Pastor Will Pass the Torch
Rich Reimer to Retire after 24 Years
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG)
Q: When is it okay for a father to marry his daughter?
A: When her dad is an ordained minister. One such young lady happened to be Pastor Rich Reimer’s eldest daughter Adele. Before her 2005 wedding, Reimer baptized husband-to-be Todd Plain. “My daughter said I could hold his head under the water for a while longer if I wanted,” grins the pastor. “I’ve baptized five members of my family. Bringing salvation to your children is your greatest joy. It’s something a pastor prays for.”
His extended family – the American River Community Church congregation – will next month farewell its popular pastor after almost a quarter-century of service. The 65-year-old last year elected to retire from one of Carmichael’s oldest places of worship. Previously called the First Baptist Church of Carmichael, ARCC’s 1948 congregation took root on its Walnut and North Avenue corner. Reimer is its longest-serving minister. He and wife Cindy – the quintessentially involved pastor’s wife – live walking-distance from the church and have guided three children and seven grandchildren to its pews. A yen to see more of these kids is one retirement motivation. “I also feel I’ve done what I needed to do here,” Reimer considers. “Leading a non-profit in today’s culture is challenging and I’ve done it for 24 years. It’s time now for the church to have new energy.”
He has ministered to a changing congregation. Sixty people attended the mission-style church in 1996. For a time, parishioners swelled to 200. The faithful now number 100. “You win some, you lose some,” explains Cindy Reimer. “This church is like an oasis. We’ve always accepted that people come, and they sometimes leave when their spiritual needs have been met.” A big gain comes from growing local diversity: Eastern Europeans, Hispanics and African Americans worship in Carmichael. The ARCC children’s ministry director is a Ukrainian mother of five new Sunday schoolers. “A church should reflect the ethnic elements its community,” approves Cindy Reimer. “We’ll always be an oasis for anyone who seeks us.”
The campus has also moved with the times. A community garden – open to all agrarians – has provided food for local tables and food closets. The Carmichael Homeless Assistance Resource Team leases space for a women’s transitional program. “Winter Sanctuary” involvement offers food and accommodation for the homeless in cold months. Sunday worship blends traditional hymns and modern Christian music.
The Department of Motor Vehicle’s looming presence next door has also impacted campus life. “Drivers often use our parking lot for parking practice,” observes the pastor. “So long as nobody hits my car. I don’t object. We’ve even had people ask if they could pray here before their driving test. Some feel they need God’s help to pass the exam. We’ve never turned them away.”
Teaching Sunday school, leading a women’s ministry and church youth groups, the pastor’s wife has been a huge part of Reimer’s 24-year tenure. “I chose to be a traditional pastor’s wife,” says Cindy Reimer. “I’ve done everything here, except play the piano. Rich has all the musical talent. But I know God has another season for me: it will be with my husband and our family. That’s my mission – and my heart.” Retirement plans include seeing the California coast from a travel trailer. Carmichael will remain the couple’s home but Reimer will stay tactfully away from the American River Community Church unless invited – to the pews only – by its new pastor.
“We’ll still seek to serve the Lord, wherever we worship,” attests the retiring minister. “This church has been good to us and we’ll miss the congregation deeply. We feel we’ve served them well. One of our foundation members told me I couldn’t retire until I’d done his funeral. Well, he died two years ago, aged 98.
“I did his funeral. I didn’t let him down.”
The American River Community Church is located at 3300 Walnut Avenue, Carmichael. Anyone may attend services.
Effie Yeaw Appoints New CEO
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - The Effie Yeaw Nature Center has begun a new year with a new executive officer. Kent Anderson (39) will lead staff and volunteers at the beloved Ancil Hoffman Park facility.
Anderson comes to Carmichael from a similar job on the Putah Creek Council – an organization with stewardship of more than 70 miles of waterways in several Northern California counties. The Roseville-raised executive earned his Natural Resource Management degree at Chico State University.
“My association with Effie Yeaw began as a child,” he recalls. “I came here for a program on bugs. I remember how the presenter really got the audience participating. At end of the talk, the lights came on. We suddenly saw hundreds of nocturnal insects that had been attracted to the screen. The naturalist identified the bugs and carefully passed some of them around. For a kid, being able to touch and feel the creatures was the big takeaway. This is typical of how we like to educate at Effie Yeaw. It’s all about the people who’ve come to learn. We’d rather be guides on the side than sages on stage.” The naturalist likens Effie Yeaw’s 17 staff and 235 volunteers to a big family. “People here make you feel welcome,” he says. “It’s obvious they love the work they do. They’re amazing as individuals and as a team.”
More than 100-thousand visitors per year attend Nature Center programs and explore trails that traverse its preserve. Though the non-profit lost public funding nine years ago, operations continue thanks to community support, under the American River Natural History Association’s administration.
The new executive looks forward to 2020 fundraisers: two Bird and Breakfast programs are scheduled for March 28 and April 4; the annual spring gala and art auction will raise paddles on June 13; the fall NatureFest open day (October 11) will enable much animal and human interaction.
Upcoming center improvements include the construction of a new education area and outdoor aviaries. “It’s an exciting time for people to reengage with Effie Yeaw,” considers Anderson. “And it’s an exciting time for me to join the team.”
Lean more about the Effie Yeaw nature Center at www.sacnaturecenter.net.
The 5th Annual Wildlife Care Association Fall Photo Contest Winner!
SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - As the non-profit provider of rehab, recovery and release of injured, orphaned and displaced birds and small animals, Wildlife Care Association (WCA) challenged the community to send their best bird photos and you did! Congratulations to all our photo entry participants!
Our 2019 honors go to Chamong Xiong of Fresno, CA for his rare and unique photo of a Leucistic Black Phoebe. A hardy native bird normally colored black, this genetic anomaly is a rare sight making this picture a unique view very few would ever see.
A rare sight for bird watchers, this Black Phoebe exhibits a rare, genetic trait, similar to albinism, changing the bird’s color to a light yellow/white. This type of anomaly often makes the bird more vulnerable to predators and very rare.
Xiong captured this excellent picture at the Merced Wildlife Refuge featuring a crisp crystal-clear image and a depth of field providing a deeper almost natural view.
Prizes included a wildlife library with a table top copy of “Birds of North America” by Noel Groves, “Encyclopedia of Birds” by Per Christiansen, David Attenborough’s “The Life of Birds” and a copy of “Getting Your Shots” by National Geographic, a WCA T-shirt, a glass owl cup and a personal tour of the WCA Rehabilitation facility at McClellan Park. And…of course our appreciation for his caring for nature and supporting volunteers giving wildlife a second chance to live at Wildlife Care Association!
The Wildlife Care Association Fall Photo Contest took place from Oct thru Dec 31 with entries submitted on the WCA Facebook page. See all the photos entered on the 2019 Fall Photo Contest Album page.
For more information or for help with injured, orphan or wildlife displaced by human activity call the non-profit Wildlife Care Association of Sacramento at 916-965-WILD.
FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) - On January 24, 2020 at approximately 10:36 pm, The California Highway Patrol (CHP) received a call of a vehicle vs. pedestrian collision on Fair Oaks Blvd westbound, east of New York Ave. CHP officers responded to the collision scene and learned that a 27-year old male out of Sacramento, who had been laying in the right lane of westbound Fair Oaks Blvd had been struck by vehicle that was traveling in the right lane. Sacramento Metro Fire personnel had arrived on scene and pronounced the male deceased. The vehicle, later described as a dark colored sedan, was estimated to be traveling in the right lane at 35-40 mph, before it struck the male who was lying in the lane and continued west on Fair Oaks Blvd. without stopping. Based upon multiple witness statements, the male had been asked to leave the nearby Players bar for acting extremely intoxicated. Responding officers checked the area for the suspect vehicle but it was not found. Officers are checking the local traffic cameras and will be checking local businesses for any possible footage to help with the investigation. The westbound lanes of Fair Oaks Blvd were closed to investigate the collision and scene processing. Witnesses remained on scene and the cause of the collision is under investigation.
Any persons who may have witnessed this collision or who can provide any additional information regarding this collision should call Officer Greg Zumstein or Officer A.J. McTaggart at the North Sacramento Area CHP office at (916) 348-2300 by cell phone at (916) 798-0975.
A Singing Valentine Coming Your Way!
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Valentine's Day is almost here! You can give that special someone an unforgettable gift! Candy, cards and flowers are nice, but adding a Singing Valentine will create a lasting memory! Quartets from the award-winning Sacramento Valley Chorus will deliver Singing Valentines 9 am - 5 pm, on Friday, February 14. Your sweetheart, family member or good friend will be surprised and thrilled when a quartet delivers two songs, a rose, candy and a beautiful card to him or her. The package is only $40, and can be delivered to the home or business of your choice in the greater Sacramento area, including Placer, El Dorado, Yolo and Nevada County. Singing Valentines are popular, so call early to ensure availability. Call 916-761-2998, to arrange for delivery.
The award winning Sacramento Valley Chorus, under the direction of Master Director, Dede Nibler, has approximately 80 members.
Ladies from the community are invited to attend rehearsals any Wednesday night at 6:30 pm.
For more information, visit SacramentoValleyChorus.com.
AMERICAN PICKERS to Film in California
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz, and their team are excited to return to California! They plan to film episodes of the hit series American Pickers throughout your area in March 2020.
AMERICAN PICKERS is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique “picking” on History. The hit show follows Mike and Frank, two of the most skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for America’s most valuable antiques. They are always excited to find sizeable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories behind them.
As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, Mike and Frank are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, the Pickers want to meet characters with remarkable and exceptional items. The pair hopes to give historically significant objects a new lease on life, while learning a thing or two about America’s past along the way.
Mike and Frank have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something they’ve never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them. AMERICAN PICKERS is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the Pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send us your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855-OLD-RUST.
CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - On January 14, 2020 at approximately 8:34 pm, The California Highway Patrol (CHP) received a call of a two-vehicle traffic collision on Auburn Blvd, north of Kohler Rd.
CHP officers responded to the collision scene and learned that a 20-year old man out of Sacramento had been driving his 2009 Infiniti coupe in the parking lot of the Dutch Bros on Auburn Blvd. Per witness statements, the driver of the Infiniti exited the parking lot, without slowing, and entered onto Auburn Blvd. southbound directly into the path of a 2015 GMC Yukon that was traveling south on Auburn Blvd, south of Hemlock St. The driver of the Yukon, a 26-year-old man out of Sacramento, attempted to avoid the Infiniti as it entered the roadway in front of the Yukon but was unable to avoid colliding with the Infiniti. After the collision, the Infiniti came to rest on the lawn on east side of Auburn Blvd and the Yukon came to rest in the right lane of Auburn Blvd. northbound. Sacramento Metro Fire personnel responded to the scene and the driver of the Infiniti was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:58 pm. Witnesses remained on scene and the cause of the collision is under investigation.
It is not known if drugs or alcohol were a factor in this collision however no arrests were made on scene.
Any persons who may have witnessed this collision or who can provide any additional information regarding this collision should call Officer Greg Zumstein or Officer AJ McTaggart at the North Sacramento Area CHP office at (916) 348-2300 by cell phone at (916) 798-0975.