Employees Give Up Holiday Bonuses

The people of Kauai know what it's like to live through a natural disaster. They've had hurricanes wash their lives away several times. In 1992, Iniki wiped out much of their island. They had to depend on the kindness of others to get through that tough time.

When Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast, the employees at the Kauai Beach Hotel & Resort felt they had to do something for the survivors of the hurricane. They knew that the many people would not be enjoying a happy Thanksgiving.

Each year their employers gives them gift certificates good for a free turkey. The employees decided not to take those certificates. Instead, they donated the value of the certificates to those who needed it in the Gulf Coast.

The gift turned out to be fairly sizeable. They were able to make a donation in the amount of $3,000 and was given to the Kauai chapter of the American Red Cross. The aloha spirit is alive and well.

Woman Rescued From Near Drowning

Kimberly Pratt is one lucky person! On November 20th, she nearly drowned. Thanks to a quick thinking scuba diving instructor, she was rescued in the nick of time.

Pratt's guardian angel must have been watching closely that day. She was working on her scuba diving certificate. She removed her mouthpiece as part of a routine procedure. When she was done, she couldn't put the device back in place. There was something in the way and she couldn't free it.

When Pratt didn't resurface, an instructor went after her. Dan King was the one to who found her lifeless form. She was face down at the bottom of Monterey Bay. King brought her up to the beach. CPR was done and Pratt was rushed to an ambulance.

Pratt was very fortunate. The lack of oxygen caused no brain damage. After a couple of days in the hospital she was sent home.

Pratt was learning scuba diving to answer a life long dream. She's always wanted to work with marine life. She had worked with the NOAA on one program and was planning another. Right now, scuba diving is on hold. She's just happy to be able to go back to her fifth grade classroom and do some teaching.

Telethon Raises Big Bucks

The Boys and Girls Club of Manteca/Lathrop held a telethon last week. It's the 26th year they've held one. The telethon was held localled and aired on a local cabel channel. It's their largest fundraiser of the year and included a silent auction as well as the telethon.

This year the telethon brought in a whopping $191,054!!! Considering that they "only" collected $50,000 last year, that's quite an increase. The money is desperately needed as the organization has a $500,000 operating budget.

The Boys and Girls Club is important to the community. They operate three centers and are hoping to add a fourth some day. Currently, there are 2,200 members. Their ages ranging from 7 to 17. The organization runs after-school programs. They also have educational and fitness programs.

Boys and Girls Clubs can be found throughout the country. The services they provide help keep kids off the streets and out of trouble. It's an important role as state money for such programs dwindles in a climate of ever tightening budgets.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

I would like to wish all my readers a very Happy Thanksgiving Day. May your celebration be filled with family, friends, and good food.

As we stuff ourselves with helpings of mash potatoes and pumpkin pie, we spare a thought or two for the things we are thankful for...the roof over our head, the heater that keeps our house warm, a weekly paycheck, food on the table, friends to laugh with, family with a shared history, our animal companions, the good weather we enjoy most of the year, and so much more.

This year I find myself thinking about the people in the Gulf Coast. I am thankful that I was not living in that region when one of the many hurricanes hit. How lucky I am to live in California and still have family close by and a house to live in! I think about all those people whose lives have been shattered. I hope that they will get back on their feet soon. I hope the government will do it's job and help them out. And, I hope that those 6,000+ people who are still on the missing persons list will turn up safe. If not, I pray that families will find out what happened to their loved ones so that they may grieve and find closure.

So many Americans will not have a Thanksgiving feast this year. As this is the beginning of the holiday season, let's keep them all in our thoughts and prayers. And, if you have something to share, pass it on to those who are in need. Send a donation to a local food bank, help collect toys for tots, clean out your close and donate those things you haven't used in years women's shelter, homeless shelter, or other organization.

Thanksgiving reminds us that we have so much to be thankful for.

[I'll be taking a break from the blog from the next couple of days to enjoy the Thanksgiving holidays...see you next week!]

Respecting Native Burial Mounds

Native Americans have spent the last few weeks walking across the San Francisco Bay Area visiting burials mounds. They are participating in the "Sacred Site Shellmound Peace Walk". They walk to raise awareness of the sacred burial grounds all around the Bay Area which have been forgotten.

The walk began November 7th in Vallejo and will continue through November 25th. The participants walk an average of 15-20 miles a day. The group is comprised of Native American leaders and Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhists.

They go from burial mound to burial mound to pay their respects. Many Native American burial sites have built upon. There are about 475 mounds in the Bay Area and outlying regions. By raising awareness of the sacredness of the sites, the group hopes to protect those sites which still exist. Many of these sites are 5,000 years old and are an integral part of Native American culture. They also hope to move the bodies still in mounds which have already been built over.

So few Native American sites exist in the Bay Area. Burial mounds are some of the few sites still around that can be preserved.

For more information about the walks, go to this page: Sacred Site/Shellmound Peace Walk

Khatib Family's Gift

It is sad to report that another child has been killed during the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 12 year old, Ahmed Khatib of Jenin, was shot by Israeli soldiers during a raid. His toy rifle mistaken for the real thing.

Ismail Khatib is Ahmed's father. While his grief is immeasurable, he has found the ability to see beyond it. Ismail has donated Ahmed's organs to people awaiting transplants. Those people include a baby as well as a 58 year old. Six of the recipients are Israeli.

Some have the audacity to question Ismail's decision to donate the organs to Israelis. Ismail does not care. He has made the decision based on his conscience and personal experience. He lost his brother at the age of 24. His brother was waiting for a liver transplant. Ismail understands what these individuals and their families have gone through. He has been able to alleviate their anguish.

It would be so hard to overcome the grief of losing a child under such circumstances. Ismail Khatib has turned that loss into a beautiful gift. The families of the recipients have dubbed it a "gesture of love".

Saving Oakland Schools

It is well known that Oakland schools are in dire straits. The school district is riddled with debt. Problem are many, but solutions are hard to find.

State Administrator Randolph Ward has a plan in place to start reform. All they needed was financial backing and a little faith to get the project off the ground. Several businesses and organizations are coming together to give the plan a chance. $24 million has been donated to Oakland (including $10 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and $1 million from Clorox) to create a model that will get the Oakland school district back on track. As the state has taken over the Oakland school district, the plan's success means returning control back to the district.

The main component of the plan is something called the "small schools" model. Smaller schools are used to provide more personalized learning. The idea is somewhat new and only a handful of districts throughout the US have given it a try.

By getting local businesses involved, perhaps their will be more incentive to see these kids succeed. With only 35% of Oakland's students graduating, it's well worth trying something new.

Police Dog Gets Bulletproof Vest

Police dogs do important work for the police force. Their work is often dangerous. They do it without a thought to their own safety. They enter situations with gunfire without anything but their instincts to protect them.

Gary Brown, owner of Veterinary Orthopedic of Mission San Jose, has donating vest for police dogs to the San Jose police department for awhile now. The vests are custom made and cost $1,600 to make (twice the price of the vests made for humans).

This year the San Jose Police Department received a special grant for protective gear. Instead of taking Gary Brown's offer, they recommended someone else in need. The Fremont Police Department has a officer/dog team. Tim Baldocchi is in charge of police dog, Jager. This year Jager will get a bulletproof vest.

Jager needs to be measures as each vest must be made special. In a couple of months, he will be suiting up with the same protection as his partner.

Kalamazoo Kids Get to go to College for Free

Parents of students in Kalamazoo, Michigan don't have to fret over college tuition. Due to a generous anonymous donation, all students in the Kalamazoo system get to go to college for free.

The program called "Kalamazoo Promise" will dole out tuition fees based on years within the Kalamazoo school system. Students who have been in the system since Kindergarten will have 100% of their tuition paid for. The scholarship amounts are prorated from there.

Most scholarship programs are based on academic achievement. While this sounds perfectly fine, it is often those in affluent community who get the best teachers, best materials, and the newest technology. There are some scholarship programs that are needs based, but the competition is tough. Because this program will send any student within the school system to college, it will level the playing field.

Students will be able to enroll in any public college or university. In order to keep their free tuition, they must maintain a 2.0 grade point average.

Kalamazoo was once a manufacturing center. With factories shutting down and job moving overseas, opportunities for citizens are dwindling. The hope is by providing students a college education, they will have more marketable skills. Also, businesses can be encouraged to move to Kalamazoo because the workforce will be better educate.

It will be interesting to see how this program works out. It not only takes a load off families that are already fighting high gasoline prices and skyrocketing heating bills, but it provides Kalamazoo will a sense of pride and chance for the future.

Soldier Saves Dog from War Zone

Capt. Smathers was stationed in Iraq. While in Baghdad, he and his unit found a stray dog. They befriended it and took it in.

Smathers had a special connection with the dog. It became his constant companion. When his unit had to leave Baghdad, he was worried about this friend as they couldn't take the dog with them.

He was sent home in March 2004 after he was wounded. Though he was happy to be back home, he couldn't help worrying about the dog he named Scout. He started making inquiries with the soldiers who took over their old digs in Baghdad. He heard word that Scout was picked up by dog catchers, but escaped.

Smathers was persistent. He emailed every soldier within the area where Scout once roamed. Finally, someone had seen the dog and responded. Scout was in pretty bad shape. He was thin and something was wrong with his eye. The person took the dog to the Baghdad zoo. Smathers was friends with the veterinarian at the zoo and knew he'd help.

That wasn't the end of it! Smathers decided that the only place the dog should be was by his side. After 17 months of red tape, the dog was taken to Basra then to Kuwait and then to America. The dog now lives with Smathers. Instead of roaming the violent streets of Baghdad, Scout romps around Smathers front yard.

18 Year Old Elected Mayor

Hillsdale, Michigan has a new mayor. His name is Michael Sessions. He's 18 and a student at Hillsdale High School. He is the youngest mayor in the town's history.

When the ballot deadline passed, Sessions was only 17 and was disqualified. However, he turned 18 on September 22nd. He decided to run as a write-in candidate. He went door to door to spread the word about his candidancy.

His opponent questions the credibility of an 18 year old mayor. Evidently, the people of Hillsdale feel he is qualified since they thought enough of him to write his name on the ballot. And, Sessions parents supported him throughout the endeavor.

The election still needs to be certified by the County Board of Canvassers. If certification goes through, Hillsdale will have a fresh face in it's mayor's office.

Californians Send a Message

Once again, Californians took their independent streak to the voting booth. Governor Schwarzenneger put everything on the line by calling a special election to push reform measures. The special election irritated many voters. The result? All the measures on the ballot were voted down.

There are many reasons why Californians voted the way they did. Our Governor has spent months telling us the state is broke and we can't waste money. The special election cost the taxpayers $50 million. Could that money have been used to help schools, police, or others desparately needing money? California didn't have $50 million to waste.

Many voters did not see the importance of the measures. None of them had the urgency that the last initiatives had. Many felt these reforms could have waited until our regular election in 2006.

Then there was the proposition that attacked teachers. This seemed to really bother people. They had problems seeing teachers as the villain destroying our state. No one could draw the connection between teacher tenure and California's budget.

So, now that Californians have spoken, what's next? The state needs change but in what form? It's time for the Governor and the State Legislature to go back to the drawing board and give us something we can stand behind.

A Royal Visit

School kids in Berkeley, California were treated a royal audience Monday. Charles and Camille took their royal entourage to the "Edible Schoolyard," an experiment that blends organic farming and education.

Prince Charles has an interest in organic farming. When famed chef, Alice Waters, told him about the project, he made a point to put it on his calendar.

Watters came up with the concept for the Edible Schoolyard 10 years ago. The children have 1 acre to work with. They are taught how to maintain their plants with organic methods. There is also a classroom kitchen on campus for the kids. The project intertwines science, math, English, biology, organic farming, and healthy eating.

The project will produce all the fruits and vegetables for the new school cafeteria. In a couple of years, they hope that the garden will feed the entire school district. That's 10,000 kids!

Charles and Camille toured the school and the garden. They met with the children and discussed everything from composting to Harry Potter. They were also treated to a meal made entirely from the garden. The visit lasted an hour, leaving the children very happy to have such noble guests.

Treats for Troops

Blue Star Mothers of America are hoping to make the holidays a little cheerier for American soldiers stationed overseas. These mothers have children in the military so they realize how hard it will be for our soldiers being so far from home. A little taste of home can go a long way.

The East Bay Chapter will be putting together care packages that will be mailed to the military. The packages will include food items, fun stuff, and practical items. This list of acceptable items comes from their website:

FOOD ITEMS
Coffee creamer and sugar packets
Any Pre-sweetened powered drink mix (i.e.: Kool-Aid, Gatorade, Crystal Light, etc)
Hot Chocolate Mix (packets preferred)
Apple Cider Mix
Tea Bags
Tuna Creations or Chicken (packages that already have all the condiments mixed in)
Cup O Noodles, or Cup O Soup
Trail Mix, nuts
Protein bars
Microwave popcorn
Cereal Bars, breakfast bars
Pop Tarts
Instant Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat (Individual Sizes)
Cookies
Candy (any, even chocolate)
Gum
Breath mints

FUN THINGS
Hand held games
Board games
Travel games
Puzzle and word game books
Playing cards
Dice
Batteries AA, C and D size
Whoopee cushions
Paddle balls
Hacky Sacks
Yo-yo's
Jigsaw Puzzles
Nerf Footballs, basketballs, etc.
Velcro Darts
Music CD’s - Christmas, too
DVD’s - Christmas, too
Holiday decorations (lights, tinsel, garland)
Small non breakable ornaments

OTHER
Socks, heavy, white and black
Zip Lock baggies, snack, pint and gallon sizes

There is also a list of items that are not acceptable, so check with the group's website before sending off items.

Donations are welcome--including postage and supplies. If you would like to help out, here is their website: Blue Star Mothers of the East Bay The group will be packing up their goods on November 19th, 2005 and then mailing them on November 20, 2005.

Blue Star Mothers of America run these programs throughout the nation. Visit their website to find a local chapter: Blue Star Mothers of America

Abdullah Nikzad Listens to Cars

Abdullah Nikzad is a typical America 18 year old male. He loves cars and he's a whiz at auto repair. This wouldn't seem so remarkable except he is blind.

His family owns an auto repair business, so Nikzad learned from the best--his father. At 8 years old, his father slowly showed him the ins and outs of car engines. Since then he's been able to diagnose car trouble better than those who can see what's going on.

Nikzad can hear things that his sighted classmates cannot. Whenever someone takes him for a drive, he listens in and can tell what's going wrong just by the different sounds the car emits. He can move around the inside of a car engine as if he sees every inch of it. He's known as the one to go to when you need tips. His ability has earned him praise from teachers and classmates alike.

He's fortunate that he lives in Fremont, California. Fremont has many programs for the visually impaired and schools are well suited to a student with special needs. In the auto repair class he has an assistant who makes sure he doesn't trip or walk into something dangerous. Beyond that, he works on his own. Once out of the classroom, his cane is his only aid.

Nikzad graduates in June 2006. While he is exploring other fields such as computer technology, his heart is with automobiles.

Putting Our Veterans Back to Work

One of the problems facing our nation today is getting people back to work after they have returned from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some have returned to find their old jobs are no longer available. Others have found that the skills they learned in the military aren't applicable to the civilian work force.

Veteran's Employment Related Assistance Program (VEAP) is hoping to fill the void. The federally funded program has started in Alameda County, California. Alameda County absorbs close to 100 veterans returning from the war each month. It's vital that they get the training they need to enter the work force.

Some veterans need job training. VEAP provides the training, books, and other materials needed for the veteran's new career. It also helps veterans work through the maze involved with receiving state benefits such as unemployment. Companies work with VEAP by providing jobs.

Some of the employers are veterans themselves. They've been through Vietnam or the Gulf War and remember what it was like trying to adapt to regular life. They can provide support as well as jobs.

Jobs can range from information technology to first responders to construction. Many programs provide temporary employment, which then leave the person going from job to job. VEAP's goal is to provide training and place our veterans in permanent positions.