CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Many years and thousands of pancakes after Carmichael Kiwanis Club hosted its first Easter breakfast, veteran club member Hal Snow joined griddle volunteers last Saturday.

Carmichael Recreation and Park District last year replaced its rough-and-tumble egg hunt with family-friendly breakfasts in the community club house. In three seatings almost 350 children and adults were served this year.

“It warms my heart to work this event,” said Snow. “The kids are happy; parents and grandparents are happy, and the Easter Bunny always has a smile on his face.” A 45-year Kiwanis member, retired State worker Snow has been flipping pancakes for his club since the 1980s. “In the early days of the club, the Easter breakfast was our only fundraiser,” he says.

These days, the industrious club has many bigger and better events, like January crab-feeds and the Taste of Carmichael festival (coming up on May 12) to fund widespread community giving. A calorific feast of pancakes, sausage, fruit, coffee and orange juice, says Snow, makes little profit at $5 a head.

“We don’t mind that,” he says. “We regard our pancake events as a community service. And that’s what we’re all about.”

Last Sunday’s Breakfast with the Bunny event assembled a volunteer army of CRPD staffers, Kiwanians, Girl and Boy Scouts − to keep up with cooking, serving, craft activities and inevitable cleanup chores.

“It was a stunning success,” says Snow. “The weather was good and people were in a joyful mood. The food was excellent. We’re looking forward to heating up the griddles and doing it all again on July 4th.”

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - A pair of mute swans have made a seasonal home on Lake Natoma (Orangevale).

Cyclists and trail walkers are enjoying sightings of these visitors in the portion of the American River that stretches between Nimbus and Folsom dams. Named for their vocal quietness, the non-native species is widespread in North America.

These large waterfowl feed on river vegetation and small aquatic creatures. They nest on islands and river banks. Swans are not dangerous to humans but – being greatly protective of territory and family – they can become aggressive and should be allowed their space. All American River Parkway wildlife is protected from hunting and harassment.

 

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Carmichael artist Trisha Ramon has come up with a way to put California on the map – literally. Her wood and resin maps of California are selling like hot states through a gallery recently opened in a wellness center.

Established in 1999 in Carmichael, the Baratta Holistic Center recently revamped interior design. “We decided our walls needed something, too,” says chiropractor Dr Tony Baratta. “So we reached out to local artists.”

Trisha Ramon was among the first to respond.

“My husband and I visited my mom in Oregon for years,” says the artist. “We noticed how popular ocean art was there. When we came back to Carmichael, I started making items to sell at Carmichael Farmers Market.”

Using resins, inks, shells and recycled wood, Ramon experimented with turtles, whales and dolphins. “Mermaids were an instant hit,” she notes. “Moms wanted them for bathrooms and bedrooms. Disney’s “Little Mermaid” inspired a love for these creatures, and I guess moms wanted the same sense of magic for their daughters. I’ve been asked to create mermaids using little girls’ favorite colors.”

Magic aside, plain geography inspired her most popular item. “I also work for State for California,” she explains. “I was born in Germany and my grandfather told me stories about America’s Great West. For many immigrants, there’s something inspirational about the shape of their state.

“My husband (music teacher Paul Ng) cuts our ‘Great State’ outline from wood. Then I take over. I paint and color resin to capture the Pacific’s fluidity. No two pieces are the same. I love aquas, blues and greens to convey that wonderful live-ocean feel.

“Lawyers and legislative workers have bought the piece for their offices,” she says. “People who work for our Government take great pride in that iconic shape. Their visitors admire the pieces, so we get lots of referrals. Realtors like them as client gifts. I’ve also had people commission other states – usually coastal states – for their walls. California’s my biggest seller.”

The 3.5-foot-tall ‘Great State’ sculpture carries a price tag of $250. Ramon is also experimenting with coastal-themed tempered glass mosaics. “It’s a vibe I like in my home,” she says. “My mom and I emigrated to America in a boat. I get a big sense of renewal being near the ocean.”  

Baratta Holistic Center is currently showing original pieces – from aerospace photos to mixed-media creations on six-month terms – throughout its clinic. Artists pay no commission for sales. Anyone may visit the center at 6728 Fair Oaks Boulevard, suite 300. Contact the office at (916) 979-0716.

 

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - The Golden Empire Council of Scouting BSA, hosted the annual “Scouting for Food” drive on March 11, 2023, with more than 3,000 scouts and family members participating. The food collected was distributed amongst 16 counties in Northern California.

The program “Scouting for Food” has been operated by the local council for at least 20 years. Every year, scouts and their families coordinate to pick-up food in their neighborhoods and drop-off at local foodbanks. These efforts provide seniors, children, and low-income families with nutritious food in their time of need.

“The annual Scouting for Food is a fantastic event which our scouts can help many families across Northern California. Once again, I am proud to be part of this organization and see the amazing work our scouts and their families are doing to make an impact in their communities,” said Scouting for Food Director and District Executive, Jose Zavala.

Golden Empire Council’s 2023 Scouting for Food drive collected more than 55 thousand pounds of food as well as $3,162 in monetary donations.

“Scouting for Food is such a wonderful opportunity for scouts in our area to come together and make a direct positive impact on the community. While partnering with food banks across the state, thousands of youths and adult volunteers work cheerfully to help those in need, even in the rain!” said James Rhodes-Dreyer, Scout Executive, “It is the commitment to the ‘Scout Law’ which includes being helpful, friendly, kind, and cheerful that enables the Scouts to be successful.”

GEC has been providing leadership development for youth and their families since 1920 while serving over 7,000 youth in 16 counties. Their mission is to prepare young people to make moral and ethical choices over their lifetimes, by instilling them with the values of the Scout Oath and Law. Their program hosts camps, events, and many exciting activities for boys and girls. For more information, visit www.gec-bsa.org and join Scouting today.

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Animal shelters around the country are gearing up for what is known as “kitten season,” when cats begin to give birth to countless kitten litters. Typically beginning in late spring and continuing throughout summer, kitten season stretches the already-thin resources animal shelters and rescues have when the influx of unwanted cats and kittens crowd shelter and kennel space.

The Bradshaw Shelter’s Foster Care Program helps save lives and space during this hectic season.

“We call our foster care providers ‘life-saving heroes’ because they give animals who are too young, sick, or injured to be available for adoption a second chance,” said Annette Bedsworth, Director of Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter. “Fosters provide safe and loving temporary homes where animals can thrive until they are ready for adoption.”

Residents interested in becoming fosters should submit a foster application to foster@saccounty.gov. The shelter provides all food, bedding, supplies, toys and more at no cost to the foster. Fostering is a great way to help alleviate the impact of kitten season at your local shelter and can provide temporary companionship for those still working from home.

The shelter is most in need of fosters for bottle babies: kittens who have been orphaned or abandoned and are too young to eat on their own. If you’ve never fostered a bottle-fed kitten before, the foster team will teach you everything you need to know. Fosters are also needed for kittens that just have a little bit of growing left to do, as well as for sick or injured kittens and cats. The time commitment for fostering can be anywhere from one to eight weeks, depending on the kitten’s size at the time of fostering.

For more information about fostering, including fostering FAQs, visit the Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter website. To learn more about what to do if you find a kitten or litter of kittens, visit the feral cat information webpage.

Donations of essential kitten season supplies are also needed, including: Small litter pans, Heating pads, Small nursing bottles, Miracle nipples, Kitten dry food and wet food.

Donations are accepted at the Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter’s Animal Admissions Door at 3839 Bradshaw Road, Tuesday through Sunday, between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. For a complete list of supply needs, visit the shelter’s Amazon Wishlist or the donation website.

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Susan Aimes and I first met at a Chamber of Commerce event, and I was extremely impressed by what she was doing. The following is an interview that I did with her and one of her dogs that she is training.

Susan and her son Dustin had for years been interested in rescuing dogs that were going to be euthanized.  Her son also wanted to be in the service and be there for his country. In 2021 her son, while in the service, passed away unexpectedly and after the initial grief, Susan decided to fulfill the dream that they both had. 

Susan and her daughter started Stars & Stripes Dog Rescue, a non-profit. They wanted to do this for Dustin and for the veterans that are many times overlooked. Susan acquires medium and large dogs from both Stockton and Modesto pounds as they have an abundance of dogs that are going to be put down. Most people prefer the smaller canines.

They then train these dogs to be companion dogs and after they are trained and certified, they are donated to veterans that need these animals for comfort and companionship. If the dogs have the right temperament, they are then trained to be service dogs and donated to veterans who need this level of help.

Susan and her daughter have now started a foster program, where veterans can obtain a dog and learn to train it by themselves, using online guidance. This is done in such a way that there is little or no stress on either the veteran or the dog. Susan and her daughter have been working with the Veterans Administration on this project.

For the Stars & Stripes Dog Rescue to have a larger impact, they need more volunteers to assist in the training and more donations to provide the medical care and other provisions for both the dog and the veterans. Every cent of the donations goes to the dogs and veterans.

You can make your donations or for more information to the website: https://starsandstripesdogrescue.org or https://www.facebook.com/starsandstripesrescue

Email address: starsandstripesrescue@gmail.com

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The Annual Credit Union SACTOWN Run − which took place Sunday (April 2) in Sacramento − raised more than $210,800 for the 11 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) to help local kids across California and Nevada. 

More than 1,800 runners participated in this year’s Credit Union SACTOWN Run, including nearly 1,200 credit union employees and members from across California and Nevada. The event, which started and ended on the Capitol Mall in front of the California State Capitol, featured a 10-mile race, 5K run, and “Miracle Mile Fun Run and Fitness Walk.”

The run was hosted by the Sacramento Running Association (SRA) and also served as the USA Track and Field (USATF) Masters 10-Mile National Championship.

“Once again, we were honored to work with the Sacramento Running Association to host such a great event to raise much needed funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals throughout California and Nevada,” said Diana Dykstra, president and CEO of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues (Ontario, CA). “These donations will help kids receive the care and treatment they need, thanks to a number of credit unions and businesses in both states.”

John Pamer, chair of the Credit Union SACTOWN Run and CEO of Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union (Concord, CA), said the annual race has become a cherished rite of Spring for credit unions and business partners. “Each year since 2012, we run, jog or walk our course on the first Sunday in April,” Pamer said. “But the real benefit is that the $210,800 we raised this year — and the $2.5 million we’ve raised since day-one — brings healing and hope to patients and their families every day of the year. Credit unions and our business partners are committed to helping people in our local communities, and the Credit Union SACTOWN Run is a strong demonstration of this commitment.”

Larry Palochik, executive vice president of the Leagues (Ontario, CA), said that every child deserves the chance to live a happy and healthy life. “Supporting Children's Miracle Network hospitals in our two states is our opportunity to help make that a reality,” Palochik said. “Together, with our credit unions and sponsors, we are helping provide hope and healing to children and families in need.”

Joe Franklin, vice president of brand and experiential marketing for Co-op Solutions (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), thanked all of the runners who participated in this year’s Credit Union SACTOWN Run. “The partnership between CMN Hospitals and credit unions is a truly synergistic one,” Franklin said. “The two things that determine physical and mental health are access to health care and solid financial wellness. When members of society and their children are physically healthy or have access to quality care, and they feel financially secure, it builds a stronger community.”

Kevin Miller, president and CEO of Travis Credit Union in Vacaville, Calif., said his credit union believes in “people helping people” — and the annual race is just one more example of this unique industry philosophy. “I’m proud of our staff and their families who are running and volunteering with that spirit to benefit the Credit Union SACTOWN Run,” Miller said.

Bill Cheney, chief executive officer of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union (Tustin, CA), said his credit union’s team looks forward to participating in the race each year. “They’re eager for the physical challenge of the race while supporting a cause that aligns with our credit union values,” Cheney said. “We are proud to participate and support children and their families in local hospitals, including UC Davis Children’s Hospital. Thank you to our team and all runners and volunteers — you make a difference in the lives of others.”

Amanda Merz, community impact manager for SAFE Credit Union (Sacramento, CA), said her leadership and team are pleased to be a part of the Credit Union SACTOWN Run. “Seeing all of our fellow credit union employees and leaders come together to help raise money for children’s health is so inspiring,” Merz said. “Credit unions are all about ‘people helping people,’ and it is so rewarding to see all of us working together for a greater cause while also having some fun.”