Kids love being part of the Club.

by Leon Rousso CFP Board Emeritus

The facts are incredible. Almost 100% of our kids graduate from high school and most move on to college. Considering the average graduation rate is somewhere around 70%, I find this the most amazing statistic. You can find many more amazing statistics about us on https: bgclubventura.org.

These boys and girls will be our next business leader’s, political leaders, great mothers and fathers, great citizens and they are grounded in good character. In fact, several Boys & Girls Club of America have become president of the United States.

We could not have done it without the generous support of you, our neighbors and business community.

For that we are eternally grateful.

As we are a grassroots organization which counts on community support for much of our annual need, we can really use your help.

For years now, we have been depending on the generosity of our community, and you have always stepped up as we help kids stay safe and their minds active every day.

Our annual Great Auction event will be this November 11, 2023, at the Poinsettia Pavilion beginning at 5 PM.

It is going to be wonderful. Music, dancing, dinner, drinks, live and silent auctions and much more.

These auctions are always so much fun, and I hope you can join us. Tickets will go on sale soon.

Today, I am reaching out to our entire city and asking for your support.

If you have anything worthy of our auction; a trip, dinner at your favorite restaurant (Just ask, you will be surprised at how many will donate), a new boxed item, new clothing, jewelry, foursomes, and of course money, it will make this year’s auction a record breaker.

So, whether you can or cannot donate an item or make a cash donation, please think about buying tickets for our Auction and save the date of November 11, 2023.

I promise you will have a wonderful time and really help our kids.

Let’s ensure our club is here for another 85 years. Our children need us.

“Kids are great imitators….so give them something great to imitate” – Anonymous

Salvation Army recognized leadership.

by Patricia Schallert

The Salvation Army is a globally recognized charitable organization that provides humanitarian and social services to local communities in need. On June 28th, the local Ventura Salvation Army Corp chapter of the Salvation Army celebrated an instillation event for the new Board Members.

Roger Case current Salvation Army Board President and chairperson is leaving his post after five years of dedicated service to the Salvation Army Board. Roger was recognized for his leadership and the challenges he had to face during the Covid pandemic.

Chris Brashers was recognized as the new Board President for the Salvation Army Corp in Ventura. Steve Shaw was elected to Vice Chairman. Both bring high standards to the advisory committee and are involved with the Hope Project in  Ventura along with being involved in multiple service organizations.

The Salvation is committed to promoting education, job training and community development through new and established relationships within the Ventura community, while maintaining  gratitude and a commitment to those they serve. The new board members support and rely on volunteers and donations to support the wide range of programs and services.

Salvation Army

Junior Coordinator Marilyn Beal presented the awards to Emily Gomez and Rithvik Kotla at a recent board meeting.

Each year the Auxiliary of Community Memorial Health Services award scholarships to outstanding graduating seniors who have participated in the Auxiliary’s Junior volunteer program. The Maria Cavallo Scholarships are given to students whose education and career goals are to enter the medical field.

Emily Gomez attended Ventura High School and contributed 300 volunteer hours at CMH, while earning a 4.15 weighted GPA. She was active in Key Club, Interact Club, California Scholarship Federation, Red Cross Club, and was a medical assistant intern. In addition, she received a National AP Scholar Award, and was in National Honors Society. She plans to attend Ventura College majoring in biology with a goal of becoming a physician.

Rithvik Kotla attended Adolfo Camarillo High School where he achieved a 4.88 unweighted GPA. He volunteered 227.75 hours at CMH. He was captain and programming lead for the Adolfo Camarillo Robotics Team, president of the Math Club, Logistics and Web director of the Red Cross Club, and a tutor for “School on Wheels,” a program which helps unhoused students. He received the Gold Award for Volunteer Service, Congressional Silver Medal Award, Academic Decathlon 1st place in Science in LA Star Competition, and 1st place in Ventura County Regional Science Fair for Zoology. He will attend U C Berkeley in the fall majoring in bioengineering with the career goal of physician scientist.

In addition to the officers and board of the Auxiliary, hospital CEO Mick Zdeblick was on hand to offer congratulations to these outstanding students.

Outdoor Summer Movie Series kicked off with a showing of Jaws

Hundreds of enthusiastic guests turned out to Ventura Harbor Village on Saturday, June 24, for an unforgettable evening as the Outdoor Summer Movie Series kicked off with a special showing of the iconic film Jaws (1975) at sunset. The event was a true celebration of cinematic history.

A highlight of the pre-show activities featured Susan Jane Backlinie, former actress and renowned stuntwoman, known for her unforgettable portrayal of Chrissie Watkins, the first shark victim in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster JAWS. As a resident of Ventura Harbor, Susan was present to personally welcome and interact with guests, signing autographs and posing for photos with devoted JAWS fans.

The festivities featured an information station hosted by The Shark Lab of Cal State University Long Beach, providing fascinating insights into these awe-inspiring creatures. Attendees also had the chance to win thrilling prizes, including tickets to experience the original JAWS ride at Universal Studios. To add to the entertainment, KRUZ 103.3 FM was on-site, facilitating a captivating Q&A session with the talented actress Susan Backlinie.

Moreover, the event embraced the spirit of fun and creativity with a Costume Contest. Participants took the opportunity to showcase their love for sharks, with a delightful array of outfits. The crown for Best Shark costume went to an adorable canine dressed as a fearsome great white, while others joined in the movie-themed fun with shark onesies and personalized shark t-shirts. Another standout was the Best JAWS character, won by an impressive portrayal of a ship’s captain.

Ventura Harbor Village Outdoor Movie Nights continues on Saturday, July 29, when “Goonies” will take center stage, followed by the enchanting adventure of “Moana” on August 26. For more information about these upcoming events, be sure to visit www.VenturaHarborVillage.com. Get ready to be captivated by the magic of cinema under the stars!

On May 28th at 3:00 am John quietly slipped into the Ventura Harbor

After turning 55 years old, John Nordin set a personal goal to stand up paddle board (SUP) his years in miles. For nearly 20 years John was an avid surfer along the California coast. Reading articles in magazines and tracking storms hitting the coastline, he’d drive to beaches and camp in his car hoping to have a memorable surf session. While reading a surfing magazine he spotted a photo of someone stand up paddle boarding (SUP), and thought, “what a great way to stay in the ocean when there wasn’t any waves.” Not knowing how it all worked, he purchased his first SUP board and paddle. “Teaching yourself wasn’t easy, with only having magazine photos to observe,” but John was determined. As his paddling improved so did his boards, and along the way he met fellow paddlers through the Channel Islands Paddlers. Derek Turner introduced John to racing and they began training together. Entering his first race in April 2014, John enjoyed the paddling community even more.

John and his family frequented the races through the years, participating in as many as he could. He and his wife Jessica have a daughter with Autism and had a custom SUP board built to take her along. On January 2020 John and his daughter entered and won first place for tandem SUP in the Hanohano Ocean Challenge and were ready for more, but that’s when the pandemic hit. Shutting down all live races for 2020-2021, John found virtual races like the 16 mile Molokai 2 Oahu race community. It was during this time he started watching long distance paddle races, researching the necessary gear and meeting a new group of guys to paddle within the open ocean. This opened John’s abilities and desire for more endurance paddles. Leading him and a buddy Larry Veilleux to paddle 13 miles around Platform C off the Santa Barbara coast.

The California River Quest, 2022 was to be his first endurance race, but due to the California draught it too was canceled. Over the years John had challenged himself with distance paddles, with the longest being 29.5 miles from Santa Barbara Harbor to Ventura Harbor.

On May 28th, at 3:00 am, John quietly slipped into the Ventura Harbor off the docks of the Ventura Yacht Club and began his 55 mile solo paddle. With the dark sky meeting the black waters, the only sounds were his paddle hitting the water with the occasional sea lion breaking the surface for air behind him. He had packed music in his drybag but chose to paddle the 9 laps through the harbor and Ventura Keys with only his thoughts and laminated encouraging quotes, enjoying the company of fellow paddlers for a lap here and there. His wife nourished him at their check point. Fellow Channel Islands Paddlers cheered him on throughout the day. Strangers began to recognize him and cheered him on from boats, docks and the shores as he passed them once again. By his final lap John had outlasted his Garmin watch and at 7:28pm he finally collapsed back onto the dock he started from, surpassing his 55-mile goal.

Not sure what the next challenge maybe, John does have his eyes set on a race called Seventy48. Paddlers paddle 70 hours within 48 hours.

It was built to change delinquent girls though education and compassion.

by Richard Senate

A dream was shattered on the night of February 27, 1920 when the girls of the Ventura School for Girls rioted after the departure of a beloved doctor from the school staff.

Established on the upper Ventura Avenue, just outside of Ventura City limits it was founded with the best progressive intentions of 1912. It was built to change delinquent girls though education and compassion into socially acceptable young women. It was hoped this idealistic approach would solve all the problems with criminal behavior exhibited by young girls in the whole state of California.

But there were hints that everything wasn’t as idealistic as the public was told. In 1918 The Ventura Free Press uncovered stories of terrible punishments inflicted on “difficult” girls. Those who failed to comply with the program were subjected to ice cold baths that could last twenty minutes. Some disobedient inmates were subjected to forced injections of Apomorphine that would induce violent vomiting as a form of punishment. Some staff walked out, other blew the whistle on the disciple inflicted on the girls. These warning signs were ignored and the harsh treatments continued with little change. Any “student” who showed sighs of disobedience were given “treatments for hysteria.”

The mask of compassion was pulled away when the girls rioted after the dismissal of a beloved female doctor from the staff. On the February night the girls, screaming, broke windows, smashed furnishing and took to the roofs of the dormitories, thrown anything they could find at staff. The staff at the school were unable to control the insurrection and they called the Ventura County Sheriff’s office. Sheriff McMartin and a quickly assembled posse descended on the school to establish order. They were met with a shower of projectiles The Sherill was struck on the head by a tossed chair, Deputy Juan Reyes was knocked out by a dropped flowerpot. With Billy clubs and and much effort the riot was quelled and twenty-five girls were attested and handcuffed. The riot didn’t end until 3:00 a.m. The Twenty-five “ringleaders” were taken to the county jail and locked in the drunk tank. In the confusion six girls escaped, four were recaptured but two disappeared, last seen in a truck bound for Los Angeles.

The next day saw the girls attempt to set fire to the buildings. The riots did cause a new examination of conditions at the school and in 1921 the state moved in to take control from the local boards that administered the reform school. The school continued on until 1962 when the inmates were transferred to Camarillo and it would close for good in 1970. An attempt at reform that failed.