Ventura Land Trust welcomed 100 volunteers to Harmon Canyon on January 20, 2020 for a work day to help build a new hiking trail and remove invasive plant species.

The event marked the 25th anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service that celebrates King’s legacy and encourages volunteerism to improve communities.

Ventura Land Trust is in the process of purchasing Harmon Canyon, a 2,100-acre Ventura property, to establish a nature preserve.

“This day of service is an opportunity for people to help us clear brush, restore native habitat, and build trails for the public to enjoy once the preserve is open,” says Ventura Land Trust Stewardship Manager Dan Hulst. ” It’s a sneak peak, because Harmon Canyon is not yet open to the public.”

“The amount of work that volunteers accomplished in three hours would have taken staff a couple of weeks to complete,” says Hulst.

Ventura Land Trust permanently protects land, water, wildlife, and scenic beauty in the Ventura region, including nearly 100 acres along the Ventura River and coastal estuary. Ventura Land Trust preserves are open to the public daily from dawn to dusk, with no cost for admission.

Earlier that morning, Ventura Land Trust partnered with Runners for Public Lands to host a run/walk through Harmon Canyon. Runners for Public Lands builds relationships between runners and land conservation organizations to deepen runners’ connections to, and encourage stewardship of, the open spaces through which they run.

Harmon Canyon is currently closed to the public except for volunteer restoration events. Visit www.venturalandtrust.org to learn more and register for upcoming events.

by John Hankins

The local Sierra Club’s Wilderness Basics Course begins Feb. 19, the popular and premiere hands-on course that will make you savvy and safe in the backcountry on an overnight or day hike, sponsored by experts of the Los Padres Chapter and friends.

Those friends include people from the Ojai Search and Rescue crews, first aid trainers, navigation mavens, fitness coaches, weather watchers and experts on clothing and gear from local stores which also give discounts to the students.

Gabe Valdez is a graduate of WBC who never backpacked overnight yet completed two solo trips to the Sespe and Mineral King, writing, “I want to thank you all because everything I learned in the WBC made my trip safe and exciting. I never felt unprepared for any obstacle … I couldn’t have had this life experience without it.”

Patty Peinado is another grad who said, “I definitely felt fully prepared to go out into the wilderness with friends and backpack after the 8-week course. The staff offers opportunities for day hikes as well as two backpacking trips. Every topic one could possibly imagine is covered…”

The WBC, which covers Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, does sell out each year, so don’t delay; to sign up or learn more at https://tinyurl.com/2020WBCsignup

Eight classes will be held on Wednesday evenings from 7-9:30pm Feb.19 through April 8, at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd, Ventura.

The class lectures are comprehensive with demonstrations and small break-out groups, so everyone gets individual attention on all levels of experience. While there is plenty of practical information, there are also topics on wilderness ethics, wildlife and Leave No Trace practices.

Students will gain experience by participating in several outings including day hikes, a car camp, and backpacking trips in our local mountains, all of which offer students a choice of difficulties ranging from low-moderate to strenuous, with multiple trip options.

The course welcomes families and all ages from 18 to seniors. Teenagers 13-17 may take the course if they enroll with their parent or guardian and go on the outings together.

For questions, call (805) 766-9920 or email, and check out Facebook:

[email protected]

www.Facebook.com/lospadreswbc

The Ventura County Fair has announced  the induction of Fair CEO Barbara Quaid into the Western Fairs Association (WFA) Hall of Fame during the awards celebration at the WFA Convention and Trade Show held January 20-24 in Reno, Nevada. The prestigious award is presented annually to individuals whose dedicated efforts have enriched the tradition of fairs and encouraged the professionalism of the industry. WFA is a non-profit trade association serving the Fair industry in the Western United States and Canada.

“I am honored and humbled to be placed in the Hall of Fame because I know that we are resilient and strong together,” says Quaid, “I am a small piece of what is a business that brings families together and creates smiles and memories, joys and rewards.”

Quaid began her career as a volunteer in the Youth Department at the Ventura County Fair and has worked in administration, concessions and as deputy manager of the VC Fair until she was promoted to CEO in 2005.  She is responsible for implementing an independent Carnival midway to ensure that only the best selection of rides is brought to the Ventura County Fair.

Playing an active role in the WFA, Quaid has served as treasurer, vice chair and President of the WFA. Locally she is active in the Ventura Chamber of Commerce and the Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Ventura Land Trust welcomed 100 volunteers to Harmon Canyon on January 20, 2020 for a work day to help build a new hiking trail and remove invasive plant species.

The event marked the 25th anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service that celebrates King’s legacy and encourages volunteerism to improve communities.

Ventura Land Trust is in the process of purchasing Harmon Canyon, a 2,100-acre Ventura property, to establish a nature preserve.

“This day of service is an opportunity for people to help us clear brush, restore native habitat, and build trails for the public to enjoy once the preserve is open,” says Ventura Land Trust Stewardship Manager Dan Hulst. ” It’s a sneak peak, because Harmon Canyon is not yet open to the public.”

“The amount of work that volunteers accomplished in three hours would have taken staff a couple of weeks to complete,” says Hulst.

Ventura Land Trust permanently protects land, water, wildlife, and scenic beauty in the Ventura region, including nearly 100 acres along the Ventura River and coastal estuary. Ventura Land Trust preserves are open to the public daily from dawn to dusk, with no cost for admission.

Earlier that morning, Ventura Land Trust partnered with Runners for Public Lands to host a run/walk through Harmon Canyon. Runners for Public Lands builds relationships between runners and land conservation organizations to deepen runners’ connections to, and encourage stewardship of, the open spaces through which they run.

Harmon Canyon is currently closed to the public except for volunteer restoration events. Visit www.venturalandtrust.org to learn more and register for upcoming events.

Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture. Celebrated from December 26 thru January 1, its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language.

Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karina, professor, Department of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach, author and scholar-activist who stresses the indispensable need to preserve, continually revitalize and promote African American culture.

Finally, it is important to note Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one, thus available to and practiced by Africans of all religious faiths who come together based on the rich, ancient and varied common ground of their Africanness.

Gifts are given mainly to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol. The book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt, and the heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history.