Volunteers don’t need to have any prior experience, and you don’t need to know anything about aviation

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Volunteers are needed for the 2021 California Capital Airshow (CCA), which is presented by Sacramento County in partnership with the City of Rancho Cordova. The annual event, held at Mather Airport, is designed to honor the history of aviation while inspiring attendees with exciting in-air performances by talented pilots.

Volunteers will have behind-the-scenes access to all the excitement the festival has to offer, while playing a crucial role in ensuring the success of the airshow. Volunteers work in the performers chalet, where the pilots have lunch; pick up debris on the main show ramp as part of the Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Squad; and engage with attendees in a range of hospitality roles, such as greeting guests and helping them get autographs from their favorite performers.

Ronlyn Vasconcellos, CCA volunteer coordinator, said in a press release that the volunteers are referred to as “Airshow Ambassadors,” and that “many have served for a decade or more, providing an opportunity to build a great sense of community around this event.”

One such volunteer is Mark Crawford of Rocklin, CA, who has been volunteering at the airshow for approximately 13 years. He first started out years ago by getting a group of people from his office to volunteer with him, and after all their hard work, he said they saw the “direct benefit of our efforts and the success of the show.”

Crawford is now a Hospitality Team Leader, and he has volunteers on his team who come back year after year—in addition to new recruits each year who are eager to get in on the action. “It is a lot of work, and several long days,” Crawford said, “and it is all worth it. I’ve not only built relationships with the other volunteers, I’ve also built relationships with many of our guests that have also been coming back year after year. It is so awesome to watch their kids grow and experience this special event every year.” Crawford has even been getting his own son involved as an Airshow volunteer in recent years. 

Volunteers don’t need to have any prior experience, and you don’t need to know anything about aviation. “We have many great volunteers that can tell you all kinds of information about every single plane they see, and we have volunteers that don’t know anything about planes … you don’t need to be a plane expert to get involved,” said Crawford. “Anyone with a heart to serve and a smile on their face will do an amazing job and have one of the best times at the airshow.”

Crawford explained that volunteers are well taken care of during the airshow: “Caring for the volunteers is always a high priority for the organizers, so we have plenty of water to drink during the day, opportunities to take breaks during the day to explore everything, and they provide a great lunch as well each day.”

If you enjoy helping others, engaging in exceptional customer service, and working outdoors in a fun, fast-paced atmosphere, consider volunteering your time at the 2021 California Capital Airshow. Adults (18 and older) can volunteer either Friday, September 24 from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM or Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Volunteers will receive an “Airshow Crew” t-shirt, and meals and water will be provided. Volunteers will also be required to comply with all state and local COVID-19 protocols during the airshow.

For more information or to sign up as an Airshow Ambassador, visit https://californiacapitalairshow.com/become-a-volunteer/

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - During the month of August Valley Sculpture Artists (VSA) has been partnering with Allied Ceramics Art Institute Studios and Gallery (ACAI) to offer a sculpture show, entitled “Sculptural Diversity” to the community.

In conjunction with the show, this publication is introducing the winner of the 2020 Herberholz Award for Sculpture, Phill Evans, and the 2021 recipient, Delbert Swanson. VSA will be holding a special reception to recognize and honor the two locally renowned artists on Saturday, August 21.  

Herberholz was a sculptor, teacher and author. A professor of Art at Sacramento State University he made and taught Art for over 50 years. His sculptures can be found at many locations throughout Sacramento County including the Carmichael Library and Crocker Art Museum.

In 2004 VSA featured a retrospective of his work and set up an annual award to honor the life and work of this dedicated artist. Herberholz selected the first three recipients. Today former recipients and board members continue this legacy. The Herberholz award “acknowledges exemplary work and celebrates extraordinary contributions to our club or the community” according to Sue Anne Foster, VSA president. 

Due to the pandemic lock down in 2020, VSA will be handing out the two awards this year at a special reception during their gallery show on Saturday, August 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. The presentation, which is a surprise to the recipients, will be at 7 p.m.

The 2020 award winner, Phill Evans says of his art, “I interpret people, places and things utilizing stone, metal, glass, wood and kinetic energy.  Stones and rocks have shape, color and are tablets of geophysical history. Metal’s malleability forms structure with a permanence. Wood has a broad spectrum of utility and beautiful versatility. Kinetics propelled by wind, electrical force or physical contact expands the visual experience and heightens the excitement developing weight and balance solutions.

Del Swanson, the 2021 award recipient was born in Stockton, California and grew up in North Sacramento. He says, “Art has been a passion since early childhood. From wood carving in Boy Scouts to model making and sketching as a young child, it led me to graduate from Art Center College of Design with honors in 1968.  From there it was on to designing cars for Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan and working on abstract painting for pleasure.  After having to relocate back to California and starting a business with my wife Carol. I started to use multiple mediums such as oil paint on canvas, foam wrapped with canvas and metal, sometimes mixing them.”

As a collector of Hopi Native American carvings (kachina dolls) Swanson wanted to make his own sculptures out of metal to honor these traditions. His first is (Crow Mother) and various others are on the way to being finished soon.

The community is invited to attend the reception to honor these two inspiring artists.

The gallery show which runs through August 30, features more than a dozen artists, showing their 3D pieces in often-surprising combinations of wood, metal, paint, clay, fiber, stone, and bronze.

More and more sculptures are made out of ‘found objects’, and mechanical parts. One artist in the show, PJ Kennedy, who does not see his art as work, creates his pieces from scrap metal of all sizes and shapes. Many of his pieces in the show are welded from discarded car engine parts. In his You Tube video he challenges his viewer to try it, “just weld two pieces together, then weld another one on it, and someone will call that art.  Anything can be art.”

Sculptural Diversity, showing at the ACAI Studios and Gallery at 7425 Winding Way, Fair Oaks, will conclude on August 30. Hours: Wednesday to Friday 1-4 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The art of Phill Evans and Maureen Gilli will be featured at ACAI in October. For ACAI art show schedule call 916-966-2453. For VSA contact Sue Anne Foster at 916-342-4293. 

Sources: ACAI: acaistudios.com; Phill Evans website: phillevans.com; ACAI Gallery curator Sandee Babcock; VSA president Sue Anne Foster

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - A jewel of Sacramento life and leisure, the American River Parkway is closer to destruction than at any time since its establishment in the ‘60s. In recent months, more than 11 percent of its 4800 acres have burned. The river’s flow – drinking water for millions -- is polluted. Wildlife is displaced and suffering. People who might otherwise enjoy the 23-mile stretch of public land are daunted by its increasing homeless population. Garbage accumulates at many tons per month. County and volunteer efforts cannot keep up with it.

An estimated 1000 campers live rough on the Parkway. A perfect storm of circumstances -- drug abuse; criminal justice “reforms,” a scarcity of affordable housing and the COVID pandemic – have caused record levels of homelessness.  Displaced people flock to inhabit a once-pristine wildernesses and damage to riparian havens is incalculable. “As a kid, I kayaked from Carmichael to Discovery Park and didn’t see a single camper,” recalls District 3 Supervisor Rich Desmond. “I never expect to see long stretches of campsites and garbage, like we have now. We should be ashamed that our children have to experience nature with this backdrop.”

Desmond spoke at a forum recently convened by the American River Parkway Foundation. Attended by more than 200 concerned citizens, the event offered a wake-up call documentary called “Parkway in Peril.” Several volunteer Parkway stewards contributed voice-over.

“The Parkway gets more visitors per year than Yosemite,” said Chris Balaan. “Imagine someone throwing a bottle into the Merced River. People don’t seem to have a problem doing it to the American River.”

Two hours of passionate discussion followed the presentation. Heading the forum, Supervisor Phil Serna related his experience of being stuck by a drug-user’s needle during a volunteer river cleanup. He pledged himself and his District 3 colleague Rich Desmond to be “100 percent behind saving the Parkway. It bodes well that we’re all sitting here,” said the District 1 leader.

The gathering fielded little argument that most Parkway problems – from fire, to drug presence, garbage pollution, and fears for recreational safety -- resulted from unauthorized campers. Recent statutes, prevent Rangers from ousting Parkway dwellers if they have nowhere else to sleep. Other activities can nevertheless be prosecuted: littering is illegal; hunting and threatening behavior is illegal. Fires outside designated picnic spots are illegal.

Deputy Metro Fire Chief Niko King confirmed that nearly all parkland conflagrations this year originated in encampments.

Trash and sewage dumping is another issue. Higher than acceptable E.coli readings are not all camper-related but much riverside garbage is. Said Parkway steward Don Hall: “We’ve got hoarders and tweakers (meth users) bringing things into parkway encampments that destroy aesthetics, sanitation and safety. We are the voice of the Parkway. We need to speak out on the issue of illegal camping… it can’t be allowed to continue.”

Volunteer Leigh Rutledge said formerly pristine river areas were now landfills. “We are so fortunate that a group of people had the foresight to save this land for all of us,” she said. “We’re going to let it become one giant garbage dump. And a burned garbage dump. We’ve got to do what it takes to stop this.”

A nature-lover advocated for wildlife. “Imagine what losing 11 percent of your range means to animals” said the speaker. “Flood plain parks are not just for human leisure. Our Parkway was set aside as a habitat for hundreds of animal species. What protection do they have when we allow it to be burned, polluted and filled with garbage?”

Supervisor Serna said Sacramento County was resource-challenged but not guilty of letting grass grow under its feet. Sites were being considered for a triage center – with support services -- for the homeless. When taxed to recommend how the public could help save the Parkway, Serna and fellow panelists urged:

Volunteer for trash clean ups; Report illegal fires; Write letters to officials; Attend Supervisorial meetings and call the County to task.

Explained Supervisor Rich Desmond: “Showing up and complaining achieves progress in our creating alternative places for homeless people to go. When we have these places, there will be no excuse for us not enforcing ordinances and stopping the destruction of our Parkway.”

Volunteers may assist The Great American River Clean Up project on September 18.

Learn about this and other American River Parkway projects at www.arpf.org

Write to your County representative at: 700 H Street, Suite 1450, Sacramento, CA 95814.

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - One of a mere cupful of residential wineries in Sacramento, Wreckless Blenders this summer celebrates 14 years of wine making. The boutique operation produces about 100 cases of wine (1200 bottles) for sale each year. Using grapes from Mendocino County and El Dorado Hills, the Carmichael business crushes, ferments and ages its vintage. It then blends, bottles and labels five varieties of red wine in John Troiano’s busy garage.

Retired plant pathologist Troiano (71) grew up in New Jersey. His Italian grandfather made wine in a Brooklyn basement. “I never knew my grandfather and my dad didn’t make wine, but the passion skipped a generation and came back in me. My Slavic mom grew beets and tomatoes in our back yard; she had me weeding and composting. I guess my interest in growing things came from that.” Troiano earned a doctorate in plant pathology at Rutgers University and started experimenting with wine blending on the Ithaca campus. “I was interested in acidity and sugar content,” he explains.  “Being a scientist, I studied the numbers behind what made wine pleasant to drink.” 

In 1984, Dr Troiano and his bride Vicky came to California. Settling in downtown Sacramento, he began a 35-year career with the State Department of Pesticide Regulation. To give their infant son Kyle playing space, they found a home near Ancil Hoffman Park. On land once farmed by pioneer Mary Deterding, Troiano e famiglia put down roots. Their hillside was clayish but the scientist dug in peat to improve the soil. He then planted 32 sapling grapes of three Mediterranean varieties. As his knowledge grew, he became a pillar of the Sacramento Winemakers Club and -- with several aficionado friends -- formed a home-based operation they called FatCat vintners. Through years of serious research, experiment and tasting, the group formulated serious wines. FatCat’s Bordeaux-style blends won State Fair gold medals and were the toast of regional wine clubs.

Troiano swears by oak-barrel aging. “We’ve used stainless steel kegs and glass carboys,” he explains. “We learned wine aged in wood tastes smoother.” As business grew, 20 oak barrels (some relics from French vineyards) rolled into his chilly cellar. Renamed Wreckless Blenders in 2007, owners include Troiano’s blender buddies Jim Brown, John “Rocket” Nichols, and Dave Ashuckian. Quirky label spelling is an in-joke originating from when FatCats pondered a name change.

Troiano asked his buddies: “How are we blending?”

“Recklessly,” Jim Brown joked.

“Okay,” decided Troiano, “we’ll call ourselves Reckless Blenders.”

“Only if it’s spelled with a W,” insisted Brown. “We might blend recklessly but we make no wrecks.”

Chateau Wreckless has a cozy following with its own wine club. “If everyone buys a case, we’re close to selling out every year,” says the founder. “Our members are knowledgeable, experimental and they seek a good wine at a good price.”  Troiano and Co sell mostly through their club but – as social animals – they love community. Their participation in Taste of Carmichael festivals has earned thanks from local Kiwanians and the quartet look forward to club tasting gatherings at the blendery. Despite the restrictions of COVID, the vintners kept the barrel rolling with curbside sales on Palm Drive. After 18 months, their recent in-person event tasting drew 25 visitors and brisk cellar sales.

“It felt exhilarating and fulfilling to be back in contact with our club members,” says Troiano. “We enjoyed catching up with what was happening in their lives – over a glass of wine.”

Learn about Wreckless Blenders at www.wrecklessblenders.com

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Free concerts continue this Saturday in Carmichael Park. The District’s eight week season continues a 48 -year tradition of summer performances. All concerts begin at 6:30 pm in the park sound shell. Dancing is encouraged.

Remaining performances are:

August 14 – Todd Morgan and the Emblems (rock).

August 21 – On Air (Chicago and Tower of Power covers).

August 28 – Great Wide Open (Tom Petty tribute).

Learn about Carmichael Park’s concert series at www.carmichaelpark.com

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - “Zip, Speed, Sport, Thrills.” These four words describe a sport which came roaring into the Sacramento area in the early 1900s bringing with it ready-made participants, audiences, and prominent men and women ready to become involved in its success in Sacramento and beyond.

The quote, printed in the Sacramento Bee on May 16, 1929 is from Frank J. Murray, the first exclusive Harley Davidson dealer in Sacramento.

The newly released book, “Sacramento Motorcycling: A Capital City Tradition,” written by Kimberly Reed Edwards, a native Sacramentan, is a page turner, full of local cities and addresses, sports venues, places of business, and residents from many walks of life who helped put Northern California on the map as one of the biggest motorcycle hubs in California.

As the author explains, this distinction was bound to happen. Sacramento had always been a racing town and its residents had a love affair with spectator sports.  Before this “motorized bike” arrived on the scene, bicycle races put on by the Capital City Wheelmen brought audiences for competitions at Agricultural Park at G and 22^nd, eventually moving to the new State Fairgrounds Riverside and Stockton. There, Sacramentans were roused by exciting motorcycle races more thrilling than ever seen here.

A love of the sport quickly developed that crossed ages, jobs, education, occupations, and social standing.

In 1913 two clubs merged to become the Capital City Motorcycle Club. The Capital City Wheelmen, formed in 1886, was the second oldest bicycle club in Northern California. But as their membership aged and became more social, their sights turned to the Sacramento Motorcycle Club, holding races as early as 1910. Members from both clubs realized that the Wheelmen had the political connections while the new club would provide new blood.

Two decades later, the Fort Sutter Motorcycle Club was formed primarily for Indian riders, but welcoming bikes of all makes and models.

Group rides travelled to destinations including Elk Grove, Folsom, Auburn, and Delta towns.  Hill climbs, races, and scrambles took place from Placerville to Stockton, Carmichael, Roseville and Orangevale and many others.

By December, 1919 Frank J. Murray had become Sacramento’s first exclusive Harley dealer at 508 J Street. A rider himself, he brought credibility to his new business along with his many contacts which included the police department and newspaper reporters.

Murray’s sister-in-law Irene Kaminsky was one of three sisters who started the women’s motorcycle club, the Sacramento Cyclettes. She and her husband Julius loaned money to the Cyclettes and the Capital City Motorcycle Club to build their respective clubhouses. At age 45, she learned to golf after attending a driving range clinic on Auburn Boulevard, now known as Haggin Oaks Golf Course. With practice and determination, she became a consistent golfer. In 1953, she was elected to the Sacramento Golf Council, where she served as treasurer. By some accounts, she was the first female council member. Elected as a charter member of the Sacramento Women’s Golf Club, she served as president for two years. She helped to organize tournaments and banquets for area golfers and became known as the “Mother of Junior Golf.” Edwards’ book has a myriad of photos of women riders, prim and proper when not competing.

Norris Rancourt, a well-known West Coast competitor who rode the famous Orrin-Hall built “Gadget” in the 1960s, later became Sacramento’s first Honda dealer and the 29^th in the United States, located on Fair Oaks Boulevard.  

One element of society that the motorcycle industry impacted a great deal was law enforcement.  In preparation for World War II, police officers trained for a possible invasion with steel helmets, gas masks and machine guns on their eighteen-inch wheeled Harleys.