The Eye Clinic is currently looking for an optometrist that would like to help others in our community by performing eye exams and vision test. This is a paid position for once a week at about 4 hours.

The Ventura Rotary Club, Ventura Downtown Lions Club and the Salvation Army of Ventura have partnered to bring the community a free Eye Clinic. The goal and vision is to provide free eye glasses for those in need. Patients are seen each Thursday from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM except holidays.

The Eye Clinic is located inside the Salvation Army Hope Center 155 S Oak St, Ventura.

Breeze

Wondering why City Hall seems to have added three super-bright spotlights facing directly behind on to the hillsides. Most County regulations discourage all but down-facing lights to reduce disturbance to wildlife.

Debra Barringer

Debra

We have spot lights to illuminate our parking lot for our visitors and employee safety at night to get to their cars. We will see if it is illuminating the Ventura Botanical Garden and hillside.  We are aware of the “night sky” requirement.   I know there has been very bright lights behind the hillside, but I am not aware of where the lighting is coming from.

Thank you,

Mary Joyce Ivers, CPFP Interim Public Works Director

Have a question? Send to [email protected] and we will try to get you an answer.

by Jill Forman

Banjo player, songwriter and singer Donna Lynn Caskey isn’t sure where the nickname “Banjo Gal” came from, but it suits her. “It just kind of stuck,” she says; “people forget my name.”

Growing up in Virginia, and at college in the Blue Ridge Mountains, she dreamed about banjos and got “weepy” when she heard them. “It had my name on it.” She loves music and the power of songs, “…spooky things that move me emotionally.”

Although she came from a musical family and actually had a banjo for a couple of years, she didn’t start playing until she was in her 20’s. She got a scholarship to the Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina, an intensive week-long banjo class that left her with “bloody cuticles and shredded fingernails.” Immersing oneself into a new instrument is “…a good way to start…by the third day, it clicked.”

After working a variety of jobs in Virginia and a stint in Peru taking care of sick kids, she decided to come to Santa Barbara for grad school. She had just started with the banjo, so she brought her instrument, a backpack, and a suitcase. Within three months she had written her first song, “Gold in the Mud,” which has been used in several church services, talking about the worthiness of every person. She is passionate about the creative process. “Making things and sharing them is service. Encouraging people is also service.” Another of her songs includes the line, “Everyone is worthy…all are welcome at the table.”

Speaking of service, Donna Lynn works full-time as a social worker for the county. She sees creativity and service as the themes of her life and finds that the stability of a consistent job fuels her own creativity. Phrases and melodies come to her in dreams at times. As a child she would sing to herself “…when nobody could hear me.”

Folk music is “…the music of the people.” The first banjos, for instance, were made by enslaved peoples trying to recreate the instruments of West Africa in the mountains and flatlands of the American South. “Anybody can write a song…sing it to your dog. It’s a human birthright to be creative and do it your own way.”

In addition to songs, she makes art: drawing, painting and mixed media. Her college degree is in Art, and her home displays her work. Plus a large collection of banjos, a couple of guitars, and a fiddle!

Donna Lynn has two CD’s, “Nameless Heart” and “The Love Still Shows.” Both are entirely songs she wrote herself, in varied styles, “…not stereotyped.” Something has to strike her emotionally in order to make a song out of it. She performs in the L.A. area at times and is part of that music scene, but it is not financially rewarding. There are a few singer-songwriter showcases she is part of, a house concert in Oakland, some benefit concerts, churches and art spaces.

CD’s can be purchased directly, and her events calendar viewed, at http://www.donnalynncaskey.com or at shows. Another alternative to download or buy CD’s is https://store.cdbaby.com.

She doesn’t do a lot of local shows, but will be performing at NAMBA Performing Arts Space in Downtown Ventura on March 23 at 8 p.m. Tickets will be $20 at the door or can be bought at http://www.nambaarts.com.

Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue describes the CMH Auxiliary Volunteer’s department new uniforms. Out with the old color of pink tops. Please visit the new hospital to see the hospital and the new uniforms. The volunteers are always looking for new male and female volunteers so talk to them about that when there.

The Ventura County Writers Club is proud to announce the winners of its 18th annual short story contest. “We received some of the best stories in the youth category we have ever had,” says VCWC President Rhonda Noda. First place winner, in the high school category, Lauryn Trimmer (17) won $100 for her story Shooting Stars. Ms. Trimmer hopes to work in the publishing industry after college. Second place in the high school category went to San Jose sophomore Elaine Zhai for her story Snatched. She frequently writes for her school newspaper and for Harker DECA, a leadership program. Third place in the high school category is El Camino High School student Danielle Shew for The Candy Stalker.

The first place prize of $500 in the adult category went to long-time Westlake resident, artist and published author, Kathleen Auth for her story Todd O’Brian. The second-place winning story The Cat is by Camarillo resident, author, editor Sheli Ellsworth. Psychologist Glenn Rowe of Moorpark placed third for his story Déjà vu.

Adult honorable mentions were Venturans Woody Woodburn for Full House, Empty House and The Guardian of the Gorge by Charlotte Rossler.

High school honorable mentions include Shattered Glass by Danielle Shew and Sir Maxwell’s Great Escape by El Camino High School student Annabella Page (16).

The club, established in 1933, was organized to encourage the draft of writing. Go to venturacountywriters.com for information.

In the last year of her 40-year teaching career, Karen Blackwell shares what a Foster VC Kids student taught her and encourages other community members to help at-risk youth.

Karen Blackwell has dedicated 40 years of her life to teaching middle school and high school students. For the last 25 years she taught at Ventura High School where, in August 2017, she first met Keanna, a senior in her English class. As a high school English teacher, Blackwell explained that sometimes her students would share their personal situations through their writing assignments. It was through her student’s writing that Blackwell learned about the challenges faced by some of the foster youth in her class.

Keanna wrote what her definition of family is: “A family is not defined by the relation of blood, but by the connection in heart.” Blackwell’s reaction to her student’s profound quote, “That gives me chills. Keanna has so much talent and ability. With the right support and opportunities, she can do a lot.”

Keanna was in Blackwell’s class only for a short time before the youth was placed in a new foster home in another city. When that placement didn’t work out, Keanna returned to Ventura and to Ventura High School. Upon her return, Keanna was encouraged by her friends to audition for the school talent show – something she was very shy about doing. Blackwell was the talent show organizer and recalls Keanna’s hesitant yet stunning audition. “I cried at her talent,” shared Blackwell. “Keanna is completely self-taught on how to play the piano, and she played beautifully with a song she composed herself. It was absolutely wonderful.”

Through her connection with Keanna and others, Blackwell says she learned personally how foster youth “have more challenges than other kids who live in a loving, nurturing environment. The cards are stacked against them.” Yet, Blackwell adds, “I’m impressed by how well they do despite these challenges. They are resilient.”

Blackwell believes it’s important for all children, especially foster youth, to explore and develop what they’re good at doing. “Every kid has a special talent and needs an opportunity to try something,” said Blackwell. She encourages community members to step up and provide youth with music or art lessons, sports activities or other extracurriculars.

Ventura County Children and Family Services’ Foster VC Kids works with community members and partners to ensure children have a safe and stable home environment while strengthening the families around them, so the youth feel supported, encouraged and loved.

Jaci Johnson, Program Coordinator/Resource Family Recruitment, Development & Support for Ventura County Children and Family Services’ Foster VC Kids says, “Karen’s story is a testament to how vital it is for our at-risk youth to have guidance, encouragement and a safe, stable adult in their life – both at home and at school. And, we have an opportunity to be inspired by the resiliency of these amazing youth.”

Learn more about becoming a resource parent or a mentor to let a foster child know there are people in our community who believe in them, visit FosterVCKids.org.

Recognized as a best practice leader statewide in the family recruitment and support component of child welfare, Foster VC Kids provides resource families with ongoing support services, trauma-informed training, and mentorship to enhance the safety, permanency and well-being of Ventura County’s youth and families. Learn how Foster VC Kids is making a difference throughout Ventura County, www.fostervckids.org.

This is a Golden Year for Ventura Friends of the Library, the dedicated volunteers who help support Ventura’s four branch libraries, (Avenue Library, E.P. Foster Library, Hill Road Library and Saticoy Library), manage the bookshop in E.P. Foster Library and organize regular book sales to raise funds for the libraries’ various requirements, from books, to furniture, computers and new creative programs.

The active non-profit group will celebrate its 50th Anniversary with a quartet of festive events through the year, beginning with a kick off birthday party on Saturday March 2 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Adult Center, 550 N Ventura Avenue, and continuing at the nearby Avenue Library at 606 N. Ventura Avenue. The actual library is an appropriate venue for this landmark historic library event. The red brick apartment building Casa de Anza, which houses the library at street level, was built in 1929, and is designated an architectural landmark by the Ventura Historic Preservation Committee.

“We encourage friends and families to join us for a festive afternoon,” says FOL President Mary Olson. “There will be music, refreshments and other surprises.” We invite parents to bring their children to hear best-selling bi-lingual author Amada Perez read from her latest book, “Nana’s Big Surprise.” Noted creative artist Judee Hauer will be on hand to help children create folk art dolls from clothes pins. Inlakech Cultural Arts will add Mariachi music to the festivities.

The second part of the celebration, taking place in Avenue Library itself, includes the awarding of raffle prizes and 50 complimentary signed copies of Amada Perez’ book. Dates have been floated for the other trio of birthday parties: E.P Foster in the summer, Saticoy in September and a grand finale drumroll at Hill Road in October with the popular Harmonix Singers and their artistic director Miriam Arichea.

In 1969, the year FOL was founded, membership totaled 82 and book sales amounted to $470. Over the past decade, Ventura Friends of the Library has contributed more than a million dollars to Ventura’s libraries, including $200,700 contributed to the opening of the Hill Road branch in 2018. Surely a local success story and a notable achievement in the field of education and communication.