Elk Grove Trip to Haiti

Sarah Woodward is an open book. The mother of two runs a daycare out of her home. She’s busy- but is always open and willing to talk about her family and their goals. And she’s not afraid to dig deep.
The most memorable comment I heard Sarah say when I spoke with her on April 21, was that her family wants to “radically love.” She believes this love will distinguish the fear that her family, and some people in their mission group, feels about traveling to the impoverished nation of Haiti.
They’ll be in Haiti from June 5-14 with their two children, along with 10 adults and three teens.
The group will be traveling with 30 suitcases- 2 per person (minus two bags for the baby who does not have a ticket).
The Woodwards were helping Haitians before the earthquake struck.
Sarah was getting shipments of necklaces made by Haitian artists that she would sell locally and mail back the profit.
The Woodwards have friends from college, the Clays, who live in Haiti and started a non-profit, The Apparent Project. They teach Haitians artistic skills that the impoverished people can use to make a profit.
Haitians in Clay’s program make necklaces from recycled paper and ship the jewelry to several women in the United States, including Sarah.
The Clays had a front row seat to the destruction of the earthquake. Their middle class neighborhood overlooks the slum area. When the earthquake hit, the Haitians in their art program were saved because the Clay’s house did not fall apart. The children of the people making jewelry also survived because they were playing in the street outside of the Clay’s home.
However, the slums that the house overlooked were completed destroyed.
Now, the Clay’s have about 10 displaced Haitians sleeping in each room of their three-bedroom home.
“The Clays said many of the (Haitian) families aren’t moving into their homes because they’re scared,” Sarah said.
The Clays have a two-bedroom guesthouse that they’ve decided to rent out to missions group, including the group coming from Elk Grove.
The Woodwards also have another strong connection to Haiti.
Before the earthquake struck they were planning on adopting a Haitian child. Now they are even more determined to adopt a child from Haiti.
The Woodwards are in the initial stages of preparing for adopting a Haitian child.
Before they can adopt internationally, they need to get their house checked.
But the adoption may come at a time that’s not in their control.
Sarah said in Haiti if someone leaves a baby on her doorstep, she would care for the child. However, she couldn’t take an infant home to the States. The Woodwards would have to live there. A possibility that she didn’t seem too upset about.
Sarah is eager to make a difference in the world.
She is not the only person with a passion for helping Haiti, she said.
Most of the people in the mission group are from Elk Grove and have been working hard to gather supplies and donations from local businesses for the trip.
Two of the people going to Haiti, Sarah described as “cowboys from Wilton.”
Sarah said they were instrumental in gathering supplies and getting sponsors to donate items for the silent auction on May 15 at The Secret Garden.
Sarah said for people who genuinely cannot afford the trip, the Clay’s will offer their guesthouse free of charge. (It normally rents for $40 a day).
In preparation for the trip and to ensure their safety, the mission group wants to learn the local language- or at least some key phases before they go.
The group located a man in Sacramento who speaks Creole and offered to teach them the language.
The Elk Grove group recognizes that many young Haitians may need counseling too.
On May 1, some members of the group will drive to Los Altos, Calif. to participate in a “children of trauma” workshop where they will learn how to encourage children to express the psychological effects of trauma through art.
Sarah said she hopes art helps kids “process their feelings about the disaster.”

Feeling Green?

In honor of Earth Day, here are some inspiring videos about the environmental damage people have on the earth, plus ways you can help prevent pollution. Enjoy!




See what these New Yorkers do to reduce their carbon footprint. Warning: do not eat while watching!



This video offers some pretty creative solutions for re-using a liter bottle.



This is a great way to get some new clothing without spending money and gobbling up resources.

Ye-Haw! The Western Festival Tab Is Coming!

One of my favorite events in Elk Grove is the Western Festival- always the first weekend of May.

There's so much to do and see. You don't want to miss any of it.

Pick up a copy of the Elk Grove Citizen on Wednesday, April 28 and read the special "Western Festival" tab that will fill you in on all the great eats, games and things to do!

Help Fight Canine Cancer

This is a really great event for dog lovers!

The "K9 Cancer Walk" will be held at Elk Grove Regional Park on April 24 with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the 3k/7k walks starting at 10 a.m.

Numerous vets, authors and another animal lovers will be at the event to offer free advice, and maybe some treats for your pooch.

Registration is $35.

Pinkberry Party!

Last Thursday I went to the grand opening of the Pinkberry store in Sacramento.
Pinkberry is not just any fro-yo. Not only is it healthier than most other yogurts, but it also has a different taste- tart yet sweet.
I sampled coconut, mango and pomegranate frozen yogurt. Pinkberry is made with non-fat milk, cane sugar and contains "billions" of probiotics (good bacteria), the franchise owner said.
There are more than 30 toppings, including mochi, Fruity Pebbles cereal and fresh fruit sliced daily.
The Elk Grove store will open April 29 in the Target and Borders shopping center on Laguna Boulevard and Bruceville Road.
To learn more about Pinkberry visit http://www.pinkberry.com/

EGHS Grad Owns Design Studio, Created Foo Fighters Album Cover

Grammy nominated designer Don Clark, who owns a graphic design firm in Seattle, spoke to several classes of students on April 7 at Sheldon High School.
Clark graduated from Elk Grove High School where he took art class all four years with Debbie George, who now teaches at Sheldon.
Clark and his brother do all the work for the successful, two-man operation Invisible Creature.
The name of the design firm sounds as if it could be a band’s name. That’s because the brothers were playing together in professional bands long before they started the design firm, which has clients such as Target, Nordstrom and the band Foo Fighters.
I spoke to Clark after the presentation about the future of graphic design. I was under the impression that careers in that field were dwindling. Turns out, that’s just graphic design at newspapers. The kind of “boutique” graphic design Clark does is still a growing field.
To check out some of his work, visit http://www.invisiblecreature.com/#/intro

Could You Win the State Geography Bee?

Today, April 9, I attended the National Geographic Bee- California finals.
The 102 students at the competition were narrowed down to 13 for the final round.
The adults sitting near me who were trying to figure out the answers on paper were often stumped by many of the questions that the 4th-8th grade finalists nailed.
Could YOU be a state champion?
Here are some of the questions courtesy of the National Geographic Society. See how you do.

Scroll down to the bottom for answers...

1. What country includes the islands of Melville, Mornington, and Bathurst?

2. Saxony is a state in what present day country?

3. The island of Rapa Nui is more commonly referred to be what English-language name?

4. Beja, located in the region of Alentejo, is an administrative district in which European country?

5. The Rift Valley Province, whose capital is Nakuru, is located in which equatorial country?

6. Rotorua, a city famous for its geothermal pools and Maori culture, attracts tourist to what country?

7. The countries of Montenegro, Macedonia, and Croatia are all located on what peninsula?

8. Jeddah is the port for the holy city of Mecca and is located on what body of water?

9. In the 1960s, Rwanda and Burundi gained their independence from which European country?

10. Hainan, an island located east of the Gulf of Tonkin, is part of what country?








































































1. Australia

2. Germany

3. Easter Island

4. Portugal

5. Kenya

6. New Zealand

7. Balkan Peninsula

8. Red Sea

9. Belgium

10. China

Mrs. Elk Grove, Stacey Ferguson, 42, is on a mission to spread the word about childhood obesity.
She speaks to school children and their parents about the issue. Ferguson recently spoke at Florin High School.
Her platform in the pageant circuit is “childhood and adult obesity.”
A graduate from California State University, Sacramento, Ferguson said one out of five children are obese.
Ferguson taught English for 18 years at St. Peter’s Lutheran School in Elk Grove. She now works as a substitute teacher.
The Mrs. United States pageants are for married women “who are successful in their careers,” she said.
To read more about Mrs. Elk Grove, visit Stacey’s blog.
To learn more about the Mrs. United States pageant visit http://www.mrsunitedstates.com/

Making The Rounds On All Fours

A furry wagging tale brings some cheer into a sterile hospital environment.
The Australian Shepherd walks the halls, almost appearing to smile at all the attention he is attracting.
Dandy is a therapy dogs who visits Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento with his owner and handler Nikki Carpenter of Sheldon.
Therapy dogs are used to brighten patients' days in hospitals and convalescent homes.
Janet Perrone is one of the people who brought the dog assisted therapy program to South Sacramento.
“You can just see a difference in people’s attitudes when they leave," Perrone said. "Their day is brightened after the visit."
Nikki and Dandy entered the Kaiser program over one year ago.
Even people who aren’t “dog people” enjoy a visit from Dandy, Nikki said.
On March 31, Nikki and Dandy make the rounds on the second and third floors at Kaiser in South Sacramento to greet patients.
Danell Woolley sat in a chair recovering from surgery, with her grandson, Cody Woolley seated next to her. Dandy approached Danell and nuzzled her lap.
“I think it’s a real smart idea,” Cody said about the dog-assisted therapy program.
Danell said she used to work at a retirement community and a convalescent home where therapy animals were brought in to cheer up patients.
JoAnn Turnbull of Delta Society, which registers therapy dogs and connects people with information about local training classes, said handlers must be advocates for their dogs.
“They’re watching out for their animal,” Turnbull said about handlers.
Animals should enjoy volunteering as much as the person.
Dandy seemed chipper, even though he was neutered the day before. He still rolled over with enthusiasm and placed his paws on the beds of people who seemed excited to see him.
Other patients were groggy but effortlessly smiled when they saw Dandy.
Tina Fuller of Sacramento said, “he’s cute,” as she lay in bed.
Dandy’s intuitive nature and intelligence makes him a great therapy dog, Nikki said.
When Dandy placed his front paws on a hospital bed where one woman rested, Nikki said, “he senses something that I don’t.”
“I love this dog!” the woman exclaimed, adding that she has an Australian Shepherd at home.
“He has one blue eye,” commented the man standing next to her bed.
“He’s a blue merle,” the woman said.
There are four types of Australian Shepherds; blue merle is the most common.
A common physical feature in a blue merle, such as Dandy, is one blue eye and one brown eye.
Nikki began raising Australian Shepherds in the 1970s. She also trains Golden Retrievers as therapy pets.
“They are two of the smartest breeds,” she said. “They can out think you better than kids can.”
Nikki has another Australian Shepherd at home who will soon become a therapy dog at Kaiser.
“Once the new wing opens, we’ll really be busy,” Nikki said, referring to the new wing opening some time in 2011.

FYI- Women Only Boot Camp in EG

I was excited to read about a weight-loss boot camp in Elk Grove. Usually, these types of organized fitness events happen in Sacramento, not Elk Grove.
The program is 3-5 days per week, depending on how many classes you purchase. It lasts four weeks. There's also the option to buy three, four week classes for major transformation.
I've never done this specific program because I have a gym membership, but it sounds like an effective way to lose weight and make new friends.
I visited the Web site and enrollment is always open. The price is steep considering I pay $40 a month for the gym. It costs $299 for five classes per week for four weeks.
However, I can vouch that boot camp is a great way to shed pounds fast. I used to take boot camp classes at the gym I used to go to and it was INTENSE. But don't worry, the instructor notes on the Web site that no one will be left behind regardless of the current fitness level.
I always workout better in a group than alone. How about you?

Citizen Stars

Nominate someone you know for a profile in the Elk Grove Citizen newspaper.
They can be a person who spends numerous hours doing community service or someone who has an interesting life story.

Call (916) 685-3945

Tea Party in Old Town

Boba Tea and Gifts in Old Town Elk Grove is hosting a tea party on April 6. The shop, owned by Dan and Sharon Santucci, features a wide variety of loose leaf tea, tea accessories and snacks.
Boba has hosted tea parties in the past with success. They partner with local food businesses and offer tea with other treats.
On April 6 they will partner with Salsa Aurora. The event begins at 7 p.m. and is free to the public. Although, seating is limited, so call ahead.
686-4114.

Not All Fairy Tales Have Happy Endings

Today is the 205th B-day of Hans Chrisitian Andersen.
He kept those fairytales real!!

Remember the REAL version of "The Little Mermaid"?
http://hca.gilead.org.il/li_merma.html

Hard Road To Nashville in Elk Grove

Last night I covered auditions for the show The Hard Road to Nashville at The Wrangler in Elk Grove.
The Hard Road to Nashville is a reality show, not about drama, but about real country singing talent. Auditions are occurring across the country to find unknown singers. The winners will go straight to the finals. No semi-finals needed.
The winners will be put on a bus- five at a time- and perform six shows in six days, just like a real touring musician. After each week, one person will be booted from the bus and another person added.
About 30 people from Elk Grove and surrounding areas came to the bar to try out.
At least five people will go on to the finals, I was told.
Country singer Bobby Chitwood, 101.9 The Wolf's Kelly Symone and American Mixed Martial arts fighter Scott Smith were all "judges." They all went really easy on the singers. However, most people auditioning could carry a tune- I was pleasantly surprised. No William Hungs here.
Chitwood said he was releasing an album soon and could not "piss people off" by making harsh comments. Makes sense.
Plus, the real judges would watch the video tape being recorded by Tomas "Doc" Jones, the energetic host.
Two Elk Grove people auditioned- Craigs Killingsworth and Warren Marcus. Let's see if they make it to the finals!
For more info about the show visit http://thehardroadtonashville.com/online_audition.php