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Lost in Socks
1575 Spinnaker Drive #107A
805-850-0102
lostinsocks.com

Wes Goodwin owner of “Plum lift A door” is proud of the new garage door that he has just installed for Breeze Publisher Sheldon. “I am extremely happy with the professional manner in which Plum operates. Very happy with their installation. Highly recommend them,” stated Sheldon.

 To provide greater convenience for members, Premier America Credit Union recently finalized relocation of its Ventura branch to the Montalvo Square Shopping Center at 1794 S. Victoria Avenue.

Premier America will mark the occasion on Thursday, August 4 with a $1,000 donation to the Ventura Family YMCA to further their efforts with youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA strives to nurture the potential of every youth and teen, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors.

Together, local dignitaries, members of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce and Premier America team members will participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially inaugurate the new Ventura branch.

John M. Merlo, President and CEO of Premier America, commented, “Ventura is a vibrant city and this location will be extremely convenient for the member-owners of Premier America. Staffed with knowledgeable professionals, people can feel confident walking in to the branch, knowing our team is here to help them achieve their financial goals. We look forward to providing an exceptional member experience.”

Mr. Merlo added, “Premier America recognizes the importance of investing in the community. It seemed fitting to continue our tradition of giving back to the community by making a donation to the Ventura Family YMCA.”

The Ventura branch is managed by longtime area resident, Terri Hernandez. “Drop by and bring your friends and family with you to discover the advantages member-owners of Premier America Credit Union receive every day. It means a lot to me and my staff that the members of Premier America trust us to help them with their savings, home purchases, planning for retirement, and more.” says Hernandez. “I’m thrilled to be serving the Ventura community.”

Premier America offers a wide range of financial products, including checking and savings accounts, home and auto loans, as well as insurance and investment services.

The Ventura branch is a full service location with an ATM and ample parking. Lobby hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

About Premier America Credit Union: Originally formed in 1957, Premier America Credit Union opened its doors to the community at large in 1999. Today it is one the nation’s largest credit unions with more than $2 billion in assets, nearly 100,000 members, and 9 branches in Ventura County. For more information, visit PremierAmerica.com.

by Rebecca Wicks

Adela Trainor is what some may call a “master” volunteer. Focusing primarily on educational and fine arts endeavors in the community, she has and continues to leave an indelible mark on Ventura.  Her volunteering began with her children.

“It’s where my kids were, so it made sense,” said Trainor.  She began her volunteering career as many parents might, participating in the school PTO and helping in the classroom. Soon she was the school’s PTO president and on the executive board of the Ventura Education Partnership (VEP).

“I tend to do things 200 percent,” admitted Trainor.  “We started with simple programs like making a rainbow on your plate and it expanded from there, we had a focus of helping students make better choices.”

Trainor was a player in the founding of the Healthy Schools Project, now called Farm to School which still brings local produce to school salad bars in the Ventura. The program which has been hailed as a benchmark project in California as well as nationwide, incorporated regular classroom “taste testing” and visits by local farmers, chefs and other health professionals, exposing students to nutrition information and healthy lifestyles.

Pat McCart Malloy who is accredited as a key founder of the Healthy Schools Project by a number of sources including a publication on farm to school programs in California published by Occidental College, has worked with Trainor on a number of education initiatives and known her for 15 years.

“She is analytical, organized and efficient, [and] fun to work with,” said Malloy who currently serves with her on the school district’s Parent Advisory Committee (PAC).  “I trust [Adela] will succeed in anything she starts.”

In addition to leading a number of other programs, events and projects Trainor is also heavily involved in the Rubicon Theatre.  There she sits on the executive board, performs educational outreach and serves as a “Grand Dame,” for the playhouse assisting with any number of tasks from ushering guests and bringing food for actors during rehearsals, to helping with fundraisers and organizing events.

All of Trainor’s volunteering centers around a single idea of community engagement.

“I have found if you focus on building programs and events that engage the community, the money, and success will follow,” said Trainor who has always worked to encourage volunteering in schools, and believes a volunteer’s presence alone if often enough – even if that volunteer only has 20 minutes to spare during lunch.  “We are all responsible for our children, sometimes all you need is a pair of eyeballs and a smile, and that can change a kid’s bad day, or make them think twice about their choices.”

In an effort to help parents and other volunteers understand how they can help in schools as well as understand what is expected, Trainor spearheaded and authored the Family School Community Partnership, a district volunteer training program.  The program included live trainings as well as training videos.

After 20 years of being a fulltime volunteer, Trainor is transitioning to a new career. She became a real estate agent last year and is excited about her new job’s prospects.

“It is just like my volunteering career, I connect people and make something happen,” said Trainor.  “You work within challenges and help people get what they want.”

Trainor is still involved with a number of her volunteer pursuits including the school district’s VEP and PAC, the Rubicon and the Chamber of Commerce.  And, she sees herself continuing these commitments for the foreseeable future.

“She is pretty amazing,” said Malloy.  “Lots of parents come and go but Adela stayed and VUSD [is] better for it.”

by Jenny Guy

After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts, Greg Ryan Glass decided to explore the world. He spent months backpacking through Australia, New Zealand and Eastern Asia. Observing the practices and traditions of different cultures, a 20-something Glass discovered his true calling. It came in the form of holistic healing practices, integrating Asian and Western modalities. Holistic medicine and healing practices are beginning to merge with other disciplines such as dentistry, like at Holistic Dentist Round Rock, due to a surge in demand for holism.

Glass, originally a New Jersey native, had a “typical suburban” upbringing –– completely unexposed to alternative medicines. While in Amherst, Massachusetts, pursuing a degree in psychology, Glass formed a deep interest in the connection between the mind and the body. Through his education, he developed an appreciation for spiritual teachings, Eastern medicine, yoga, tai chi and the practice of Somatics, movements based on internal awareness.

At the university, Glass completed a rigorous certification course, the Five College Program in Culture, Health and Science (CHS), which provided him with a theoretical framework of human health, disease and healing. Simultaneously, Glass apprenticed with a local herbalist, where he gained an understanding of extracts, herbal remedies as well as the landscape of the natural products industry.

A strong thirst for education pushed Glass to study at 15 different schools of natural medicine. He performed apprenticeships in Ayurveda, an Indian system of medicine and one of the world’s oldest holistic healing practices, as well as Chinese healing arts and Thai massage. Glass also spent several months in Thailand receiving one-on-one training under several world-renowned teachers of Thai massage.

Today, a licensed massage therapist with nearly two decades of experience in naturopathic health care, Glass has achieved more than 3,000 hours of practical and clinical education in holistic healing. His Thai massage sessions are conducted fully clothed, combining yoga therapy stretches with slow, deep, rhythmic compressions to promote the flow of energy throughout the body. His clients have experienced benefits including improvements in muscular pain and tightness as well as increased range of motion. His massages seek to reduce stress and address poor circulation, respiratory problems, sleep issues, anxiety and adrenal fatigue.

As an Ayurvedic naturopath, Glass focuses on comprehensive wellness, working to heal the mind, body and spirit. He personalizes programs to fit each individual’s needs.

“Through all of my years of research and experience, I’ve found that every individual’s journey to health is unique,” said Glass. “Regardless of who they are –– their age, body type or flexibility –– my goal is to have them leave here feeling better than they came.”

After traveling the world, Glass found the City of Ventura –– with its the beaches, mountains and a growing communal interest in natural healing arts­­ –– to itself be an environment of healing. He recently opened Thai Massage Ventura, located at 2021 Sperry Avenue in A Place of Peace Sanctuary & Wellness Center. Glass is currently one of the few clinically trained practitioners of therapeutic Thai massage in the Ventura County region.

He is available by appointment only for 90-minute to two-hour sessions in Thai massage, therapeutic bodywork or Ayurvedic wellness consultations. For more information on Thai Massage Ventura, visit www.thaimassageventura.com.

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

Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) recently celebrated the accomplishments of 11 women and men who successfully completed WEV’s Ventura County-based Advanced Spanish Self-Employment Training (SSET) course with a graduation ceremony held at National University in Oxnard.

After 14 weeks of training on topics including finances, marketing and sales, public relations and advertising, legal and insurance issues, record keeping, and how to write a business plan, these graduates completed the course with the necessary tools and support needed to start or expand their businesses.

Consortium Media, an award-winning brand development agency for local, regional and nationally-recognized businesses, non-profits and government agencies, has expanded its innovative foster care recruitment campaign to Santa Barbara County with the launch of Our County, Our Kids, a program of Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services.

The campaign includes a refreshed communication strategy, new logo, website, and inspiring visual components such as commercials, video, and print advertisements.  Each element of the campaign aims to recruit families who can meet the needs of the more than 425 children, youth, and teens in Santa Barbara County who need the support of stable households while separated from their families of origin.

‘We’re excited to use our nine years of national and regional experience in the foster care and adoption industries to develop the Our County, Our Kids brand and see it come to life in Santa Barbara County,” said Consortium President and CEO, Denise Bean White.  “This campaign is exactly what the county needs to raise awareness and recruit more supportive homes for its foster youth.”

Co-owner Executive Chef Dean Angelo (holding the scissors) is joined by co-owner Rani John (on his left) at the official ribbon-cutting of the restaurant NOW Ventura held on June 23. Not shown is co-owner Michael Anthony. Joining them was Ventura City Councilmember Cheryl Heitmann, many friends and well-wishers and Ventura Chamber members and staff. This brand new venue,  which actually opened Dec 2, is the brainchild of the trio of entrepreneurs

When asked why Ventura Rani John stated “This city was listed as the number one place to live in the U.S. and the three of us liked what we saw here—ocean, beautiful weather and friendly people. We’re all settling here with our families. We love this place and want to provide something special for the city.”

The goal of the new managers in designing the setting is to create a place that is cool, upscale and sophisticated, punctuated with music of many genres.

NOW Ventura has two outdoor dining areas (dog friendly) and a large room for holding special events and is available for catering as well.

The restaurant is located at 185 E. Santa Clara St.,  667-2200, http://www.nowventura.com.

Nearly 300 women and men attended non-profit Women’s Economic Ventures’ (WEV) annual Empowerment is Priceless event held on May 12th at the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel. The breakfast fundraiser recognized WEV’s 2016 Trailblazer, Business of the Year and Volunteer of the Year award winners. WEV clients also shared their personal experiences as entrepreneurs and how their businesses have evolved as a result of their involvement with WEV.

WEV’s Trailblazer Award is presented each year to a woman who is a pioneer in her industry, exemplifying courage, vision and the tenacity to overcome barriers. This year, WEV honored Kate McLean, former president of the Ventura County Community Foundation and a leading advocate for social good in the Ventura community.

The 2016 WEV Business of the Year award went to Reyna Chavez, owner of Scrubs on the Run Uniforms and Accessories, Inc., one of the region’s only providers of high-quality scrub uniforms and accessories for medical professionals.