Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

Toys for Tots at the Pacific View Mall

Marines with Recruiting Station Los Angeles will be collecting toys for the local Ventura community at the Pacific View Mall as part of their Toys for Tots Toy Drive.  All toys should remain unwrapped for donation and gifts are accepted for children up to 16 years of age. Drive-up service is available to keep everyone safe this holiday season.

The Toys for Tots Toy Drive will be hosted at Pacific View Mall, 3301 E. Main St. from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, December 19.

Toys for Tots was founded in 1947 to assist the United States Marine Corps in providing gifts to economically disadvantaged children during the holidays. For more information on the program, visit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation website at www.toysfortots.org.

Affordable Online Degree for Transfer Program at Ventura College

Ventura College is on the forefront of providing students in California access to education with its fully online associate degree for transfer (ADT) program. Though California community colleges have transitioned to online learning due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, Ventura College offers approximately 35 programs fully online. The college also provides Promise program grants ($0 tuition) to qualified online students and 30 percent of classes have zero textbook costs. 

To facilitate student success with online learning, Ventura College has certified its faculty to teach effectively online so all students have access to engaging online classes. In addition, all student services are available online, including tutoring, financial aid and academic counseling.

 Ventura College serves as the flagship campus for the online programs within the VCCCD. Students can choose high-demand majors in Business Administration, Early Childhood Education, Sociology and Psychology, among others. Students can also obtain degrees in specialized fields of study, including Chicano Studies, Social Media and Marketing, and Agricultural Business. 

Ventura College has developed exceptional science labs for the online environment in Anatomy, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics and Astronomy to further enhance students’ learning experiences. Students throughout the state and beyond seek out VC’s virtual labs, even as students are primarily online. 

“One of the most exciting aspects of the online associate degree for transfer program is that people who didn’t think college was an option can now pursue their degrees in a very affordable way that takes into account work, school and life balance,” said Dr. Jennifer Kalfsbeek-Goetz, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Ventura College.

 Students throughout the state can begin their fully online programs this spring semester, which starts Jan. 11, 2021. VC also offers classes starting in February and March to help accommodate students’ schedules. 

After completing an online ADT degree, students can continue their education through online, hybrid or traditional university degree programs at several California State Universities, as well as University of California and private university campuses. 

Students in the online program pay in-state tuition rates as California residents – just $46 a unit! They are also eligible for financial aid and the Promise grant, which covers enrollment fees for first-time, full-time students. 

“An online community college degree is an affordable option that makes sense for working adults. It is for adult learners who want to expand their skills to advance their careers or who weren’t able to attend earlier in life. Because of the program’s flexibility, it’s also an excellent option for adults who have work and family commitments,” said Chancellor Greg Gillespie. 

“It is rewarding to know that we can provide these opportunities for students of all ages, backgrounds and learning styles, no matter where they live in the state,” added Board Chair Bernardo M. Perez. 

For more information on Ventura College’s online ADT program, contact the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Learning at [email protected] or 805-289-6000, or visit VenturaCollege.edu/onlinedegrees.

 

Visit Ventura produces video series to inform in changing times

“We rise by lifting others.”

Robert Ingersoll

COVID-19 alters our landscape daily. So much to keep up with. Hoping to make things a little easier for everyone, Visit Ventura has launched “Ventura NOW,” a series of videos and blogs whose aim is simple — to keep everyone up to date on what’s happening in Ventura at the moment.

“Things are moving — and changing — so fast,” says Marlyss Auster, Visit Ventura President and CEO. “It’s easy for people to get confused, and maybe even feel a little helpless. We wanted to ease that feeling of confusion and helplessness. We thought what better way than to tell our friends, in a simple and straightforward manner, exactly how things stand in Ventura right now.”

Visit Ventura has already produced several “Ventura NOW” videos and distributed them on Youtube and across all of Visit Ventura’s Channels, which reach close to 200,000 followers. Couched in simple messages from Visit Ventura’s staff, the already produced “Ventura NOW” videos include “Beaches and Parking,” “Shop Ventura, Save Ventura” and “Channel Islands.” The short (less than two minutes) videos address simple specifics; for instance what you can expect when you take an Island Packers boat out to the Channel Islands, or what the rules are now at Ventura’s beaches. Visit Ventura has also published blogs on these topics. The slightly longer blogs contain more detailed information. And, being a situation in progress, Visit Ventura will stay on top of future changes, continuing to publish informative videos and blogs.

The reasoning behind “Ventura NOW” is as simple as the presentation.

“We’re all in this together, and any time we can help each other, well, the world is a better place,” says Auster.

For more information on “Ventura NOW,” and specific information on how things stand in Ventura regarding reopenings, please visit Visit Ventura’s website at www.visitventuraca.com.

And last but not least, a heartfelt thank you to Ventura’s residents. Thank you for staying informed, thank you for wearing a mask, and thank you for social distancing.

Plain and simple — thank you for caring.

Caring will help see us through.

Seasons Catering serves up a healthy portion of Good2Go

Gaby preparing Good2Go heat and serve meals.

In the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, Gabrielle Moes demonstrates how to succeed in business

Seasons Catering began 2020 celebrating its 20th year in business. It was to be a big year with many caterings booked for weddings, corporate events, premieres, and more. Then COVID hit and changed everything. Not one to let herself fall victim to her circumstances, Gabrielle Moes, Founder and CEO of Seasons Catering quickly pivoted, at a time when events and catering were temporarily shut down, to launch Good2Go heat and serve meals, available at www.thegood2go.com.

“I grew up in Ventura and I am deeply connected to this community. We have been through so much already with the Thomas Fire and now COVID,” shares Gabrielle. “I could see in March this was going to be serious and started meeting with my team immediately to begin putting an action plan together. We were ahead of the health standards and have consistently ensured our kitchen exceeds the new COVID regulations.” Then Gabrielle, aka Gaby, turned her attention to keeping her doors open.

She needed to generate a new stream of income. A Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) graduate, 2018 WEV Business of the Year honoree, and recent inductee into the nonprofit’s Million Dollar Club, having reached $1 million in annual revenue – a milestone achieved by less than 2% of woman-owned businesses and less than 4% of male-owned businesses in the United States – Gaby knows how to visualize opportunities.

She started partnering with local non-profits, World Central Kitchen (WCK) and Ventura County Area Agency on Aging (VCAAA). Her team began preparing and delivering 1,400+ hot and healthy meals weekly for homebound seniors and frontline workers at a variety of county hospitals including Ventura County Medical Center. “From the beginning of COVID, Seasons Catering was there when we needed them most, delivering quality meals to our tireless medical staff,” said Amy Towner, Chief Executive Officer for Health Care Foundation for Ventura County. “Entrepreneurs like Gaby are how America was built. Gaby’s creativity and grit alongside her business acumen has debuted the heart of Ventura County businesses ability to navigate such a tumultuous disruption like COVID,” continued Towner.

As Seasons Catering continued to deliver community meals, Gaby began thinking about how to get her food into her neighbor’s homes. “As I saw more and more ordering take-out, I thought, ‘how can we provide our locally farm fresh, chef-crafted meals to people in a way they can enjoy our food at home with minimal preparation?’” Enter, Good2Go heat and serve meals.

Crafted by chefs, Good2Go is built on the principle that food is meant to be loved and shared. The company’s generously portioned meals, prepared with local farm-fresh ingredients and eco-friendly packaging, offer an easy heat & serve solution for your table at a great value. As a local woman-owned business, Seasons Catering proudly shares its love of food through Good2Go’s curbside pick-up and supportive community-based programs. Client favorites include pork-katsu ramen, chicken pot pie with a flakey cream cheese crust, and our seasonal berry shortcake with whipped cream, all made from scratch. “It is going very well,” commented Suzzi Koenig, Seasons Catering General Manager. “I’m excited that soon we will offer doorstep delivery of Good2Go heat and serve meals, which our clients have been asking for.”

Seasons Catering with unwavering leadership from Gabrielle Moes is winding down their 20th anniversary year. It’s certainly one they’ll always remember. And we’ll remember that when the chips were down, Seasons Catering saw the glimmer of hope that makes American businesspeople such a force. To learn more, please visit www.seasonscateringca.com.

SEEAG launches $15,000 “Give The Gift of Agriculture Challenge”

Teaching a class at Petty Ranch to elementary school students.

An anonymous donor has stepped forward and will match all donations up to $15,000 for every dollar donated to Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG). The “Give the Gift of Agriculture – Double Your Impact Challenge” runs through December 31 with a total fundraising goal of $30,000.

SEEAG’s agricultural education programs have reached over 54,000 elementary school students in Southern California through classroom learning and free farm field trips to SEEAG’s Farm Lab in Saticoy. The programs teach schoolchildren about the origins of their food and the importance of local farmland.

Donations will go to support Farm Lab, which has now moved to live online presentations. The Zoom classes are in three, 45-minute modules: an introduction to agriculture, plant and insect science, and water and soil science. The presentations are for third grade classes and are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

“We hope to return to in-class learning and begin offering our farm field trips later this year. Until then, we are very grateful to our donors and their support as SEEAG creates new ways to reach children with our message despite COVID restrictions,” says Mary Maranville, SEEAG founder/CEO. “Understanding the impact of eating healthy is more important than ever as kids spend more time at home and exercise less. It’s all about making healthy choices.” To date, nearly 800 third graders and 26 teachers have signed up to participate in online Farm Lab this school year.

Donors of $100 will receive a jar of Bennett’s Honey. Donations can be made by going to seeag.org/give.

To learn more about SEEAG, go to www.SEEAG.org, Facebook www.facebook.com/SEEAG.org or contact Maranville at [email protected], 805-901-0213.

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 and other SEEAG programs, over 54,000 elementary school students in Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. For more information, visit www.seeag.org or email Mary Maranville at [email protected].

SEAson’s greetings from Ventura Harbor

Foto: Santa gave the reindeers the day off.

Ventura Harbor tops the list of magical, coastal destinations you’ll want to visit with your loved ones this holiday season. Not only are the seaside views stunning, but also there is an array of safe activities and SEAsonal experiences the whole family will enjoy. 

Dine along the waterfront on scenic covered patios and enjoy quality cuisine offerings from around the world. Meander the vibrant Ventura Harbor Village with unique shops and find one-of-a-kind art from Ventura’s local creatives. Take an electric boat across the calm waters of the marina and try to spot a barking sea lion. Cozy up to watch the sunset on one of three sprawling Ventura Harbor beaches.

The already picturesque harbor will shine even brighter with its’ display of ocean-inspired holiday decorations decking the halls from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. See sparkling blue, aqua, and green beachy hues, spiraling sea pearls, whimsical colorful trees, bountiful wreaths, and other dazzling décor that bounces off the marina waters. After a fresh seafood dinner or a warm cup of handcrafted clam chowder, dusk is the prime time to stroll through Ventura Harbor Village’s twinkling courtyards. 

Spoil yourself with sweet treats, like chocolates, baked goods, and pastries – all hand-made from scratch daily! When the sugar rush hits, zoom around the Village to take care of shopping for everyone on your gift list. From creative socks, hats, soaps, mermaid merch, and winter sweaters, to gift certificates for dive lessons, handmade pottery, and escape room experiences – there is a little bit of everything for every personality. Tis’ the season pamper yourself and loved ones with a modern nail studio, hair salon, hair extension services, as well as message therapy. 

Once you step foot in Ventura Harbor Village, the illuminated outdoor attraction will bring so much joy that you will not want to leave. 

Celebrate the SEAson seaside at Ventura Harbor! For more information Visit VenturaHarborVillage.com and follow along on social media @venturaharbor!

California based bike and business service launched

Ventura resident and bicycle enthusiast, John Darling, has launched a fledgling website called Bike Rack Locations (www.bikeracklocations.com) which will assist the growing bicycle riding population find bike-friendly businesses.

His website’s goal is to help cyclists all across America locate firms that have bike racks on or very near their property. Darling stated, “People who ride bikes like to patronize businesses where they can easily lock up their bikes without having to look for a tree, signpost, cart rack, or other spaces to use to secure their bikes. With the growing number of bike riders, having a convenient bike rack at your business is as essential as having a parking lot.”

Right now, bicycle riding is at an all time high due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is spurring people to find new, safer, ways to get their exercise and to get around town.

According to Bicycling Magazine, the pandemic driven demand for bicycles has created a shortage of new bicycles that will last through all of next year and possibly into 2022 https://www.bicycling.com/news/a34587945/coronavirus-bike-shortage).

All business can list their company on bikeracklocations.com for a flat fee of $25.00 per year, bike, bike related businesses get a discounted rate of $15.00 per year, while libraries and nonprofit organizations can have their locations listed for free.

Audubon featuring David L. Sherer

Florida Scrub-Jays are non-migratory, cooperatively breeding birds endemic to fire-maintained Florida scrub habitat. Lifetime reproductive success is highest among individuals breeding in habitat that has burned within the last 10 years. However, such habitat is scarce and competition for it as breeding space is likely intense.

David L. Sherer holds a BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Conservation Biology from Tennessee Tech University and an MS in Biology from the University of Central Florida. David investigated how an individual’s behavioral phenotype and the quality of habitat in which they were raised influenced exploratory behavior on a landscape consisting of habitat in various fire-history stages.

This program is an outgrowth of his master’s thesis: Variation in Prospecting Behavior and Drivers of Post-Fire Habitat Preference Among Juvenile Florida Scrub-Jays.

At 7:00 PM via Zoom . (Please visit website www.venturaaudubon.org for meeting link)

Visit Ventura Creates “Shop Ventura, Save Ventura”

The hard truth? Recent forecasts predict one in six Ventura retailers, and one out of two Ventura restaurants, won’t make it through the pandemic. But forecasts aren’t written in stone. And difficulties can be overcome. Ventura knows this firsthand. After the Thomas Fire in December of 2017, locals helped locals literally emerge from the ashes.

Now the COVID pandemic presents a longer-term challenge to overcome.

Visit Ventura created “Shop Ventura, Save Ventura” to do exactly that.

“As COVID continues to stretch on, so many businesses are fighting for survival,” says Visit Ventura President Marlyss Auster. ““We’ve always worked to support our community and do the next right thing. So we asked ourselves, ‘What can we do to turn the pessimistic forecasts around?’ And so, the birth of ‘Shop Ventura, Save Ventura.’”

It’s a straightforward name for a straightforward cause. Via social media, newsletters, posters in storefront windows, and good old fashioned (and effective) word of mouth, Visit Ventura is asking locals to shop at Ventura stores when they can. To eat at Ventura restaurants, or get take out, when they can. To use their own hard-earned dollars to help their hard-working local businesses.

“According to Totally Local Ventura County, for every $100 someone spends at a local retail business, an average of $68 returns to the local economy, versus $43 if they spend at, say, a national chain,” says Auster. “If everyone shifts their spending just 10% toward local, it can make a huge difference.”

For the Holidays, Visit Ventura is adding a creative twist to help local businesses through the pandemic. Now in its fifth year, Visit Ventura’s successful Elf Giveaway program will also give local businesses a financial shot in the arm. The program, which features a real Elf (why not believe?), offers Visit Ventura’s social media followers the chance to win prizes (each prize comes in twos; one for you, one for a friend) from local businesses every day through December and right up to Christmas. Prizes range from small to large, leading up to a five Grand Prizes given away just before Christmas Day. This year’s Grand Prizes include a trip for two to the Channel Islands, a guided kayak tour on Santa Cruz Island, a longboard hand shaped by the legendary Steve Walden of Walden Surfboards, and a hotel stay (for two) at the Ventura Beach Marriott and the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach.

The machinations of the program aren’t as important as the effect. Visit Ventura has some 200,000 followers; the Elf Giveaway brings local businesses center stage. In years past, among other boosts, Ventura businesses have gained an average of 200 followers by participating in the program.

“In any year, Visit Ventura’s Elf Giveaway has always been a great way for smaller Ventura businesses to boost their business in a competitive shopping season,” says Auster. “And the Elf also gives everyone a boost of joy. Now, with COVID, both those boosts are critical.”

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Jill Forman

Bad news first; let’s get it out of the way. Due to the pandemic level rising again to Purple, computer access at the libraries has been temporarily suspended. The computers were in great demand, per Karen Cruze of Adult Services, especially the ones at Foster and Hill Road. They will be available again as soon as it is safe.

Online event: On December 8 at 6:00 p.m., the library is hosting an author event with Amy Alessio, who writes popular mysteries. From the library: “Enjoy time traveling to holidays past in this humorous, nostalgic look at favorite holiday desserts from past decades. From yule logs to ribbon candies and gingerbread, learn what was popular from cookbook collector and mystery author Amy Alessio. All participants will get an emailed set of recipes to enjoy. Alessio is an award-winning librarian with a black belt in karate. Her fiction includes the Alana O’Neill mysteries with vintage recipes.”

One of the most creative adaptations the library made was the revamping of the web site, to help the community isolated by the pandemic. Barbara Eales, Web Librarian, says “The pandemic really brought our online outreach to a new level… Leadership asked for recommendations on who would need to telework to keep as many services available online as possible.

To my knowledge, the web changes were initially inspired by the Children’s Team members who are also Web Team folks (Phillip Yocham, Sharon Dykstra, and Sienna Sydlaske ) who did the lion’s share of the content changes on the Youth section pages.”

“Besides emphasizing our eLibrary, cloudLibrary, and online catalog, it gave us the opportunity to take programming online. And the Youth Services team, led by Molly Krill, stepped up to work with the Web Team…delivering “Storytimes” online on Facebook Live and YouTube.

March and April were incredibly busy as we went from just a few of us on social media to well over 15 people with their hands in some online capacity. Consistency, technological ease, and adapting to the online format were the initial challenges.

“We have teams and sub-teams…worked together to quickly get up-to-speed. The group is a collaborative effort of the Children’s and Web, about 20 people.”

The teams switched the homepage to “Your Library at Home” with many new pages, especially in the Youth section, expanding to Zoom events for adults as well.

Eales has high praise for staff Mayra Benitez-Tadillo and Sherry Leal-Ryan, who helped create the “Recursos en Espanol” page with their translation skills.

The members of these teams are “… passionate library staff working in various positions in the library, most all directly with the public. In addition to all their normal library tasks, they have taken on the extra work of keeping the web pages current, accurate, and easy-to-use. This is a big extra job!”

The Web Team’s vision is: “Maintain our online presence in support of the library’s mission – striving for usability, accessibility, consistency, and accuracy.”

In these ever-changing times, we at the Ventura library and the Friends are here to serve the community.