Community corner

To start the New Year, I want to tell you about the
organizations, schools and non-profits that are included in the
Community Corner listing each week and how they need
help/volunteers/donations.
I will start with our local Healdsburg Unified School District,
which includes Healdsburg Elementary School (K-2), Fitch Mountain
School (3-5), Healdsburg Junior High (6-8), and Healdsburg High
School (9-12). Healdsburg Education Foundation (HEF) has a Wish
List of items and projects our schools and teachers have asked for
help with. Giving to our schools through HEF is a win-win for both
the schools and the givers. All donations through HEF are tax
deductible, and the giver is able to specify exactly where they
want their donation to go. Checks can be mailed to HEF, Box 1668,
Healdsburg, or you can donate online at www.hefschools.com. Questions? Call
Pamela Swan at 433-1223.
Healdsburg Boys and Girls Club offers after school programs for
students in kindergarten to 18 years. Open every day after school
until 6 p.m., youth have daily access to life-enhancing programs
including academic enrichment, health and life skills, character
and leadership, sports, fitness and recreation and the arts.
Membership fee is $10 and $30 supply fee for the school year. To
volunteer or donate call 433-4479.
Plaza Arts Center is an all volunteer organization that is
dedicated to enriching the artistic life of our community through
gallery shows, social events, arts classes for youths and adults
and support for the local school arts programs. They always need
volunteers to help with office work, marketing, hospitality, docent
work. Contact Karen Greif at 431-2507 or email her at Kg*****@ao*.com.
Farm to Pantry is a group of community members who are willing
to come to your home/farm/ranch and harvest excess fruit/vegetables
and then take it to the Healdsburg Food Pantry or the Senior Center
for distribution to families and seniors. They have a website
farmtopantry.org, or you can
call Melita Love at 431-0425.
Graduation Celebration is a volunteer organization of High
School parents and community members who put on an all night party
for our High School grads on graduation night. Every High School
parent needs to be involved in this at some level, as this party is
for ALL the grads. They have meetings the first Tuesday of the
month at 7 p.m. at Good Shepherd Church, 1402 University Street.
Contact Dalene Whitlock at 542-9500, or go to the website www.greyhoundgrad.com and click
on Graduation Celebration on the left hand side.
Healdsburg Museum Volunteer Association works with the Museum
Curator to not only keep the Museum open to the public, but to help
sort through the many, many items that are donated, greet visitors,
and do a variety of other fun and interesting jobs. Please call
Victoria at 431-3325 to volunteer. Their monthly meetings are on
the first Wednesday of the month at the museum, 9:30 a.m.
Healdsburg Greyhound Boosters Club raises funds for every sport
at the high school. If your student is involved in any sport, you
parents need to be a part of Boosters. They have various
fundraisers throughout the year, and you can choose which you want
to help with. To get involved, or for more information, call
433-1771 or log on to www.greyhoundgrad.com. You can
belong to Boosters even if you don’t have high school students.
Public Schools Success Team (PSST) is a dedicated group of
volunteers working with a fifth grade class giving them
personalized attention with their school work to help them succeed.
They just completed their first semester of helping, and the
program is going so well they need more tutors. They are having an
informational meeting on Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. at E & M Electric,
126 Mill Street. If you have questions, please call Barbara
Epstein, 473-0902, or email hb*****@gm***.com.
LandPaths and Open Space District – The Open Space District
protects land in Sonoma County and LandPaths connects you with that
land. They have various programs that you can volunteer to help,
they offer numerous monthly hikes, and activities, etc for
families, and they can always use financial help. Phone 544-7284 or
email in**@la*******.org
for additional information.
The Bird Rescue Center has been making a real difference in the
lives of both birds and people for a quarter century. The
accomplishments of the Center have been possible through generous
volunteer donations of time, money, materials and effort. Countless
birds have been rescued, rehabilitated and released back into the
wild. Contact them at The Bird Rescue Center, PO Box 475, Santa
Rosa, CA. 95402, (707) 523-2473 or E-mail: sa******@so***.net
Healdsburg Rotary Club meets every Monday at noon, Masonic Hall,
324 Center Street. Two of their main fundraisers are their annual
Crab Feed and their Golf Tournament. Two of their many local
service projects are their annual Easter egg hunt for all the local
children, and granting annual scholarships for our graduating
seniors at the high school. Contact Kent Mitchell at ke**********@ea*******.net.
Healdsburg Senior Center Volunteers help with almost everything
at our Senior Center, 133 Matheson St. To volunteer contact Cassie
Call, 431-3324, or email sd****@ci.us.
The American Legion Sotoyome Post 111 is a Veterans organization
committed to helping veterans, students, and seniors meet their
goals. Among their many projects is the 4th of July Fireworks
display here in Healdsburg. Contact Bob Taylor, 894-0857, email him
at so*********@ao*.com, or
donations are accepted at P.O. Box 281, Healdsburg, 95448.
Friends of the Healdsburg Library is an organization of over 500
dues-paying members and a small governing board. Their mission is
to support the Healdsburg Library, and they do this through
donations, proceeds for book sales, and member ship dues. Contact
Andrew Biehl, 139 Piper St., 433-3772.
Healdsburg Animal Shelter houses many animals that need tender
loving care and a forever home. They need volunteers for various
jobs including playing with the cats and walking dogs, helping with
fundraisers and being a foster parent for a special needs animal.
They are located at 570 Westside Road, and financial donations can
be mailed to P.O. Box 42, Healdsburg. For more information call
Belinda at 431-3386, or email has an*****@sb*******.net. Check out
their website www.healdsburgshelter.org.
Healdsburg Literary Guild is a non-profit dedicated to promoting
the visual, performing and literary arts. Contact them at he*********************@gm***.com.
They are the sponsors of Healdsburg Third Sunday Salon, Center
Literary Café, and the Memorial Day Graveside Readings.
Healdsburg Shared Ministries is the consortium of Healdsburg
churches offering help to the community. They provide for the
weekly Sunday Dinner program at 4 p.m., open to all comers at St.
Paul’s Church on Matheson Street. The preparation and serving of
this meal is handled by the participating churches by rotation.
Every Christmas they do Christmas baskets containing food, as well
as toys and coats for local families that need help. To help or
donate, contact Faye Smith, fs****@st****************.org.
Healdsburg Kiwanis Club is dedicated to serving the children of
the world, starting here in Healdsburg. Some of the programs they
support, sponsor, offer are Fitch Mountain Foot Race, the Book
Project, FFA Food Sales, and numerous scholarships. Their website
it www.healdsburgkiwanis.org.
The Adult Literacy League of Sonoma County is a non-profit, all
volunteer community organization teaching English as a Second
Language (ESL) to persons 18 years or older residing anywhere in
Sonoma County. They have been providing literacy services in Sonoma
County since 1969. All their services are free to their
students-they never charge a fee. To volunteer, contact them at 651
Yolanda Ave.Santa Rosa, CA 95404, phone them at 539.3848 or email:
of****@li************.org.
Soroptimist International of Healdsburg is a service
organization for executive and professional women. Their service
projects in the community are geared toward making a difference for
woman and children. Their website is www.sihealdsburg.org. or you can
contact them at P.O. Box 124, Healdsburg, CA 95448 or email at
jo****@si**********.org.
Healdsburg Area Fund is a non-profit that supports charitable
programs and encourages philanthropy in the Healdsburg/Geyserville
area. Grants are made annually to support local programs. Contact
them at 250 D Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, or through their
website www.sonomacf.org.
Healdsburg Hospital Volunteers are the service organization at
the Healdsburg District Hospital. They operate the gift shop, and
help doctors, nurses and all staff with various duties. They also
give 2-3 scholarships yearly with those going into the medical
field, or continuing their medical education. They need more
volunteers. Contact Barbara McCutchen at 433-1033.
Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County is a non-profit, faith
based organization dedicated to improving lives by building modest,
affordable homes in partnership with our communities and families
in need. Contact them by phone, 578-7707, or their website www.sonomacountyhabitat.org.
The Healdsburg Chapter of American Association of University
Women has raised over $130,000 for scholarships that have been
awarded to graduating seniors from Cloverdale to Windsor high
schools, to women re-entering college, and/or girls about to enter
eighth grade to attend Tech Trek, a science and technology camp
held at Stanford University. They also provide financial support to
the Healdsburg Education Foundation. Questions? Contact Gail Wright
at 433-5752, or email ph*********@co*****.net.
Healdsburg Little League gives children from age 5 to 18 a
chance to play organized sports. This year they are having a one
day only walk in registration on January 9 at E&M Electric, 126
Mill St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can support them even if you
do not have children who can participate by going to their website,
www.eteamz.com/healdsburglittleleague/
and click on Support Our Team on the bottom left of the home
page.
The Healdsburg Garden Club meets the 2nd Monday of each month at
the Villa Annex at 1 p.m. New members are always welcome. Each
meeting has a special program of interest to gardeners. They have
an annual Plant Sale in May, and proceeds help provide scholarships
for graduating seniors interested in horticulture. For more
information contact Pam at pa*******@at*.net.
Healdsburg Food Pantry always needs donations of fresh and
packaged foods and volunteers to help with stocking shelves, etc.
They can be reached at 433-3663, and are located at 1505 Healdsburg
Ave.
I am sure there are some organizations I have missed, so please,
someone from those organizations send me your information and I
will include it an upcoming column.
Chris Love is a longtime Healdsburg resident who believes we all
need to make a difference in our world. Your items for this column
may be submitted by email at co****************@sb*******.net
or by calling 433-1178.