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Vol. 9, No. 18 – June 8 – June 21, 2016 – Music Calendar

For more events go to VenturaRocks.com

Amigos Cafe & Cantina
546 E. Main St.
805-874-2232
Mondays: Open mic
Wed 6/8: Davey Miller
Thurs 6/9: Herbal Rootz
Fri 6/10: Davey Miller
Sat 6/11: DJ Erok
Sun 6/12: 5 pm Jade Hendrix; 9 pm Karaoke
Tues 6/14: Brandon Ragan
Wed 6/15: Davey Miller
Fri 6/17: 5 pm Karen Eden; 9 pm DJ Erok
Sat 6/18: Dive Bar Messiahs
Sun 6/19: 5 pm Corsican Brothers; 9 pm Karaoke
Tues 6/21: Tom and Milo

Bombay Bar & Grill
143 S. California St.
805-643-4404
Fri 6/10: Midlife Crisis

Café Fiore
66 S. California Street
Wed 6/8: Big Adventure
Thurs 6/9: Sound Effect
Fri 6/10: Erick Tyler Experience
Sat 6/11: Otis Hayes
Sun 6/12: 6 pm Jahmark & the Soulshakers
Tues 6/14: Donna Butler
Wed 6/15: Bryan McCann & Friends
Thurs 6/16: Cosolive
Fri 6/17: Soul Infusion
Sat 6/18: Instone
Sun 6/19: 6 pm Babylon Rockers
Tues 6/21: Donna Greene

The Cave
4435 McGrath Street
Thurs & Fridays: 5:30 – 8:30 pm Warren Takahashi

Copa Cubana
Ventura Harbor Village
Mondays: 6 pm The Estrada Band
Tuesdays: RJ Mischo & the Down Home Trio
Wednesdays: Todd’s Jazz Band
Thurs 6/9: Brandon Ragan
Fri 6/10: Todd’s Jazz Band
Sat 6/11: 1pm Andy Cahan; 7 pm Live Band Karaoke
Sun 6/12: Noon Andy Cahan; 4 pm Lorenzo Martinez
Thurs 6/16: Toni Jannotta
Fri 6/17: Brandon Ragan
Sat 6/18: 1 pm Andy Cahan; 7 pm The Swillys
Sun 6/19: Noon Andy Cahan; 4 pm Lorenzo Martinez

Dargan’s
593 E. Main Street
Sun 6/19: 4 pm The Sunday Drivers

Discovery
1888 Thompson Blvd
Wednesdays: Starlight Swing Night
Thurs 6/9: Legalizer
Fri 6/10: MarchFourth; Flashback Fridays w/ DJ Spinobi
Thurs 6/16: The Expanders
Fri 6/17: The Coat & Colors; Flashback Fridays w/ DJ Xist
Sat 6/18: Disc-o-Town Hoedown
Sun 6/19: Lee Scratch Perry

El Rey Cantina
294 E. Main Street
Fridays: 4 pm Xoco Moraza and Friends; 9:30 DJ/Karaoke by DJ Gold Dust
Saturdays: DJ Erock

The Garage
1091 Scandia Avenue
Wed 6/8: Common War
Sat 6/11: Species Unknown, Come se Dice, The Kane Gang, No Advisory
Wed 6/15: Prayers

GiGi’s
2493 Grand Avenue
Thurs & Fridays: Karaoke
Sat 6/11: Free Jukebox
Wed 6/15: CB Brand
Sat /6/18: Brian Faith Band

Golden China
760 S. Seaward
(805) 652-0688
Karaoke seven nights a week 9 pm
Tuesdays 7 pm: Open Mic

Gone West Cellars
5963 Olivas park Drive
Music Fridays 6-8 pm
Fri 6/10: Karen Eden
Sat 6/17: National Cat

Grapes and Hops
454 E. Main Street
Fri 6/10: Mr. O
Sat 6/11: Tex Pistols Duo
Sun 6/12: 3 pm Doug Miller
Fri 6/17: Shawn Jones
Sat 6/18: Jazz Junkies

The Greek Restaurant
Ventura Harbor
Sat & Sun 7:30 pm
Belly Dancing, Greek music and show; DJ dancing

Hong Kong Inn
435 E. Thompson Blvd
Mondays Karaoke
Thursdays: Gypsy Blues Band swing night
Fri 6/10 Hi Hat Entertainment: Bruce Katz Band
Fri 6/17: Hi Hat Entertainment: Coco Montoya
Sat 6/18: Tom & Milo

Keynote Lounge
10245 Telephone Road
Tuesday and Wednesday: Karaoke
Thursday: Open Mic
Sunday: Karaoke
Fri 6/10: Custom Made
Sat 6/11: Celebrity Trash
Fri 6/17: What the Funk
Sat 6/18: Seventh Decade

Majestic Ventura Theater
26 S. Chestnut Street
Sat 6/11: RJ Ommio, TC 4800, Ko the Legend

Margarita Villa
Ventura Harbor Village
Fri & Sat at 5; Sundays at 3
Fri 6/10: Vic Moraga
Sat 6/11: Forbidden Fruit
Sun 6/12: CRV
Sat 6/18: Crosscut
Sun 6/19: Vertigo Blend

O’Leary’s
6555 Telephone Road
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Wed 5/25: Karaoke
Fri 6/10: Live Band Karaoke

Paddy’s
2 W. Main Street
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Fri & Sat: DJs

Plan B Wine Cellars
3520 Arundell
Sun 6/12: 4:30 pm Ignition

Poinsettia Pavillion
3451 Foothill Road
(805) 648-1143
Fri 6/10: Ventura Jazz Orchesta with Donna Greene
Mon 6/13: Monday Night Dance Club with Wyatt Haupt Band
Mon 6/21: Monday Night Dance Club with Dick Parent Band

Prime
2209 E. Thompson Blvd
Tuesdays: Danny D
Fridays: Encore
Saturdays: Beach City Sound Club

Red Cove
1809 E. Main Street
Thursdays: Music Club Open Jam Night

Rookees Sports Bar & Grill
419 E. Main Street
(805) 648-6862
Fri and Sat: Rotating DJs

Saloon BBQ Co.
456 E. Main Street
Sat 6/11: Group Huge
Sun 6/12: 5 pm Jeff Uzzel

Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thurs 6 pm, Weekends noon
Thursdays Open Mic
Sat 6/11: Rhythm 805
Sun 6/12: Dennis Russell
Sat 6/13: Licity Collins
Sun 6/14: Magallon Calderon

Sans Souci
21 S. Chestnut
Sundays: DJ Darko
Mondays: Karaoke
Tuesdays: Transform Tuesday
Wednesdays: Open mic
Thursdays: DJ Spinobi
Fri 6/10: Cruda
Sat 6/11: Don’t Trust Whitey
Sun 6/12: 6 pm Hard Six
Sat 6/18: Ska Daddyz

Squashed Grapes
2351 E. Main St.
805-643-7300
Live jazz music 7-10 pm
Wed 6/8: Adam Clark Trio
Thurs 6/9: The Lounge Trio
Fri 6/10: Adam Clark Quartet feat. Jaie Van der Sluys
Sat 6/11: Gerry Brown
Wed 6/15: Meridian Trio
Thurs 6/16: Rhythm Future Quartet
Fri 6/17: L.J. & the Boyz
Sat 6/18: Rachel Flowers Trio

Star Lounge
343 E. Main Street
Fri 6/10: The Bomb
Sat 6/11: The Sheiks
Fri 6/17: Drunken Monkeys
Sat 6/18: Pull the Trigger

Surf Brewery
4561 Market Street
Sat 6/18: 2 pm 5th Anniversary Party: Raging Arb & the Redheads; The Slider, Tom Loughman Band

The Tavern
211 E. Santa Clara Street
Sunday open mics
Karaoke Tuesdays
Metal Music Wednesdays
DJs every Thursday college night
Fri 6/10: Rich Sheldon
Fri 6/17: The Black Hips
Sat 6/18: The Caverns

VFW Hall
3801 Market Street
Saturdays: 4-8 pm Captain Ron

W20 at the Watermark
598 E. Main Street
Thurs 6/9: Coso
Fri 6/10: Brandon Ragan
Sat 6/11: Action Down
Sun 6/12: 11 am David Patt; 3 pm A.D.D.
Thurs 6/16: Karen Eden
Fri 6/17: A New Vibe
Sat 6/18: The Bomb

The Wine Rack
14 S. California Street
Music runs 7-11 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm
Sundays: B&V Acoustics
Mondays: Open Mic
Tuesdays: Keith Cain
Wednesday: Danielle Stacy
Thurs 5/12: Jon Gindick
Fri 6/10: Mark Heyes
Sat 6/11: Danielle Stacy
Fri 6/17: Hans Ottsens
Sat 6/18: Jeff Uzzel

The 805 Bar
Ventura Harbor
Sat & Sun: 1 pm Kenny DeVoe

Vol. 9, No. 18 – June 8 – June 21, 2016 – Ventura Music Scene

music sceneMusic and the Arts
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com

Very Ventura is one of the coolest stores in town featuring local vendors. It’s also where you’ll find the Ventura Rocks Music Listening Station which offers recorded music from local musicians.  They have a gorgeous gallery towards the back of the store called Gallery V which will host a new exhibit called “Good Vibrations: A Harmony of Art & Music” on June 18th which will run through July 24.  Xavier Montes will perform at the opening reception.  I’m especially looking forward to seeing the works from one of my favorite rock photographers, Cliff Montgomery; you might have seen his work up at Bombay’s.

Surf Brewery will be celebrating their 5th anniversary with a party in the parking lot all day long featuring live music including Raging Arb and the Redheads, The Slider, Tom Loughman Band and more.  Make your plans to join in the fun on Saturday, June 18; the music runs 2-7 pm.  They’ll have several specials and are hoping to raise funds for the Notes for Notes program at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Ventura.

Reggae returns to the Tree House at Café Fiore on Sundays now through Labor Day.  Catch bands like the Babylon Rockers, Jahmark & the Soulshakers, and Casey Jones & the Reggae Train. Music kicks off at 6 pm.

Watermark has extended their live music to include Thursday evenings 7-9 pm with more of an easy listening vibe including artists such as Karen Eden, Coso, Jade Hendrix and others.

The Ventura premiere of the Rachel Flowers documentary by Lorenzo DeStefano entitled, “Hearing is Believing” will be shown at the Century Theater on June 9; Rachel will be performing at Squashed Grapes on Saturday, June 18.

And speaking of locally produced documentaries, I caught Rain Perry’s new film, “The Shopkeeper”; it’s an amazing piece of work which gives a better understanding of the struggles musicians face. It’s evolves around the life of music producer Mark Hallman, but covers the more important aspect of the evolving music industry and asks the question, “Everybody can make a record, but nobody can make a living. Is there a problem with that?”  The film is an excellent platform for starting that dialogue not only with musicians, but with music lovers and our responsibility when it comes to supporting artists. The film will be available eventually on iTunes and Hulu. You can find a Q&A with Rain Perry at VenturaRocks.com.

And finally, by the time we go to press the next episode of Ventura Rocks at CAPS Media featuring Shaky Feelin’ should be up and available on the Ventura Rocks and CAPS Media You Tube channels. The band was super fun to work with and I think an excellent representation of what Ventura’s music scene is all about.

Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

The Art of Chalk: by Venturean Tracy Lee Stum

For anyone who pays the least bit of attention, chalk art is making a comeback. As an outdoor chalk artist, Venturean Tracy Lee Stum boldly embraces both the perils of precipitation and the casualties of crowds. The impermanence and “delightful and pleasing ephemera” of outdoor chalk art is part of its allure, according to Stum.  She is an internationally renowned, award winning street painter who brings integrity to this ethereal art form. In her recently released book, The Art of Chalk: Techniques & inspiration for creating art with chalk, Stum explores the types, techniques and topography used by some of the world’s most prominent chalk artist. The Art of Chalk is part how-to and part where-to-go. Published by Quarto, Stum’s book explains the chalk painting process, a blow by blow of making your own pastels and a list of national and international street painting festivals for inspiration.

After graduating with a degree in art from Temple University, Stum went on to paint murals in luxury Las Vegas casinos. As an envoy of the U.S. Department of State, Stum also conducts international 3D street-painting workshops as far away as Tajikistan and India.

Vol. 9, No. 18 – June 8 – June 21, 2016 – Movie Review

X-Men: Apocalypse/ 2 and ½ Palm Trees
by Eduardo Victoria/[email protected]

The latest feature in the X-Men franchise finds a younger version of familiar characters. This time around, the team is up against big bad Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) as he tries to destroy humanity to create a world fit for mutants. The stakes aren’t high, it’s really nothing we haven’t seen before but the film’s character moments and lightness make it worth a visit, even if you have to shell out a few bucks you may not want during matinee hours.

10 years after the evens of Days of Future Past, the film picks up in the 80s following Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), (Kody Smit-McPhee) as they get to know each other and their respective powers. This, in many ways, represents the heart of the film as the gets to know the extent of their respective talents in order to help their fellow students at Charles Xavier’s School for the Gifted (James McAvoy returns in a stellar performance). From the seasoned team of the past two films are Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) and Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult).

Though the plot is simple, the stakes – as I mentioned prior – never feel high. Cities are smashed, buildings tossed around, and we see no connection to people on the ground or feel the severity of Apocalypse’s actions. Isaac, who is enjoying a prosperous career phones in his performance in this film, buried deep underneath blue makeup and a hideous suit of armor.

As in the last film, Evan Peters steals the entire film as the dorky character Quicksilver, who has one of the more interesting arcs in this film. Supporting Apocalypse are his “four horseman”, one of which is Erik Lensherr (James McAvoy). As Magneto, he destroys Egypt probably killing millions (there are those stakes again), yet Xavier still thinks there is a streak of good in his buddy. Perhaps time to let go of the notion that he’s still a decent human being, at least story-wise.

Behind the camera, director Bryan Singer brings a humor and energy that reminds us why he has been the best director to grace the series thus far (Ironically, he didn’t direct the best film in the series, First Class) but proves to be running out of steam this go around.

With all of that said, the film proves to be more fun than its predecessor – which is one of the most famous story arcs from Marvel Comics’ “X-Men” series. Some very cool action set pieces involving Quicksilver and an exploding building, the assembly of the Four Horseman, and Magneto’s backstory in this film prove to be the highlights of an otherwise dull film. Fans of the series will be divided while the average movie-goer may end up bored. Something I wouldn’t expect from filmmakers this talented.

Rated PG13, 144 minutes, now playing at Century Downtown 10.

Vol. 9, No. 18 – June 8 – June 21, 2016 – Two on the Aisle

Classic murder mystery at the Elite
by Jim Spencer and Shirley Lorraine

Since 1952 Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, The Mousetrap, has played continuously in London’s West End. For a brief time, local audiences can enjoy the English classic on stage at the Elite Theatre at Oxnard’s Channel Islands Harbor.

The Mousetrap is arguably one of Christie’s most well-known and beloved plays.  Based very loosely on an actual event, the story requires the audience to pay close attention to the goings-on. People are not who they seem to be, the house itself plays a role, and there are surprises throughout.

The Ralstons (Brittany Danyel and Peter Vendehei) are a young couple who have inherited an old house, Monkswell Manor, and decided to try their hand at running a guest house.

On opening day they prepare to receive their first compliment of guests– each decidedly unique and displaying distinctive traits that advance the story. After the guests arrive, Britain’s trademark inclement weather turns to snow and the guests find themselves snowed in, at least for the night.

Eric McGowan plays the first guest, an architecture student who claims his name is Christopher Wren – a peculiar young man; Jennifer Brown forcefully portrays the disagreeable, over bearing and unappeasable, Mrs. Boyle.

British plays from the era seem to boast a retired military man and The Mousetrap is no exception. Andy Brasted gives life to the very military, tweed-wearing, pipe-smoking Major Metcalf, Hanna Mitchell confidently parades as the androgynous Miss Casewell.  An additional guest, unexpected and unexplained, in the person of the very Italian Mr. Paravicini, played by Ken Jones, adds a continental flair.

Alexander Schottky appears as police Sergeant Trotter, who has been sent to offer precautionary security following reports of a deranged killer in the area.

Before dinner can be served one guest is murdered and Sergeant Trotter embarks on the unravelling of the many webs surrounding the guests.

The flower-adorned motif of the Monkswell Manor Guest House is appointed with many vintage touches, adding to the overall charm. Director John Eslick worked hard to visually convey the English sense of tradition.  While vocal accents are of widely varying quality and consistency, each actor seems to enjoy their individuality thoroughly. Many a subtle eyebrow is raised as clues appear to present themselves. The action moves swiftly as the suspense heightens.

Tradition demands the intricacies of the plot, as well as the ending, not be revealed – so each audience can fully immerse itself in solving the crime. We fully respect this tradition and so, with a mere tut-tut and jolly good, we leave you to attend to learn who-dunit and why.

Be prepared to listen carefully as the language and wording have remained as originally written, not updated in any way.  This tends to lean toward the melodramatic in style, as originally intended. Early critics felt some characters were cliché and overdone, and so they are. Just go with it.

The Mousetrap plays through July 3, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $18-$20 for adults, 60+ seniors and students are $15 to $18, and Military with ID are $15. Reservations are recommended. (805) 483-5118. www.elitetheatre.org.

 

What is on your Bucket List?

Fred Nagelschmidt and advisor Leon Roullard falling from 10,000 feet.

by Phil Chandler, Owner of Right at Home of Ventura County, Home Care Agency

In the first of an occasional series, the Breeze interviews local residents about their bucket lists – or “what we wish to accomplish before we are shuffled off this mortal coil”.

You may remember the movie “The Bucket List” starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. It was an engaging story about two men facing a terminal illness. They were able to leave their shared hospital room and accomplish some amazing feats, and have a lot of fun and laughs along the way.

Creating your bucket list will help you to remember what you enjoy in life, and can cheer you up.  It is energizing, and just talking about what is on your list can motivate you to get it done. There is no right or wrong activity; it is completely up to you. You can write your list any time of your life and describe any activities you dream of. It will remind you of what you enjoy in life, suited to your physical ability and risk tolerance.

One local Ventura resident, Fred Nagelschmidt, has always wanted to skydive. For his 92nd birthday, he called up Skydive Coastal California at the Camarillo Airport and booked a flight. Fred has always been an adventurous soul. An avid runner, he has run marathons (26.2 miles), and five ultra-marathons, which are 50 to 100 miles. He would train by running from Ventura to Santa Barbara and back. The last marathon he ran was 12 years ago, when he was 80 years old. Even at 92, Fred is in great shape.

On the big day, Fred was suited up for a tandem skydive with Leon Roullard , the Drop Zone Manager and USPA Safety and Training Advisor. Leon has been skydiving since 1997 and makes about 500 jumps per year. After a short class on what to expect and some do’s and don’ts, they left the ground in a Cessna 172. Fred’s wife Mona, left the airfield with their son Chris and drove over to the drop zone a few miles away. After climbing to about 10,000 feet, it was time to go. They were freefalling for about 40 seconds, reaching 120 miles per hour. When Leon pulled the chute at 5,000 feet, they floated the rest of the way to the drop zone for about seven minutes. After the hurricane strength wind of the freefall, the float was calm, quiet, and peaceful. Fred was able enjoy the view of Catalina and the Channel Islands all the way to downtown Los Angeles. Leon let Fred steer the square canopy until they were ready to land, then Leon took over. Lean had several cameras capturing different angles to memorialize the event. Fred enjoyed it so much he wants to do it again in August.

For more information, call Bucket List Skydiving at 322-4763 or visit www.skydivecoastalcalifornia.com .

If you have an interesting bucket list story to share, call Phil Chandler at 389-5320.

 

Palermo Pizzeria has gained a following of local supporters

Yoshi’s career path into the restaurant business was “almost like an accident.” Photo by Zach Frankart

by Jenny Guy

Yoshi Namiki, owner of Palermo Pizzeria in Ventura, says his career path into the restaurant business was “almost like an accident.” Namiki came to California when he was 14, moving from Japan after his father, a mechanical engineer, took a position in Northridge –– and decided to call Simi Valley home. Fluent in both English and Japanese, Namiki held a career in computer sciences with an international company until he was 40.

After losing his job, he found himself headed toward bankruptcy. With a family of his own and no prospects, Namiki stumbled upon an opportunity to go into business for himself. He purchased a small deli in Simi Valley called Simi Sam’s Sandwich Factory –– one of the oldest delis in the region. Solely self-taught without any prior restaurant experience, Namiki chose to maintain the authenticity of the sandwich shop and kept many of the previous owner’s original recipes. This on-the-job training allowed him to develop his own culinary skills, and the gamble eventually paid off. The restaurant business has never been an easy sector of work to get into, which is why many aspiring restaurants never quite make it. While efforts can be made simpler by using a service such as QSR accounting to ensure that the books are properly managed, it is genuinely difficult to create a restaurant business that is both successful and sustainable.

Namiki sold Simi Sam’s to his brother and became the sole proprietor of the Italian Simi Valley staple Palermo Pizzeria. Seeing this new enterprise as an opportunity to make the restaurant his own, Namiki did a complete overhaul of the inherited menu. He spent months testing ingredients to find the perfect combinations –– placing special significance on perfecting his sauces.

business Palermo insetOn August 23, 2010, Namiki reopened the restaurant. He introduced new dishes under the Palermo Pizzeria name as a tribute to the original owners, the Cascio family, who established the restaurant in 1972. After two years of managing Palermo Pizzeria in Simi Valley, Namiki, a surfer, felt drawn to Ventura to be closer to the water. Two years to the day that Namiki had purchased the first Simi Valley location, August 23, 2012, Palermo Pizzeria was founded in Ventura.

The Ventura Palermo Pizzeria has since gained a following of local supporters for its fresh ingredients and meals made from scratch. The pizza dough is made onsite daily, all pasta sauces and salad dressings are homemade, and Namiki personally visits the market each morning (seven days a week) to handpick produce for Palermo Pizzeria’s salads and toppings. The results of these efforts are delicious dishes ranging from vibrant salads and flavorful soups to Italian classics like spaghetti and meatballs.

Located in Midtown Ventura at 1751 East Main Street, Palermo Pizzeria has a customer base estimated at 90 percent locals, and Namiki has come to know most by name. Palermo Pizzeria caters to its following, providing local favorites such as Surf Brewery beer and Panaro Brothers wine. The 1,500-square-foot establishment also houses a wide selection of art from Ventura native Scott O’Connor, who gifted Namiki with the restaurant’s one-of-kind signboard.

“When people come here, I want them to laugh and have fun. If I am, they will. And if I like it, chances are my guests will too,” said Namiki, a husband and father of two who now lives just across the street from Palermo Pizzeria in Ventura.

Both Palermo Pizzeria’s Simi Valley and the Ventura locations are open for business Monday through Sunday, more information can be found at www.palermos.biz.

Jenny Guy is the director of communications for Mustang Marketing and a resident of the City of Ventura.

Wheel Fun Rentals renews partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big sister Ashley Bryant and little sister Roselith enjoying a ride at Wheel Fun Rentals.

Wheel Fun Rentals, the number one recreational rental company in the country, announced it is renewing a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters for a program called “Biking Buddies.”  For the tenth consecutive year, the Biking Buddies program will provide free rentals to underprivileged children and their mentors around the nation.  To date, 1.25 million dollars’ worth of free rentals have been donated to Bigs and Littles.

Wheel Fun Rentals launched the “Biking Buddies” program in 2006 each year, more than 30,000 individuals directly benefit from Biking Buddies – 15,000 underprivileged youth and their mentors have the opportunity to rent products that range from a fleet of unique bikes, including multi-passenger Surrey cycles, tandem bikes, beach cruisers, several styles of low-to-the-ground recumbent cycles, and more. The program is valid at more than 50 locations nationwide and supports over twenty Big Brother Big Sister chapters.

“At Wheel Fun Rentals we like to see children moving, biking, paddling, laughing, and enjoying the great outdoors,” said Sheena Walenta, Marketing Director at Wheel Fun Rentals.

“This is a great gesture that will bring lots of fun to our Littles,” said Lonna Radford, member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Advisory Board.

“I’d like to thank Wheel Fun Rentals for extending this very generous donation to BBBS,” said Mike, a Big Volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters San Diego Chapter. “Much of today’s youth spend their time inside, off their feet, completely reliant on electronics for entertainment; so it’s great to have a fun outdoor activity readily available.”

By being part of the program, these children see “Little Moments turn into Big Magic.” If you’d like to become a volunteer or support BBBS programs, please call your local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter, or find your local chapter online at https://aim.bbbs.org/einquiry/einquiryzip.aspx?t=2.  To find out more about the Biking Buddies program visit http://www.wheelfunrentals.com/Content/BBBS.aspx.

2016 Youth Of The Year – Sarah Ruiz

Sarah Ruiz presented an art piece to the Mayor at the City Council meeting where she was honored.

At the City Council Meeting on May 9, 2016 – Sarah Ruiz, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura’s 2016 Youth of the Year, was recognized by Mayor Nasarenko and the other council members for her outstanding achievements.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s  Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed and inspire. As the 2016 Youth of the Year for the  Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura, 15-year old Sarah is a true example of an extraordinary young woman recognized for her leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to live a healthy lifestyle.

Sarah consistently pushes herself to be better.  She truly enjoys opportunities to give service to others and studies diligently for good grades and a better life.  Sarah has received multiple accomplishments like the President’s Education Award for Academic Excellence and the President’s Volunteer Service Award for outstanding volunteer and community service work.

Sarah began attending the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura at the age of six, along with her brother and sister.  Her parents were in and out of her life, which made things difficult, but her grandparents stepped up to take care of her and introduced her to the Boys & Girls Club.  She often expresses her gratitude for this turning point in her life.

As a teen, she became a tutor for kids who needed help with homework, started helping out at the front counter by signing kids in and out, answering phones, and helping parents who needed assistance.  Sarah became a member of Torch Club – a group for members in middle school, dedicated to leadership and community service.

In addition to being a member Sarah gives back to her Club by providing several hours of community service.  Sarah reaches out to the younger members of the club to provide help with homework or guidance with any problems that they might be having.

Sarah plans on attending a four year University and is interested in pursuing a future career in forensic science.

“We are all very proud of Sarah’s accomplishments and recognize that she has the potential to not only build a great future for herself, but to also aid those in need along the way said Patti Birmingham, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura.

Mayor Nasarenko served as one of eight judges for the Club’s local Youth of the Year competition that was held in March of this year.  He was able to witness first hand, what a poised and confident young lady Sarah has become.

Sarah went on to compete with other Boys & Girls Club youth at the Area Council level which included youth from Ventura, SantaBarbara, San Luis Obispo, and Kern Counties.  She was selected as the BGC Coastal Area Youth of the Year, received a $2,500 scholarship and an opportunity for a full ride scholarship to Marquette University.  She went on to compete against eight other youth for the title of BGC California Youth of the year in Sacramento.  Sarah was the only Sophomore amongst eight high school Seniors in the competition.

For more information about the Youth of the Year program, visit http://www.youthoftheyear.org.

To find out how you can get involved in creating Great Futures for the youth of our community, or to make a donation, visit the Club website at www.bgclubventura.org or call them at  641-5585.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura corporate office is located at 6020 Nicolle St., Ventura.