CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Clear skies blessed the 18^th tree lighting ceremony in Carmichael Park last week. With COVID regulations in force, the festival became a drive-through event.

As one of the final civic duties in her 16-year District 3 tenure, Supervisor Susan Peters performed tree-lighting honors. “It’s a different sort of Christmas this year, where we can’t all be together,” the retiring VIP acknowledged.  “I’ve had the honor of turning on these lights for many years. This year my Christmas wish is that everyone should stay healthy and happy.” With efficiency of long practice, Peters flipped the switch to ignite thousands of fairy lights on park trees. Absent was Santa Claus, group caroling, snow machines and cheering children.

For Christmas lovers, 2020 may be remembered as the Grinch year, with conferences on Santa’s knee nixed. Nevertheless, 200 kid-filled vehicles participated in the streamlined Carmichael Park District event.  Drivers maintained a sedate 3 mph crawl on the park road and volunteers passed giveaways – hot chocolate sachets were among treats -- through car windows.

“It wasn’t the celebration we traditionally plan,” said recreation supervisor Sharlene Lal. “We tried to come up with something to make the tree-lighting special. Next year we hope things will be back to normal -- with big crowds, live music and a chance for kids talk to Santa.”

Car crawl sponsors included: Carmichael Parks Foundation; Mission Oaks Recreation & Park District; Kiwanis Club of Carmichael; Carmichael Improvement District; Carmichael Food Closet.

Christmas illuminations may be viewed at the park frontage (Fair Oaks Boulevard) every night until the end of December.

*The Carmichael Park District invites the community to show its holiday spirit by decorating homes in time for the holidays! Contest categories include: Best Curb Appeal, Best Indoor and Best Overall.

Deadline to enter is Sunday, December 20. Email photo entries to slal@carmichaelpark.com

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Married 11 years, a Carmichael couple yearned for a baby. Svitlana and Dimitry Kovalev recently realized that dream – five times over.

Dimitry (46) is a welder who immigrated from Georgia 25 years ago. Ukraine-born Svitlana teaches at Wonder Land, a Christian school run by the American River Community Church.  The 37-year-old also directs ARCC’s ministry for children. “Ever since I was a baby sitter at 13, children always made me happy,” she says. “At work, I was around kids every day. It made no sense for Dimitry and I not to have our own child.” In 2016, the couple began a foster-to-adopt process with Sacramento County.

In four years, they gave their hearts to six separate children but adoption never eventuated. “We had our hearts broken over and over,” explains the foster mom. “Each time, we believed the child would be ours forever -- but a relative would come forward to take responsibility – or a parent was given another chance. We were devasted; we’d loved each child so much. Each time, it felt like our own baby was being taken from us. We had to accept it was not what God wanted for us.”

In October 2018, still aspiring to be a mom, Svitlana again called Sacramento County. A social worker explained that no single child was available, but five siblings needed a home.  “I said: my gosh, let me talk to my husband,” says Svitlana.  “We wondered if five kids would fit in our small house.” Aged from four months to seven years, the children had been found in the vehicle of homeless, drug-user parents. They were temporarily separated into two foster homes, pending placement as a family. After social workers decided the Kovalev’s three-bedroom home was adequate, Dimitry and Svitlana met the siblings. “They were beautiful and friendly,” says Dimitry. “But we could see they needed security and love. That day, we said yes to them. We were instantly a family.”

Recalls Svitlana: “We weren’t sure what the children would call us. But as we drove them home, the oldest (Arianna) said: ‘I’m hungry, Mommy.’ I had goosebumps. That magic word told me she already trusted me to care for her. It was beautiful to my ears.” The children’s previous life has nevertheless left insecurities.  “When Arianna and Kevin ate, they immediately needed to know what their next meal would be,” explains their mom. “Food was a big concern. It took time for them to understand they’d always be fed. When I first left them at school, they were terrified I wouldn’t come back for them.”

The older kids were also behind-norm in hygiene and social habits. While the youngest siblings seem mercifully unscarred by memories, therapy is helping the eldest two. “We’ve had a lot to catch up in the last two years,” explains Svitlana. “We try to fill their brains with positive things. After we took them to Oregon to meet my relatives, Arianna came home boasting about the size of her new family. She couldn’t believe she had so many cousins who loved her.”

The children’s kindergarten and elementary tuition is sponsored by their church, where parishioners are always available to babysit. When family provisions ran low during the pandemic, the congregation volunteered supplies. The Kovalevs are on the lookout for a bigger abode (a second bathroom is high on mom’s wish-list) but for now, their kids have learned to help with home chores. They are all natural athletes and two of the sisters are learning the piano. After two years with bi-lingual parents, even toddlers Pollianna (2) and Anastasia (3) chatter in English and Russian. “They’re smart and they learn fast,” says their father. “We believe having two languages will help them when they’re older.”

With final adoption court processes complete, the greatly-enlarged Kovalev brood became an official family this fall. “God and the prayers of the American River Community Church were always with us,” attests Svitlana. “So we never lost faith; we never gave up.  We thought of the children as ours from the day we brought them home. But for two years, we’ve lived with the worry that they might be taken from us. At last, we can make plans for their futures. We can consider vacations, travel and college educations. When they grow up, if they want to meet their biological parents, we’ll help them. But for now, we can relax and just be a family.”

Retired ARCC Pastor Rich Reimer last Sunday officiated at a COVID-size gathering to bless the children’s adoption, and dedicate their lives to Jesus. “We’re so grateful,” says Svitlana. “Dimitri and I needed a family. These children needed a home. We know it was God’s plan for us all to have what we needed.”

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG)  – At the end of a year that has been dark for many communities across the country, United Way California Capital Region is asking residents across the region to join its Shine Your Light holiday campaign, which includes opportunities for community giving and safe volunteering during the holiday season. Visit YourLocalUnitedWay.org/Holiday-Giving.

“This is a year no one will forget – a year filled with deep pain, division and hardship,” said Stephanie Bray, president and CEO, United Way California Capital Region. “Children are being asked to attend school virtually and help younger siblings. Parents have lost jobs that support their family’s needs. Neighbors are struggling to stay afloat while small businesses close around them. During this dark year as we enter the holidays, we are asking residents across the greater Sacramento area to join our Shine Your Light campaign by contributing to our nonprofit partners’ gift drives, volunteering and making financial donations.”

For the Shine Your Light campaign, United Way has gathered the needs of nearly 50 local nonprofits across the region on its website, including which need clothing, blankets, shelf-stable food, hygiene items, winter items, holiday gifts, gift cards and volunteers this holiday season. Shine Your Light participants also can make a financial donation to United Way California Capital Region to help lift up neighbors who are struggling, including children, foster youth, students impacted by COVID-19 and families trying to make ends meet. As part of the campaign, United Way’s Women United action group that supports local foster youth is matching new donations to the group until they reach $35,000, giving donors the opportunity to double their gift.

“In these difficult times, your gift can be a much-needed light in someone’s life during the holidays and in the months to come,” Bray said.

For nearly 100 years, United Way California Capital Region has brought local people together to make community change happen. Today, the nonprofit is bringing people together across Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, Placer and Yolo counties for its Square One Project, a 20-year promise to significantly increase the number of students in our region who graduate from high school ready for success in college and beyond. United Way believes ending poverty starts in school and is working to ensure kids meet important milestones and their families receive support and resources. To learn more and make a donation, visit YourLocalUnitedWay.org.

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) – Sacramento Self-Help Housing’s free Renters Helpline continues to experience a significant uptick in calls, and remains open and staffed with experts available to help with potential renter discrimination, tenant/landlord disputes, education on new laws about rent increase and “just cause” evictions, and temporary moratoriums due to COVID-19.

On average, the helpline typically receives just over 700 calls per month. However, from March through October during the COVID-19 pandemic began, calls to the Renters Helpline have increased and averaged 775 per month (March through October 2020). The top three reasons callers reach out to the Renters Helpline do so for help with the following: 1) end of the tenancy and evictions 2) rent increases, and 3) property maintenance.

During this challenging time, the Renters Helpline is an especially important resource for tenants as it provides an education in tenant/landlord issues and questions, which is critical due to AB 3088, the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020. While the new law is designed to protect tenants from evictions if they have COVID-19 related economic impacts and cannot pay rent, it is complex and can be difficult for individuals to understand. The Renters Helpline can help residential tenants understand the intricacies and ensure they are complying with the law to avoid unnecessarily evictions. For instance, if AB 3088 is not extended, many tenants will be facing evictions as of February 1, 2021 if they did not return the Declaration of COVID-19 Related Financial Distress to the landlord or failed to pay 25 percent of the rent from September 1, 2020 through January 31, 2021.

Originally launched in 2016, the helpline is made possible through a collaboration with Project Sentinel, and Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC). The free service provides tenant education on their rights, and dispute resolution services for residents in unincorporated Sacramento County, and the cities of Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights and Folsom. Experienced Tenant Advisors deal directly with concerns regarding landlord/tenant disputes and help to refer fair housing issues to the appropriate agency.

The Renters Helpline is one of a variety of programs offered by Sacramento Self-Help Housing, a non-profit 501(c)3 agency celebrating 20 years of service that is dedicated to assisting those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to find and retain stable and affordable housing. To help solve the ever-increasing number of homeless men, women and families in Sacramento County, Sacramento Self-Help Housing continues to accept donations to assist with the transition of their clients from the street and onto a path of sustainable independent permanent housing.

The Renters Helpline is available at 916-389-7877 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the Renters Helpline, please visit www.rentershelpline.org; for general information about the organization or other programs offered by Sacramento Self-Help Housing, please call 916-341-0593 or visit www.sacselfhelp.org.

New This Year: Anglers Can Choose to Auto-Renew Sport Fishing Licenses

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - California anglers can now purchase 2021 fishing licenses and related items directly through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) website or authorized license agents. (Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, license sales counters at CDFW offices remain temporarily closed to the public.)

The cost of a 2021 annual resident fishing license has been set at $52.66, while a one-day license will cost $17.02.

For the first time, anglers have the option to sign up for auto-renewal of their annual sport fishing licenses, report cards and validations.

“More than a million anglers purchase annual licenses to fish California waters and for many of them, this will be a welcome feature,” said Josh Morgan, chief of CDFW’s License and Revenue Branch. “Signing up for auto-renewal helps ensure that you won’t end up on the water with an expired license.”

Anglers must enroll in the auto-renewal program through CDFW’s online sales website. License agents cannot enroll customers in the auto-renewal program, but customers who make purchases in person from license agents can go online later and enroll themselves.

Not all CDFW products for sale are eligible for auto-renewal at this time, although the feature will be expanded to other items in the future. For more information and a complete list of items available for auto-renewal, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions about auto-renewal on CDFW’s website.

To unsubscribe or update your subscription, see links at the bottom of this message.

Persons with disabilities needing reasonable accommodation to participate in public meetings or other CDFW activities are invited to contact CDFW's Accessibility Coordinator at (916) 651-1214, the EEO Office at (916) 653-9089, or send an email to  EEO@wildlife.ca.gov. Reasonable Accommodation requests for facility and/or meeting accessibility should be received at least 21 days prior to the event. Requests for American Sign Language Interpreters should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event, and requests for Real-Time Captioning at least four weeks prior to the event. These timeframes are to help ensure that the requested accommodation is met. If a request for an accommodation has been submitted but due to circumstances is no longer needed, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator immediately.