SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Gather your family and friends and celebrate Family Health and Fitness Day on Saturday, June 10! Sacramento County Regional Parks is excited to partner with several local businesses and nonprofits to promote this special day.
“We recognize the Regional Parks system and our stakeholder partners play a key role in providing facilities and programs that positively influence the health of the region and contribute to the Department's goal of advancing health equity within Regional Parks," said Liz Bellas, Director of Regional Parks. “This year, we are hosting several events of our own, including our first ever Run With the Goats event, and partnering with several incredible organizations."
For Family Health & Fitness Day 2023, Regional Parks is pleased to share these programs and “parknership events” for the community to enjoy.
Run With the Goats
Join Sacramento County Regional Parks staff at Cherry Island Sports Complex (2429 U Street, Elverta, CA) to see our chomping crew in action, learn more about the 2023 Fire Fuel Reduction Program, and follow the goats as they transition from one location over the Dry Creek Parkway Trail Bridge to their next pit stop on the Parkway!
9 am to noon – Free event, free parking
Family Fun at Cherry Island Golf Course
Join the crew at Cherry Island Golf Course (2360 Elverta Road, Elverta, CA) for a morning of family fun! Bounce houses, face painting, kids introduction to golf stations and more!
9 am – noon – Free event, free parking
Water Lantern Festival at Gibson Ranch
Enjoy food trucks, music, and have fun while designing your own paper lantern to launch at Gibson Ranch Lake (8556 Gibson Ranch Park Rd, Elverta, CA).
5:30 pm to 10 pm Event ticket required and available for purchase online – $6 per vehicle entry fee.
“Night of the Revving Dead" at Dry Creek Ranch House
Join Alley Cats Car Club at the Dry Creek Ranch House (6852 Dry Creek Road, Rio Linda, CA) for the “Night of the Revving Dead" car show, music and family fun.
Noon to 8 p.m. – Free event for spectators – $10 per vehicle parking fee
Volunteer Workday at the Sacramento Valley Conservancy
Roll up your sleeves and make some new friends as we give Camp Pollock (1501 Northgate Blvd., Sacramento, CA) a little love. Tasks vary depending on property needs and may include planting, weeding, painting, digging, fence building, raking, building maintenance and native plant propagation. All ages and experience levels are welcome.
8 a.m. to noon – Free event, free parking
Education Center Open House at Sacramento Splash
The Splash Education Center (4426 Excelsior Road, Mather, CA) will be open for folks to drop in and discover the magic that thousands of students per year experience when they visit Splash on their school field trips.
9 am to noon – Free event, free parking
Morning Bird Walk at Mather Lake with Sacramento Splash
Sacramento Splash is offering a free morning bird walk around Mather Lake (4103 Zinfandel Road, Mather, CA).
9 to 10:30 am – $6 per vehicle entry fee
Yoga on the Farm at American River Ranch
Hosted by Soil Born Farms, this 60-minute class at American River Ranch (2140 Chase Dr. Rancho Cordova, CA) includes breath work and intentional movement and is open to all levels. Advance registration and payment required. Bring your own mat and water bottle.
8:30 am to 9:30 am – Free parking
Farm Stand Open at Soil Born Farms
Buy farm fresh organic produce, learn more about American River Ranch (2140 Chase Dr. Rancho Cordova, CA), classes and volunteering opportunities.
8 am to 1 pm – Free parking
Hang Out with the American River Bike Patrol
Join members of the volunteer Bike Patrol at an Information, Hydration and Bike Mechanical Station, and take a tour along the American River Parkway trail. Meet at William B. Pond Park.
Free event – $6 per vehicle entry fee at American River Parkway entrances
Sensational Snakes at Effie Yeaw Nature Center
Meet a resident snake up close and discover how these reptiles use their senses to survive. Enjoy a short stroll with a naturalist and learn how to be safe when viewing the reptiles who dwell in the Nature Preserve. This program includes a presentation and a hike.
10:30 am Free event, donations accepted $6 per vehicle entry fee
Docent Lead Walk at the Cosumnes River Preserve
Join Cosumnes River Preserve docents on a guided hike along the River Walk Trail! This hike will take you back to the days when the Plains Miwok once inhabited the Cosumnes River's surrounding landscape.
Free event, free parking, pre-registration required.
To learn more about Family Health and Fitness Day and how parks help keep our communities and families healthy and active, visit the Regional Parks website.
Carmichael Bank of the West Branch Changes Ownership
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - The Carmichael branch of the Bank of the West at 4001 Manzanita Avenue is scheduled to see new exterior signage installed soon as owners BMO Harris Bank, N.A., complete their rollout of the bank’s new business name.
BMO signage has already been installed at the former branch of the Bank of the West at 7831 Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights.
The Bank of the West website continues to announce the ongoing name change to BMO to its customers. Inside the local branch, in the Carmichael Village Shopping Center near the corner of Manzanita Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard, it was “business as usual,” as tellers and branch managers at the Carmichael Branch busily attended to customers with their banking needs.
Local residents may remember that 4001 Manzanita Avenue was once home to The Westerner Drive-In movie theater, operated by United California Theaters in the early 1960s. It closed in 1981.
In its place, the Carmichael Village shopping center is home to Ace Hardware, Starbucks, Leslie’s Pool Supplies and Bel Air Market.
An outside lobby ATM machine bore the dual logos of Bank of the West and BMO until the conversion is complete. BMO is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
BMO’s acquisition of Bank of the West, headquartered in San Francisco in February brings its nearly 1.8 million customers into BMO and extends its banking presence through more than 500 additional branches and commercial and wealth offices in key U.S. growth markets, according to the company.
As the 8th largest bank in North America by assets, BMO is positioned in three of the top five U.S. markets, has a footprint in 32 states, and expanded both its national specialty commercial businesses and its digital banking platform to help its customers to make real financial progress in all 50 states in announcing the acquisition earlier this year.
Until conversion of the banks’ systems, expected in early September 2023, Bank of the West customers in Carmichael will continue to be served through their respective BMO and Bank of the West branches, websites and mobile applications.
In the coming months, BMO will continue to provide Bank of the West customers in Carmichael with key information about how the combined bank will serve them, including the plan for the conversion of their current accounts.
The bank has automatic teller (ATM) locations inside local Walgreen’s Drugs in the area which will feature the new BMO signage.
The BMO branch at 4001 Manzanita Avenue in Carmichael is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm and closed weekends. For more information, call (916) 487-1100 or visit: https://www.bankofthewest.com/customer-service/branch/california/carmichael/4001-manzanita-ave
Sacramento Swimming Olympians Discuss New Book on the Life of Sherm Chavoor
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Sacramento region Olympic swimmers discussed book author Bill George’s new work, “Victory in the Pool,” which chronicles the achievements of swimmers from Sacramento’s Arden Hills Swim and Tennis club, and features the legendary U.S. Olympic coach Sherm Chavoor, in a presentation at Sacramento City Library on Saturday, May 13.
George’s 45-minute presentation on “Victory in the Pool” helped raise awareness of the great accomplishments of Coach Sherm Chavoor and Sacramento’s amazing swimmers with more than 65 people attending the event.
“Victory in the Pool” examines the foundations of the team established by the efforts of the swim pioneer Tak Iseri. Iseri, now in his 90’s, was among the first great swimmers produced by U.S. Olympic coach Sherm Chavoor from the famed Arden Hills Swim and Tennis Club in Carmichael, California, founded in 1954.
The featured speakers were:
Bill George – Granite Bay author, film maker and historian. He has produced seven documentary films about California history, all of which have aired on PBS. His previous book, “Rails, Tales and Trails” chronicles the construction of The Central Pacific Railroad from Sacramento to Reno, one of the greatest engineering accomplishments in history.
Debbie Meyer, 1968 Olympian – first female swimmer to win three individual Gold Medals at the same Games (Mexico City) when she won the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events, a unique trifecta that has not been repeated since.
Jeff Float, 1984 Olympian – gold medalist at the 1984 Olympic Games in the 4x200 freestyle relay. 1982 Gold Medalist, World Championships in Guayaduil. 1980 Olympic Qualifier and 1978 Silver Medalist, 400m freestyle at World Championships, Berlin.
Tak Iseri, 1940’s Sacramento swim pioneer – Iseri was among the more than 120,000 Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II. He later swam for Sherm Chavoor and in 1948 won the Pacific Amateur Association Championship. He was a U.S. Masters Swimming Champion in numerous events, 1987-1995. Captain, UC Berkeley Varsity Swim Team.
Prickly Treasures in Bloom
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Exotic Xerophytes are prickly gold for collectors in tune with the craze for cacti. More than 400 fans recently packed the Carmichael Cactus and Succulent Society’s 45th annual Show. Flowering brightly, hundreds of plants changed hands.
“We had one of our best-ever shows,” reported society President Eric Trygg. “A hundred people were waiting for our doors to open on the first morning. In two days, we made more than 1000 sales.”
Collectible cacti are trendy but not cheap. Specimens that sold for $10 a decade ago can ring the register now at $30. At the Carmichael sale, rare plants were offered with $600 price tags. Some customers paid upwards of $400 for their selections.
Most of the inventory came from Southern California. Growers also offer plants – from Mexico, Asia, South Africa and the tropics – at shows all over USA.
“Collecting has become lucrative,” explains society member Loralei Dewe. “Many people re-sell plants for much more than what they paid for them. A plant you gave $30 for ten years ago could be worth over $600 now. I don’t sell mine – I get too attached to them.”
Festival proceeds support Carmichael Cactus and Succulent Society activities. The group has over 100 members, who meet at 10 am on the first Thursday of each month at the Carmichael Park Clubhouse. Annual membership dues are $15 per year or $20 per family. For information, visit www.ccandss.com
Summer Music Festival Fills Park
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Balmy weather greeted nearly 700 musicians at the Community Band festival in Carmichael Park last weekend. More than 800 fans sweltered, danced and applauded.
The annual Carmichael tradition celebrated its 50th year with back-to-back concerts by 19 bands.
The Sacramento Youth Band kicked off two-days of marches, pops and symphonic selections. Saturday’s “Jazz Evening” featured two swing and jazz ensembles. Perennial crowd pleasers, the Ophir Prison Band marched onstage on Sunday morning.
Closing the event, the 20-piece society band “Symphonia Phonotone” presented dance music of the 1920s and 30s.
On June 17, Carmichael Park District’s concert season begins with a 6:30 pm concert by the variety pop band Kicks. For information on this season, visit www.carmichaelpark.com
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - On June 1, 2023, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the California Fire Foundation (CFF) announced grant opportunities for California-based fire departments and community-based organizations focused on wildfire safety and preparedness. The grant program continues a successful partnership between PG&E and CFF. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2023, through the CFF website. Award notification will begin July 31, 2023.
PG&E and The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation) are providing a total of $1.4 million to CFF’s Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program (WSPP). Joining forces for the sixth consecutive year, the program’s objective is to raise public awareness about wildfire safety and deliver resources to underserved communities in high fire-risk areas. It includes a grant program that last year awarded 66 local fire departments and community groups $730,000 in funding.
Since 2018, CFF, which administers and manages the WSPP, has awarded 265 grants to fire departments and community organizations statewide, focusing its efforts in Northern and Central California. Funding targets communities identified as having extreme or elevated fire risk as identified by the California Public Utilities Commission.
“While the unprecedented storms of this past winter helped lift the majority of California out of the decades-long drought, the unfortunate flip side is the increased potential for a later but more robust wildfire season,” said Rick Martinez, Executive Director of the California Fire Foundation. “The Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program is a partnership with PG&E that was created to address the increasing wildfire risk. Our collaboration over the last six years has played an important role in helping local communities mitigate their wildfire risks and enhance the public’s safety.”
“PG&E and the California Fire Foundation share the same goal of ensuring that our hometowns are doing everything possible to prevent wildfires from starting. Local fire departments, agencies and community groups play such a key role in prioritizing and executing the projects that protect communities and in raising awareness about wildfire safety. We’re grateful for our ongoing partnership with the CFF as it provides real-time benefits such as defensible space and fuel-reduction programs as well as crucial awareness to customers in underserved communities,” said Mark Quinlan, PG&E’s Senior Vice President of Wildfire & Emergency Operations.
How the Grants Help Communities
From 2018 to the present, PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have provided $7.4 million in total support for fire safety awareness through the WSPP. The charitable contribution is shareholder-funded, not paid for by PG&E customers.
Since 2018, WSPP has funded:
Specialized fire equipment and personal protective equipment; Defensible space and vegetation management efforts; Fuel/hazard reduction programs; Fire prevention and emergency preparedness education, including senior citizen wildfire preparedness programs; Fire safety outreach campaigns, including 12,000 multi-lingual brochures targeting under-resourced communities in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, and Vietnamese; Partnerships with community groups in high fire-risk areas to distribute fire-safety information.
The WSPP develops and distributes in-language fire-safety messaging targeting Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, and Vietnamese communities. These efforts include a comprehensive media campaign consisting of outdoor billboards and in-language television, radio, and digital ads.
The California Fire Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, aids firefighters, their families, and the communities they protect. CFF’s Firefighters on Your Side program, also supported by PG&E, provides multi-lingual, culturally relevant fire safety messaging in both digital and print forms to assist the public in staying safe.
A New Court Kicks Off
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - A reconfigured court allows Carmichael kids to play soccer, basketball and hockey at the same Carmichael Park facility.
Built with funding from Carmichael Recreation and Park District and a $5000 contribution from Sacramento Republic Football Club, the $70,000 Over Under project opened last week.
Supervisor Rich Desmond joined VIPs whose well-directed kicks obliterated the ceremonial ribbon. Desmond welcomed the opportunity to re-purpose under-utilized recreation spaces. “We can be proud Carmichael Park has the first of these courts in Northern California, and only the second in our whole State,” he enthused.
The facility came about through the efforts of famed American Soccer pro Kyle Martino. In 2021, the star launched an Over Under Initiative (non-profit) to benefit urban kids through sport. Over coffee at Carmichael’s Bella Bru Café, Connecticut-based Martino scored cooperation from County Supervisor Rich Desmond.
“Meeting Kyle was refreshing,” says Desmond. “He’s passionate about helping kids. He really believes access to sport should be a right, not a privilege. He explained his Initiative to me and said he was looking for a Sacramento location. I immediately thought of the old basketball court in Carmichael Park. It wasn’t getting much use. Reconfigured for multiple sports, I thought it would be a great community asset.”
With Carmichael’s growing immigrant population – and with soccer internationally beloved – the opportunity for the scaled-down variant known as Futsal seemed a win-win. “I knew CRPD would jump at the chance,” said Desmond.
Fourteen months later, new basketball hoops, retractable soccer posts, fresh asphalt, and lighting completed the project.
Much kicking and tossing of balls followed VIP speeches. First hoops were shot, and Sacramento Republic coaches gave informal soccer clinics. Seeing kids’ immediate and enthusiastic use of the court last week reinforced its value. “We’ll do more of these courts in District 3,” predicted Desmond. “I’m already talking to other park districts about similar projects. It’s a great way to get kids outside and playing sport.”
The CRPD basketball/football court is located near District headquarters at 5750 Grant Avenue.