Knox’s green wagon was stolen from inside a duplex.

by Carol Leish, MA

“It’s important to be a part of our community and to be able to pick each other up,” according to, John Burdick. “When I saw that Chris G. had more of an urgent need for the wagon, I just wanted to be able to help him out by giving it to him.”

Chris & Dani G. live with their three young children in the Pierpont area of Ventura. Chris recently posted on Nextdoor that his 4-year-old son Knox’s green wagon was stolen from inside a duplex with a 6ft. fence. He also posted a picture of the wagon. He said that Knox came inside upset and said, “A bandit took my wagon.”

First, Chris was also upset because of the theft of the wagon. But, after posting about the incident on Nextdoor, and getting two generous responses to pay for a new wagon, and the response from John Burdick to give his wagon to them, he said, “I was overwhelmed with a sense of community.”

John said that, “Now that my sons are ages 7 and 10, I hadn’t been using the wagon to pull them around various places anymore. And, I realized that Chris had more of an urgent need for it. I know how it feels when something is stolen from you. We need to pick each other up by helping out each other.

“It was also an awesome experience when Chris and Knox picked up the wagon from outside my home here in Ventura. My kids were proud to be donating the wagon, too. In fact, it was the same wagon that we were giving to them, that had been stolen from them. Thus, I was donating it back to them so that they wouldn’t be missing a beat.” Having fun playing while riding in the green wagon would be continuing on!

Christina Ramos, RN helping load adopt-a-family gifts into the Lighthouse for Women and Children van.

Physicians, nurses and staff at Dignity Health-St. John’s Hospitals in Camarillo and Oxnard are paying it forward by providing more than 40 families with presents for Christmas.

More than 500 wrapped gifts will be given to families who are served by the County of Ventura Homeless Services Program, Lighthouse for Women and Children and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County.

“Many of the families we adopted have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and will truly benefit from these gifts,” said Barry Wolfman, President and CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Hospital Camarillo. “While we have faced our own challenges throughout the pandemic, our staff feels fortunate to lend a hand to those in need in our community.”

Individuals from each family provided a wish list which consisted of basic need items such as clothing and shoes as well as toys for kids.

The gifts will be shared with the families just in time for Christmas.

Dignity Health-St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard and St. John’s Hospital Camarillo comprise the largest non-profit acute care provider in Ventura County. Founded more than 100
years ago, St. John’s Hospitals are nationally recognized for quality care, safety and service.
Both hospitals are supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to support new programs
and services, as well as to advance the community’s access to health care. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional or DignityHealth.org/StJohnsHospitalCamarillo.

In the photo is Deya Terrafranca, Research Library and Archives Director and a copy of The Daily Free Press from Dec.14, 1887. Photos by Patricia Schallert

The Research Library and Archives at the Museum of Ventura County houses a vast collection of resources pertaining to the history of Ventura County and its outlying regions. The collection spans the Chumash Indians, the Mission and Rancho periods, early settlement, commercialization, industrialization, to present times. The collection includes books, newspapers, clipping and ephemera files, maps, oral histories, ledgers, microfilm, manuscript collections, and photographs, just to name a few. Currently open Wednesday through Friday from 11 am to 5 pm, the public can visit by making an appointment online (https://venturamuseum.org).

Staff and volunteers are available to assist researchers to conduct historical and genealogical research on any number of local subjects and families. The Museum is currently requiring masks in all indoor spaces, including the Research Library and Archives.

Feel Good Fridays” have highlighted local businesses of every ilk. Photo by Visit Ventura

by Visit Ventura

Kindness feels good. It is as small as a smile, and a power without limits. Kindness can change a day, a life, a world. Each equally magnificent.

Think back to the last time someone did something kind for you.

“Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people,” said Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Perhaps kindness matters now more than ever, as we continue to navigate a shape-shifting pandemic.

For nineteen months, Visit Ventura has made kindness a cornerstone of our efforts to help Ventura get through the pandemic. It’s been part of every program we’ve created to help our businesses and our hometown during the pandemic. “Shop Ventura, Save Ventura,” “Takeout Tuesdays,” “Thirsty Thursday,” and “Feel Good Fridays” have highlighted local businesses of every ilk. And asked people to perform a simple, but critical, kindness. Please support local.

We’ve also asked folks to perform simple kindnesses. Buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line. Buy takeout from a Ventura restaurant. Buy a sandwich, and hand it to the first person who looks hungry. Right now we’re distributing kindness cards – actually we’re asking you to, well, kindly do it. We created the cards (which you can pick up at the Ventura Visitor Center, 101 South California Street) for a simple, not-so-simple reason. To pass along kindness. Pick your cards up at the Visitor Center. Keep them handy. Then pass them on, spontaneously or no, to someone who deserves a thanks. Someone who is a model of kindness. Someone who gave you great service. Someone who inspires you. Someone who just makes you smile.

Your turn to make them smile.

Because we all need a boost.

Kindness isn’t just about warm fuzzies. It has serious underpinnings. Early in the pandemic the Ventura Chamber of Commerce took a poll of local businesses. About a third said they didn’t expect to make it through the pandemic. As you read this, nearly 90 percent of those businesses are still in business. Why? Because Venturans stepped up to the plate, supporting local as only we can.

And kindness is still seriously required. Ventura’s businesses, so many of them locally owned, continue to face ever-changing challenges. Ripple effects of every kind. Now many businesses are short staffed, struggling to do a lot more with fewer people. From hotels, to restaurants, to retail, they are working hard to hire staff, but sometimes waits are a little longer and phones ring a little longer. Necessitating simple kindnesses like patience, an understanding smile, a kind word.

And maybe handing over a kindness card.

We are all walking through this time together. Who wouldn’t want to make it more pleasant? And it requires pretty much nothing. No effort (how hard is a smile?). No real inconvenience (how hard, a few extra beats of patience?) No timetable.

“Be kind whenever possible,” the Dalai Lama once said. “It is always possible.”

Kindness is no pushover. It is a lot tougher than it looks. Ventura knows the power of kindness. Kindness has proved we won’t be knocked down. Not by a fire. Not by a pandemic. Not by anything.

Nothing beats invincible spirit, community, and simple kindnesses .

It’s not rocket science.

That may be the greatest power of kindness.

Anyone can do it.

by Mira Reverente

For some very fortunate Ventura children, Santa arrived a bit early this year.

Upon the recommendation of the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD), 22 school-aged children from local schools recently participated in the annual “Shop With a Cop” sponsored by the Ventura Police Department (VPD) at Wal-Mart on Victoria Avenue.

Among the participants was Jasmine, 8, who had a small notebook with her, complete with a wish list and notes from her mother. “I’m going to get my mom size 9 slippers and some arts and crafts supplies. She really wanted those,” said the second-grader.

Jasmine’s 14-year-old sister Arielle specifically asked for perfume, lotion and some belts. Grandma, who also wears a size 9, wanted shoes. “I think that’s it plus maybe something for my furry brother – our dog and some clothes for me,” said Jasmine, smiling widely and giving her list a once-over before turning to Officer Taylor Beacham.

Beacham, a three-year veteran at VPD, volunteered for the event for the first time and was paired with Jasmine. The pair hit it off right away, going over Jasmine’s shopping list, and checking it twice and were bantering like old friends before the evening was over.

Chief of Police Darin Schindler was pleased with that evening’s turn-out. “I know we’ve been doing this event for at least 10 years now, even before I became chief. I’m really proud of how much it has grown and how many officers and staff volunteer on their own time,” said Schindler, a 27-year veteran at VPD.

According to the chief, the size of this annual event largely depends on the department budget and involvement of the community. This year, donations poured in from the Police Community Foundation, the Optimist Club and other service clubs who are passionate about supporting youth in the community.

“Typically, we have 20 to 30 children participating every year, except last year due to Covid concerns,” said Emily Graves, community outreach specialist of the City of Ventura, Police and Fire Departments. “However, VPD officers still “played” Santa last year and delivered toys and gift cards to families in need.”

This year, every child was given a $175 “budget” to spend as they wish at Wal-mart. “Sometimes, the officers even pitch in when their shopping buddy goes over a bit,” said Chief Schindler.

Treats and snacks like cookies and hot cocoa were abundant as the children, officers and support staff assembled and “strategized” before hitting the aisles. Some officers and staff came with their spouses or significant others and tag-teamed as they shopped and helped wrap presents before sending the children home.

For children like Jasmine, the joy of shopping, wrapping and giving presents to their loved ones was sheer happiness and something they’ll never forget. Santa does come early in some parts of the world.

Using the traveling couch has definitely changed Shaun’s mindset.

by Carol Leish, MA

What is the best way to travel around the city if you have problems with mobility?

Shaun Wahl, who is nine years old, is able to travel in style on both a powered lawn chair at the beach, and on a motorized couch around Ventura, and other places, thanks to his parents’ ingenuity.

“After a stranger recently posted on NextDoor, ‘I have just seen a brown couch traveling down the street here in Ventura,’” according to Shaun’s mom, Jennifer, “we realized the impact that Shaun’s motorized couch has had on people. It’s been exciting to see peoples’ comments and expressions concerning our family traveling around Ventura on the couch. By traveling around on the couch, people don’t see Shaun as a little kid in a wheelchair who has cerebral palsy. Instead, they see him as a cool kid.”

“This has also been a good outreach to others,” according to Shaun’s dad, Frank. “Others are able to sit in a powered wheelchair, or on the motorized couch in order to realize the challenges that others have with issues related to mobility challenges. This makes others more empathetic toward people with challenges.”

“We built the first power wheelchair in early 2019,” according to Frank. “In May of 2020, we built the power couch. We thought that we would get a few good laughs about it. Neither my wife or I thought that we’d be taking it around Ventura, or other places. During the week of Christmas in 2020, we took the power couch along Main St. in Ventura, and along the pier. We also took it along the pier in Port Hueneme. We wanted to take it places with a wide sidewalk.

“It’s been amusing to see peoples’ reactions, since they probably don’t know what to think about what they’ve seen. They also honk at us, or they say, “That’s cool.”

Frank said, “We started building mobility devices with old wheelchair parts, since getting a new electric wheelchair would have been too expensive. When a neighbor put a couch out in the front yard to give away, we realized that we could make a power couch that we could all enjoy traveling on at the same time.”

Both Wendy and Frank say that using the traveling couch has definitely changed Shaun’s mindset. They said, “Now he sees what he can do instead of what he can’t do, which is very encouraging! He doesn’t feel angry about his situation. He realizes what fun things he can do with his buddies. This has definitely taken the barrier (mobility issues), away from how others might view him if he was just using a wheelchair.”

“We’ve made 13 powered recliners, along with making powered lawn chairs for use at the beach,” according to Frank. He also said, “If you know of someone who may need a helping hand in modifying/making something to ease mobility issues for someone they know, please contact either Jennifer or me at: [email protected].  ‘Follow Shaun on Facebook at:  ‘Determin-Shaun.