Snoopy joins in for a past 'Buddy Walk' in Santa Rosa, Calif. Courtesy photo.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. – The Sonoma County Down Syndrome Support Group will host its sixth annual Buddy Walk and Motorcycle Run at Howarth Memorial Park in Santa Rosa on Saturday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine.

The event draws participants from around the region, including Lake County, according to organizers.

This year's theme is “Going to the Island,” so get your Hawaiian outfits and your walking shoes for a one mile walk or for motorcycle enthusiasts a run to Occidental.

Registration includes lunch and entertainment from Taimalietane Islands of Polynesia dance troop, games, music, a resource fair for nonprofits, and a Talent Show featuring our children with Down syndrome.

Registration is $12 pre-registration, $15 the day of the event and $7 for ages 12 and under.

The group is an affiliate of National Down Syndrome Society, managed entirely by volunteers, working hard to assist genetic counselors and new parents as they first hear news about Down syndrome during pre-pregnancy, after the birth of their child and throughout life.

Buddy Walk brings the community together and renews the financial support they need to do their work throughout the year.

The group shares informational presentations, small group sessions for new parents and social occasions that focus on family participation.

Becoming Independent – serving to promote advocacy, raise awareness, further educational pursuits, and support research for people with Down syndrome and their families – supports the group.

For more information and registration form visit www.sonomacountydownsyndromesupport.org/buddywalk.htm.

The unexpected bonus shipment will soon arrive at food banks and soup kitchens throughout California.

In Lake County, the Clearlake Gleaners will receive 8,656 pounds of the chicken.

“It’s unusual for food banks to receive high-quality meat commodities such as chicken, so we are especially pleased to make this protein-rich food available to needy Californians,” said John Wagner, director of the department.

Forty-seven truckloads of 10-pound packages are ready for distribution to large households, 37 truckloads of 4-pound packages will go to smaller households, and the remaining 22 truckloads of 33-pound cartons will be shipped to soup kitchens.

The chicken will be processed into smaller packages prior to delivery to the food banks. Food banks will receive a steady flow of chicken over the next two months. In all, this chicken will provide more than eleven million meals to California’s needy families.

In addition to the bonus chicken, California also receives other types of bonus food throughout the year such as fresh fruit and vegetables, fruit juices, canned and dried fruit, canned meat, fish, and milk. Bonus commodities are provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) from purchasing domestic surplus food to help supplement the diets of low-income Americans and to provide price support to farmers and growers.

The bonus foods will help to ensure food security for needy Californians during this economic downturn.

The food will be delivered to California’s 49 food banks for distribution to more than 1.5 million needy Californians.

To qualify for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, a household’s income cannot exceed 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For example, a family of three can make up to $27,465 in annual income to qualify for food assistance.

To find out if you qualify, contact your local authorized Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) distribution agency. A list of EFAP agencies can be found at www.dss.cahwnet.gov/efap/PG1910.htm, or call 916-229-3344.

For a list of Food Banks and their chicken allocations, please visit www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/entres/pdf/PressRelease/ChickenAllocationByFoodBank.pdf.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, city of Clearlake and Hospice Services of Lake County will host the annual Clearlake Christmas Light Parade on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m.

Join the community at Austin Park for this family-friendly event featuring a parade of lights, a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Lakeshore Lions and Lioness providing cocoa and cookies, and a very special Christmas tree lighting by Hospice Services of Lake County.

This year's parade theme is “Christmas in Clearlake Toyland.”

This year's event is going to be taped live by TV8 and Carlé Continuation High School so it can be viewed on Dec. 4. The show also will be rerun several times throughout the month of December.

If you are interested in helping to plan this year's event, volunteering, entering a float or having a booth during this Christmas Light Parade, please contact the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce at 707-994-3600.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club will hold its general meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 21.

The meeting will be held at the Scotts Valley Women's Club House, 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.

The board will gather at 11 a.m. prior to the meeting.

Social time starts at noon, with the flower roll call at 12:30 p.m.

The meeting will start at 1 p.m. to be followed by a program, “Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club, Then and Now,” as the club is celebrating its 55^th anniversary.

The club meets at noon on the third Tuesday of the month, except in July and August.

Members, guests and all interested are most welcome. President Linda Waterstraat, 707-245-4731, invites interested gardeners to join the group.

Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club is a member of Mendo-Lake District, Calif. Garden Club Inc., Pacific Region and National Garden Clubs Inc.

For more information visit www.clttgc.org.

The library is on the corner of Calistoga and Callayomi Streets in downtown Middletown.

Books will be sold by the bag at a bargain price of $5 per bag.

There will be a special sale of paperbacks, which will go for $3 per bag.

Books for sale include will include bestsellers, children’s stories, mysteries, spy intrigue, romance, cookbooks, self help, reference, audio tapes and CDs – and some surprise offerings.

All proceeds are for the purchase of new books and supplies for the library and the new library building fund.