CAPS Media extends congratulations to graduates throughout Ventura. CAPS crews recorded and streamed the Ventura College ceremony on May 18, and record and broadcast commencement ceremonies for El Camino High School on June 8 and Foothill Technical High School on June 14.

CAPS Media’s Thomas Fire Stories project premiered on Friday, June 1 with a harrowing first-person story by Jake and Jenni Dilbeck who live in Wheeler Canyon. On December 4, the first night of the fire, the Dilbecks evacuated from their home. Once the family was safe Jake, an LA County firefighter, returned to battle the fire and try to save his home and the homes of his neighborhood. As a result, Jake was trapped in the canyon by the swirling fire, dense smoke, and a tragic auto fatality that blocked his escape.

Every Friday evening at 6pm firefighters, first responders and members of the public share first-person experiences from the Thomas Fire. Each 20-30 minute story premieres on CAPS TV Channel 6 and CAPS Radio 104.1FM.

The monthly schedule of Thomas Fire Stories is posted on capsmedia.org and includes Chief Dustin Gardner, Ventura County Fire on June 8, Bonnie and Rich Atmore, Sexton Canyon residents, on June 15, Chief Chad Cook, Ventura County Fire on June 22, Chief John Spykerman, Ventura County Fire on June 29, and Clark Tulberg, Thomas Aquinas College on July 6.

The Thomas Fire Stories are produced by CAPS Media in collaboration with the Museum of Ventura County and are supported by photos and videos contributed by the public, firefighters and news agencies. The remarkable and inspirational personal accounts repeat throughout the week and can be viewed at any time online at capsmedia.org/videos.

The Museum of Ventura County is archiving all of the Thomas Fire Stories media material and will include selected portions of the interviews in a special exhibit in the fall to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Thomas Fire. Portions of the individual Thomas Fire Story interviews will be included in a comprehensive documentary film produced by CAPS Media also slated to premiere in December.

Summer is here, and the CAPS Media’s Digital Storytelling Summer Program kicks off on June 26 at the CAPS Media Center. Designed for students ages 10-15 the program provides young videographers and storytellers with hands-on training with cameras, audio, and editing equipment utilizing the complete resources of the CAPS Media Center. Trained by the CAPS Media professional staff, the young crew members also learn teamwork and production skills needed to produce commercials, documentaries, news reporting, comedy shows and more. No prior experience is required to enjoy the three-day activity packed sessions on June 26 – 28, July 10 – 12 and July 17 – 19. The program runs from 9:30am to 1:30pm each day, Tuesday thru Thursday. The program fee includes use of professional gear, hands-on instruction, snacks, a t-shirt and a CAPS Media membership for a year. To learn more about the Digital Storytelling program or to sign up call 805.658.0500 or go to www.capsmedia.org/events.

CAPS Media’s mission is to create an engaged and informed community through participation in electronic media. To learn more about CAPS Media, the public is invited and encouraged to go to capsmedia.org or call 805-658-0500.

by Karen Leslie, writer with heart

Ventura’s best kept secret isn’t a secret anymore! The Ventura Choraliers, a choir with heart, sings their souls out to inspire and give musical pleasure to retirement communities. These second half of lifers from 40 to 90 + years young are a unique blend of savvy, gumption and talent! The choir member’s gift of voice and song raises spirits, brings fun to the moment, plucks the heartstrings and brings out the best in people. During performances, audiences tap their feet and are reminded of a time when they danced to the melody and tune of their lives so long ago. The classic songs from Rag Time to Patriotic to Show Tunes and Christmas Carols put smiles on faces from ear to ear and evoke the light of remembering… The–Good-Old-Days!

Pianist, choir master and original director of the Ventura Choraliers, Barbara Reed, tickles the ivories and you’re fancy like nobody’s business! She shares, “My love of music has always guided me! I enjoy directing and singing and wanted a group that would not only sing but have a feeling of love and fellowship. While performing, I love the joy I see in people’s eyes and the joy we give to others. Music is especially “medicinal” when we perform for our “memory care” audiences. I can see their eyes light up as soon as we start to play.”

The history of the Ventura Choraliers is an inspiring one; it started in the spring of 2004 with Mrs. Orianna Povar’s vision and great desire to form a chorus in Ventura that would not only sing and perform, but also would have a feeling of love for each other. Several years ago, the chorus was honored and awarded at the Ventura City Hall for their extensive volunteering. In 2007, they took part in two musicals, “The Big River” and “My Fair Lady” and now have become a part of VACE (Ventura Adult and Continuing Education) where they rehearse every Tuesday.

Grace Gary, 100 years shares, “Music is so healing and I enjoy the “working together” morale!

Original member Betty White shares, “I like to sing so I attended the first day when the choir was called “The Sing Thing” and enjoyed it so much I decided to continue. It has been a pleasure and joy to entertain many people at churches, clubs and senior facilities.”

Jim Fisk shares, “After not singing for 5+ years, joining the Choraliers reignited my interest once again. It is fun, good company and I find at 80+ years, I still have good vocal production.”

Bob Crandell cheerfully says, “I like to sing! Sometimes my cats and dogs go crazy! I came to the Choraliers to learn to do better.”

Event Scheduler and Organizer Kevin Doyle shares, “While looking and not finding a vocal coach, I found a flyer on my kitchen table about a singing group that said they rehearsed from 2:00pm-4:30-pm. OMG, it was 3pm and I thought what the heck! I drove over and never stopped going back. That was 4 years ago. I was looking for something for myself and I ended up in a group that never stops giving to others.”

Elaine Keller enthusiastically says, “VC is lots of fun, lots of laughter and is the greatest therapy!”

New member Delores Ramerez shares, “The Choraliers are the highlight of my week! I like that we bring music to groups and rest homes and best of all I’ve gained about 20 new friends. Who could ask for more!

Sing on Choraliers! New members are welcomed!

Late in May Arthur O. Spaulding of Ojai received an invitation to participate in the Memorial Day Parade in Washington D. C., along with a dozen other former members of World War II armed forces. The purpose of their presence in the Parade was to remind onlookers and those watching on TV that these men and women were typical of those who preserved the freedom of the United States. Spaulding served several years in the Army, was in charge of a 4.2 inch mortar in the Battle of the Bulge and subsequent battles, and was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds in combat and a Bronze Star for gallantry in action. It is estimated that more than 300,000 watched the Parade in Washington.

Arthur can be seen hanging out at the Secret Garden in Ventura with a group of very active “senior”musicians sharing life stories and music.

by Ivor Davis

The Museum of Ventura County, is a gem in downtown Ventura.

And happily more and more (still not enough) people are discovering the diverse pleasures of what the Museum has to offer.

Under the energetic guidance of executive director Elena Brokaw, program director Denise Sindelar, curator Anna Bermudez and a lively staff, the Museum has become re-energized revitalized—a delightful hotbed of art, history, culture, music, literature, fashion and so much more.

The other day I showed up at the Museum—and took the crowd of over 200 on what I can only describe as bizarre trip in time——back exactly 50 years!

That journey into the dark past to the mid-20th Century offered locals a glimpse a period in history that I fervently wish had never ever happened.

The destination was to the notorious kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles where I saw what happened to presidential frontrunner Senator Robert Kennedy. That year “Bobby” was tipped to follow his late brother JFK into the White House. President Lyndon Baines Johnson had become something of a pariah as a result of his gross mishandling of the escalating Vietnam War, and had pulled out of the election.

For America, 1968 was a memorable year—but for all the horribly wrong reasons: An unwinnable war, that had divided the nation and gun violence that destroyed the lives of two of the country’s most famous men, who offered hope, dramatic change, civil rights and a brighter more peaceful future.

As I described seeing the wounded Robert Kennedy bleeding on the kitchen floor in the arms of his pregnant wife Ethel, there was total silence.

I was on the spot as a foreign correspondent for the London Daily Express assigned to cover Bobby’s Californian campaign.

As a speaker you always worry that you will show up—but no one else will. Fortunately it was a packed house with many having to stand at the back or sit on the floor. Others unfortunately, turned away for lack of seats.

My evening at the Museum was rewarding in a strange kind of way because many in the audience also wanted to take that sad journey back in time.

Museum librarian archivist and researcher Charles Johnson, had dug up a series of fascinating black and white photographs which showed Bobby and his pregnant wife Ethel campaigning in Ventura and Oxnard.

They were riveted by the series of black and white pictures of the campaigning Kennedy.

But what was most rewarding, was that in the audience we had an eclectic group. Ventura based Suzan Cooper, wife of one of the first astronauts Gordon “Gordie” Cooper whose husband had been very close to Bobby’s brother John. Richard Drescher, who was a young man working in the Kennedy campaign on the night he was shot. He told his own dramatic story of that fateful moment in history. Surfer Frank, from the Pierpont Racquet Club presented me with two old newspapers—which bore blazing headlines about Bobby’s death. And there were others, some mere children when Kennedy stopped off at the San Buenaventura Shopping Center and La Colonia in Oxnard. Their memories were vivid and so dramatic.

For me just their presence made my night at the Museum such a memorable one. And I hope the audience felt the same.

Editor’s note: Ivor Davis, a 38-year resident of Ventura is a former foreign correspondent and author of books about The Sharon Tate Murder, and a memoir entitled, “The Beatles and Me on Tour.”