Monday class - 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM - ages 12 and up. Wednesday class – 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM – ages 9 – 11. Thursday classes – 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM – ages 3 – 5 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM - ages 6 – 8 .
Cost: $30.00 per month or $10.00 per class
Dress Code: Leotard and tights (if possible) or dance apparel.
Hair pulled back out of face in a bun or ponytail. Pink or black ballet shoes.
Location: Fillmore Senior Center 533 Santa Clara Street, Fillmore.
For more information, please call the Recreation Department at City Hall.
At 524-1500 X216 or contact the instructor Kerri Krizer (805)906-9576.
elementdanceco@yahoo.com

Fillmore Fire Department

The Annual Toy Drive Sponsored by City of Fillmore Fire Department & the Ventura County Sheriffs Department North Fillmore Storefront Station is underway. Unwrapped toy donations are currently being accepted at Fillmore Fire Station 91 located at 711 Sespe Place, Fillmore. All donors will receive a ticket for each toy donated, good for one BBQ Chicken Dinner. The BBQ will take place on Sunday December 14th, 2009 from 5:00PM – 7:00PM. Dinner will be served at our Fire Station or you may take advantage of our drive thru service.
In addition to our annual BBQ chicken dinner, Fillmore Fire has teamed up with Dr. Michelangelo Rubino of Healing Solutions Chiropractic & Wellness Center of Fillmore. Dr. Rubino is now offering new patients a FREE chiropractic adjustment when you bring a toy to his office valued at $20.00 or more! Please visit Dr. Rubino at his office located at 751 Ventura Street Suite D in Fillmore.
Toys will be distributed to Fillmore children on Tuesday December 23th 3:00PM at the North Fillmore Sheriffs Department Storefront Station located on Lemon Way in Fillmore. For children, a new toy during the holidays symbolizes continual hope and the potential for a wonderful new year. Many of us don’t realize how hundreds of families in Fillmore struggle each week to put food on the table and pay rent, leaving many families without money for day to day activities. Many of these families are left disappointed when they are unable to provide their children with a new toy during the holidays.
Toy Drop-off Locations: Fillmore Fire Department 711 Sespe Place Fillmore, CA 93015
805-524-0586. Healing Solutions Chiropractic & Wellness Center Dr. Michelangelo Rubino 751 Ventura Street Fillmore, CA 93015 805-524-2044. El Pescador Family Restaurant 1305 Ventura Street Fillmore, CA 93015 805-524-9999.

The Fillmore Lions Club has announced that this year's Student Speaker Contest will be held on Monday February 2, 2009. The topic will be "Water-Will California be Left High and Dry?". The topic is very timely and important to Fillmore High School students, their friends and family.This is a very appropriate topic in light of California's drought , California's growing population and need for water; and California's disputes with bordering states over a very limited natural resource.

Chair Bill Edmonds states that the total prize money going to the overall winner will be $21,250 in college scholarships and cash. The local Fillmore winner will get $50 with the runner-ups receiving $25. The winner will go on to compete with the winners of other near-bye communities . All High School age youth who live within the Fillmore Unified School District boundaries are eligible to compete. This include home taught students as well as Fillmore residents who attend other high schools as well. This also includes foreign exchange students.

Students who wish to enter may contact Bill Edmonds (524-4839) or Josh Overton -the FHS drama teacher. Edmonds emphasized that this public speaking experience will be very worthwhile to the students and interesting to their parents and the community. Public speaking competition will also look very good on college applications and resumes. Students should get started early because it takes time to develop and practice a good speech.

On December 13th 2008, the Ventura Family YMCA will host its third annual Breakfast with Santa from 8 – 10 a.m. Admission to the event is FREE to community residents with a donation of an unwrapped gift which will be given to the Kids and Families Together Organization in Ventura. Kids & Families Together is a not-for-profit support, education and counseling resource center that provides services for individuals and families in foster care, kinship care and adoption.

The YMCA Breakfast with Santa provides children and their parents the opportunity to enjoy a pancake breakfast and meet with Santa who will be available to listen to all of the children’s Christmas wishes and take pictures. Children will also have the opportunity to create an ornament for the holidays which is always a big hit!

Each December the Ventura Family YMCA chooses a local not-for-profit to partner with. Past partners include Casa Pacifica, Kids to Kids and the VCMC Children’s Oncology Unit. All of the donations collected this year will be distributed between children and teens that are in current foster care homes in Ventura County through the Kids and Families Together Organization.

Kids and Families Together offers supportive resource where individuals, families, and community members can meet and share information and concerns. They also support the preservation of mental, physical and emotional health of the children and teens that are involved in foster care. The organization is hoping to shed light on an often forgotten demographic during the holiday season, teens. Teenagers usually get overlooked during toy drives, so they are asking for gift cards, bedding, and hygiene products like shampoo, conditioner and soap which is greatly needed. Unwrapped toys are also being accepted for the young children entered into the foster care program.

For more information about attending Breakfast with Santa please call Jennifer Rivard at 642-2131 ext. 25 or email Jennifer.Rivard@ciymca.org.

The Ventura Family YMCA serves over 20,000 individuals annually through facility memberships, before & after school childcare, day & resident camps, youth sports, swim lessons, teen programs, and many more healthy lifestyles and community enriching programs throughout Ventura, Oxnard, Ojai, Santa Paula, and Saticoy. The Ventura Family YMCA is located at 3760 Telegraph Rd., Ventura, CA 93003. Visit www.venturaymca.org for more information.

There will be a “temporary road closure” of Central Avenue on Saturday, December 6, 2008 from approximately noon until 3:00 PM for the 2008 Fillmore Lions Club Christmas Parade. Staging and Check-in for the Parade will be in front of the Memorial Building. The Parade starts at 1:00 PM at the intersection of Second Street and Central Avenue. The “temporary road closure” will be removed as soon as the Parade participants have completed their trek down Central Avenue to Santa Clara Street.

The “temporary road closure” will begin at Third Street and Central Avenue and continue south on Central Avenue to Santa Clara Street. All east and westbound cross traffic on Central Avenue between Third Street and Santa Clara Street will be affected. Barricades will be in place to prevent thru and cross traffic on Central Avenue. With the exception of emergency vehicles, no other vehicles will be permitted to park or travel on Central Avenue while the Parade is in progress.

The 2008 Fillmore Lions Club Christmas Parade is an annual family event and it is still not too late to enter the Parade as a participant. Churches, Community Service Clubs, all youth activities, businesses and just plain folks are encouraged to be in the Parade as a participant. Please make your entry a Christmas Holiday related entry, but have fun getting your theme assembled.

For more information contact Dick Diaz at 524-5315, or 279-3599, or by email at dickdiaz@roadrunner.com. There is no charge to participate in the Parade.

Natalie Graham
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Ventura County Ballet Company presents an international cast from Russia, Albania, and Kazakhstan, plus 90 dancers from Camarillo, Fillmore, Ojai, Santa Paula, Somis, and Ventura.

A student at Ballet Academy Ventura since the age of 4½, Fillmore resident Natalie Graham will dance the role of Clara in the Ventura County Ballet Company’s production of “The Nutcracker,” November 22-23 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.
“I have wanted to dance Clara for eight years, and I am thrilled and honored to play Clara and to have the opportunity to interact on stage with my father and sister who also have supporting roles,” Natalie says. “This is a dream come true for me.”
"Natalie has grown from a toddler in my pre-ballet classes to a lovely young lady and I couldn't be happier with her role as Clara,” says Kathleen Noblin, founder and executive director of the Ventura County Ballet Company. “Choreographed by Marina Fliagina, associate artistic director of the VCBC and graduate of Perm Ballet School in Moscow, Nutcracker 2008 promises to be our most outstanding yet!"
Ninety Ballet Academy Ventura company dancers from Camarillo, Ojai, Santa Paula, Somis, and Ventura also will appear on stage.
An Authentic Nutcracker – Principle Professionals have experience.
Having danced the Nutcracker in Russia as children and young ballet stars, principal dancers include Sergei Domrachev of Russia, returning for his seventh season as The Nutcracker; and Enton Hoxha from Albania in his third year as Drosselmeyer, grandfather to Clara. In her third season with Ventura County Ballet Company, Victoria Luchkina from Kazakhstan will dance Dream Clara; and Spencer Gavin of California, who is on his second term will dance the Prince.
Performances: What:Ventura County Ballet Company presents The Nutcracker. When: 2pm and 7pm, November 22, 2008 and 2 pm, November 23, 2008. Where: Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard CA. Tickets: Adults: $23, $15, $9; $10 children 10 and under; $15 seniors 65 and over. Group rates available upon request
Information: (805) 653-2800 or www.balletacademyventura.com.
About the Ventura County Ballet Company
Kathleen Noblin founded Ballet Ventura in 1992 and has served as executive director of the company since its inception. Ballet Academy Ventura is the official in-residence school of the Ventura County Ballet Company. Students are taught creative movement as early as 2 to 3 ½ years old and pre-ballet to the age of six, through adult courses. Classes offered include beginning ballet through pre-professional levels, modern dance, flamenco, and jazz. Information: 805-653-2800 or www.balletacademyventura.com.

Conway Spitler

It is great to be able to drive from River Street to Central Avenue! However, you really have a change in tactics! First you stop a Central Avenue and make a right turn on to Central Avenue. As you make the turn there is maintenance vehicle there tearing up the newly paved Central Avenue.
After the right turn you come to the automatic signal. You can tell Cal Trans has been there because the wait has doubled in time to cross the highway. Then you come to the pavement which dips down with a number of bumps, then a stop sign. A short distance another stop sign (which is rumored) to be a four-way stop coming soon greets you, this after you cross the railway tracks which jars the vehicle. If you still go north, you come to "rough" concaves on Central Avenue--the brick crosswalk is not "level" with the pavement, so you have another jolt! Then you can rest after that last jolt. Let us hope that Central Avenue will be the "busy" time that used to be in a short period of time!

The used book room and gift shop at the Rancho Camulos Museum will be open Saturday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for pre-Christmas purchases. A wide selection of gently used books and gift items are available from packing house labels, tote bags, t-shirts and ranch history books to children’s books. A special area for the kids will keep them happy while you browse.
For an early start on your Christmas shopping, make a trip to the museum located 2 miles east of Piru on Highway 126. Proceeds from the book sale will go to the restoration of the courtyard fountain.

The California State Old Time Fiddlers Association, District 8, will meet Sunday, November 23, at 1:30p.m., Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View. Admission is free. All ages are encourage to join the Fiddlers for an afternoon of family oriented fun, old time music, and dancing. Refreshments available. For more information call 517-1131.

In observance of Thanksgiving Day, the employees of Santa Clara Valley Disposal are taking the day off on Thursday, Nov. 27. As a result, Fillmore city residential customers will have their trash and green waste collected a day later than usual, on Saturday, Nov. 29
The regular Friday schedule will resume the following week.
For more information, call 647-1414.

Alberto Cantero Jr., Fillmore Middle School student.
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Alberto Cantero Jr. has been nominated by Rhonda Reyes-Deutsch, of Fillmore Middle School to attend a People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington D.C.. Congratulations! The Forum helps prepare the most promising young people for the opportunities and responsibilities ahead. Alberto was nominated as an outstanding student with high academic standing and promising leadership potential. He will join other highly motivated and accomplished middle school scholars from around the globe.

The costs of tuition are substantial and we are looking to community for support. By making a contribution, you will be helping Alberto gain an advantage in school, career and in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Union Bank of California has offered Alberto a free account and your tax-deductible donations can be made directly payable to:
Alberto Cantero, Jr.
357 Market Street
Fillmore, CA 93015

For questions or direct contributions please contact Rebecca Cantero at (805) 524-2407. Contributions should be received prior to Feb. 6th, 2009. Thank you so much for your support.

Ventura, California - On Sept. 8, Community Memorial Hospital welcomed Drs. Hillel Janai and Alison Shuman on staff as pediatric hospitalists, jointly providing 24-hour consultation services. They are available for Emergency Room and pediatric inpatient consultation and coverage. They will also be responsible for all Centers for Family Health unassigned, family practice and pediatric designated admissions, as well as providing the CMH newborn rounds in the nursery.

“It’s a new service that we have been considering for a number of years,” said Adam Thunell, chief operating officer for CMHS. “It enhances pediatric coverage and quality of care in a hospital setting for our pediatric population.”

Dr. Janai, board certified in general pediatrics, has also trained in pediatric infectious diseases and pediatric pulmonary disease. His office is located at the Center for Family Health on Ashwood Avenue in Ventura, and he can be reached at 805/643-1871. Dr. Shuman, board certified in general pediatrics, has also trained in pediatric critical care. Her office is located at the Center for Family Health on Saviers Road in Oxnard, and she can be reached at 805/487- 5585.

Santa Paula, CA (November 11, 2008) Each year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation provides grants to national organizations whose local affiliates are working directly with families in their communities. These National co-sponsoring organizations, in turn, make awards to exemplary local programs with their networks whose work improves the odds for the most vulnerable children by giving them what they need most—strong, capable and economically successful families. The honorees embrace a simple but powerful principle: Children do well when their families do well, and families do better when they live in supportive communities.

The Santa Clara Valley Neighborhood for Learning (SCV NfL) in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley were selected for the 2008 Boys and Girls Clubs of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award. The amount of the award is $10,000 to continue with some of the SCV NfL’s family strengthening strategies.

One such strategy is the Motheread/Fatheread Program, which is a nationally recognized, award winning, family literacy program that builds parenting, critical thinking and literacy skills, improves family communication, and promotes reading and story sharing in the home. Multicultural children’s books are utilized to promote reading and discussion while encouraging parents to use their imaginations to connect universal themes, values, and ideas to their own lives and families. The importance of reading as a family cannot be understated as it helps build family ties, allows parents to serve as role models, and enable children to become better readers and learners.

The Santa Clara Valley Neighborhood for Learning is funded through First 5 Ventura County with the goal of helping families prepare young children for school by offering a multi-faceted, integrated system of service delivery. For more information about the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley or the Santa Clara Valley Neighborhood for Learning, and the other services available, please contact us at 525-7910.

John Garcia was given a surprise birthday party to celebrate his 93rd birthday, Saturday, November 8th, at El Pescador. He was pleasantly surprised to see his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and in-laws; 45 family members total in attendance. One grandchild who attended, who is an active duty Coast Guard Chief, traveled from Corpus Christi, Texas for the event.
The medals, ribbons, Merchant Marine emblem and a replica of a plaque that is mounted on a memorial wall to honor all veterans at Mount Soledad in San Diego was arranged by his children on a beautiful wood framed with glass top case and presented to him by Dick Schuck and Bud Untiedt, both VFW members, having served in WWII.
Mr. Garcia, a Fillmore resident since 1976, served as a US Merchant Marine from 1942 - 1945, on board the SS Fort Clatsop. The case presented to Mr. Garcia had a Ribbon and Medal for the Pacific War Zone, Atlantic War Zone, Merchant Marine WWII Victory, and Merchant Marine Defense.