Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

They were Californios, Yaqui Tribesmen, Mission Indians, Chumash, Mexican Nationals, and a handful of Europeans

Their lances were taken away and replaced with carbines.

Many watched as a small parade went down dusty El Camino Real soon to be renamed Main St. in 1863. They were mounted cavalry, in blue, riding south from Santa Barbara to Fort Drum, in Wilmington for training.  They were armed with 11-foot lances, each one with a little pennant attached to the steel points. They were all local men, Company C of the First Native Cavalry Battalion of the Union Army riding south to join in the American Civil War that had raged for three years. As the name of the Unit implies, It was made up of Latinos born in California.

The Yankees didn’t know it, but it was a diverse group with only Spanish language and Roman Catholic faith uniting them. They were Californios, Yaqui Tribesmen, Mission Indians, Chumash, Mexican Nationals, and a handful of Europeans (Spanish and French) all together in the first bi-lingual unit in the US Army.   Two factors lead to the formation of this Battalion, A) a drought had caused many vaqueros to lose their jobs as cowboys as the great ranches turned to Sheep raising. and B) the need for more troops to help the Union cause in the Southwest.  So, they signed up for a two year enlistment leaving wives and family in what is today Ventura and Santa Barbara.

Their lances were taken away and replaced with a sharps carbines. Each trooper got a colt revolver, a sword, and the carbine.  They trained, learning to ride in formation, and charge on command before being sent to Fort Yuma, then across the Arizona deserts to Fort Mason, near the Mexican Border.

The Confederacy had long been driven out of Arizona Territory, but there was still an Apache uprising to quell and as internal problems in Mexico spilled over the border. France had occupied Mexico and installed the puppet Emperor Maximillian Hapsburg, deposing the legally elected President, Benito Juarez (His wife and ten children had fled to New York City and Juarez had met with Abraham Lincoln). Many in Mexico supported Juarez and fighting broke out between the two factions.

When the Civil War ended, they marched to Baja where a steamer took them to San Francisco to be mustered out and given back pay.  When they returned to Santa Barbara they were given a parade on State St. and a fiesta with fireworks and a bull fight.

It isn’t known what celebrations were given to the boys from San Buenaventura, but many returned home to their wives and children. Many of these Latinos who served in this unit rest at Ventura’s Cemetery Memorial Park.

For Ukraine with Love

Alec Benke created a custom pedestal, including scales, for the mermaid sculpture on Spinnaker drive.

by Amy Brown

For many years there have been two iconic bronze mermaid statues, each gracing a separate entrance to the Ventura harbor. One has a plaque reading “From Russia with Love,” but today they both wear Ukrainian flower crowns in yellow and blue. Their donor, Alec Benke, is no stranger to the mysticism and idea of mermaids. A native of the former Soviet Union, starting in 1987 he served for three years as a sonar technician on submarines near Vietnam, and spent countless hours on watch, differentiating between friends (fishing barges lumbering past) and foes, which included at that time the 6th Fleet of the U.S. Navy. Other unexpected friends were heard during those lonely assignments, which Benke is sure were mermaids. “I know it sounds crazy,” he laughs. He never saw these fabled sirens, but shares that he heard and felt them, and the idea of their presence filled him with calmness and quiet joy. Later during his service he was surprised when he came to realize that Americans are just regular people, like his own countrymen. “You should not underestimate the power of Soviet propaganda about Americans at that time,” said Benke.

Benke was living in Kazakhstan when the Iron Curtain fell. “Suddenly, I was not welcome there anymore and I wasn’t welcome in Russia anymore; I was a foreigner. It was shocking,” said Benke, who soon attended a marine academy, and met his wife Tatyana. The two travelled to Kodiak, Alaska and since they already had visas, they went to the US embassy and eventually became citizens.

Each mermaid wears a traditional Ukrainian flower crown today.

The couple moved to Ventura in 2000, and Alec began a construction company, focused on rock formations and mosaics. During his travel for the business, he drove to and from San Diego, and along that route he first saw glorious 15’ tall mermaid sculptures, which reminded him viscerally of his experiences as a submariner, so he pulled off the highway to investigate. “It was because like I fell in love with them, and I would stop and visit them on every trip,” he said.

Benke eventually was able to buy them, maxing out his credit cards, and brought them back to Ventura. “By that time I had a small house, but what am I going to do with them? My wife finally had had enough of them lying in our little backyard, so I decided to give them to the city. They’re still mine, in my heart, but I decided to build everything for them.”

Alec Benke poses with the mermaid sculpture at Soter Point.

His love for his new country, the ocean and these beautiful mermaids dovetailed with other labors of love, when Benke met Sam Povar and Andy Soter. Povar was a community activist committed to private-public art projects, and sought to honor his late wife, Oriana and Soter was working on a project to upgrade paths in Marina Park to memorialize the loss of her daughter Andrea to cancer. “We came the three of us together and worked on this project. It was amazing. All three of us, different ages, but we were like old friends immediately.” The project was creating symbols of love with the donation of the two mermaid statues, on custom stone ten-foot-tall pedestals created by Benke. One plays the flute and is on what is now called Soter Point, and the other, playing a cello, is across the harbor on Spinnaker.

Today Benke’s personal labor of love includes raising awareness and activism to support the citizens of Ukraine. He shared that his support of Ukraine has cost him relationships with his parents and friends in Russia. “I decorated the mermaids with the traditional Ukrainian flower wreath as a sign of support and admiration for the fearless Ukrainian people,” said Benke. His partner in the project applauds Benke’s sentiments. “It is a great expression of love and fondness for Ukrainian people and joy to be an American citizen,” said Soter.

Benke encourages others to support the Ukrainians and petition legislators during this time by visiting the site www.protectukrainenow.com. “The world as we know it has been changed forever,” said Benke.

 

 

Up Close and Personal with Bob Eubanks

Bob Eubanks is best known for hosting the Newlywed Game.

Museum of Ventura County presents “Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Bob Eubanks”

April 28, 2022, from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at 100 E Main Street in Ventura and via Zoom

Bob Eubanks is best known for hosting the explosively popular, “The Newlywed Game.” Guests are welcomed in-person at the Museum’s Ventura campus on 100 E Main St., and virtually through Zoom. For more information and registration, please visit: venturamuseum.org.

Reporter Ivor Davis continues his interview series at the Museum, Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal, with Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award recipient Bob Eubanks. Davis introduces guests to how Eubanks’ legendary career began by meeting The Beatles and then persuading a bank to secure a large loan against his home to bring the singing sensation to the Hollywood Bowl. This bold move ultimately changed the trajectory of Bob Eubanks’ career, becoming a legend in his own right.

“We are thrilled that Ivor Davis is once again bringing an exciting and distinguished guest to our community,” says The Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director, Elena Brokaw, “Spending the evening with Bob Eubanks is sure to be a fascinating exploration into his life and career. I’m looking forward to his many stories.”

For guests attending in-person, proof of vaccination will be required on arrival and masks will be optional. Masks will be available upon request. This event is free for members, $10 for non-members in person, and $5 for nonmembers attending via Zoom. For more information, please visit: venturamuseum.org.

SEEAG staff members give presentations at schools throughout Ventura County

Gene Haas Foundation donates $25,000 to SEEAG.

The Gene Haas Foundation has made a $25,000 grant award to Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) to support SEEAG’s STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture programs. The programs are provided at no cost to schools and are designed to teach middle and high school students about technology and science-driven agricultural careers. 

SEEAG staff members give presentations at schools throughout Ventura County providing an overview of agriculture, ag career opportunities and the latest technologies and innovations that are impacting the industry. Online presentations are also available. 

“Most of us don’t think of agriculture as a cutting-edge industry, but science and technology play a key role in producing the huge quantities of food needed to feed a hungry world,” says Mary Maranville, SEEAG founder and CEO. “SEEAG educates, inspires and empowers local students to consider careers in agriculture. The generous Haas Foundation donation will help SEEAG spread the word about the myriad of ag career opportunities including those right here in Ventura County.” 

Science, technology and math-based ag careers include horticulture, food safety, biology, seed and pollination science, food chain management, accounting, industrial engineering and farm administration. 

“By supporting organizations such as SEEAG and their focus on youth STEM programs, we understand this is the first step in educating and empowering our youth to a future in manufacturing careers,” says Kathy Looman, director of education and Gene Haas Centers naming rights. “In 2021, the Gene Haas Foundation provided more than $18.5 million in grants towards education and another $3 million to the communities Haas businesses are located. Bringing the total grants awarded since inception to about 4,500 organizations and schools to more than $120 million. We are committed to continuously supporting these same schools and organizations as well as adding additional organizations and schools annually.” 

For more information about SEEAG’s career pathways programs and to sign up for a presentation, go to https://www.seeag.org/steamcareersinag or contact Seth Wilmoth, program educator, at [email protected]. 

 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 60,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. For more information, visit www.seeag.org or email Mary Maranville at [email protected]. 

The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999, by Haas Automation, Inc., Founder and CEO Gene Haas, For more information visit https://ghaasfoundation.org.

 

Cabrillo Middle School students partnered with Food Share

Local students’ innovation helps county’s homeless population. Photos by Patricia Schallert

A group of enterprising 7th and 8th graders from Cabrillo Middle School have partnered with Food Share Ventura County in a project designed to make life a little easier for the county’s unhoused population but that could have an impact far beyond.

The Rusty Sailors robotics created a tote bag that converts to a backpack. They distributed the bags on Monday, April 11, at The River Community Church, 859 E Santa Clara St. The church is under the direction of Jim Duran, The River Community’s pastor.

Saanvi Joshi, Hendrix Lowder, Jane Kim, Jude Curtis, Izzy Quiroz, Maddie Wicks, Maverick Cheatham, and Aarana Khanavkar, all members of the school’s “Rusty Sailors” Robotics Club, are participating in the 2021-2022 season, CARGO CONNECTSM, FIRST® LEGO® League Innovation Project, to identify a problem related to improving the transportation journey of products, and design a new piece of technology or improve an existing one. FIRST® empowers students ages 9-16 to explore what it means to be an innovator, finding solutions to today’s societal problems that could impact the world for generations to come.

The Rusty Sailors visited Food Share last year to get a better understanding of how a food bank works and learned about Food Share’s “Kitchen-Free” program that provides bagged, nutritious, no-cook food for people without access to a kitchen. Food Share has distributed 24,000 kitchen free bags to date through their network of 190 pantry partners.

Following the field trip, Laurie Lowder, one of the club’s coaches, witnessed two men on bikes struggling to carry the branded Food Share bags and the experience inspired the children to think of ways to improve the design to make them easier to transport. The result is an ingenious and inexpensive modification that turns it into a backpack.

Speaking about the innovative design, Hendrix Lowder, 13, said, “We got empty bags from Food Share so we could experiment with ways to make them better. After our team developed a prototype, we got a grant to make one hundred bags so that we can hand them out to people who are homeless. We’ve also added a QR code to the bags linked to a survey for people to tell us what they think and to get suggestions for improvements. It’s very exciting to be able to see the project all the way through to the product design stage.”

The design has already caught the eye of the FIRST® project judges. The Rusty Sailors won the Global Innovation Award nomination for the Southern California Regionals in December. Teams nominated for their outstanding solutions could advance to the 2022 FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award presented by Qualcomm to attend workshops with innovation and industry experts.

An estimated 1 in 6 people in Ventura County experiences food insecurity, meaning that they are without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

Before the pandemic, many of the families Food Share served would need supplemental food perhaps two-three times a year.

Food Share is serving approximately double the number of people being served pre-pandemic. The latest figure (total for 2021) is a little over 190,000 unduplicated people based on FreshTrak data. However, this figure does not include people attending emergency drive-thru distributions, some of our programs, including Community Markets, or farmworkers receiving food at field distributions.

For all the latest information on where to find food, how to volunteer, and how you can support Food Share with a monetary donation visit: www.foodshare.com

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Jill Forman

Local Author Talk at Hill Road Library

Michele Artiz Smith, J.D. will visit the Hill Road Library on Sunday, May 15th, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. to discuss her book My Husband’s Keeper: A Memoir. 

Smith takes the reader through the early, middle, and late stages of Alzheimer’s disease. After her husband’s diagnosis, she vowed to learn as much as possible about the condition, becoming a State-Certified Ombudsman and gaining a window into the world of dementia and Alzheimer’s through visiting long-term care facilities and meeting with other families that experience this illness. 

More information can be found on her website: myhusbandskeeper.com 

This event is free and open to the public. 

Online Bookstore update:

VFOL Online Bookstore is putting great vintage literature on sale in April! Hand selected for their quality, despite their age, these selections are sure to bring enjoyment. Also, be on the lookout for seasonal titles for children, new puzzles and of course fiction you can sink your teeth into.

Meet your Hill Road Library Staff

Interview with Veronica Betancourt, Library Technician I

Why did you become a librarian?

I came to the Ventura County Library system in 2021 after 10 years of teaching, tutoring, and college admissions counseling. I was very “burned-out” after working in high-pressure environments with high-pressure parents, and the opportunity to continue working with children and teens while stepping away from the high-stakes world of college admissions was very appealing to me.

What education do you have?

I have a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, majoring in medieval history. I have always loved the process of how history is made and preserved throughout the centuries, so it makes sense that I would end up at a place that is all about books,  especially considering how much of a privilege access to books has been for most of human history

Where were you raised?  Were libraries important in your childhood?

I grew up in Silicon Valley and was really lucky to have had the San Jose Public Library system as a huge part of my childhood. I spent a lot of time after school in the library, and the library was the first place my parents let me go by myself on weekends. So for me libraries are a place of freedom and independence – I could read whatever I wanted and go whenever I wanted.

What is your favorite part of your job?

There are two things I love the most! I strongly believe in the value of non-commercial public spaces, and libraries are one of the last places left where you can spend all the time you want with no expectation of spending money. Whenever someone feels safe and secure in our library, regardless of their circumstances, I feel like we have done an important public service. There is also nothing better than the look on a child’s face when you pull “just the right book” off of the shelves for them! 

Anything else you’d like to add?

Just some words of appreciation for the whole Hill Road Library staff and Friends volunteers for making me feel at home here!

 

Ventura Land Trust

Thursday, April 22nd is Earth Day. On Earth Day, we are called to boldly act, innovate, and implement plans in partnership for the planet.

This year, the theme for Earth Day is Invest In Our Planet. Celebrate Earth Day with Ventura Land Trust by volunteering at a clean up or on a restoration project (upcoming opportunities below), or make a financial investment by becoming a member.

Your membership provides core support to help protect and preserve open space, advance habitat restoration efforts, and fund Ventura Land Trust’s outdoor education programs. Individual and business members enjoy guided hikes, field excursions, and discounted event entry throughout the year.

Connect to the land and to community. Become a member today.
More information at www.venturalandtrust.org

Help VLT preserve and protect the land, water, wildlife, and scenic beauty of Ventura County as a volunteer. Ongoing opportunities are available each week. In April and May, you can sign up to volunteer for the Gear Garage Sale (sale discounts available for Gear Garage Sale volunteers!) and the Mountains to Beach Marathon.

Sundays & Mondays
8am-10am
Harmon Canyon Preserve Wildlife Habitat Improvement Project (WHIP), invasive plant species removal with WHIP leaders, Kris and Terri.

Wednesdays
10am-2pm
Willoughby Preserve cleanup & restoration with Land Steward Katie Daniels

Fridays
10am-2pm
Big Rock Preserve/Westside preserve restoration with Land Steward Katie Daniels