Grandma Joan Dodge thinks her 6-year old Granddaughter Reese Springhorn (on the left), who is visiting from Sacramento with friend Rowan Guzman is the cutest grandkid in the entire universe. Do you have one that you think is even cuter? If so send photo to [email protected]. This photo was taken at The Pierpont Racquet Club.
Category Archives: This ‘n’ That
Ventura Unified School District announces new brand
District develops brand promising rich and varied academic programs.
The Ventura Unified School District has announced its new brand and a district promise to maintain excellent schools and learning environments where all children can explore, grow, and thrive as students in a modern world and be well prepared for the future ahead of them.
“’For the future of every student’ is our promise emphasizing our belief that every child has a brilliant future ahead of them,” said Superintendent David Creswell. “Our role is to help them find it, explore it, and prepare for it in safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments across the district. It also signifies a culture that embraces every child, meeting them where they are at, and promotes their growth academically, social-emotionally, and as citizens of the world.”
At the direction of the board, VUSD hired Zeste, a company with extensive experience working on school district brands, to conduct dozens of deep interviews with VUSD stakeholders about what defines the district.
“It was time for the district to re-examine who we are, what our mission is, and who our customers were. Public education is not the only education option for parents today. We want to be the preferred option, not by default but by choice. Branding is part of getting that message out,” said John Walker, president of VUSD Board of Trustees.
The pillars of the promise of the new brand are:
A safe, healthy, and positive learning environment in every school
Rigorous and relevant academics that challenge each student
Engaging settings that stimulate curiosity and empower students to have a voice in their learning
Real world experiences and connections in and out of the classroom to cultivate creativity, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the world in which we live
Consistent, enthusiastic and unwavering encouragement of each and every child—so they can discover who they want to become and be academically, personally, and socially
“When it comes to delivering an education that prepares students for a future in the world today, a one-size-fits-all approach no longer suffices. Students must be able to think critically, approach problem-solving with agility and creativity, be open to exploration, and adapt to new ideas and pathways they will invariably encounter throughout their lives,” said Creswell.
As part of the brand process, the district developed a new logo, the open wave, that was inspired by VUSD’s connection to the California coast and the possibilities that lie ahead for our students. The ocean, and all that it represents, is a fitting metaphor for the optimism and energy embodied by our people, schools, and district. The logo unifies our schools and programs with a bold, abstract signature that connotes an open, cresting wave. The clean lines that comprise the open wave signify the opportunities students are offered by our district through its variety of programs and schools. The color blue leads our bold and varied color palette since it stands for confidence, wisdom, and intelligence.
“This is so much more than a logo,” said Creswell. “It is a symbol of the new direction we are taking. We are grateful to the board for the freedom to create this direction and now it is up to our administration, our teachers, our staff and our students to live up to the promise.”
Thousands beat the heat at the Annual Ventura County Fair
Fireworks was limited to weekends this year. Some liked it some didn’t.
The Ventura County Fair is proud and happy to report another successful Fair. Celebrating the diverse traditions of Ventura County, the 143rd edition, “A Country Fair with Ocean Air” closed with thousands having come out to enjoy the 12-day event, many returning for the first time since making the Fairgrounds their home during the December Thomas Fire evacuations.
The Ventura County Fair’s mission is to preserve, promote, and showcase agriculture and the traditions of Ventura County, this was accomplished with competitive livestock and horse shows, agricultural exhibits and baking contests.
Fairgoers were greeted with an abundance of attractions, which included Fido 500 Dog Races, Star Child Stilt Circus, who delighted young and old as they strolled high above the Fair, and Gus Flamingo, the hilarious magician in the Youth Expo. Tasty new food offerings like Cajun Catfish and Lobster Mac & Cheese pleased the taste for new summer treats while the mini donuts and turkey legs satisfied the traditional cravings of Fairgoers.
Despite extremely hot and humid weather, attendance was strong at 299,011. By the virtues of comfort, variety, safety, cleanliness and value the Fair was a success.
“We are always working on ways to make the Fair a better experience for our visitors.” said Fair CEO Barbara Quaid, who once again shared the Fair’s winning formula: “For us the focus is not about the numbers of people coming through the gates, but about the quality of the experience our guests have at the Fair. We measure our success by the number of smiles on the faces of the Fairgoers. The Fair is committed to offering a clean, safe and fun experience that visitors will remember forever.”
A new carnival layout welcomed thrill seekers lending a sense of rediscovery to the already exciting midway. The Star Tower was a new addition that took riders up 100 feet to swing high above the lights in the ocean air.
Nearly 16,000 County residents entered art, crafts, projects and other curiosities in the competitive exhibits, winning prizes and sharing their talents with Fair visitors.
Free entertainment was one of the features that drew so many to the Fair, not only the top name Concerts including Sublime with Rome, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and Hunter Hayes but local bands were a huge favorite. Crowds came out to enjoy and lend their support for local entertainers including KNS Rockstar, 99 Mondays, Crooked Eye Tommy, Aaron Pax Taylor, Hard Six, The Rockin’ Henrys, Dezmo’s Blues, Revelry Country, Doc Rogers Band, and many others.
As is the case every year, overall success would not be possible without the tremendous support of the sponsors and the community. While the gates have closed on the 2018 Ventura County Fair, planning is already underway for the 2019 Fair.
The Ventura County Fair entertained thousands of guests and participants. It employs up to 700 seasonal staff during the annual 12-day event. With annual attendance of approximately 300,000 visitors to the Fair, the communities throughout Ventura County share in the economic vitality derived from the Ventura County Fair. The Fair brings economic, social, educational, and cultural resources and provides lasting impressions on Fairgoers. While agriculture is the heart of the Fair, it’s the diverse entertainment that typically draws Fairgoers through the gates. Known for free top name concerts, the Fair takes pride in the overall dynamics and diversity of the entertainment, the esthetics and cleanliness of the grounds, as well as the vast educational and innovative exhibits that are showcased throughout the Fair each year.
Reflecting on the Fair Breeze contributing writer Jennifer Tipton stated.
“When I think about our Fair here in Ventura, I can almost feel the crisp ocean breeze and smell the corn dogs and cotton candy wafting alongside the scents of hay and livestock. I love the animals, from the 4h kids proudly showing the pig or lamb they’ve raised themselves and then bravely saying goodbye, to Uncle Leo’s Little Red Barn with those baby pigs! Other favorite attractions are the agriculture and photography buildings, its fun to get landscaping ideas and to see our local artistic talent. And always a challenge is to time it just right, to be on top of the Ferris wheel when the fireworks start – best seat in the house! “
Elections, Education and Art
Councilmember Christy Weir enjoying the CAPS and Ventura Breeze tiles on Michael O’Kelly’s mural.
by Elizabeth Rodeno
Over the next few weeks CAPS Media will work with city officials and election organizations throughout the community to encourage voter participation, provide voter information on ballot initiatives and help explain the district election process for electing City Council members and Ventura Unified School board members.
CAPS will offer candidates the chance to share their campaign platforms with the community via our Video Voter program. CAPS has been producing Video Voter for over 10 years and we continue to fulfill for mission to create an informed and educated community through electronic media
The candidate statements for Ventura City Council and VUSD board will be recorded and broadcast on CAPS Channel 6 and streaming online at capsmedia.org. CAPS Media continues its coverage of various candidate forums held by the League of Women throughout the city. CAPS Media is also producing informative videos for the County of Ventura on election related issues. Look for us out in the community in our big white truck with CAPS Media on the side and our enthusiastic volunteers and students bringing all of this to the community. The programs will be found on Channel 6 in the City of Ventura and online at capsmedia.org.
For details on the City district elections go to the City of Ventura website for comprehensive information at cityofventura.gov. For information on the new school district areas go to VenturaUSD.org. Log in to the County of Ventura’s website and go to the County Clerk’s webpage for all the information on how the election process works and to register to vote.
The award winning ECTV program, the collaboration between CAPS Media and El Camino High School, returns for its 3rd year.
Former students have honed their skills with many off to college, pursuing their dreams. Returning and new students are looking forward to exploring new issues, meeting interesting people and using their skills to create thoughtful and engaging video journalism. Last year ECTV featured stories about The Thomas Fires, the Peace Corp, Chicano music, filmmakers and women’s rights to name a few. We can’t wait to see what topics they discuss this year.
CAPS is proud to be part of Michael O’Kelly’s mural beautifully crafted with glazed tile. It’s great to see all the folks, locations, businesses and organizations included in this work of love to the community of Ventura. Planning began in 2015 and it was unveiled earlier this year. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth a visit. It’s just outside the mission on Main Street. What a great addition to city of Ventura and big thanks to the city and community members who made it happen.
View our ongoing series Thomas Fire Story projects every Friday at 6pm, get your election information on Channel 6 and get orientation and training class information on CAPSMedia.org. Get engaged, share your story on TV or Radio and become a member of CAPS Media Center.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Of Ventura kicks off 2018 Campaign
Paul Hardy, Josh Damigo, and Dr. Ron Atanay attended the kickoff event and will be at the walk at Harbor Cove Beach.
An open house reception was held at the Four Points Sheraton Ventura on Thursday, August 9th for this year’s Kickoff Celebration “Younited For a Cure”. The evening’s festivities included pink themed appetizers, raffle prizes, socializing, and informational speakers.
Event Chair Brenda Dearborn opened with the event overview, followed by Kickoff Chair Kerri Berntsen with sponsor thank yous going out to the National Presenting Sponsor, Avon, 2018 Presenting Sponsor UCLA Health, the National Survivor Ambassador Zeta Tau Alpha, as well as to our Platinum Sponsors, $2,500 Sponsors, and Media Sponsors. A very special thanks, along with an award of appreciation, was given to Tim and Kathy Mayeda with the U.S. Bowling Congress for 10 years of support in the fight against breast cancer.
Guest speakers included Camilla Conaway with Avon; Becky Fielder, Making Strides Survivor Tent Chair and 5 year Breast Cancer Survivor; and Bill Harris of Thousand Oaks, who spoke of his own battle with breast cancer and breast cancer survivorship.
Matthew Shrope spoke about where the money raised by Making Strides is used within Ventura County. He then introduced one of the highlights of the evening, the Three Pink Musketeers: Dr. Ronald Atanay, DDS, Josh Damigo and Paul Hardy. Dr. Atanay led the audience in a chant of “All for One, and One for All!” They were joined on stage by Dr. Shawn Steen and Oxnard Police Department Sargent Jeff McGreevy. These dedicated men have each committed to wearing the color Pink every day in October and raise $2,500+ for the Real Men Wear Pink campaign.
Bernie Glenn and Tammy Bauer spoke of their experiences with the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action NetworkSM (ACS CAN) and the importance of lobbying for critically needed funding for programs and cancer research. Ric Maddox, ACS Community Development Manager, closed out the presentation with information about signing up as a team leader, Social Media, the fundraising app, and event info.
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K walk will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at Harbor Cove Beach, 1878 Spinnaker Dr. Registration begins at 7:30 am and the walk is at 9:00 am. Sign up your team at makingstrideswalk.org/Ventura and walk with us!
Funds raised will enable TBCF to serve all eligible families without turning anyone away.
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) held its sixth annual Gold Ribbon Campaign in recognition of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September with a private event for its Tri-County recipients, volunteers, sponsors and siblings on Aug. 21 at the Gordic Grove in Elings Park in Santa Barbara.
This uplifting event treated guests to a picnic dinner in an outdoor setting and featured a brief program honoring TBCF volunteers, highlighting the campaign and introducing a family who has received support from TBCF. Throughout the month of September, the Gold Ribbon Campaign will promote ways to spread awareness and raise funds for the cause. The Campaign will culminate in a fundraiser luncheon on Oct. 4 at The Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara featuring silent and live auctions, an elegant lunch, live entertainment and an inspirational program.
The Gold Ribbon Campaign is TBCF’s flagship awareness and fundraising endeavor; funds raised from this Campaign will enable TBCF to serve all eligible families requesting assistance without turning anyone away. Last year, TBCF experienced a 34% increase in the number of families needing financial assistance. In response to this growing need, TBCF set this year’s Gold Ribbon Campaign goal at $370,000, its highest to date.
TBCF offers a wide range of programs to lessen the immediate financial, emotional and educational challenges that arise when a child is diagnosed with cancer while providing ongoing opportunities for families to connect with each other in a safe space. TBCF’s three core programs address the needs of the entire family, alleviating financial and emotional challenges so family members can be there for what’s most important – their child’s well-being during one of the most difficult times of his or her young life.
“Gold was selected for the color of the awareness ribbon because it represents a precious metal, and our children are precious,” TBCF Executive Director Lindsey Leonard explains. “Please Go Gold in September and join us in supporting local families by increasing awareness for this cause and raising critical funds for our programs.”
Ways to Go Gold:
Sponsorship: Gold Ribbon Campaign & Gold Ribbon Luncheon sponsorship opportunities range from $1,000-$50,000
Donate: Make a gift in support of a loved one, participate in the employee corporate giving program, arrange for planned giving, donate gifts of securities, host a benefit, donate a car or text “Teddy” to 91999
Encouraging Youth Philanthropy Program: TBCF will mentor kids from elementary school to college aged and help them raise funds with goals starting at $500
Set up a fundraiser on Facebook
Donate on Facebook
About Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to empower families living in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties who have a child with cancer by providing financial, educational and emotional support. Services are provided to families of children with cancer up to age 18 and continuing until the patient reaches 21 years of age. In 2017, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation provided services to 839 individuals. In 2017, the Gold Ribbon Campaign raised $515,644. Since its founding in 2002, TBCF has awarded $1.85 million in financial assistance to 1,928 individuals. For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.teddybearcancerfoundation.org.
Spencer Makenzie’s 9th annual End of Summer Throw Down
Spencer Makenzie’s 9th annual End of Summer Throw Down took place from Friday, August 24 through Sunday, August 26. The well attended event included fierce competition, music and food. The end of Summer Block Party and Throw Down took place on the closed street at the corner of Makenzie’s at 806 East Thompson.
14th Annual Spirit Awards
Dear Friends
Eric Harrison, President & CEO
United Way of Ventura County
On Sept.13, we’ll be celebrating our 14th Annual Spirit Awards at the Serra Padre Center in Camarillo. This will be a special evening recognizing the community and foundation leaders who partnered with us throughout the year and when Ventura County needed us most.
Our honorees include the Annenberg Foundation, which will receive our President’s Award for helping to establish the United Way Thomas Fire & Flood Fund with their lead gift; Bob Brunner, our longtime board member and Community Impact Chair, will be given the Milton M. Teague Award for outstanding volunteerism; Maggie Tougas will be recognized with the Douglas Shively Award for her service as a key member of our recovery group and for representing our local Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster; and Bank of America will be recognized for their top corporate citizenship with the Roy Pinkerton Award for their increased support and for helping us provide emergency debit cards to those affected by the Thomas Fire. Last, but certainly not least, William ‘Bill’ Kearney, who many of you know as one of our region’s most recognized and outstanding philanthropists and volunteers will receive our Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Richard Rush, Past President of California State University Channel Islands, will be presenting Bill with the award.
Limited tickets are available. If you’ve attended our Spirit Awards Gala in the past few years, you know the evening is known for its live entertainment. We are proud to welcome Spencer Day, the unique #1 Billboard-charting pop/jazz performer. Spencer has performed everywhere from Lincoln Center to the Hollywood Bowl and will put on a show you don’t want to miss. The 14th Annual Spirit Awards Gala is certain to be an inspirational and unforgettable evening. Come join us!
United Way of Ventura County
702 County Square Drive, Suite 100
Ventura, CA 93003
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm
Phone: (805) 485-6288
Fax: (805) 485-4845
Email: [email protected]
Ventura Unified School District announces new brand
The Ventura Unified School District has announced its new brand and a district promise to maintain excellent schools and learning environments where all children can explore, grow, and thrive as students in a modern world and be well prepared for the future ahead of them.
“’For the future of every student’ is our promise emphasizing our belief that every child has a brilliant future ahead of them,” said Superintendent David Creswell. “Our role is to help them find it, explore it, and prepare for it in safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments across the district. It also signifies a culture that embraces every child, meeting them where they are at, and promotes their growth academically, social-emotionally, and as citizens of the world.”
At the direction of the board, VUSD hired Zeste, a company with extensive experience working on school district brands, to conduct dozens of deep interviews with VUSD stakeholders about what defines the district.
“It was time for the district to re-examine who we are, what our mission is, and who our customers were. Public education is not the only education option for parents today. We want to be the preferred option, not by default but by choice. Branding is part of getting that message out,” said John Walker, president of VUSD Board of Trustees.
The pillars of the promise of the new brand are:
A safe, healthy, and positive learning environment in every school
Rigorous and relevant academics that challenge each student
Engaging settings that stimulate curiosity and empower students to have a voice in their learning
Real world experiences and connections in and out of the classroom to cultivate creativity, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the world in which we live
Consistent, enthusiastic and unwavering encouragement of each and every child—so they can discover who they want to become and be academically, personally, and socially
“When it comes to delivering an education that prepares students for a future in the world today, a one-size-fits-all approach no longer suffices. Students must be able to think critically, approach problem-solving with agility and creativity, be open to exploration, and adapt to new ideas and pathways they will invariably encounter throughout their lives,” said Creswell.
As part of the brand process, the district developed a new logo, the open wave, that was inspired by VUSD’s connection to the California coast and the possibilities that lie ahead for our students. The ocean, and all that it represents, is a fitting metaphor for the optimism and energy embodied by our people, schools, and district. The logo unifies our schools and programs with a bold, abstract signature that connotes an open, cresting wave. The clean lines that comprise the open wave signify the opportunities students are offered by our district through its variety of programs and schools. The color blue leads our bold and varied color palette since it stands for confidence, wisdom, and intelligence.
“This is so much more than a logo,” said Creswell. “It is a symbol of the new direction we are taking. We are grateful to the board for the freedom to create this direction and now it is up to our administration, our teachers, our staff and our students to live up to the promise.”