Fundraiser benefits Recreation Advocates
WATSONVILLE — Recreation Advocates, Inc. will hold a fundraiser at Cassidy’s Pizza, 1400 Freedom Blvd., on Tuesday from 5-9 p.m.
Recreation Advocates provides scholarships for local youth to participate in sports, music, dance or other extracurricular activities.
For information, email re**********@gm***.com.
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Watsonville, Santa Cruz launch plastic challenge
WATSONVILLE — The cities of Watsonville and Santa Cruz are issuing a challenge for residents: Can you drastically reduce your plastic usage for one month?
Throughout July, Watsonville and Santa Cruz will offer support and incentives to participants, even a virtual Reusable Bootcamp with tips and tricks. Challenge members are asked to follow steps in their daily routine to adopt sustainability habits for the entire month of July and beyond.
“While the City of Watsonville examines larger, longer term resolutions related to our plastics disposal and recycling streams, we are heartened by the Plastic Free July challenge as it presents an immediate way to engage our entire community in solution-building,” said Mike Rivera, City of Watsonville Solid Waste Division manager. “Quitting single-use plastics is not a fad diet but a lifestyle change. We know our residents and businesses will band together and take pride in this.”
Both cities are asking residents to recruit family members and friends, and to enter to win prizes and recognition for meeting outlined waste size reduction goals.
For information, visit www.plasticfreejuly.org and www.cityofwatsonville.org.
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Congressman’s staff to hold office hours
WATSONVILLE — Congressman Jimmy Panetta’s (CA-20) staff will hold mobile office hours on July 11 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Watsonville Public Library, 275 Main St., Suite 100.
Staff members will assist with issues concerning Social Security, Medicare, federal employee retirement, immigration services, veterans’ services, passports, searching for military records, and any other federal matters.
To schedule a meeting, call Panetta’s Salinas office at 424-2229.
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Skirt steak barbecue benefits organizations
WATSONVILLE — California Giant Berry Farms, 75 Sakata Lane, will hold its annual skirt steak barbecue on July 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
All proceeds from the event are donated to local organizations, such as CASA, Digital NEST, Jacob’s Heart, Teen Kitchen Project and more.
For $12, the meal includes skirt steak, garlic bread, fruit, salad and dessert.
Orders should be made by July 11. To place an order, call 728-1773 or fax to 728-0613.
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Wetlands Watch presents talk on medicinal plants
WATSONVILLE — Watsonville Wetlands Watch will present a talk titled “Medicinal Uses of Local Plants” on July 17 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Wetlands Educational Resource Center, 500 Harkins Slough Road.
Holistic health coach/practitioner Darren Huckle will be the presenter. Huckle works in the realms of Chinese medicine, acupuncture and more. He is a faculty member at Five Branches University of Chinese Medicine in Santa Cruz.
Admission is free, and attendance is limited. To reserve a spot, visit www.watsonvillewetlandswatch.org.
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Dog training classes to begin
WATSONVILLE — The Monterey Bay Dog Training Club will be offering dog training classes beginning next week.
Classes will begin Tuesday in the Crosetti Building at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave. in Watsonville.
Classes will also be held in Capitola starting Thursday at the Mid-County Senior Center, 829 Bay Ave.
All levels of training will be taught by professional trainers.
For times and class descriptions, visit www.montereybaydog.org or email mo************************@gm***.com.
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Heroes Breakfast raises $55K for Red Cross
APTOS — The 13th annual Heroes Breakfast, which took place June 15 at Twin Lakes Church in Aptos, raised $55,000.
More than 250 people, including 13 honorees, joined the American Red Cross of the Central Coast to pay tribute to community members.
The Heroes Breakfast is a signature event for the local Red Cross chapter. It benefits the lifesaving programs and services the chapter provides, including responding to local disasters, collecting blood, teaching skills that can save a life, and assisting military members and their families.
“We are very appreciative of the amazing support we received from the sponsors and the many individuals who attended this year’s Heroes Breakfast,” said Michele Averill, CEO for the Central Coast Chapter, serving Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. “Because of their generosity, the Red Cross is there when we are needed most by the people who live in our three local counties.”
The honorees, nominated for the Hero Awards by members of the general public, were selected by a committee of local leaders who considered the degree to which their heroic actions benefited their communities and upheld the values of the American Red Cross.
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Seminar to train residents on crisis intervention
SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz Police Department will host a free de-escalation preparedness presentation, titled “Crisis Intervention: What Would You Do?”, on July 12 from 1-5 p.m.
The seminar, which is open to the public, is designed to educate attendees on how to recognize, prepare for, and respond to a person in crisis to de-escalate the situation.
The presentation will be held in the Santa Cruz Police Community Room, 155 Center St.
“Unfortunately, we see the threat of agitated individuals in businesses, on the streets and in schools becoming more prevalent,” said Police Chief Andrew Mills. “Being prepared, knowing how to respond, and understanding the signs of a potential threat of violence before an incident occurs is now a necessity.”
Participants will learn through various crisis situations, the effects of fear-induced stress on the mind and body, how to choose the correct response, and tips on how to prevent an incident from happening.
“The response methodology we teach can be utilized in any situation and is a simple, straightforward approach that is easy to understand,” said Lt. Christian Le Moss, who will conduct the presentation with Sgt. Carter Jones.
Le Moss and Jones are certified instructors in defensive tactics, trained in de-escalation techniques and communication skills necessary for dealing with people in a mental health crisis. They provide workplace violence training and active shooter preparedness training to citizens, businesses, first responders and law enforcement.
Pre-registration is required. To register, email cj****@ci*************.com.
