory health care. The survey is consultative and educational, presenting best practices to help an organization improve its care and services.

“Going through the process challenged us to find better ways to serve our patients, and it is a constant reminder that our responsibility is to our patients and the quality of care we provide,” Guerrero said.

AAAHC, founded in 1979, is the leader in ambulatory health care accreditation with almost 5,000 organizations accredited nationwide. The AAAHC accredits a variety of ambulatory health care organizations, including ambulatory surgery centers, office-based surgery centers, endoscopy centers, college student health centers, military health care clinics and large medical and dental practices.

The Accreditation Association serves as an advocate for the provision of high-quality health care through the development of nationally recognized standards and through its survey and accreditation programs. AAAHC accreditation is recognized as a symbol of quality by third-party payers, medical organizations, liability insurance companies, state and federal agencies and the public.

Within days of notice of accreditation, SNAHC was also notified that Nurse/Clinic Manager Christie London, FNP, PHN has been named the first recipient of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Immunity Award, which honors nurses who have become champions of immunizations by demonstrating commitment and leadership in increasing immunization rates.

Under London’s leadership, immunization administration at SNAHC (in Sacramento) grew more than four-fold, from about 300 to 1,400 patients, from 2007 to 2008, and the number of vaccines given has nearly doubled from 1,400 to 2,600 over the last two years.

Much of that increase is attributed to London’s efforts to educate the Native American community on the benefits of immunization for the individual, family and community in a manner that reflects the population’s cultural beliefs. She has influenced multiple generations within a family to become immunized. London also works with local tribes to conduct immunization clinics at tribal events, schools and health fairs.

The ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation's 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent member nurses associations, its organizational affiliates and its workforce advocacy affiliate, the Center for American Nurses.

The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

Incorporated in 2007, SNAHC is a California nonprofit corporation licensed as a community clinic serving the residents of the city and county of Sacramento. SNAHC is not a tribally-run clinic, nor is it managed by the U.S. Department of Indian Health Services. SNAHC operational funding is a blend of federal, state, county, foundation, third-party insurer and private donations. While the health center's target population is Native Americans/Alaska Natives, all low-income, uninsured, underinsured, Medi-Cal and cash-paying patients are served. SNAHC is a vital part of Sacramento's health care safety net.

Eric Enriquez is employed as the director of funding and development of Sacramento Native American Health Center, Inc.

After Hours Event: Huge Success

2010-09-20T16:30:19Z

400 friends & I attended the best party Fairytale Town has ever seen and the generosity of the Sacramenten's was truly evident. Benefitting the Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center, the wining, dinning and dancing added to the highlight of the event, the live auction. Every paddle raised went towards helping the homeless issue in Sacramento. David Sobon of David Sobon Auctions entertained and engaged the crowd into a bidding frenzy. It was fun to watch and got me raising my paddle too.

The participating restaurants were fabulous, a mix of comfort food and elegant dishes. The wine was enjoyable and satisfying with all the local favorites in the house. A perfect event at Fairytale Town that was fun and simple. It felt good knowing that everything was going to help a great charity, another great reason to give Sacramento.

Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center's After Hours: Wine Event & Live Auction

2010-09-03T00:42:02Z

In every fairytale the good guys always win, the bad guys always lose, and there’s always a “Happily Ever After“. Real life however, is a very different tale. Financial woes, unemployment, addictions, and lack of support hit so many Sacramento residents who then find themselves with nowhere to go. Thankfully there is a program like the Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center that helps and supports these families in their time of crisis. Just like a real life fairy godmother.

Seems only fitting that on September 10th, 2010 Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center will be having their 18th annual After Hours: Wine Event & Live Auction fundraiser at Fairytale Town in William Land Park. Tickets are on sale for $50.00 per person for an evening under the stars filled with fine wines, delicious food tasting, and live music. There is a newly added live auction performed by Benefit Auctioneer David Sobon of David Sobon Auctions. Some of the items up for bid are A San Francisco Getaway at The Ritz Carlton, Golf for A Year & A Beach Cruiser Bicycle. Featured live music acts include The Retronaunts and The Putah Creek Crawdads. Be sure to look for the Wall of Wine, a Lottery-Style wine purchase!

So for the same price as a restaurant dinner, come feast and dance the night away in the spirit of helping the SAEHC who has served many families and young people turn their lives around. Since 1972 the non-profit SAEHC has helped over 10,000 families receive housing services, 68 % of the participants are children. Additional programs offered include self-sufficiency workshops, living skills, parenting classes, and mental health care to name a few. Support Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center as they shape the lives of so many people in our community. A true reason for Sacramento to give. For tickets and more information please visit http://www.saehc.org/fttah.php

Wine in the Park: good times, great wine

2010-08-27T01:20:26Z

It was hot and steamy.

The weather, that is. With the temperature soaring above 100 degrees on Wednesday, I headed over to Raley Field in West Sacramento to attend Infuze Marketing’s Wine in the Park event.

Sponsored by Classic Party Rentals, Wine in the Park features a wine tasting from participating family-owned wineries an hour and a half before the Sacramento River Cats game taking place that night.

Attendees were able to try some unique wines, watch the ball game and support a great cause. A portion of the proceeds from Wednesday’s event will benefit a local nonprofit, Stanford Home for Children.

Stanford Home for Children’s mission is “Strengthening children and families: to dream, to overcome, to thrive.” An example of the type of work they do is their specialized Intensive Treatment Foster Care program, which helps find homes for foster children and ensures foster parents are prepared to create a permanent home for these children.

Wednesday’s wine tasting featured the following wineries:

Solune Winegrowers – Located in the Northern Sierra Foothill area between Grass Valley and Colfax, Solune’s vision involves producing wines with intensity, complexity, varietal clarity and balance. The winery was awarded 22 Medals (Gold and Silver), including two Best of Class, for 2010.

Bent Metal Winery – a family-owned and operated winery in Grass Valley. Instead of barrels, owners Scott and Judy Brown use a combination of stainless steel and polyethylene tanks that allow them to control the oak (from staves) used in the winemaking process. “Starting with the name, we are different right off the bat!” Scott said.

Abundance Vineyards – a Mencarini family winery located in Lodi. Wines include flagships Abundantly Rich Red and Old Vine Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Petit Syrah. All are award-winning wines.

Elkhorn Peak Cellars – a family-owned and operated winery in Napa headed by grower Ken Nerlove. With current production levels at 2,000 cases per year, the emphasis is on growing and making limited-production, ultra-premium wines. Nerlove’s 2007 flagship varietal Pinot Noir was a Double Gold winner at the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

I enjoyed visiting with the winemakers and hearing about their backgrounds and wines. Nerlove of Elkhorn Peak described how he got into the wine business: “I bought a ranch in Napa 30 years ago, put a couple of acres of grapes in, and now I’m in the business!”
As I listened to him and the other owners, I got a strong sense that they loved what they did and were passionate about doing it, and it was great to see them showcase the fruits of their labor.

“It’s a good opportunity to get the word out about our wines,” Nerlove said. “In this economy you have to be proactive – talk to people, promote.”

I wanted to try all the different varieties of wine on hand, but I didn’t sample any during the event so I could put together a coherent recap afterwards. However, as the event was coming to a close, I did try Elkhorn Peak’s Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and instead of talking about noses, notes and finishes, I will just say they were delish.

As the winemakers started closing down and the attendees took their seats for the River Cats game against the Fresno Grizzlies, I caught up with Samantha from Infuze on my way out. She summed up Wine in the Park perfectly, an impression which I share.

“You’re taking boutique wineries with great wine, you’re taking America’s favorite pastime, and then at the same time you’re giving back to a local nonprofit like Stanford Home,” she said. “What better way to spend a summer evening?”

Photos: Steven Chea

Historic homes to open for tour

2010-08-26T23:24:40Z

In 1900s Sacramento, the 2500 block of Q Street was a new middle-class neighborhood of railroad workers, pipe fitters and small business owners whose dreams of home ownership were largely made possible by the extension of the nearby streetcar route.

Their homes were the example of early suburban living, and three of them on the historic Bungalow Row – as well as four other historic buildings – will be open as part of the 35th annual Sacramento Old City Association home tour from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sept. 19.

In addition to the bungalows are several other homes – with the oldest being an 1889 Victorian – and a Winn Park oddity: an emergency relay station built in 1937 that served as a 24-hour dispatch center for the Sacramento Fire Department at a time when calls often came in via fire boxes located throughout the city.

“I think the tour makes people aware of both the beauty and history of our area,” said Catherine Turrill, spokeswoman for SOCA. “Also, they learn about the history of the people who lived there.”

The tour is only open one day, and in addition to the homes, there will be a street fair with live music, artisan vendors with home-related items such as stained glass and milled wood detailing, real estate agents for those looking to buy a home – though the tour is not for home sales – and people who restore historic buildings.

To add a sense of history, the Sacramento Capitol A’s Model A car club will roll out their classic Fords from the 1920s and ’30s.

The oldest buildings on the tour are the Victorians, characterized by their steeply pitched roofs and sense of height derived from tall, narrow windows and ornate decorations, Turrill said.

The bungalows are Arts and Crafts homes built in the first years of the 20th century, and the level of detail in them often goes unnoticed to casual viewers.

The bungalows were designed for comfort in a hot climate long before air conditioning, Turrill said. They have spacious porches, deep eaves and are very open inside to allow for easy cross ventilation.

“The sheer variety of details is amazing,” Turrill said, adding that the milled wood accents and even the window details are often different throughout the houses, unlike the uniformity of a present-day tract house.

“You get a sense of the specific neighborhood and its growth over time,” Turrill said. “These are houses that really bear close inspection.”

The homes show people on the tour examples of architecture that was largely dismissed in the latter half of the 20th century, said William Burg, vice president of the Sacramento County Historical Society and a board member of SOCA.

“The tours originally started in the 1970s, and the people who started SOCA wanted to show not only the architectural beauty of the homes, but also the viability of the Central City,” Burg said. “That’s something that hasn’t changed in the last 25 years.”

Burg organizes the street fair, and he said he enjoys being able to bring together a combination of contractors, designers, artisans and real estate developers, but also elements of contemporary Midtown culture – artists, musicians and bicycle advocacy groups – and showing how it all comes together.

Despite their age, Burg said the homes are the model of how contemporary buildings can re-embrace urban life.

“They’re better laid-out and typically greener because they were designed at a time when energy was much more expensive than it is today,” Burg said. “Someone who maybe isn’t impressed with the fit and finish of historic homes...they may want to look at the functionality of them.”

Each home and the emergency relay center will be staffed with four to six docents who will provide information and guidance, Turrill said.

Typically, SOCA sees 300-500 people on each year’s tour, most of whom do it on foot, since the buildings are all close together and are situated in a very walkable part of the city.

Tickets to the home tour are available at the street fair, which will be located in Winn Park, at 27th and Q streets. Tickets are $25 at the fair, with a $1 discount for those arriving on bicycles, or they can be purchased from local vendors beforehand for $20. A list of vendors selling tickets – including The Avid Reader at 16th and Broadway, 57th Street Antique Mall at 57th and H, and Joann’s Elegant Gifts at 1019 L St. – is available on the SOCA website.

Photos courtesy of Randy Lum/SOCA.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sacramento goes bananas at inaugural banana festival

2010-08-17T04:06:40Z

Nearly 4,000 festival-goers had the chance to taste everything banana last weekend: banana pancakes, bread, pudding, cookies and even banana-flavored ice cream, all while contributing to the Sojourner Truth Multicultural Art Museum at Sacramento’s inaugural banana festival.

Held at Cosumnes River College Friday through Sunday, the festival educated the community on banana health benefits, said Shonna McDaniels, the museum’s director.

“We wanted to bring the concept of the banana and how different cultures use and prepare the banana and educate the community,” McDaniels said.

Those various cultures included the Caribbean and countries in Asia, the Americas and Africa.

In conjunction with the National Academic Youth Corps, the banana festival originated from the concept of the SOJO Fine Arts Festival, McDaniels said.

“The previous festival has always celebrated family, community, diversity, art and culture,” she said. “This is just an extension of that. We added health and wellness with the arts to the banana festival.”

Festival highlights besides the various banana-related foods included free bananas, tropical banana drinks, a chef banana challenge, local musical artists, a children’s corner and an art exhibition.

The art exhibition displayed visual arts from the multicultural museum as well as local artists. Children’s work was also on display, most depicted banana or fruit-related art.

At the children’s corner, young people were able to participate in an arts and crafts section, painting on easels or help paint in a drawing that featured tropical birds and of course, bananas.

Kids also could meet Miss Teen Vacaville on Sunday as well as participate in one of the banana festival pageants. Categories ranged from “Baby Banana” for 0-23 months, to the “Miss/Mister Banana,” ages 13-17. Winners received a crown and trophy.

McDaniels said one of the highlights of the festival was the chef competition where local professional chefs and youth joined forces for a banana cook-off.

Children could also make their own banana splits and plant banana seeds at the festival to take home.

The Sojourner Truth Multicultural Art Museum has been serving the community for 20 years, McDaniels said. The museum, a nonprofit located at 2251 Florin Rd. holds more than 4,000 square feet of murals from many cultures.

“It became an educational tool for schools. We get about four schools a month for educational tours,” she said.

The festival had over 100 volunteers – most from high school key clubs in Sacramento. The museum itself is run by volunteers only, McDaniels said.

For more information on the Sojourner Truth Multicultural Art Museum, visit sojoarts.net.

Photos by Stephanie Bouret.

Under the Radar

2010-07-20T22:58:13Z

Q: How does a company that employs over 200 people, supports over 400 participants, works with over 100 businesses, and has been doing so for 58 years fly under the radar of most of Sacramento?

A: Because, maintaining a strong and steady course doesn’t always get you noticed!

Today I would like to introduce you to InAlliance, a successful nonprofit that is on a mission to build a more livable workable world by developing programs that support adults with developmental disabilities in the greater Sacramento area.
In the 1950’s the world was a different place, and if you didn’t fit into the general idea of “normal,” you didn’t stand a strong chance of succeeding. This was especially true for adults with developmental disabilities who had limited options. Education and community training were not readily available and many people were placed in overcrowded institutions.

In 1952, the founders of InAlliance (a group of parents challenging conventional thoughts and wanting more for their children) banded together and developed a day program that offered classes, activities and outings for adults with developmental disabilities. They also became advocates for community services, employment opportunities and improved legislation. As interest in the day program grew so did views on disabilities. Advocates challenged the idea that a disabled person was “helpless,” and over the next thirty years, civil rights laws were enacted, services were developed, and institutions began to close.

In 1980, InAlliance transitioned into a sheltered workshop, where participants could complete specific work in a controlled, but isolated, environment. Two years later the program had tripled in size, and in another two years the program would begin to change again.
Thanks to the 1984 Jobs Training Partnership Act, InAlliance was able to partner with the UC Davis Medical Center in a Supported Employment Program designed to train and employ persons with developmental disabilities. Trainees were matched with university employees and trained in all aspects of the position with support from a job coach. A year into the program, participants were showing great progress and the university agreed that the trainees benefited their worksites as well.

The success of the program proved that with the right supports, people with developmental disabilities could be successful in the work place and beyond. “We have experienced first hand the benefits all people achieve by interacting with people who are not just like themselves…In a partnership with our community we have demonstrated the great capacities of people with disabilities to join interact and contribute to society,” says InAlliance Executive Director Diana DeRodeff.

Over the next ten year, InAlliance would use this momentum to partner with local employers, volunteer sites, and community colleges to support people with developmental disabilities as they participated in the community. Eventually, InAlliance was chosen to pilot a Supported Living Services (SLS) program that allowed people with developmental disabilities to live on their own with in-home support, and continues to flourish to this day.

Today, InAlliance offers seven programs in eight counties and proudly supports hundreds of people each year. They continue to develop new services that meet the needs of our ever changing population and continue to advocate for the rights of people with developmental disabilities daily. When asked about the changes she has seen at InAlliance in her 27 years, SLS Program Manager Donna Bettencourt says, “When I look at our organization now, years later, I see people we serve working, volunteering, and learning; people living their lives. Somewhere in the background I know there is an InAlliance staff person partnering with a person with a disability to fulfill a promise we made years ago.”

Eating, Drinking and Merriment. . . for the kids.

2010-06-29T02:28:25Z

Eating good food, drinking good wine, and keeping the kids off the streets. These are three of my of my favorite pastimes. Unfortunately, it is rare that I get to indulge in all three at once.

Every so often, however, the stars align just so, and offer up an event that allows me to eat, drink and help kids.

The food- and wine-pairing fundraiser for the VIBE Foundation at Le Cordon Bleu Friday night was one such occasion.

The gala was sponsored by Infuze Marketing, who work with local, lesser known wineries at a variety of events throughout the Sacramento area. Infuse selects a specific nonprofit to benefit from each one of their events.

The VIBE Foundation is creating a place where teens can go "to seek employment opportunities, connect to resources, complete homework assignments, socialize and have fun. . . a safe place where there are no drugs or underage drinking," according to their business plan.

What better way to raise money to prevent underage drinking than with some good old-fashioned overage drinking?

The event featured dishes by culinary students at the famed cooking school, prepared under the watchful eye of the master chefs.

Each of the dishes were paired with a (semi-) local winery, and each of the wineries were represented by their owners.

Chateau Routon Winery was the first table we hit. We found a lovely duck confit quesadilla with mango salsa which Bob Routon had paired with a very bright 2003 sauvignon blanc.

I know what you're thinking: Shouldn't that have been drunk in, I don't know, 2005? As it turned out, they recently rediscovered a whole pallet of the relatively ancient sauvignon blanc, and were pleasantly surprised to find that it had aged gracefully. It balanced very nicely with the richness of the confit.

Up next was Lucchesi Vineyards, one of two featured vineyards from the Northern Sierra Wine Country, an area which I have never really associated with wine but will now.

Lucchesi is in Grass Valley, but upon tasting their sauvignon blanc, which owners Mario and Linda Clough had paired with a pork-stuffed mushroom smothered in white truffle cream sauce, I would have sworn they were from New Zealand.

Something about the climate of New Zealand, specifically the Marlborough region, gives sauvignon blancs a wonderfully crisp, tropical, grapefruity taste that is very hard to match with California grapes. When in doubt, I'll always choose a New Zealand sauvingon blanc over its California counterpart.

However, when it comes Lucchesi 2009 sauvignon blanc, there is no doubt. It is probably as close in flavor to a New Zealand-style sauvignon blanc as I've ever had from California. I mentioned as much to the owners, who were quick to point out that their winemaker had spent a lot of time in New Zealand, and the similarities were no accident. It is fantastic. You should go buy some.

There was a second dish at the Lucchesi table: fall-off-the-bone Black Jack BBQ ribs. I would have gotten medieval on them, but seeing as I was there as an ambassador of the SacPress, I thought better of it. Plus, there were girls there.

I enjoyed one, daintily, washed it down with a very nice cab, thanked the Cloughs and moved on, ignoring the ribs' siren song.

The next winery was Pilot Peak, the second Nevada County winery featured. Located in Penn Valley, which neighbors Grass Valley, they featured a lovely tempranillo to go along with a peppery jambalaya. The big, robust red was a great accompaniment to the spicy creole dish. They also featured a viognier to go with delectable little cheesecake bites. Viognier is not really my cup of ... well, wine. I tend to find it cloying, but theirs was not overly so.

On the whole, I was very impressed with the wines from Nevada County. We really are blessed with an embarrassment of wine riches in Northern California. I can now add the Grass Valley area to my ever-growing list of nearby wine getaways.

The final winery, and the only one from Napa, was Elkhorn Peak. They featured a wonderfully silky pinot noir which was paired with possibly my favorite dish of the evening, a Moroccan spiced lamb kabob. The pairing was perfect, the cherry flavors of the pinot with the spicy sweet lamb dish. I had seconds of both. They also featured an apple and bleu cheese crostini that was pretty fantastic. It was paired with a chardonnay that I found to be very palatable, which is pretty high on my grading scale for chardonnay.

Overall, it was a wonderful event. We ate, drank and were merry, and we did it for the kids.

Infuze has an upcoming wine tasting event in July. "Wine in the Park" takes place at 5:30 p.m. on July 28 at Raley Field, with proceeds going to Acres of Hope.

Slide Guitarist Roy Rogers Holds Concert to Benefit KVIE

2010-06-07T17:31:27Z

Legendary slide guitarist Roy Rogers and his band The Delta Rhythm Kings are coming to KVIE Public Television in Sacramento, Thursday, June 24 to perform an exclusive benefit concert for this local non-profit PBS member station. The concert, which will be held in the intimate setting of KVIE’s Studio, will feature classic Rogers’ titles and songs from his latest release Split Decision. In a generous show of support to KVIE and concert goers, The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek (who was recently in Studio D in Sausalito recording with Rogers); last musical partner of Woody Guthrie and mentor and model for young Bob Dylan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott; and world-renowned harpist and violinist Carlos Reyes were invited by Rogers to join him and The Delta Rhythm Kings at KVIE to create an exciting, one-of-a-kind live musical collaboration.

Residents of Northern California, Roy Rogers and his wife are loyal KVIE viewers who believe in the mission of public television. “Public Television is important because it gives the audience diverse programming not found anywhere else–in particular The NewsHour coverage, American Masters, and all the great documentaries that are presented,” says Rogers about his passion for public television. About the concert he adds, “It is my hope that the audience attending the concert will be treated to some very special musical moments.”

In addition to being one of the premier slide guitarists performing today, Rogers is also an internationally acclaimed producer, having produced recordings for John Lee Hooker (4 Grammy nominations and 2 Grammy Awards) and Ramblin' Jack Elliott (2 Grammy nominations). Rogers has received numerous accolades for his songwriting (Grammy nomination for Song for Jessica), as well as his work on movie soundtracks (slide work on One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and for the Dennis Hopper movie The Hot Spot) and television. Rogers has also written and performed with Bonnie Raitt, recorded and performed with Linda Ronstadt, Carlos Santana, Steve Miller, Sammy Hagar, John Lee Hooker, and many others. Guitar Player said about Rogers, “Many guitarists dabble in slide guitar, but the number of modern masters can probably be counted on one hand—Roy Rogers is surely one of them.”

To purchase tickets, visit kvie.org/support or call 1-800-270-6601. General admission includes: two tickets to the concert, a donation to KVIE, the CD Live! From The Sierra Nevada Big Room with Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings, and a souvenir commemorative DVD to be filmed at the event. An admission package that offers two front row seats and a meet and greet event is also available. KVIE’s Studio is located at 2030 W. El Camino Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95833. Doors open at 6:30pm with the concert starting at 7:30pm.

Charities Join Heart and Hagar to Rock Sacramento

2010-06-01T02:37:21Z

May 31, 2010 — The Annual Walk 'N Rock took place at Raley Field on Sunday, May 30. The event is organized by Sacramento-based Hope Productions Foundation to support local children’s charities. Hope Productions Foundation anticipates that the morning walk, combined with business sponsorships and Sunday evening’s benefit concert, starring rock legends Heart and Sammy Hagar, will raise nearly $700,000 for local children’s charities. An estimated 30,000 children in the Sacramento area will benefit from the day's activities.

“We’re heartened that so many members of our community, including several businesses, have joined together to support local children’s charities,” said Debbie Gabelich, chief executive officer of Hope Productions Foundation. “Together, we’re able to provide resources that ensure the sustainability, viability and awareness of these important charities.”

An estimated 5,000 walkers in the morning participated in the 5-K fundraiser "Walk" portion of Walk ‘N Rock for Kids. Participating teams displayed their brightly colored shirts in hues of bright turquoise, green or tie-dye as adults and a large number of children walked from Raley Field, over Tower Bridge and around Capital Mall.

Walkers representing 475 teams raised funds for 16 local children’s charities including: Access Leisure, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, CASA Sacramento, CCHAT Center Sacramento, Cristo Rey High School, Full Circle Treatment Center, Golden Empire Council, Boys Scouts of America, Keaton Raphael Memorial, Camp Okizu, People Reaching Out, River Cats Foundation, Roberts Family Development Center, Sacramento ENRICHES, Sierra Forever Families and Wind Youth Services.

But it was the evening's concert featuring artists Heart and Sammy Hagar that stole the show. Returning to the stage for their "Red Velvet Car Tour," Ann and Nancy Wilson showed a crowd of 7,000 at Raley Field why they are considered number 57 in the Top 100 List of Rock Bands. The sisters dynamic voices combined with Nancy Wilson's guitar riffs brought the crowd to their feet as they performed such classics as "Barracuda," "Never" and "Alone." They closed out with an encore performance of "What About Love," in which their background accompaniment included nearly all those in attendance.

For most artists, Heart would be a tough act to follow, but "professional rock and roller" Sammy Hagar is no ordinary musician. With a resume that includes 11 years leading Van Halen, over 60 million records sold and writing credit to Heart's "Brigade" album, Hagar and his following of Red Heads were ready to take on Sacramento. Hagar took to the stage with nearly 50 of his die-hard fans standing behind him and another couple thousand seated in front of him. While the audience joined him in shots of his Cabo Wabo Tequila, Hagar led his band, The Waboritas, in such classics as "I Can't Drive 55" and "Right Now."

The evening's opening act was Lara Johnston, daughter of Doobie Brothers lead singer Tom Johnston and star of MTV show Rock the Cradle. Johnston's impressive vocal range indicates this 19-year-old will be back in Sacramento to headline her own show sometime in the near future.

Hope Productions Foundation is a Sacramento-based nonprofit that provides support and training at no cost for local charities serving children and youth. Their services include training and guidance for nonprofits to improve their marketing, fundraising, partnerships and board cultivation so they may become more efficient and increase their potential for long-term sustainability. Through events such as Walk N' Rock, Walt Gray Ride for Kids, Hope in Harmony and generous business sponsorships, they have raised over $1million in contributions and in-kind donations for local children's charities.

Those wishing to support Hope Productions Foundations charities can still donate online at www.hopeproductions.org or use their cell phone to text "HOPE" to 27722 and donate $10 for local children’s charities.

Photos by Terry Daffin.

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.

Voyage Home Loan’s Team Goodness Helps Fight Breast Cancer in a Race for the Cure

2010-05-07T17:45:05Z

Sacramento, Calif.—Voyage Home Loans is joining in the fight against breast cancer, alongside thousands in Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure, Saturday, May 8 at Cal Expo in Sacramento.

Twenty Voyage employees, also known as #TeamGoodness, will be running and/or walking in the 5K. The race will take place at 7:30 am at Cal Expo. Members who could not participate have opted to “Sleep In for the Cure.” By “Sleeping In,” team members can contribute to the cause without having to be there on the day of the event.

Currently, #TeamGoodness has raised $1045 towards the cause. The team hopes to reach a goal of $2500 before Saturday. A portion of the total raised, about $800, is from contributions from employees’ friends and family via email and on Facebook.

Voyage strives to make a difference in people’s lives. Along with their commitment to improve the community, Voyage employees are personally passionate about joining the cause for many reasons.

Corrine Blackney, a Voyage loan processor, spurred the company’s interest in the event by encouraging her co-workers to participate and donate because of her experiences with breast cancer. Blackney’s family has a history of breast cancer; she has lost an aunt to the disease, has an aunt who is a cancer survivor, and a year and half ago, her 30 year old cousin was diagnosed with cancer. Blackney has supported the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation since 2003.

“The foundation’s message shows that this cancer does not just affect older women, as many young women think,” said Blackney. “You need to get tested no matter what age you are. It’s bigger than everyone realizes.”

For more information, contact info@voyagemtg.com.

About Voyage Home Loans

Voyage Home Loans is a progressive mortgage company committed to providing honest and reliable service. Voyage is an organization that cares deeply for the welfare of its clients, employees, community, and the environment. In October 2009, Voyage Home Loans was proud to receive the prestigious A+ Employees’ Choice Award from the Sacramento Business Journal, in the small business category. This award is given to companies who excel in their business philosophy and who offer the best relations possible—to their employees, their clients and their communities. This year, the company hopes to increase its participation, involvement, and partnerships with various non-profits, not-for-profits, and individual causes to at least four events a month throughout 2010.

www.voyagehomeloans.com

About the Susan G. Komen Foundation

The Susan G. Komen Foundation is a network of breast cancer survivors and supporters who are fighting to save lives. The organization began as a promise from Nancy G. Brinker to her sister Susan G. Komen, who was dying from cancer. The Komen Race for the Cure has raised nearly one billion dollars over the years in efforts to fight against breast cancer.
http://ww5.komen.org/

Searching for the right fitness activity? Come play with us!

2010-04-27T20:19:08Z

Come play with us on May 22nd from 1pm to 5pm. The 2010 Fit Crawl will introduce working adults to a variety of fitness facilities in Midtown Sacramento. "Crawlers" will rotate on bikes between participating businesses to try a variety of fitness activities, receive special offers and healthy swag, 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), and Bodytribe Fitness (920 21st Street) or by calling 916-288-5173. Cost is $25 if you provide your own bike and helmet and $35 if you’d like us to provide the gear.

Thank you to our event partners! Asha Yoga , Bikes and Bites , Bodytribe Fitness , Fleet Feet Sports , L Wine Lounge ,
Sacramento Pipeworks, and Ultimate Fitness

Fit Crawl 2010 is sponsored by Smart Spot Division of PepsiCo and all proceeds benefit the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness.

For more information call: 916-288-5173 or click here.