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- Written by: Julie Berry
I'm not sure where to start, so first a huge thank you! Everyone who has given food, donated money, shopped, staffed, worried, rearranged life, organized food and sock drives. Wow! We are so grateful, and you all know why we do this.
On Nov. 26, through the goodness of many, and especially the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church deacons, the Methodist Church (Pastor Wanda and Ken) and the Unitarian Universalists, we gave away 70 frozen chickens, celery, potatoes, carrots, onion, green tomatoes, oranges, apples and bread within the first 35 minutes!
Totaled, we gave away 89 bags, and served 295 people – a record number of people for the day.
Unfortunately that meant that the 19 people who came after the chickens were gone only received a bag of groceries, and we were concerned because the line kept forming. We thought we would run out of food!
In December, because of the calendar, we are doing three giveaways. The first is Dec. 3. If you can spread the word about donations, anything would be helpful to offset the costs for fruit and produce. Money, additional food, cereal, pasta, sauces and tuna are always on the list of needs.
I do want to especially thank the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church deacons for the chickens, Pastor Wanda for picking up the fruit, and a major thank you to Joanie Holt at Kelseyville High School, Jennifer Mandeville at Riviera Elementary and the Boy Scouts for the canned food drives.
We estimate, without the extras, that the food comes to about $35 a bag … with fruits and veggies, you all know the costs.
My thanks to Toni Brown and the staff and students at Kelseyville Elementary, who collected 146 pairs of adorable socks for the Socks from Santa drive. We will distribute those on Dec. 17.
The high school, Westamerica Bank and Rotary are still collecting socks, and I get donations every day in my office. All I had to do was ask and the teachers and the staff at the Kelseyville schools took care of the rest. Many thanks!
I wish you could have heard the comments and seen the faces of our guests Tuesday. As one person put it, “They came in sad and came out with big smiles.”
Many told me that if it wasn't for our food giveaway yesterday, they would have no Thanksgiving. I am grateful to everyone for their contributions to keep us going, from a pair of socks to Sutter Lakeside for their $5,000 check.
All of us at the Kelseyville Food Pantry are grateful for the people of Lake County who support our efforts.
Thanks from the bottom of our hearts.
Julie Berry writes on behalf of the Kelseyville Food Pantry in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Barbara and Willis Knight
We have been appreciative members of Sutter Lakeside Wellness Center since late 2005. The gym and the classes have been an invaluable part of our weekly lives and a key reason we are healthy and active.
We want to thank all those, especially Vera Crabtree, who have worked to keep the Wellness Center operating successfully. A special thanks goes to Mary Ohm, Tina Hamner, Rama Diva and Michelle Marie Duguay for their expertise in teaching classes. They are some of the best classes I’ve taken anywhere.
All of this good feeling and gratitude leads us to express our sincere disappointment in the closing of the Wellness Center.
We understand that the hospital operates under a business model, but are dismayed that other options were not publicly explored to maintain the service to the community that the center has offered.
The numbers of members and average age of regular participants in the center’s activities would suggest that this is a very valuable contributor to good health in Lake County.
To close it seems counterproductive, if good health is your mission.
We urge you to reconsider ways to continue serving your clients.
Barbara and Willis Knight live in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Robin Fogel-Shrive
Last month, the Lake County Big Read provided a variety of activities, programs, and opportunities to read and discuss featured novel “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan, additional works by Tan, and stories for children set in the Chinese American culture.
It was a joy to collaborate with so many agencies, businesses, schools, community leaders and residents!
The Big Read is a National Endowment for the Arts program, designed to revitalize and restore reading to the center of American culture, by encouraging students and citizens of all ages to read for pleasure and to take part in community activities, reading groups, and school events that aim to promote the enjoyment of literature.
The Lake County Office of Education, the Literacy Task Force and the NEA partnership with Arts Midwest collaborated to support this year’s Big Read in Lake County.
I’d like to take this time to give thanks to the following partners to whom the program owes its success:
The Big Read Advisory Committee: Lori White, Wilda Shock, Shelly Mascari, Tamsen Nash, Alethea Eason, Bernie Butcher and Scott Hopkins.
Program volunteers and partners: Patti Diener, Chic Le Chef Caterers (Julie Hoskins and staff), Carla Hoff and the Lake/Mendocino Reading Council, Jamey Gill and the Mendo/Lake Credit Union, Shelby Posada and the Lake County Arts Council, Dwain Goforth and Camisha Knowlton at the Lower Lake School House Museum, Carl Porter, the Bad Girls Book Club, the Cobb Mt. Teacher’s Book Group, Allison and Greg at Mt. High Coffee and Books, Tanya, Micki and Grace at Star Gardens Nursery, Bernie Butcher and staff at the Tallman Hotel, Bert Hutt and his troupe, Nura Brown and Jolene Chappelle at The Harbor on Main, the Lake County Library – Christopher Veach and branch staf, Jo Bennett, Alan and Margaret Mathison, Gina Fortino Dickson, Susan Feiler at the Lake County Wine Studio, Darlene Hecomovich-Friends of Boggs Mountain, Olga Martin Steele and Andy Weiss at KPFZ, and Lake County Record-Bee and Lake County News for caring and accurate support, as well as timely assistance with program promotion.
I’d like to bestow a very special acknowledgment and thank you to guest speakers Cathy Kroll from Sonoma State, and local author Carolyn Wing Greenlee, who provided brilliantly rich programs for our kickoff and closing events, and to local author Alethea Eason for creating a writing workshop that was splendidly inspiring.
Special thanks to Yuba College staff for a hosting a wonderful Chinese food banquet and student performance, and the Friends of Mendocino College for hosting Carolyn Wing Greenlee's speaker engagement.
Thank you to Wally Holbrook and Tim Gill at the Lake County Office of Education for turning my motivation for a Big Read in Lake County into a reality. And most importantly, thank you to those who participated in and supported our program activities, which celebrated a brilliant American novel.
Robin Fogel-Shrive is program director for The Big Read of Lake County, Calif.
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- Written by: Roberta Lyons
The recent Lake County Land Trust annual benefit dinner, held at The Lodge at Blue Lakes on Oct. 12, was a success thanks to the help of many people who made it possible and to all of those who attended.
Thank you to our sponsors: Homestake Mining Co. of California, John Wise and Evelyn Wachtel, Brad and Kathy Barnwell, the Law Office of Dennis Fordham and the North Coast Winegrape Brokers.
Delicious wines were provided by Six Sigma, Wildhurst, Steele Wines and Shannon Ridge, and the chef and staff at the Lodge at Blue Lakes catered wonderful appetizers and a delicious dinner.
We are grateful to all of the silent auction donors who are too numerous to mention here but are very much appreciated, including local businesses and individuals.
A special thanks goes to the owners of the Lodge at Blue Lakes, which offered Land Trust supporters attending the event a discounted overnight rate – which several people took advantage of to have a more relaxed evening and lovely morning on Blue Lakes – and donated 10 percent of the proceeds of overnight room rentals to the Land Trust.
Konocti Junction provided lively music during the social hour – thanks go to band members Tom Nixon, Janet Berrian, and Scott Sommers and their great sound system.
Charlotte Ambrose, salmon recovery coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was the guest speaker and presented on the Endangered Species Act’s successes and short-comings.
Long-time supporter Bonnie Piccolo and son Collin tackled organizational details that kept things running smoothly, including keeping out guests’ wine glasses topped off, and arranged for Michele Malm and a great group of teens from Kelseyville High School to assist with logistical tasks including tending tables and leading the post-dinner clean-up.
Last but not least, thank you to all who attended to support the Lake County Land Trust – thank you for sharing our special evening!
Roberta Lyons is president of the Lake County Land Trust, which serves Lake County, Calif.