Following up on our article A Little Change Can Make a Big Change, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley feels it is important for the community to know how the kid’s coin bank project is working. As readers may recall, the kids of the Las Piedras Clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley, in response to the inaccurate news that the Clubs may have been closing in late November, chose to take the matter into their own hands and started a coin bank to ‘help keep their Club open.” Fast forward now to last Friday, December 11th, when Mari Juarez, the site director at the Las Piedras Clubhouse, took the coins collected by the Club’s members to a local coin counting machine and discovered that in a short 10 days the kids had collected $78 in pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters! What a great success story for the members! They took matters into their own hands and gained the satisfaction that they were able to help keep “The Positive Place for Kids” open for their use.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, our National Affiliate, has a acronym B.U.I.C, its stands for Belongingness, Usefulness, Influence and Competence and Mari tells us that through this coin collection our kids feel that they Belong to the club and something special, they are feeling Useful because they are able contribute, they feel they are influential and can make a difference and they are empowered by the thought that they are competent because they have the ability to help! Taking their cue from this fine example, the other four Clubhouses in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley system, the Santa Paula Clubhouse (on Harvard Blvd.,) the Fillmore Clubhouse on First Street in Fillmore, the North Fillmore/Neil C. Schmidt Clubhouse in Fillmore and the Rancho Sespe Clubhouse at the Rancho Sespe Apartments between Fillmore and Piru, have adopted this project at each of their own sites. We encourage readers to look forward to another coin collection update from this and the other sites of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley. Individuals and businesses that are interested in starting their own coin collection for the Clubs are encouraged to contact the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley at 805-525-7910 to obtain a collection bucket for use are home or at work.

The Piru Cemetery, a special district with its operations located on Center Street in Piru, met December 17, 2009 with a full agenda of action and planning matters for the new year and beyond. This district won overwhelming voter support in November of 2008 to impose a $25 per parcel tax for a 20-year period. This tax, known as Measure M, will allow for the cemetery to plan and make needed improvements for nearly 200 new gravesites and place columbarium’s, or vaults, for cremated remains of departed loved ones.

The Piru Cemetery is nearly 100 years old and reaching its capacity. It is also in need of very much desired site improvements for maintaining this local institution. In addition to the expansion these funds are dedicated to site improvements, such as fence and driveway repairs, irrigation system upgrades and other operational systems to maintain this local cemetery of nearly 1,000 gravesites.

The Board of Trustees also elected new officers for 2010. This includes new President Andy Arias, Vice-President Cecilia Boschee and Secretary-Treasurer Richard Ramos. John Avila, who has served the district for nearly 50 years, will continue as a valued resource in many aspects of our cemetery operations.

In related action, the board presented a new set of By-Laws and their Strategic Plan for community review and comment. The board has held a series of workshops under the guidance and support from Supervisor Kathy Long’s office and the professional services from the County Executive’s Office. These two individuals, Martin Hernandez and Jeff Burgh, were incredible assets in providing important operational enhancements. These by-laws and plan will be adopted at the board’s January 21, 2010 meeting.

The programs for Rotary Sun Risers are: December 29: Mario De La Piedra Jr will talk about his recent "Semester at Sea" traveling around the world during a University led cruise. January presentations will focus on "Service Clubs: Who and What they are" Jan. 5th: Features a David Forman Video, "Historical Review of Rotary International". Jan 12th: Soroptimists. Jan. 19th: Scott Lee, Past President of Lions will do a presentation on Lions International; January 26th: Don Gunderson will lead a Club Assembly mid-year review.

Ventura, Ca: The Ventura Family YMCA will be hosting a FREE Open House for members of the community from January 4th to January 10th.

Unlimited Open House gift certificates are available at the YMCA, online and at multiple local businesses. The certificates will allow anyone in the community to have full access for the entire week to use the facility and participate in adult and youth classes including Tae Kwon Do, ballet, parent/child swim classes and more.

The week of Open House will also feature an array of activities and events. Along with facility usage and free classes, there will be complimentary programs and wellness seminars like “How to Help Avoid the Flu” with Dr. Kay Larson as well as free cholesterol screening and body composition testing. Children will be able to participate in a variety of arts and crafts during the week while their parents enjoy working out.

Open House will wrap up on Saturday, January 9th with a member appreciation barbeque which will include a free food, jolly jump, live performance by “The Calamity” a softball tournament between staff and members as well as other community building events.

Open House will reveal the newest additions to CONTINUED »

David Watson has been called to serve a two year mission to the Paraguay, Asunción Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and will report to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah on January 6, 2010. While in Paraguay, David will be teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to its inhabitants.

Paraguay is known as the “Heart” of South America, being located in the center of the continent. There are approximately 6.8 million people who live in the country with about 520,000 living in the city of Asunción. Asunción is one of the oldest cities in South America, being founded on September 16, 1541, and is the capital of Paraguay. The summer climate, from October till March, is hot and humid. With the amount of walking required of missionaries, physical and spiritual health is important to maintain continued success. The countryside is green and open. Oxen or horses pulling carts down rock covered roads are a daily sight. Alongside animal driven carts are luxury vehicles and large Mercedes Benz trucks laden with produce and/or other cargo.

The Asunción mission covers part of the city of Asunción and the southern part of Paraguay.

David was born in Burbank, California and moved to Piru, California in the CONTINUED »

Soroptimist International of Fillmore is pleased to announce its second annual Live Your Dream Art Contest. This year, Soroptimist invites boy and girl students, from ages 4 to 18, to draw a present-day woman who inspires them. She can be someone the student knows personally, or a prominent woman he or she admires. If chosen as a finalist, the student’s artwork will be students will be viewed by thousands on the Soroptimist Live Your Dream Campaign website at LiveYourDreamCampaign.org. In addition, the students will be eligible to win a cash prize for themselves and their schools.

The Soroptimist Live Your Dream Campaign and art contest underscore the many heroic and inspirational contributions of women. The contest is a fun and engaging way to get students to recognize the many contributions women around the world make every day.

The art work will be judged in the following categories:
* Category 1: Ages 4-6,
* Category 2: Ages 7-9,
* Category 3: Ages 10-12,
* Category 4: Ages 13-15
* Category 5: Ages 16-18.

Rules:
* Students must draw a present-day woman who inspires them. She can be CONTINUED »

Once again, the local Carnales Motorcycle Club- East County Chapter, delivered much Christmas Spirit to the community of Piru. For the 3rd year in a row, your Local M.C. delivered hundreds of unwrapped toys to benefit the children of Piru, Ca during its' Annual Piru Christmas Parade. Last week, a Toy Drive was established at El Pescador Restaurant. Various community members, friends, family, and Motorcycle Clubs donated toys to our Event. Amidst the nasty weather approaching that day, we were still fortunate to have a great time and party!!! Good music, great food, and TRUE Biker Brotherhood was displayed amongst all.

As we all know, Piru is a very small community, nestled in the Eastern portion of the County. Small in population yet, BIG in Family Values. A very close-knit, supportive, and loving community is only a fraction of what Piru is. Heck, even a major storm couldn't even "Rain on our Parade". The vendors, parade entrants, and good crowd showed up to support our Piru Armed Forces Veterans. That's the Piru I know. I am proud that my Club is part of this strong community. I am also proud of the many happy parents and children that were able to recieve a gift from Santa Claus that we provided. As always, we the Carnales Motorcycle Club are eager to support our surrounding communities.

Thank You to El Pescador Restaurant, DJ Ruben, toy donors, friends, family, and various Motorcycle Clubs.............God Bless, Bobby Castaneda- President, Carnales Motorcycle Club, East County Chapter-CFFC

When? Saturday, December 19th, in front of Fillmore Towne Theatre, from 11AM - to 1PM for FREE photos with Santa. Bring your own cameras. Courtesy of Fillmore Lions Club and Downtown Merchants. Santa will come up Sespe Ave to Central, right on Central, and get off the fire engine at the theater.

Winter is not over yet! We are perilously low on funds for the Winter Coat Drive. Warm coats for local kids! If you can help, please visit http://www.wintercoatdrive.com

I just received this email from CM1 Michael G. Robb regarding the “Adopt a Sailor Program” I participated in this year. I thought I should let you know there is still time to have one of our military man or woman currently away from home for Christmas and in need of a family to take them in for a home cooked Christmas dinner. It is also important to note that CM1 Robb has passed the reigns to another coordinator, CM1 Gregory Baez, who is listed in his email as the current contact for the program. “Thank you so much for making this years’ Thanksgiving dinner a memorable one for our students! Your kindness and generosity to our local Seabees and Airmen cannot be understated. Thanks to you, 78 of your service members were able to enjoy a nice, homestyle
Thanksgiving! Communities involved in this years’ event include Agoura Hills, Oxnard, Camarillo, Yorba Linda, Point Mugu, Fillmore, Port Hueneme, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Long Beach, & Sunland - a very large footprint indeed!

Now it is time for Christmas. A number of you who were unable to have students for Thanksgiving had expressed some interest in doing something similar for Christmas dinner. If you or anyone else that you know of are still interested in having some of our students over for Christmas dinner, please e-mail or call CM1 Baez at the following number: CM1 Baez 805-982-1190 (gregory.baez@navy.mil)

Our students are really appreciative of the opportunity to CONTINUED »

Since both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Friday this holiday season, Fillmore city resident customers of Santa Clara Valley Disposal will have their trash and recyclables collected on Dec. 26 and trash and green waste collected Jan. 2, one day later than usual both weeks.
The regular collection schedule will return on Friday, Jan. 8, 2010.
As a special holiday feature, residents may put out twice the amount of trash at no extra charge during the two weeks following Christmas. Please make sure the trash is in bags. We will also collect extra recyclables, but please make sure to flatten all boxes.
Also, Santa Clara Valley Disposal is making it easy for their customers to recycle their Christmas trees. All customers need to do is remove the ornaments, hooks, lights, tinsel, bows, nails and tree stand, then cut the tree into sections no more than 4 feet long and place in the yard waste barrel on their scheduled pickup day.
Please note, however: Flocked trees cannot be recycled. For more information, call 647-1414.

Phillip Cecelio Diaz, 23 years of Fillmore, California and Sarah Elizabeth Kelly, 23 years of San Jose, California had their “Tie the Knot” celebration on December 5, 2009 in Austin, Texas in the presence of their family and friends. The “Tie the Knot” celebration followed their marriage, at a private ceremony, in Virginia Beach, Virginia on September 2, 2009.
Phillip is a 2004 Fillmore High School graduate now serving in the United States Navy. Phillip is a Navy Petty Officer Second Class currently stationed at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Phillip and Sarah met while they both station aboard the USS McFaul (DDG-74). Phillip is an Information Technician Petty Officer Second Class (IT2) assigned to an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU). Phillip reenlisted in the Navy in October of this year for an additional three years of service and plans on making the Navy his career.
Sarah is a 2002 graduate of Oak Grove High School in San Jose, California. Sarah is also serving in the United States Navy and currently aboard the USS McFaul (DDG-74) berthed at the Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia. Sarah is a Navy Petty Officer Third Class and a Cryptologic Technician (Technical) (CTT3) aboard the USS McFaul.
Phillip is the son of Richard and Carolyn Diaz of Fillmore and CONTINUED »

Conway Spitler

What a great gathering for the Christmas Parade! Even better are the pictures taken by the Fillmore Gazette of the Christmas Parade! If you haven’t been online for the Fillmore Gazette you should take the time to view the “doings” in the City of Fillmore. It is a shame that more individuals don’t participate in these parades. The parades show off what is going on in the city, schools, and community.

How would you like to receive a water bill for over $25,000? That was in the mail to the Spitler household this past week. The bill was taken to the city and they exchanged it for $146.77! This was a little shocking to say the least.

Hope the New Year is good to you and yours!

The Fillmore Soroptimists are raising funds to bring a limestone Peace Pole to City Hall. The pole will say “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in seven languages, and will be dedicated in a ceremony on September 21, 2010.

The Fillmore High School “S” Club is organizing workshops to make 1000 or more origami (Japanese paper folding) cranes to incorporate into the dedication. These workshops will begin this month (see below) and continue until September 2010. For each workshop there will be a suggested donation of $1 per person. Donations go towards the purchase, shipment, and installment of the Peace Pole and toward the “S” Club.

In Japan, crane-making has become a historical tradition. After the bombing of Hiroshima in World War Two, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was built. Sadako Sasaki, a young girl diagnosed with leukemia after the bombing, was inspired to make cranes because as a Japanese saying goes: “to make 1000 cranes is to have a wish granted.” She passed away before she could finish, but her friends graciously completed them and buried them with her. In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was revealed at the park. At the foot of the statue is a plaque that reads, “This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world “A glass case was also installed at the park, where Japanese come from all over to pay respects and leave cranes in the case.

Our cranes will represent Fillmore's wish for Peace in our CONTINUED »

Reflecting the true reason for the season, Moon Valley Nurseries of the Piru-Fillmore area has come forth with two significant efforts to support the upcoming 32nd Annual Piru Christmas Parade & Festival as well as support the valley’s seasonal holiday dressings. This year’s celebration, organized primarily by the Piru Neighborhood Council, celebrates with the theme “Merry Christmas to Our Soldiers”. More than 60 current and former Piru residents have been identified by the committee for active or prior military service. They will be honored during the parade and festival and many of them will be on hand during the day. These brave Americans have served our country from the period of World War II to current conflicts.

In preparation for this salutation, Piru’s historic downtown will be graced with over a dozen potted Juniper trees to decorate the area’s business district, compliments of Moon Valley Nurseries. Local community and youth groups will decorate these trees, once placed on the town sidewalks, with colorful trimmings. This will truly light the way for the spirit and will be in place throughout the holiday season. These temporary ornamental trees will adorn Center Street in the downtown area between Main and Orchard Streets. This comes just in time for the annual parade, scheduled for noon on Saturday, December 12, 2009. The parade will be followed with a community festival and continuing with music until 10 pm.

The festival will feature music by DJ Chuck Castro, CONTINUED »

Volunteers and community organizations in Piru have been busy preparing the town and surroundings to show their support and honor those that have and continue to serve America in our Armed Forces. This year’s celebration is a tribute and recognition of our country’s men and women who so bravely serve our country with the theme “Merry Christmas to Our Soldiers”. This 32nd annual event is set for Saturday, December 12th in the heart of the historic downtown district, with the parade set to launch at noon and followed by a day-long celebration.

This celebration will literally cover bases from A-Z, or Army to Zavala, as the locals are set to celebrate the season and pay tribute to Piru residents, past and present, that have and continue to serve in various branches of our military. The volunteer committee, working in partnership with the event organizing local Piru Neighborhood Council, has been set on dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s to make this another successful and memorable celebration of the town and its contributions.

The parade begins at the west of Center Street CONTINUED »

On 11-08-09, I lost my cat in Laguna Piru. It has white paws, his body is grey with white. Please call me at 870-688-5831 for reward $25 if found! --- Janet Z.

en espanol: 11-08-09, Perdi mi cato en Laguna Piru ay regunpesa $25. eso es grey e blanco y patas blanco.
Por favor llamo 870-688-5831 --- Janet Z.