Fire Fighter News Jan 2010

4th Annual Bucket Brigade Blood Bank of the Redwoods
Fire departments around Sonoma County are still competing in the Blood Bank of the Redwoods’ 4th Annual Bucket Brigade, which continues into January. Of course the West County Firefighters would like to win the Trophy this year but we will need the help of the community to do so. To help us you can donate blood, through the Blood Bank of the Redwoods, anywhere in the county between now and the end of January and ask that the donation be made in the name of your favorite West County Fire Department.

Graton
Christmas Tree Farm/New Fire Station
Thank you to everyone that came to our new property on Highway 116 to get a Christmas tree... We sold a lot of trees and cleared more space for the new station! A big “Thank You” to our tree farm manager, Heather O’Dell, for all of her hard work getting the tree farm looking so great. We had a great time meeting everyone and raised a lot of money to go towards the new fire station. Remember- your Christmas tree was also a donation and, therefore, a tax-deductible item for your taxes. We look forward to seeing you next season!

Toy Drive... Another Success
The 2009 Toy Drive was a fantastic success, thank you! Graton Fire was able to deliver presents to over 50 children, brightening their holidays. We wish everyone could experience the joy we see when the fire engine pulls up and delivers your presents... once again, thank you. A tremendous thanks also needs to go out to the Graton Post Office, Andy’s Produce, and Graton Community Club for being toy collection points.

Forestville
Toy Drive – 2009
The Forestville Firefighters Association toy drive was a huge success despite a slow start. Your donations provided toys to 60 families through the Giving Tree at the Forestville School, 78 families through the Forestville Methodist Church and over 50 families through Toys for Tots.
The Forestville Firefighters Association also donated several movie passes for some of the older recipients. A special thank you to all who donated to this wonderful cause!

December Blood Drive
The Forestville Firefighters would like to thank the 42 citizens and firefighters who donated a total of 39 units blood at the December 16 blood drive at the Forestville Fire Station.

Property Tax Information
Did you know that the Forestville Fire Protection District is almost entirely funded by the property taxes paid by its citizens? Each property owner in the District pays 1% of the assessed value of their property in annual property taxes. The Forestville Fire Protection District receives an average of 11% of that 1% for its annual operations. The remaining 90% of the 1% is distributed to the County of Sonoma and to other agencies within the individual’s tax rate area. The property taxes received by the District in December and April make up approximately 85% of the Districts total revenue. An additional 11% is derived from a Special Tax for Fire Protection and Prevention, typically $40.00 per parcel/household, which is also included on your annual property tax bill. The Districts remaining revenue, approximately 4%, is derived from various sources such as grants and State reimbursements. Because the District is so dependant on property taxes the number of foreclosures and the downturn in property values could cause a reduction in the Districts revenue for the next few years. The Board will again be watching the results of the first installment of property taxes, later this month, closely to determine the effects of the current economic situation on the Forestville Fire Protection District.

Sebastopol
Toy Drive
The Sebastopol Firefighters would like to thank the local citizens, Sebastopol I.O.O.F. Lodge and CVS Pharmacy for a very successful toy drive. In cooperation with the Sebastopol Alliance Church, we were able to provide toys to 266 children in 102 families in the Sebastopol area. We received a record number of cash donations, which helped to purchase gifts for older children, who are often left without gifts.

Community Emergency Response Team Classes
The department will be publicizing the CERT classes for 2010 soon. If you ever wanted to be better prepared to survive and respond to natural disasters, this is the class for you. 196 Sebastopol residents have already been trained and you are next. Watch the City of Sebastopol website for class dates and details. www.ci.sebastopol.ca.us

Russian River
Toys for Kids
Thank you all for assisting us with the annual toy drive it was a very successful year.

RRROC
Please help us by attending the RRROC meeting at the Guerneville Vets Hall on January 21st, at 6 pm. We are ultimately asking for funds to purchase and equip a new and much needed ambulance. This will be a difficult decision when goes up in front of the Supervisors since the law is very grey in this area (my opinion) and not likely to be approved.

For 2010
Regretfully by the time you read this article, The Russian River Fire Protection District will have hosted a public hearing on January 6th, at 7 pm, at the fire station to discuss another special tax headed to the voters on June 8th, 2010. We are up against statutory deadlines and have to get this out to you for a first look. The Board has indicated it will hold more public hearings if the public indicates a need or desire.

Following the advice of many after our failed tax initiative of two years ago, we hope to present to you something more palatable. The new tax measure still asks for more money, but it is easier to understand than our last measure. Vacant parcels will be charged $70, no matter the size. At property owners’ suggestion, contiguous vacant parcels will be charged $70. Parcels with one home will be charged $140.00. If your parcel has more than one home on it, the first home is charged $140.00 and each additional home on the same parcel is charged $70.00 (2 homes on one parcel = $210.00, three homes on one parcel = $280.00). Most commercial and industrial properties will be charged $350.00 per parcel. The exception to that is if you have more than four specific uses on your parcel. As an example, if you have a 500 acre parcel with crops on 200 acres and you have a bed and breakfast for a maximum of ten couples, a 1000 square foot retail store and a house your tax will be $350 based on the single highest use (the bed and breakfast).

If you add one more use to this property, let’s say a factory that is industrial in nature, the single highest use changes to industrial use and the fire tax becomes $700.00. Most of our parcels do not resemble anything like this but it is used to illustrate my point. Agricultural parcels are charged $175.00. This new tax measure is asking for $100 more from most of you per year. That equals $.27 more per day than what you are paying now for a total of $.38 per day.

The Russian River Fire Protection District has done everything in its power to save money and reduce expenses but it is not enough. We are not willing to reduce the level of service to balance the budget. It is simply not in your best interest for us to do that and the wrong thing to do; your safety depends on us. It has been thirty years since our last tax measure was overwhelmingly passed. We need your help as much as you need ours. We will make every effort to keep you better informed. Thank you.

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Fire News & Holiday Events

4th Annual Bucket Brigade Blood Bank of the Redwoods
Fire departments around Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties have come together to participate in Blood Bank of the Redwoods' 4th Annual Bucket Brigade during December and January of this year. Last year 40 fire departments took part and we collected nearly 1155 units of blood, which was a huge boost for our community's blood supply.

Last year's winner, Geyserville Fire Protection District attracted a grand total of 102 donors.. Participating fire departments will recruit community members, colleagues, friends and family to donate lifesaving blood in an effort to win the Bucket Brigade Trophy. Of course the West County Firefighters would like to win the Trophy this year but we will need the help of the community to do so. To help us you can donate blood, through the Blood Bank of the Redwoods, anywhere in the county between now and the end of January and ask that the donation be made in the name of your favorite West County Fire Department. Blood drives in the West Count will be held on:
• December 16, 2009 from 3pm to 7pm at the Forestville Fire Station
• December 19th from 10am to 1pm at the Russian River Fire Station

Blood drives for Graton and Sebastopol fire stations has already occurred, but you can still donate at any blood bank event, or at their main office, and let them know which department you would like to support.

Preventing Christmas Tree Fires

Selecting a Tree for the Holiday
Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
Caring for Your Tree
Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
Disposing of Your Tree
Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or woodburning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

Forestville Fire Protection District
The Forestville Firefighter's Association Toy collection for Toys for Tots, the Giving Tree and the Methodist Church is off to a very slow start this year. Your new and unwrapped gifts may be dropped off at the Forestville Fire Station up to December 23rd. Recalled or used toys can not be accepted.
We are Thankful Too
The full-time staff, volunteers and the Board of Directors of the Forestville Fire Protection District are thankful this year for the continued support of the Forestville Community. Because of your tax dollars we are able to provide a cost effective yet efficient emergency delivery service to the community. Your tax dollars allow the District to have sufficient paid staff to be on the road and responding to any emergency with our first engine company within 45 to 60 seconds from being notified by our Dispatch Center. Every request for service within the District also generates a response from home or work of our full-time and volunteer staff who respond to the station to either respond additional engine companies or standby in case there is another call for service. This occurs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. As the District's emergency responses near the 700 mark annually this is a significant commitment of personnel and hours. Service and Sacrifice is alive and well in the Forestville Fire Protection District. Again all of the members of the Forestville Fire Protection District would like to thank our entire community for your support and wish you all a happy and safe Holiday Season and a wonderful New Year.

Graton Fire Protection District
Graton Fire Christmas Tree Farm: Thu-Sun 9-5
With the purchase of the Del Davis Christmas Tree Farm at 3750 Gravenstein Highway North in 2006, the volunteer firefighters and board members now find themselves selling Christmas trees. With over 9 acres of pine, fir, and spruce trees, we have lots to sell. The tree farm is open Thursday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm and all donations are going to support the new fire station. As a donation, your tree is tax-deductible as well. Trees are being sold by height, regardless of the type of tree. Pull saws and measuring sticks are available as are volunteer firefighters to help you cut, carry, trim, and net your tree. There are fire helmets and badges for the kids. If you have further questions, please call the firehouse, 823-7939. Thank you for supporting the new fire station.

Toy Drive Deadline is 12/21
Our annual toy drive continues through Monday, December 21st. Each year, Graton volunteer firefighters work with Oak Grove School and local charities to determine needy families in our district. This holiday season, we are collecting new, unwrapped toys for over 30 children up to age 12. We will also accept cash donations, wrapping paper, tape... whatever you can spare. Items can be dropped off at:
• Graton Post Office
• Graton Christmas Tree Farm (Thu-Sun, 9-5)
• Andy’s Produce Market

Thank you to everyone who donated last year and helped make another family’s Christmas a reality. We look forward to your support again this year. Questions? Call 823-7939.

Sebastopol Fire Department
Sebastopol Fire Department is collecting toys for our Christmas helping program until December 15th. Please bring new (or like new) toys to the fire station and help share the spirit of the season.

Russian River Fire Protection District
The Russian River Firefighters are collecting toys for the holiday season. Like many others we are seeing a decline in toy donations, but we are thankful for what arrives, and we know our residents will do everything they can to help out. So feel free to drop off your unwrapped toys at the fire station.
As a reminder please be careful when hanging your holiday decorations and use only Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listed appliances, devices, and lights.
The Russian River Fire District Board of Directors and staff continue to deal with revenue losses beyond our control. We continue to look at cost effective ways to serve you at the same levels you have come to expect. The Board of Directors reminds you to attend the regular Board meetings held here at the Fire Station on the third Tuesday of each month. The meeting in December (12/15/09 at 7pm) is very important since we well be discussing a tax measure we expect to go to the voters on June 8th of next year. The first public hearing specific to the tax measure will be held in early January. We will keep you posted.

Bodega Bay Fire Protection District
The Bodega Bay Firefighters are collecting toys for the holiday season.
Please keep an eye out for our annual report in early February.
Thank you and best wishes for the holiday season.

Drive Safely
Please be very careful out on the road this season. Driving your vehicle is most dangerous this time of year, with rainy, icy weather and often restricted vision due to fog. Please drive carefully and remember to plan ahead with a designated driver if you plan to tip your glass at your favorite Christmas party.

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Local Fire Departments Come Together in Friendly Competition to Collect Lifesaving Blood for Patients in Need

Fire departments around Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties have come together again to participate in Blood Bank of the Redwoods’ 4th Annual Bucket Brigade during November, December and January. Participating fire departments will recruit community members, colleagues, friends and family to donate lifesaving blood in an effort to collect the most blood and win the Bucket Brigade Trophy. The competition will help blood inventory levels during the winter months, which are greatly effected by seasonal illnesses, weather conditions and family travels.

Last year 40 fire departments competed in 34 blood drives with a total of 1155 participating donors. The 3rd Annual Bucket Brigade Trophy was proudly carried away by Geyserville Fire Department, who won the contest with 102 donors. We are very thankful to all of our donors for their care and continued support toward local patients and Blood Bank of the Redwoods!

The notion of a Bucket Brigade originates from the Great London Fire of 1666, where lines of townspeople created “brigades” and passed buckets of water from the town’s water source to the fires that threatened their community. This contemporary Bucket Brigade brings our community together in the same way, not to fight fire but to save lives through blood donation.

Participating Fire Stations:
Anderson Valley Fire Department, Brooktrails FD, CAL Fire & Cloverdale FD, CAL Fire & Wilmar VFD, CAL Fire Napa, CAL Fire Ukiah, Covelo VFD, Forestville FD, Fort Bragg FD, Geyserville FPD, Glen Ellen FD, Goldridge FD, Graton FD, Healdsburg FD, Kenwood FPD, Lakeport FD, Lakeville FD and San Antonio VFC, Little Lake FD, Long Valley FPD, Mendocino FPD, Middletown FD and CAL Fire, Occidental FD, Petaluma FD, Rancho Adobe FPD, Redwood Coast FD, Redwood Valley-Calpella FD, Rincon Valley FD, Rohnert Park DPS, Russian River FPD, Santa Rosa FD, Sebastopol FD, Sonoma Developmental Center FD, Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue, South Coast FD, Ukiah FD, Ukiah Valley FD, Windsor FPD

4th Annual Bucket Brigade Competition

2009 - 2010 Blood Drives Listed by Date

Dec. 12th 10:00am - 2:00pm Middletown FD and CAL Fire Lake 21095 State Hwy 175 Middletown 95461

Dec. 13th 01:00pm - 4:00pm Santa Rosa FD 1775 Yulupa Avenue Santa Rosa 95405

Dec. 13th 11:00am - 2:00pm Long Valley FPD 44920 Willis Avenue Laytonville 95454

Dec. 14th 03:00pm - 7:00pm CAL Fire Petaluma & Wilmar VFD 3825 Bodega Ave. (Wilmar Station) Petaluma 94952

Dec. 14th 03:00pm - 7:00pm Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue 630 2nd Street Sonoma 95476

Dec. 15th 03:00pm - 7:00pm Fort Bragg FD 141 North Main Street Fort Bragg 95437

Dec. 16th 03:00pm - 7:00pm Forestville FD 6554 Mirabel Road Forestville 95436

Dec. 16th 03:30pm - 7:30pm Glen Ellen FD 13445 Arnold Drive Glen Ellen 95442

Dec. 17th 02:00pm - 5:30pm South Coast FD and CAL Fire Sea Ranch 38901 Ocean Drive Gualala 95445

Dec. 19th 10:00am - 1:00pm Russian River FPD 14100 Armstrong Woods Road Guerneville 95446

Dec. 20th 01:00pm - 4:00pm CAL Fire Ukiah 2690 North State Street Ukiah 95482

Dec. 20th 01:00pm - 4:00pm Little Lake FD 111 Commercial Street Willits 95490

Dec. 28th 03:00pm - 7:00pm Goldridge FD 4500 Hessel Road Sebastopol 95472

Dec. 30th 03:00pm - 7:00pm Ukiah FD 293 Seminary Avenue Ukiah 95482

Jan. 7th 03:00pm - 6:00pm Rancho Adobe FPD 11000 Main Street (Station 2) Penngrove 94951

Jan. 8th 03:00pm - 7:00pm Rincon Valley FD 45 Lark Center Drive Santa Rosa 95402

Jan. 8th 04:00pm - 8:00pm Geyserville FPD 20975 Geyserville Avenue Geyserville 95441

Jan. 9th 11:00am - 3:30pm Anderson Valley FD 14281 Hwy 128 Boonville 95415

Jan. 9th 11:00am - 3:30pm Redwood Coast FD 19601 South Hwy 1 Manchester 95459

Jan. 11th 03:00pm - 7:00pm Mendocino FPD 44700 Little Lake Road Mendocino 95460

Jan. 12th 08:00am - 12:00pm Petaluma FD 198 D Street Petaluma 94952

Jan. 16th 10:00am - 1:00pm Lakeport FD 445 N Main Street Lakeport 95453

Jan. 16th 01:00pm - 4:00pm CAL Fire & Cloverdale FD 1001 S Cloverdale Blvd. Cloverdale 95425

Jan. 19th 02:30pm - 7:00pm Healdsburg FD 601 Healdsburg Avenue Healdsburg 95448

Jan. 20th 01:00pm - 4:00pm CAL Fire Napa 1199 Big Tree Road St. Helena 94574

Jan. 22th 02:30pm - 6:30pm Rohnert Park DPS 5200 Country Club Dr. (Station 2) Rohnert Park 94928

Jan. 23th 10:00am - 2:00pm Windsor FPD 8600 Windsor Road Windsor 95492

For More information, contact Blood Bank of the Redwoods

707-545-1222

www.bbr.org

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Who is Graton Fire?

Graton Fire has a tremendous history of fighting fires both within its borders as well as the major fires in Santa Rosa, Guerneville, and Healdsburg. Eventually, Graton firefighters started responding to medical aids and vehicle accidents. Graton Fire was one of the first districts to purchase the “Jaws of Life” to pry open cars in the 1970’s and responded throughout a significant section of Western Sonoma County with them. We have been working out of the same fire station (once the train depot) since the 1940’s.

History- During the 1920’s and 1930’s, Graton experienced many bad fires. When veterans returned to Graton after World War II, they used their military fire experience to help prepare Graton to fight fires. Initially, this was done with a large soda acid extinguisher on wheels that was kept in town and people would come get it when needed. Farmers would bring water spray tanks and tenders from their fields as well. Through donations and a very committed Graton community, the fire department was formed in the mid to late 1940’s. In 1951, it was officially recognized as a Fire Protection District and officially accepted the responsibility and duty to respond to fires. We cover from the Sebastopol city limits (roughly Mill Station Road) to as far north as the top of Vine Hill and Laguna Roads and west to Green Hill Road and east to the Laguna that separates us from Santa Rosa.

Graton Fire has a tremendous history of fighting fires both within its borders as well as the major fires in Santa Rosa, Guerneville, and Healdsburg. Eventually, Graton firefighters started responding to medical aids and vehicle accidents. Graton Fire was one of the first districts to purchase the “Jaws of Life” to pry open cars in the 1970’s and responded throughout a significant section of Western Sonoma County with them. We have been working out of the same fire station (once the train depot) since the 1940’s. In 1961, the meeting room/kitchen, bathroom, office, and three engine bays were added using donated/reclaimed lumber from Graton chicken coops and the labor of the Graton volunteer firefighters.

There are no hydrants or water system in Graton or the surrounding community. You may see a hydrant in Graton; however, these are typically hooked to neighborhoods that share a water system and have limited storage. When there is a fire, we must bring the water to the fire and establish a water-hauling system to maintain the firefighting operations. This is done through a county-wide mutual aid system where all fire departments support each other during major fires.

Graton Fire is managed by a board of directors, comprised of five residents who have been elected to serve the interests of the district. They are charged with spending the money received through property taxes (roughly one percent of the tax bill) and donations from the community. The board meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm. During this meeting, the board pays bills, approves purchases over $500, reviews correspondence, and receives reports from the fire chief on how many calls and trainings happened the prior month. This meeting is open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend.

Today- From the fire chief to the trainees... every Graton firefighter is still a volunteer. We respond to more calls each year than any other 100 percent volunteer fire department in Sonoma County and more than a couple of the paid departments. We have only been able to accomplish this due to 60+ years of dedicated Graton men and women. Our roster is consistently filled with 20-30 firefighters who are willing to put their personal and professional lives on hold to respond to the 500 calls for service we receive each year.

Graton conducts its own training for new volunteers, following the standards set by the International Fire Service Training Association. After six months and a minimum of 120 hours of training, new firefighters may run calls. They, along with the rest of the department, continue to train every Thursday night to keep their skills sharp. This is accomplished through a combination of our own firefighters teaching in their areas of expertise, guest instructors, and a contract with Sonoma County for an outside fire instructor to teach one or two times a month. Occasionally, we can get live fire training when we burn homes that are scheduled for demolition. It is cheaper for the homeowner and great training for us.

Due to the level of training, equipment, water-hauling proficiency, and dedicated volunteers, Graton obtained a protection rating of 6 (out of 10) from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) in 2006. This is the service that your homeowner’s insurance company uses to rate your fire insurance. Most volunteer departments without hydrant systems score a 9.

The fire department has four types of fire engines to serve the different needs we encounter. The structure engine, of which we have two per ISO, is designed to fight house fires. The wildland engine is smaller, designed to go off-road, and attack the fire while still driving. The water tender carries 2,000 gallons of water and supports the structure and wildland engines. Lastly, the rescue squad carries equipment for vehicle accidents, medical aids, and other service calls. It carries no water or fire equipment, making it smaller and more easily adaptable to our rural driveways.

Future- The brightest light in our future is the new fire station; we are all very excited. The current station cannot fit all of our engines, there is no storage space, the building is literally falling apart, it is not seismically safe, etc. The board of directors has been saving and planning for a new station for close to 30 years. In 2006, the board purchased the Davis Tree Farm on Highway 116 using cash reserves set aside for this purpose. Of the 9 acres, only 20-30 percent are being developed for the station; the rest will remain Christmas trees and will serve as another community fundraising event for the department. The goal of the board is to use the remaining cash reserves, financing, and a federal grant to build the new station without requiring any new taxes. There is significant competition for the federal grant, which will be awarded next month. Our fire station plans were submitted to the Sonoma County building department this month.

As you can see from the chart, Graton Fire continues to serve more calls every year. The new station will support the increasing responsibility of the fire district. It will house all of our fire engines and have excellent space for training and equipment. In addition, we are designing it with space for up to four bedrooms. Establishing a “sleeper program,” where volunteers are paid a small stipend (e.g. $25) to sleep at the station, will be possible at the new building. This could be a first step towards easing the call burden on the volunteers with only “sleeper” firefighters running calls at night unless they need additional help.

Summary- The Graton Fire Protection District is very fortunate. We have a great community that supports us, a solid tax base to purchase reliable equipment, and, most importantly, an incredible group of residents who are willing to complete the training necessary to become a volunteer firefighter. Each day, we respond to 1-2 calls for service. Today, it was a lift assist for a father on hospice care at home and a vehicle accident for a car into an apple orchard. Tomorrow, it could be a house fire or another baby delivery... you never know and that is what makes volunteering so exciting!

For more information, please call the fire district at (707) 823-5515 or visit our website at http://www.gratonfire.com/

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Overcoming Disability: Inga's Story

PHOTO by Penny Wolin. http://www.pennywolin.com/

Inga’s Story
by Bianca Llamas

What Inga remembers most about waking up that day was the white. It surrounded her, but it was not the comforting white of billowing clouds or down comforters, but the cold stark white that spoke of starched ironed bed sheets and disinfectant.

It was a surreal setting where nothing made sense. All she could remember was who her family was and her job. She was told later that the accident occurred when she was celebrating with her boyfriend in downtown Vilnius, Lithuania. The holidays had passed and winter was raging on.

Inga Lizdenyte, 32, did not know where she was when she woke up. She had been in a car accident, but she didn’t remember it. The result was the loss her legs and the paralysis of her left arm.

Inga had no recollection of the accident. Later, she was told that the driver was speeding, at 100 miles per hour. The roads were slick with ice and snow. The driver lost control and careened into light pole. He died at the scene. At the time of impact Inga’s legs were sliced in half, just above the knee.

Her life seemed a blur. It was not until a few weeks later that her father told her that the driver who died in the accident was her boyfriend, Dalius. After hearing his name she understood.
“Dalius always liked to drive fast,” said Inga.

To most of us it would seem incomprehensible, losing both legs and a boyfriend at once. Yet now Inga reflects that she was able to handle the news fairly well, no doubt due to the morphine the doctors were filling her with.

After being released from the hospital Inga went back home to live with her family, but things were not the same. Like physical therapy, learning to live with a disability and the looks in the eyes of old friends who never knew what to say or do. It took about a year of being stuck in her room to be motivated to take hold of her situation.

“I couldn’t leave my room because I had to wait during the process of home modification. I made the request right away but it took about a year before anything was done.”

“I couldn’t take the humiliation of being carried down the only flight of stairs from the elevator to the ground floor…I only left the house for doctors appointments and rehabilitation therapy”. Life as she had known it seemed to no longer exist. Inga felt that she had lost the freedom she had rarely even given a second thought to.

But Inga was strong. Adjusting to her new life was not easy. She had been forced into a world that required her total dependence on others. Eventually with the combination of therapy and motivation, Inga decided to get on with her life.

“I wanted to live, not exist,” said Inga.

Things were looking up when an American prosthetic expert was able to create two prosthetic legs, enabling Inga to walk again.

But only for a year.

Her thighbone was growing back, a painful process some amputees experience. The pain made it impossible for Inga to wear her prosthetic legs.

There is no longing in Inga’s voice when she describes choosing to use a wheelchair. She is content and happy with her life. Inga’s pristine happiness is what sets her apart from most people and people who have suffered an injury resulting in disability. Part of this happiness is due to her job, Public Relations and Volunteer Coordinator at Disability Services and Legal Center also known as DSLC.

“One of the reasons I love working at DSLC is because this agency helps people like me to become independent and live their lives despite their disability. I have seen, smelled, felt, heard and tasted every emotion that these people are dealing with. I know what it feels like when you cannot live your life as everyone else only because you don’t have access or opportunity due to your disability. DSLC is the primary resource for people who have to go through difficulties as I did. I want the community to know that there is a place where they can get help if they or their family members have any difficulties because of disability. I can share my own personal story with them to hopefully inspire them to take hold of their lives.”

Anyone can find Inga in her office, dubbed “the fishbowl”, working away while listening to up beat electronic music.

Her upbeat attitude and energy is infectious. She admits that she may overwork herself by taking on too many projects but is always satisfied with their outcome.

Inga has a worldly presence and when speaking with her you can only think of how amazing she is. Fighting losing battles and overcoming her past, Inga may be the strongest person you ever meet.

“I could feel sorry for myself, but what use would that be. I am thankful for everything I had to go through, and what has happened to me has made me only stronger. I love my life and my job. I have a purpose and that is to help others like me”, said Inga.

If you have any questions regarding the services provided by DSLC call DSLC, 707-528-2745 or check out their website http://www.disabilityserviceandlegal.org/

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Red Cross Looking for Sonoma County Heroes to Honor

RED CROSS LOOKING FOR HEROIC COMMUNITY MEMBERS
6th Annual Real Heroes Breakfast to highlight acts of extraordinary
compassion

They were a college student who donated a kidney to her mentor, a woman who created debriefing teams to relieve stress in those who serve at emergencies, and an Army Specialist who survived a bomb explosion in Afghanistan and helped the other ambushed Rangers. The
American Red Cross, Sonoma & Mendocino Counties, honored those heroic community members, and many others, at last year’s Real Heroes Breakfast.

Now the Red Cross is seeking new heroes to honor at their sixth annual breakfast on April 29, 2009. The breakfast benefits the local disaster relief fund and supports other essential, local Red Cross services. It will be held in Rohnert Park at the Doubletree Hotel.

The Red Cross wants to know about anyone in either Sonoma or Mendocino County who has shown an extraordinary gift for human compassion since January 2008. Nomination forms, which must be received by February 27, are available on www.arcsm.org/heroes or from the Red Cross by calling 577-7600.

Major sponsors for the Real Heroes Breakfast to date include Medtronic and Eileen Adams.

A panel of community leaders will review nominations. The categories are Animal, Education, Environmental, Good Samaritan (Youth, Adult, and Senior), Law Enforcement, Medical, Military, and Professional Rescue.

Heroic acts must be ongoing or have occurred between 1/1/08 and 2/27/09. Heroes for all categories must live in, or heroic acts must have taken place in, Sonoma or Mendocino County.

There is no admission fee, however guests will be encouraged to support the efforts of our local chapter.

The full breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and the event is done by 8:45 a.m. To attend or to find out more about sponsorship, call (707)577-7600.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, SONOMA & MENDOCINO COUNTIES

American Red Cross is a neutral, humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters, and prepares people to prevent and respond to emergencies. Our chapter, like all Red Cross chapters, is self-sustaining and receives no funding from the national organization. All disaster assistance provided by the Chapter is free and is made possible by voluntary donations of time and money by the people of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. Donations can be made online at www.arcsm.org, via mail to 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, or by phone at 707-577-7600. Mendocino residents can call locally, (707) 463-0112.

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Whole Foods, Sebastopol supports Ceres Project

Ceres Project is a wonderful cooperative effort engaging the efforts of young cooks who prepare nutritious meals for people in need. To learn more about the Project - please visit their web site - link below. To help contribute to this project, please shop at Whole Foods Sebastopol from September 29th through December 28th.

Whole Foods Sebastopol has selected the Ceres Project to be the recipient of the Envirocents Program from September 29 to December 28th. This is a great opportunity for us to raise money, but even more to spread the word about our work.

There will be posters in the store featuring Ceres, and our logo will be on the change boxes at each register.

Folks can choose to put their extra change in the boxes, and all of the bag donations will also come to us.

Whole Foods is also giving us three opportunities to table in front of the stores. We will be there on Sunday, October 19 from 11 - 1, and again on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and again in December.

Here's what you can do:

1. Spread the word among your circles and encourage them to take their bags to Whole Foods and to donate their change to us via the change boxes.

2. Put notices up on WACCO and in other newsletters you have access to.

3. Shop at Whole Foods often, take your own bags with you, and donate that $0.05 to Ceres.

4. Help out by volunteering to table October 19, November 23, or pick a date in December.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

And here's the complete story:

Whole Foods Envirocents Program Helps Get Meals to Local Cancer Survivors

Grab your reusable grocery bag and head to Whole Foods in Sebastopol to help a local non-profit that’s touching a lot of lives with the healing power of food. From now through the end of December, The Ceres Community Project will be the beneficiary of Whole Foods-Sebastopol’s Envirocents Program.

Envirocents gives Whole Foods shoppers the option to donate five cents for every bag they bring in to a local non-profit organization. Change boxes at each register are designed to collect additional donations. Local non-profits get visibility as well as funds to support their work.

The Ceres Community Project, founded in March 2007, provides organic, nutrient-dense meals to families dealing with serious illness while training young chefs in the art of healthy cooking and eating. This year, Ceres will deliver more than 15,000 meals to individuals throughout Sonoma County. More than 100 teens from ten area high schools have worked as chefs in the project’s kitchen.

The majority of the project’s clients are dealing with cancer and the debilitating effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Here’s what one of those clients had to say about the difference that The Ceres Community Project made for her and her family.

“I don't know how to fully express what a lifesaver the Ceres Project food was for me during my chemo. Having food already prepared, tasty food which I knew was good for me and helping me fight the cancer, made my life so much easier during an extremely difficult time. As it came to the end of the treatment, I grew more and more fatigued but there were things I really wanted to be able to do. It was important to me to help with my daughter's 8th grade play and graduation. After nine years of being an active volunteer in her school, especially with the plays, it would have been a shame to not be able to work on her last play. If I hadn't had the Ceres food waiting for me, I wouldn't have been able to handle it.”

Each Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, teen volunteers gather at The Community Church of Sebastopol’s commercial kitchen to chop, sauté, whisk, bake and roast their way through cases of mostly donated local organic food. The teens learn first hand about the relationship between the food we eat and our health, develop their culinary skills and discover how simple it is to make a difference in their world.

If you’d like to learn more about The Ceres Community Project visit their website, www.ceresproject.org . If you know someone who needs food support, call Cherie at 823-2529. If you are a teen or adult who would like to volunteer, call Judi at 829-8295. And from now until the end of December, visit Whole Foods Sebastopol with your reusable bag in hand. Donate that five cents – and whatever change you have – to The Ceres Community Project. If each of us gives a little, we can make a big difference for our neighbors who are struggling with illness, and for the young people who are becoming the leaders of the future.


Cathryn Couch
707-799-7489
www.kitchencosmology.com
"Humans are tuned for relationship. The eyes, the skin, the tongue, ears, nostrils -- all are gates where our body receives the nourishment of otherness." - David Abrams, The Spell of the Sensuous

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Homeless Girl grows up to become Outstanding Woman

Constance Bravos earns Hearst Award

I find stories of personal achievement great inspiration for people - especially young people who are bored or lack direction. Some times a few words of encouragement, a goal accomplished or an example of someone else who has risen above obstacles are all it takes to succeed. Constance Bravos is an example of a young woman whose personal strength, attitude and intelligence earned her the William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement. She's a rising star at 20 and an excellent example for others to follow - V

Once Homeless, Constance Bravos earns Hearst Award and Aims to Help Troubled Youth

She was an adopted child who not only faced financial problems and but was once homeless, living in a shelter.

Now, Sonoma State University junior Constance Bravos has a 3.61 grade average and won the William Randolph Hearst / CSU Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement, picking
up the $3,000 scholarship that comes with it. Recipients of the award have overcome challenging odds, to pursue a college degree.

"Asthma has proven to be one of my most prominent and consistent struggles throughout my life. It made my lungs collapse when I was six," says Bravos, 20, who is from Martinez but now lives in Rohnert Park while she attends school.

Bravos lost her home when she was ten, and says it took five years to find a home and see her life get back on track. "You could say it was because my parents didn't graduate to go on to college in order to make a better living wage and not have to rely on their parents to help them with a house," Bravos says.

"But really, I just remember being ten and receiving the two weeks notice and coming to the realization that my life was going to be different and difficult."

During school Bravos feared being teased because she was homeless and so she had only a few select friends that did not know her past.

"Instead of focusing on my peers and my struggles, I began to expedite my energy toward school and my future," Bravos says.

Bravos is a psychology major looking forward to graduating in 2010. Because of her own hardships, she wants to make a difference as a psychologist for Martinez's Juvenile Hall after
completing her degree at UC Berkley where she plans to study counseling and psychology.

She already has worked toward this goal by being a peer mentor and a teaching assistant at SSU, helping the freshman class become more aware of college opportunities. She is involved in
the Educational Opportunity Program, Future Scholars, among others.

Bravos feels blessed by the award.

"I feel honored in knowing that my life and goals are being recognized for their true worth. It's an indescribable feeling to come from a history of being a part of one of the most forgotten populations - the homeless - to end up becoming someone who is not only remembered, but awarded for my efforts," she says.

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Sonoma State University Saving California Turtles

“HEAD START”
SSU Head Start Program for turtles sees first hatchlings effort to halt shocking decline of reptiles in California - Slow and steady is not winning the race.

Rapidly shrinking numbers of California’s only native aquatic turtle species - the Western Pond Turtle - has sparked the development of a pioneering partnership between Sonoma State University and two Bay Area zoos to save the reptile from extinction in California.

Sonoma State Biology professor Nick Geist successfully hatched the first six young turtles last Friday from 57 eggs collected this summer from an undisclosed Lake County location. Geist and his graduate students, and Oakland Zoo staffers, spent the summer monitoring a Lake County site for mother turtles and followed them to the nests where they collected their eggs.

PHOTO: Students working form a ‘‘blind’’ to watch the turtles

The eggs were placed in five incubators in his lab at the Rohnert Park campus. Young turtles began to emerge last Friday. More are hatching daily in the first-of-its-kind breeding program for this species in the state.

“Slow and steady is not winning the race for this species,” says Geist. “The turtles must be saved before the population reaches critically low levels.”

Geist has solicited the support of Bay Area zoos in a captive-breeding program - a “head start” program - to protect the young turtles, who at the size of a quarter at birth often become tender morsels for predators such as bullfrogs, skunks and foxes. These predators, as well as the loss of 90% of its habitat, have contributed to a shocking decline of the species.

This past Friday, the first hatchlings went to the Oakland Zoo for care until they are large enough to be released back to wild. Plans are to send the second batch to the San Francisco Zoo on Friday. The SF Zoo plans to create a public education exhibit about the project at its Koret Animal Research Center.

Geist envisions a network of zoos throughout the state that will raise the hatchlings in captivity for almost a year to facilitate the immediate conservation and ultimate recovery of the Western Pond Turtle in California.

Geist is also using the program to determine at what temperature the sex of the turtle is decided so that better conservation management techniques can be designed.

The Western Pond Turtle (Clemmys marmorata) has declined precipitously, or been eliminated entirely, in so many parts of its former range, that it is now protected by the Department of Fish and Game as a California Special Concern species.

Originally, the pond turtle ranged from Mexico to the Canadian border in a narrow strip along the coast. It lives to be 60 years old and its shell gets as large as 12 inches in length.
Once estimated to have populations in the millions, it has virtually disappeared from urban areas of southern and northern California and most of the Central Valley.

For further information, contact:
Dr. Nicholas R. Geist, Associate Professor of Biology,
(707) 664-3056, nick.geist@sonoma.edu
Nancy Filippi, Director of Marketing, Oakland Zoo,
(510) 632-9525, ext. 132, nancy@oaklandzoo.org
Gwendolyn Tornatore, Public Relations Manager,
San Francisco Zoo, (415) 753-7174, GwendolynT@sfzoo.org

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48 Years After the Torch was Passed

Stephen Gale writes about our political legend, Ted Kennedy, from his personal perspective and years of activism.

Forty-eight Years after the Torch Was Passed

By Stephen Gale

The first time I met Arnold Schwarzenegger he was sitting beside his celebrity companion, Maria Shriver. Their table-for-four at Froman’s Deli in Santa Monica was only a few feet from the little two-seater where my wife and I sat, exhausted at 9:00 on a Sunday morning. Maria was animated and loud and excited that she woke that morning to see the name KENNEDY boldly showing on the windshield of every car on the street below the apartment where she lived. Arnold beamed, but it was Maria who became the gracious niece of Edward Kennedy when Lorre and I admitted, wearing broad smiles of our own, that we had labored since before sunrise to place a flyer on every car in Santa Monica, until our limited supply was exhausted.

Ted Kennedy has been the patriarch of a generation of Democrats for as long as I can remember, being only eleven when John Kennedy visited Dallas for the last time. Five years later, such a short time after I heard him calm an anguished crowd when Martin Luther King was murdered, there was no consoling those whom Robert Kennedy touched and who sought to touch him. Although I would experience grief at the loss of friends who did not return from Viet Nam and others who stepped out of line too soon, there is a cold stillness, even today, as I remember the assassination of the second Kennedy. The generous words Ted Kennedy spoke in eulogy were soothing and still hang on my office wall.

My father was so affected by the loss of John Kennedy that he resigned a lucrative job in the Santa Clara valley and became the Director of Vocational Education at Parks Job Corps Center in Pleasanton. Some of those relationships forged during years of committed action grew into friendships that lasted for the rest of his life. Before his death he remembered how George Forman, the most famous person to emerge from Parks, had his life changed by the passionate commitment of those who worked in one of the cornerstones of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society.

For a short time, I was so affected by the loss of Robert Kennedy that I worked in the district office of first term Assemblyman John Vasconcellos and considered pursuing a career in public policy. Then I went away to college, married, pursued two careers and raised a son, while the political world unfolded on a course so different from the hopeful path illuminated by three Kennedy Brothers. Through all of those overly ordinary and sometimes self-absorbed years, I came to understand that it was Edward Kennedy who showed the greatest strength, through long struggle that is the real hallmark of courage.

To see Edward Kennedy speak tonight, with his left hand covered by a bandage and his right hand shaking slightly as his voice filled the Convention’s never-silent space, was to know that the torch had, indeed, been passed. When Edward and Caroline stood with Barack Obama and endorsed his candidacy, the torch moved from the loving hands of the third Kennedy Brother who had so jealously kept the eternal flame alive in the Democratic Party.

In his mid-day message from Denver, Chip Roberson (Obama Delegate from the City of Sonoma) shared his illuminating recognition of the message imprinted on the California Delegation. “By strengthening and building relationships, we can share and craft a common message that will serve to build the bonds that unite the party.” Politics and the struggle to create a better future for ourselves and our children do create lasting bonds of unity. For those of us who are preparing for the loss of the final Kennedy Brother, it is encouraging to see the torch being passed so peacefully and respectfully to Barack Obama. And locally, it is equally gratifying to see a new generation of political leadership emerging in the likes of Delegate Chip Roberson, new to politics, and passionately engaged.



Stephen Gale is the Chair of the Sonoma County Democratic Party.
http://sonomademocrats.org/

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