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