Shoes donated by guests at the Charity Cocktail Party. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The seventh annual “New Shoes for Kids” charity cocktail party was reported to be a huge success by hosts Dan and Donna Streckfus of Richmond Park Bar and Grill.

Approximately 146 pairs of children’s shoes and over $3,000 in cash were donated by people in attendance at the party, held at Richmond Park Bar and Grill.

Prizes donated by local businesses were given in raffles held throughout the evening. Guests enjoyed an evening of appetizers and dancing to the music of the band T-2 while contributing to the children of Lake County.

All shoes and money collected were donated to the Lake County Office of Education Healthy Start Program.

The shoes and money will be divided between the 10n school sites served by Healthy Start.

Healthy Start provides support services to families in every school district in Lake County. These services are primarily aimed at keeping children in school, healthy and ready to learn.

“Having good shoes helps children to feel more comfortable, and it also gives them more confidence at school,” reported Doreen Gilmore, Healthy Start Site Supervisor at Pomo Elementary School.

“On behalf of the children who will receive new shoes, all of us at Healthy Start wish to thank Richmond Park Bar and Grill, and their guests, for their generosity,” said Gilmore.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club will hold the last meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 27.

Discussion and business will focus on an appraisal of the past year, and plans for 2011.

The meeting will be held in the Friendship Hall at the United Methodist Church, 12487 The Plaza, Clearlake Oaks.

There will be the usual potluck at 6:30 p.m. followed by the meeting at 7 p.m.

All registered democrats are invited, LGBT and people as well as their friend and allies.

They are looking for presents for ages newborn to 18 months and 10- to 12-year-olds.

Presents can be dropped off at LCCAA behind Foods, Etc. on Lakeshore Drive or at the youth center on Golf Avenue between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

Separate dropoffs also can be arranged by calling Joyce Overton at 707-350-2898 or LCCAA at 707-995-2920.

Food sorting taking place at the Rural Food Project shed in Middletown, Calif., on Tuesday, December 14, 2010. Courtesy photo.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Spirit of the Season reported that it is once again grateful for the community's generosity during the holiday season.

“Spirit of the Season is thrilled that we have received so many gifts from our Wish Tree program participants as well as gifts being given by the general public to make this Christmas the best ever,” said Hedy Montoya, coordinator for the holiday program.

The food and gifts will be distributed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, from the Little Red School House in Cobb and from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Middletown.

All those who registered have received their postcards to come to the annual event.

To make the season even brighter, the group received some 5,000 or 6,000 pounds of food from Twin Pine Casino, Montoya said.

“Working with Donna Crofoot at Twin Pine, their staff and the public at large who brought cans of food for a promotion they held, we worked ourselves silly trying to sort and prepare for the food distribution this Saturday,” Montoya said.

Food and monetary gifts were given to Spirit of the Season recently by the HVL Garden Club, as well as anonymous donors, the First Baptist Church, as well as the United Methodist Church, to name but a few.

“We have so many people to thank,” said Montoya. “We’ve had tremendous response from our volunteers, food has come to us from many sources this year and it feels as though it is raining food!”

She said she will send a notice to the community in January to publicly thank all concerned, but she wanted to give mention Mary Jo Gawley, Mary Rose Pott, Christine Bougas, Phyllis Kelsey, Sandy Tucker, Bonnie Thompson, Kathleen and Kelly Connors, Cindy Weber and the students of Loconoma High School, Bryan Ridste and most especially Stephen Hebert for their hardworking efforts to make Spirit of the Season 2010 a success.

Many more volunteers working with them this year are not mentioned here, but Montoya said she will be acknowledging them in the New Year.

The donations for the year have been $6,000 to date.

If anyone wishes to make a tax-deductible gift to assist with SOS, please send a check to Spirit of the Season, P. O. Box 1468, Middletown, CA 95461.

Montoya can be reached at 707-987-8139.

Hours will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Events may be canceled due to rain.

Households can bring up to 15 gallons of toxic items free of charge. A charge will be made for amounts above 15 gallons.

Items that are accepted include paint, solvents, fuels, five-gallon propane tanks, pool chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, dry cell batteries, fluorescent light tubes (up to 60 feet free) and other toxins that cannot be put in the trash.

Excluded items that cannot be accepted are televisions, computer monitors, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials or infectious wastes.

To learn how and where to properly dispose these items; please contact the Public Services Office at 707-263-1980.

This is a residential service. Charges apply to businesses; phone 707-468-9786 for more information and business appointments.

Free recycled paint is available at Lake County Waste Solution Transfer Station at 230 Soda Bay Road in Lakeport on first come, first serve basis in five-gallon containers, of tan, brown, gray and pink.

Used oil can be recycled year round at a number of sites in the county.

The HazMobile program is subsidized by the Lake County Public Services Department Solid Waste Division.

If you have any questions regarding this or any of Lake County’s Solid Waste programs, please call 707-262-1760 or the Hot Line number at 707-263-1980, for a list of upcoming HazMobile events please visit our Web site at www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us.

From left to right, MendoLake District Director GinaBelle Smith, North Lake Garden Club President Don Thorne and California Garden Club Inc. President Maryanne Lucas enjoy seeing so many visitors and garden club members from throughout the MendoLake District garden clubs. Photo by Claire Grieve.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Mendo-Lake District GinaBelle Smith and Northlake Garden Club President Don Thorne welcomed California Garden Clubs Inc. President Maryanne Lucas on a recent visit.

Many garden club members within the district had booths or joined in on all the activities hosted by Northlake Garden Club's Garden/Craft Fair in Nice.

The MendoLake District's mission statement is “California Garden Clubs Inc. promotes gardening, floral design, civic beautification, environmental responsibility and the exchange of information and ideas.

There are six garden clubs all within the Mendo-Lake District (www.mendolakedistrict.org).

All the districts in California are under the Calif. Garden Club, Inc. www.CaliforniaGardenClubs.org), then within the Pacific Region (www.PacificregionGardenClubs.org), and then the National Garden Clubs Inc. (www.gardenclub.org). These Web sites contain a wealth of information – check them out.

All are welcome to visit the garden clubs. The district meets quarterly and the public is invited to attend any of the meetings.

GinaBelle Smith is the Mendo-Lake District director. For more information check out any of the above Web sites or call 707-964-3798.

Watch for future announcements of meetings and activities.