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LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Thursday, the men and women of several local law enforcement agencies took on another sacred duty – this time, as Santa's helpers – as they distributed gifts to children around Lake County who have been victims of crime.
The 21st annual toy drive, led by the Lake County District Attorney’s Office Victim-Witness Division, provided toys to 75 local families, according to Debbie Wallace, Victim-Witness' director.
Wallace said the children who the toy and gift drive help are served by her agency during the year.
Victim-Witness dealt with some very serious cases this year and a lot of need, which Wallace said the effort tried to address.
In October, Victim-Witness staff starts making lists of the children to include, and contacts their families to find out what their Christmas wishes are, she said.
She said that while one child in a family may have been a crime victim who her division assisted, all of the children in the family receive presents, whether it be toys or clothing.
The wish list is given to the parishioners of St. Mary Immaculate Church in Lakeport around the second week of November, she said.
“I really want to thank the parishioners, because it's the parishioners who buy the presents for the kids,” said Wallace, adding that when the presents are brought to Victim-Witness, they're all beautifully wrapped and ready for delivery.
At the same time, two county offices – those of auditor and assessor – select an entire family to buy gifts for among the Victim-Witness clients, Wallace said.
Additionally, Wallace said this year District Attorney's Office Chief Investigator Craig Woodworth and Lake County Bible Fellowship Church bought presents for a third family.
The families are notified a few days before the delivery takes place, which Wallace said this year was on Thursday morning.
Taking part in the gift delivery on Thursday were the California Highway Patrol, Clearlake Police, the District Attorney's Office, the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Lakeport Police Department, Wallace said.
She said this year, something fun happened for the agencies involved.
When Sheriff Brian Martin returned from making the deliveries, he had with him three homemade thank you letters from children, Wallace said.
“We've never had that,” she said, noting that the children's parents or guardians, knowing the delivery date, must have had the children prepare the notes ahead of time.
“It was really a treat for us all here,” she said.
This was Wallace's last toy distribution. After heading it up for many years, she'll retire on Dec. 30.
However, she guaranteed it will continue in the years ahead, under the department's new leadership.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Mendo Lake Credit Union is partnering with St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake during the health care organization’s Employee & Provider Giving Campaign.
Mendo Lake Credit Union will match employee and provider gifts to the More Than Wheels Campaign up to $15,000.
The More Than Wheels Campaign is raising funds to expand St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s patient transportation services.
“When we heard that a third of canceled medical appointments are because patients can’t find a ride to the hospital or clinic, we knew this was a cause worth supporting,” said Richard Cooper, chief executive officer of Mendo Lake Credit Union. “By partnering with St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s employees and providers, we can put more shuttles on the road, which means more rides for patients.”
Rebecca Southwick, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake Philanthropy Officer, launched the More Than Wheels Campaign in May 2016 after patients and employees told her the hospital’s current shuttle was overburdened.
The campaign’s goal is to have two new ADA-compliant vans on the road next year and a fully-funded “After Hours Fund” to ensure that hospital patients have bus or cab fare upon discharge, day or night.
The campaign is even closer to reaching its $135,000 goal thanks to employee contributions and Mendo Lake Credit Union’s generous matching gift.
“This campaign is addressing a real need in our community, and our many supporters have been incredibly generous,” said Southwick. “They understand that if patients can’t access vital health and disease prevention services, we’ll never move the wellness dial in our community.”
Employees are responding to the More Than Wheels Campaign match from Mendo Lake Credit Union as well.
“A large percentage of our patients have no car, and there are many nights that I have taken money from my own pocket and provided a taxi,” said Dianne Kieffer, a nurse in the hospital’s emergency department. “I am excited for what this will mean for our patients.”
To join in the More Than Wheels Campaign, contact Rebecca Southwick at 707-995-5677 or email
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – DJ's Pizza in Lower Lake will do a “Feed the Need of Clearlake” event on Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24.
They will provide a free slice of pizza for anyone in need who walks through their door from 2 to 4 p.m.
They also will take donations for those in need.
DJ's Pizza is located at 16135 Main St. in Lower Lake.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County Bible Fellowship invites the community to its Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.
The church will hold a simple candlelight Christmas Eve service at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, with Christmas carols and Scripture reading.
The regular Sunday service will take place at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 25. The message will be on finding peace in the coming of Jesus.
Lake County Bible Fellowship is located at 727 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport, telephone 707-263-4327.
Visit the church's Web site or its Facebook page for more information.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Kelseyville United Methodist Church will host Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services this holiday weekend.
At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, the church will hold its candlelight Christmas Eve service featuring music from Samaya Epstein, readings, meditations and prayers.
On Sunday, Christmas morning, after opening presents, join them for a brief 9 a.m. Christmas service as they pray for their community, country and world.
Mike Heintz will offer accompaniment to carols on Sunday morning. Both services will be led by Lay Pastor Voris Brumfield.
If you have not been to church for a while, this is an excellent time to bring your children, family and friends and remember the reason for the season, the birth of Christ Jesus.
Having served the community on this same spot since 1854, the Kelseyville United Methodist Church is located at 3810 Main St. at the corner of First and Main across the street from the Saw Shop Restaurant.
For more information about the church's programs and services call 707-295-7174 or 707-295-4664. You may also email
The holidays are approaching quickly – meaning deadlines for gift-buying are as well! During this busy season, people often don’t have the time to find and buy the perfect gift for everyone on their list.
The solution? Gift cards! According to a holiday shopping survey by the National Retail Federation, gift cards are the most popular gift items – 61 percent of those surveyed want them!
There are two main types of gift cards – retail gift cards that can only be used at specific establishments, and bank gift cards that function like cash and can be used almost anywhere. The former are usually free to purchase, while the latter often are accompanied by a purchase fee.
Gift cards are a great gift because of their ease and versatility. To make the experience even easier, the FTC put in place consumer protection measures for gift cards in 2010.
The rules state that: money on a gift card can’t expire for at least five years; inactivity fees can be charged only after a card hasn’t been used for at least one year; and the expiration date must be clearly disclosed on the card and any fees must be clearly disclosed on the card or its packaging.
Although gift cards are a great one-size-fits-all gift, there are still a few things to consider when buying them. Your Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends that you:
· Read the fine print. Search the card’s packaging and the card itself for any fees, expiration dates, and terms and condition. Some organizations charge service fees, or will limit the gift card to “in store only” purchases, making it useless for online shopping. If you’re buying the card by phone or online, verify whether there will be any shipping and handling fees.
· Start with trust. It’s important to buy from sources you know and trust. Avoid online auction sites – the cards may be counterfeit or obtained illegally. Retailers can cancel stolen gift cards or a criminal might resell a gift card they have already used. If you’re considering buying a card on a gift card resale site, be very careful. It’s impossible to verify the amount on the card or see if it’s expired. If you do go online, make sure to look up the business at www.bbb.org to view its rating, complaint history and reviews from past customers. It’s also important to make sure that the site is secure – look for the “https:”, where the “s” stands for “secure.”
· Examine the card and packaging for tampering. It’s common for thieves to record a card’s PIN and put it back on the shelf. They wait for the card to be bought and then use it online, wiping the value, before the customer has a chance to. The safest gift cards are those in a thick plastic casing. Make sure the packaging hasn’t been tampered with, and check the back of the card to make sure that the PIN number hasn’t been exposed and no protective stickers have been removed.
· Consider the retailer/bank. Consider whether the recipient will be able to use the card – do they live close to the establishment, and if not can they use the card online? It’s also important to consider the financial condition of the retailer or restaurant. If the store location near the recipient closes, it may be difficult for them to use the card. If the company goes out of business or files for bankruptcy, the card may be useless.
· Avoid scammers. Gift cards are also popular among scammers. One common sign that something is a scam is if you’re asked to pay through a gift card or prepaid card – usually bank, Amazon and iTunes cards. In fact, so far in 2016, around 5 percent of those that reported losing money to a scam to BBB Scam Tracker paid the scammer with a prepaid card/gift card. Most trustworthy companies will never demand a gift card as any form of payment. If you get a phone call asking for such, hang up and report it to BBB Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker.
· Protect the recipient. Keep the receipt and give it to the recipient. If a card is stolen, a replacement might be issued if you have the receipt. If possible, register the gift card on the store’s Web site. This can help you find out about any card misuse and protect the card’s balance in case it’s stolen or lost.
· Don’t give out personal information. No trustworthy company will ever ask for personal information when you purchase a gift card. Consider it a red flag if you’re asked for personal details.
Rebecca Harpster works for the Better Business Bureau serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California.