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If you fall stay as calm as possible

Remain still on the floor for a few moments.

Whether you are at home or somewhere else, a sudden fall can be startling and upsetting. If you do fall, stay as calm as possible and follow these steps:

  • Take several deep breaths to try to relax. Remain still on the floor or ground for a few moments. This will help you get over the shock of falling.
  • Decide if you are hurt before getting up. Getting up too quickly or in the wrong way could make an injury worse.
  • If you think you can get up safely without help, roll over onto your side. Rest again while your body and blood pressure adjust. Slowly get up on your hands and knees, and crawl to a sturdy chair.
  • Put your hands on the chair seat and slide one foot forward so that it is flat on the floor. Keep the other leg bent so the knee is on the floor. From this kneeling position, slowly rise and turn your body to sit in the chair.
  • If you are hurt or cannot get up on your own, ask someone for help or call 911. If you are alone, try to get into a comfortable position and wait for help to arrive.
  • Carrying a mobile or portable phone with you as you move about your house could make it easier to call someone if you need assistance. An emergency response system, which lets you push a button on a special necklace or bracelet to call for help, is another option.

Editor:

We provide many articles about falling because a fall can be very devastating for some seniors.

Vol. 13, No. 1 – Oct 9 – Oct 22, 2019 – Ojai News & Events

Joseph “Joe” Lee Suh will visit the Ojai Library at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16, to present a special talk, “Empowering Ventura County Small Businesses.” Joe comes to us from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and is working with the Ventura County Library to explore how the SBA can help your business thrive.

As the nation’s go-to resource and voice for small businesses, the SBA provides counseling, capital, contracting, and disaster recovery expertise and assistance for the nation’s 30 million+ small businesses so they can confidently start, grow, expand, or recover.

Joe is Senior Area Manager with the Los Angeles District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he partners with local leaders to engage and empower small businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.

Professor of Environmental Science and Resource Management (ESRM) Dr. Emily Fairfax will visit the Ojai Library at 1pm on Saturday, October 12, 2019, to deliver a presentation titled “Smokey the Beaver: Can Beavers Prevent Wildfires?” Dr. Fairfax comes to us from CSU Channel Islands (CI) as part of this season’s CI Library Lecture Series.

CSU Channel Islands hosts dozens of free public lectures at libraries throughout Ventura County as part of this program. The lecturers are experts from numerous departments at CI, including Biology, History, English, Computer Science, Political Science, Performing Arts, and Sociology to name a few.

These events are free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146.

The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Avenue in Ojai. Hours of service are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

On Sunday evening, October 13, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Ojai native plant educator Lanny Kaufer will lead a plant identification Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where the group can watch the sun set at 6:27 p.m. and the moon rise at 6:47 p.m.

A portion of proceeds from the walk will go to the Barbareño/Ventureño Band of Mission Indians (Chumash).

After registering online, those participating will meet at the Park-and-Ride lot in downtown Ojai between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m. and carpool to the trailhead to minimize the crowded parking situation there. Then they will walk about 1 mile to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable native plants including Coastal Sagebrush, Hollyleaf Cherry, Purple Sage and Toyon. After witnessing the rising of the moon and setting of the sun, the group will walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the Park-and-Ride by 8:00 p.m.

From there all attendees are invited to join Lanny and his wife Rondia across the street for beverages, appetizers or dinner at the combined Azu Restaurant and Ojai Valley Brewery

Register now at HerbWalks.com by calling 805-646-6281. There is no pre-payment required for this walk, just a promise to let Kaufer know if plans change. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with all necessary info a few days prior. No dogs or smoking, please.

Join Rev. Karen S. Wylie at The Ojai Retreat on Sunday, October 13, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for her Mid-Month Devotional Retreat, which this month will explore “What is the blessing of life?”

The retreat will be devoted to meditation, sharing, wisdom talks, quiet walks in nature, and sacred music. Randee Vasilakos, RScP, assists and anchors the morning in a consciousness of prayer and healing.

The Ojai Retreat is at 160 Besant Road, Ojai. The retreat is by donation; $20 is suggested.

Tutor training workshop in Ventura

Laubach Literacy of Ventura County is offering a free ESL tutor training workshop on Saturday, October 19, from 9am to 4pm at 1500 Palma Drive, Ventura.

Various methods and materials will be demonstrated and taught during the workshop enabling the new tutor to begin right away. Neither prior teaching experience nor knowledge of a foreign language is necessary. Open a world to an adult non-fluent English speaker with the gift of learning how to read, write and speak English. New tutors are always needed. To register for the workshop and for more information, please call 805-385-9584.

Laubach is an all-volunteer non-profit organization teaching English as a Second Language to adults 18 and over. www.laubachventura.org

From the Lexington blog

“Are you really sure we need to take all this stuff?”

Change can be difficult and stressful, and everyone handles it differently. Like with any change, making the transition to senior living can be made easier on everyone by keeping a positive outlook, patience and understanding, and if possible, as many family and friends involved as possible.

When planning on a move into as assisted living home you or your loved has to decide what furniture and personal items to take such as furniture, photographs, and personal effects. It’s important to request to see the actual unit so you can see the layout and take measurements.

This will help them decide what furniture and personal items can be taken. Since most downsize when they move into senior apartments most of the large furniture they already own won’t fit in their new living space. Sometimes it’s more practical to take smaller items like pictures, books, blankets that will make you or your loved one feel more at home.

Packing should be finished long before the actual move. Available closet space should be taken into consideration when deciding how many clothes to bring. There may be storage units available outside of the unit that seasonal clothing and other items can be stored in for a small monthly fee.

Before moving day comes ask if staff at the residence can help with the move. Many assisted living homes have staff members that will help move furniture and boxes into your new unit. After all heavy lifting is done try to get family and friends to help you organize your belongings in your new living space, it shouldn’t be too much trouble at that point.

Moving is already a difficult process, but many people have trouble making the emotional transition a stigma has been attached to senior living residences. Those concerns aren’t warranted in today’s assisted living facilities as residents can lead independent, full lives.

As long as your loved one gives themselves time to settle into a new routine they’ll find themselves adjusting to their new surroundings. Staying busy also helps, getting out and trying to meet as many of the other residents as possible will help make your parent or loved one feel welcome. This shouldn’t be hard since many of the communities offer a wide variety of daily activities that allow people to socialize and meet people with similar interests.

It’s important that members of the resident’s family and their friends are involved throughout the entire process from helping them find a community they like, helping them move, to regular visits after they have settled. A family member that has moved into an assisted living center shouldn’t be viewed any differently than before the move.

Sometimes this is easier said than done. Family members can experience the same feelings of uncertainty that the resident can, but they should try and keep in mind that their family member has changed, just their address.

Spotlight on Ventura’s Environmental Services Specialist Arriana Rabago 

“I am very passionate about protecting the environment”

What do you do for your job?

As an Environmental Services Specialist for the City’s Environmental Sustainability Section, I help manage our environmental outreach programs and our solid waste environmental compliance programs, and I also oversee the day-to-day responsibilities associated with managing our contracts with E.J. Harrison & Sons and Gold Coast Recycling & Transfer Station. One of the projects I manage that you may recognize is the quarterly Community Cleanup & Recycling Event.

What do you like about your job?

I am very passionate about protecting the environment and I also love the City of Ventura. Mixing the two keeps me fulfilled each day at work. I love that I have the opportunity to preserve and protect the beauty of both Ventura and the planet through my work. I’ve found that the people in Ventura are passionate about these same things, which makes me so thrilled to serve the community.

What types of services does your division provide the City of Ventura?

The Environmental Sustainability Section offers many services to the community. We host several special events throughout the year with opportunities to safely and properly dispose of waste and become educated about environmental issues. We provide a Green Business Certification program that walks all types of businesses through the process of implementing sustainable practices. We also have a Green Schools program offering free educational presentations to all local K-12 schools, pre-schools, environmental clubs, summer camps, colleges and after-school programs. In 2018, our Green Schools program reached nearly 7000 City of Ventura students! Our stormwater program ensures the health of our watersheds by implementing outreach and compliance programs across the City.

What are some things you’d really like the community to know about your efforts?

I’d love for you to understand that, while the division has many programs that strive to improve the health and beauty of our community, these programs can only be so effective without your individual interest, engagement, and action. Whether it be reducing the amount of food you waste or installing LED light bulbs, each of our individual actions can have a powerful impact on our environment. In the wise words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

How does your division make a difference in Ventura? The Environmental Sustainability Section makes a difference in Ventura by implementing programs that aim to prevent litter, reduce our community’s impact on the environment, and enhance the quality of life for all who live, work, and play here.

Do you have any events or activities coming that you’d like to share/highlight?

We always have several events coming up!

Saturday, October 12th we have a Westside Household Hazardous Waste Dropoff Event from 9am-12pm at the Avenue Adult Center at 550 N. Ventura Ave. No appointment required.

Saturday, October 19th we are co-hosting a Laundry-to-Landscape workshop with Ventura Water educating the public on installation and maintenance of a simple laundry-to-landscape graywater irrigation system. This event will be held at the Avenue Adult Center.

Saturday, November 16th we are hosting the last quarterly Community Cleanup & Recycling Event of the year at 765 S. Seaward. This drop off style event is an opportunity for residents to properly dispose of unwanted junk and safely shred old documents.

How can Ventura residents’ partner with you to help make a difference in our community?

Ventura residents can partner with us by utilizing our programs and implementing the recommendations we offer. Whether you decide to turn your business into a Green Certified Business or learn how to recycle better, everyone has an opportunity to work alongside us in making a difference in Ventura. Be sure to follow us on social media @SustainableVentura to stay up to date on environmental tips and events and the ways in which you can get involved!

2019 ALS Walk Hero

Dean Hartman with wife, Carolyn Hartman Martz with the “hero.”

The ALS Association Golden West Chapter is proud to announce that Dean “Dino” Hartman will be the recipient of the 2019 Walk Hero Award at the 17th annual Ventura‐Santa Barbara County Walk to Defeat ALS. The award is presented to an individual who is making courageous and inspirational efforts in the areas of advocacy, fundraising, and public awareness while living with ALS.

The walk will be held on Sunday, October 6 at Plaza Park, 651 E. Thompson Blvd. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. with opening ceremonies beginning at 10:15 a.m. The event will feature speakers, the presentation of the 2019 Walk Hero Award and 2019 Community Champion Award to Superior Mobility. At 11:00 a.m., the 2 mile Walk will head towards Downtown Ventura, proceed along the Promenade and return to Plaza Park.

The event is free and open to the public, and all funds raised support the mission‐critical priorities of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter in Care Services, Public Policy, and Research. This year’s goal is to raise $105,000 to advance the search for effective treatments and cures for ALS and to serve the diverse, urgent needs of the ALS community in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. The mission of The ALS Association is to discover treatments and cures for ALS, and to serve, advocate for, and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS does not discriminate ‐‐ women and men of all ages and backgrounds are at risk, though for unknown reasons veterans are diagnosed with ALS twice as often as civilians. People with ALS lose their ability to move, speak, swallow, and eventually the ability to breathe, while all five senses continue to function normally. At this time, there is no known cure.

Dean, along with his family and friends, has participated in the Ventura‐Santa Barbara County Walk to Defeat ALS as team “Dino’s Angels” since 2016 and have raised over $30,000 in support of the mission of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter. “The 2019 Walk Hero Award means so much to me, and I am humbled by the honor. I have met many friends afflicted with the same disease and we support one another and encourage ourselves to live life to the fullest,” said Dean.

Online registration is free. For more information, to register for the event, or make a gift in support, visit http://www.alsa.org.

California Travel Association kindly recognizes Visit Ventura

Leslie Snipes, Michele Foster, Marlyss Auster, Mike Laan and Michele Gilmour are proud of Ventura.

California Travel Association kindly recognizes what Visit Ventura knows: we’re a special place to work

Visit Ventura was kindly honored once again as a great place to work, this time by the California Travel Association (CalTravel). The California Travel Association is the united voice of the travel and tourism industry in California, advocating on issues and legislation that affect the tourism industry.

Visit Ventura was presented with CalTravel’s Great Workplace Award for 2019 at a gala awards dinner September 12th at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. Some 350 tourism leaders throughout California attended the awards dinner.

The CalTravel award continues an ongoing string of awards for Visit Ventura, among them back to back (2018 and 2019) awards as one of the best places to work on California’s Central Coast, and Adrian golds, three years running, from Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). The Adrian award is one of the most prestigious awards in the tourism industry.

CalTravel’s Great Workplace Award for 2019, while an honor, was no surprise to those who work in an office that has fun (recognizing the fine work of our colleagues with SpongeBob memes) while getting things done. Through creative thinking and various award-winning campaigns, Visit Ventura helps spearhead a tourism effort that generates close to $300 million in annual visitor spending and, equally important, creates roughly 2,600 jobs in Ventura.

Work can be play, and both can be elevated to an art.

“Success is about working hard, but life is also about having fun,” said Marlyss Auster, Visit Ventura President & CEO. “Our team has mastered the art of blending work and fun. So much great work gets done here. But there’s so much laughter too. I look forward to coming to work every day.”
Find out how Visit Ventura contributes to driving Ventura’s economy through tourism and meet the team.

“Farm Fresh Mobile Classroom,” is visiting schools throughout Ventura County

Kids at Mound Elementary participated with enthusiasm in learning about many of the foods grown in the community. Photos by Bernie Goldstein

As part of its new Ventura County Child Wellness Initiative, Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture (SEEAG) is hitting the road in its new “Farm Fresh Mobile Classroom,” visiting schools throughout Ventura County this school year and bringing its message of healthy eating, proper nutrition and daily exercise.

The 30-foot-long cargo van made its debut on Friday, September 13 at Mound Elementary School in Ventura. Third graders learned about locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables through hands-on activities. They prepared healthy snacks and received recipes that they can make at home as well as nutritional information to share with family members. The van will visit 120 schools and reach 10,000 Ventura County students by 2021.

As part of the van’s debut, five students created dishes from locally grown produce for judging.

“We want kids to get excited whenever they see our brightly colored van pull up at their school,” says Mary Maranville, SEEAG founder and CEO. “Our goal is to cultivate a deeper appreciation for our local agriculture, and healthy eating and wellness practices that will stay with these young students throughout their life,”

Mobile Classroom Sponsors are Sprouts Community Foundation, Gills Onions, AGQ Lab, YCE Engineering, Pyramid Flowers. Wells Fargo, Montecito Bank & Trust and Crimson Pipeline.

For more about SEEAG’s Farm Fresh Mobile Classroom, visit www.SEEAG.org

Founded in 2008, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is a nonprofit organization that aims to help young students understand the origins of their food by bridging the gap between agriculture and consumption through its agricultural education programming. SEEAG’s “The Farm Lab” program based in Ventura County teaches schoolchildren about the origins of their food and the importance of local farmland by providing schools with classroom agricultural education and free field trips to farms. Through this program, over 25,000 elementary school students in Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. SEEAG also hosts annual Farm Days—Santa Barbara County Farm Day, September 28, 2019 and Ventura County Farm Day, November 9, 2019. For more information, visit www.seeag.org.

Ventura College unveils new two-year agricultural business program

Pictured are Keith Barnard, VP of Sourcing at Mission Produce & Ventura College Foundation Board Member; Dr. Kim Hoffmans, President of Ventura College & Ventura College Foundation Board Member; Matt LaVere, Mayor of Ventura & Ventura College Foundation Board Member; Dorothy Farias, Faculty & Program Director, Ventura College Agriculture; Anne Paul King, Executive Director, Ventura College Foundation and Felicia Dueñas, Dean of Ventura College Career Education II. Photo by Bernie Goldstein

Mission Produce, the leading global supplier of high-quality retail and foodservice avocados, has installed a new one-acre commercial avocado orchard at Ventura College. The unveiling was held Wednesday, September 18. The company is providing a $15,000 in-kind donation to reinvigorate the orchard.

Because of the Mission’s generosity, Ventura College was able to enhance its agricultural programs and upgrade its orchard for a hands-on student experience. Students in the school’s new two-year agriculture business program will now be able to learn how a commercial orchard is maintained, avocados harvested, prepared for market and then sold. The Ag program will receive a portion of the avocado sales proceeds.

Students participating in the Agriculture program will apply knowledge of plants, animals, soils, and climates to environmental settings with understanding of basic principles of soil fertility and water quality. Students will predict plant growth outcomes by applying basic principles of botany, and be able to recommend management strategies in the use of Earth’s natural resources, including the ability to recognize, interpret, and recommend control strategies for common plant pests and diseases, and understand the implications of the use of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, and integrated pest management principles used in Agriculture, Landscape Management, and Natural Resources Management.

Because agriculture is one of the top employers in the County, bringing in over two billion dollars, the goal is to introduce additional programs at Ventura College that get young people excited about potential careers in the industry. Keith Barnard, vice president of sourcing at Mission Produce and a member of the board of directors of the Ventura College Foundation, was instrumental in creating the Ventura College-Mission Produce partnership and reinvigorating the Ag program at the college. “One of the reasons I became involved with the Ventura College Foundation is because I believe in its mission to support students. Reestablishing the orchard was one of my goals as a board member,” said Barnard.

Cocina Sin Fronteras hosts annual haunted housing run/walk

These ladies will be running in the Haunted Housing Run/Walk.

Cocina Sin Fronteras, a nonprofit affiliate of the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura (HACSB), will host its fourth annual Haunted Housing Run/Walk, Saturday, Oct. 26, at San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro St. The Haunted Housing Run/Walk offers both a 5K and 10K with chip timing on a fast, flat oceanfront course along the Ventura Promenade. Races begin promptly at 8 a.m., followed by the free Kids Dash at 9 a.m. All proceeds from the event support the Housing Authority’s Scholarship Program that assists Housing Authority residents and Housing Choice Voucher program participants to pursue higher education.

Early registration is $35 for the 5K and $40 for the 10K. Kids dash is free. Prizes will be awarded for the top three overall male and female finishers in both the 5K and 10K. All 5K/10K race participants receive an event t-shirt, bib and specially designed participation medal; breakfast burritos and donut holes will be served after the race. The family-friendly event will have free face painting, a jolly jump and a photo booth for all to enjoy. Costumes are encouraged with prizes awarded for best adult and best children’s costume.

The HACSB Scholarship Program awards six scholarships a year: three at $2,000 for a four-year college/university and three at $1,000 for community college/technical school. Since its inception in 2015, a total of 20 scholarships have been awarded.

“We believe that education provides opportunity, access and choices and is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, “said HACSB CEO Denise Wise. “100 percent of the proceeds benefit the scholarship program.  Most of our previous scholarship recipients were the first in their family to attend college. It is our vision to provide a resource that will allow our youth the chance to maximize their potential and life contribution.”

Registration for the Haunted Housing Run/Walk is available online at https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Ventura/HauntedHousingRun. Early registration discount is in effect through Sept. 26. For more information, call HACSB at 805-648-5008 or email hauntedhousingrun@hacityventura.org.

Cocina Sin Fronteras is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura HACSB.

The Housing Authority of the City Of San Buenaventura (HACSB) is the largest residential landlord in the City of Ventura, currently managing 295 public housing units, 705 nonprofit affordable rental units, and more than 1,500 Section 8 vouchers. The agency is actively working to increase the supply of affordable housing and to improve the quality of life for hundreds more of the low-income residents of the City of Ventura. http://www.hacityventura.org/.