Letters to the Editor 4-23-15

Mother’s Day breakfast
Editor:
It’s been 13 years since the first Cloverdale Kiwanis sponsored Mother’s Day Breakfast, and what a tradition! Speaking of traditions, if you’ve got one for Mother’s Day that doesn’t include the Kiwanis Breakfast, then maybe it’s time to re-visit what you are doing. The menu includes: pancakes, sliced ham, scrambled eggs, fresh strawberries and several choices of beverage. Every mother who walks in the door is given a small gift of appreciation. The price is right – just $9 for adults and $4 for children. But, maybe even more importantly, all the proceeds from this event will be used to reward deserving students at Cloverdale High School with academic scholarships. So, you can reward yourself with a fantastic breakfast and in the process, know that you are doing a very good deed.
Here are the details of the event. It’s being held on Sunday, May 10 at the Cloverdale High School Cafeteria from 8 to 11:30 a.m. We hope you many of you in Cloverdale start a new Mother’s Day tradition and that we see you all there.
Sue Cummins
Cloverdale
Cloverdale Soroptimists disband
Editor:
In the spring of 1981, with nearly 40 new members in attendance, Soroptimist International of Cloverdale chartered a new service club. At the time, Soroptimist was a word unheard of to many of the new recruits, but the mission of providing the opportunities for women and girls to access education and training to make a sustainable difference in their lives appealed to all present, and we set out to improve our community, country and our world. Inspired by leaders who had gone before us, we began fundraising and donating those funds to various local and international projects.  
One of the first memorable donations was to a water project in Chiapas, Mexico, to provide wells in a community where women walked for hours each day to bring water to their homes and families. Locally, we went to work raising funds in order to inspire the love of reading by providing books for young children, instill team participation and self esteem by sponsoring dozens of ponytail league teams, and lend encouragement by contributing funds to single-head-of-household women trying to further their education to better provide for their families. Together, we founded the Boys and Girls Club of Cloverdale, and spearheaded the Community Thanksgiving Dinner. We raised funds by selling See’s Candy, serving corned beef and cabbage dinners, putting on health fairs and craft shows, and preparing tostadas and apple crisp.
For 34 years, the women of Soroptimist International of Cloverdale have worked tirelessly to achieve our vision of a world where women and girls have the resources and opportunities to reach their full potential. Cloverdale has provided support for our fundraisers and replaced members as needed to sustain our club. Sadly, however, during the last decade, we have seen declining membership due to many factors beyond our control, and find ourselves, at this time, with too few members to continue our fundraising efforts. It has not been an easy decision or one taken lightly, but, as of May 1, 2015, Soroptimist International of Cloverdale will be disbanding.  
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many supporters of our organization who have helped us pursue our goals by purchasing See’s Candy and our Corned Beef Dinner tickets, who have attended our many other fundraisers over the years and contributed to our efforts. To all of the family and friends of members who have assisted with our projects, we sincerely thank you all. We celebrate the success we have achieved in our community, our country and our world and greatly appreciate you providing the resources for us to do that, and we take with us many wonderful memories of happy times in community service.
The Members of Soroptimist
International of Cloverdale
“Thanks” from Breakfast Program
Editor:
We would like to thank Jenna Polito for the great article she wrote for the April 9 edition of the Reveille (“High School Breakfast fundraiser set for April 14”) regarding the High School Breakfast Program held every Friday at the United Church of Cloverdale. We would like to acknowledge the tremendous help we get with the breakfast program from both the Kiwanis Club and from volunteers from the community. We would not be able to sustain this program without their much-appreciated help.
We would also like to thank Mary’s Pizza Shack for partnering with us on the Dine and Donate fundraiser held on April 14. We always appreciate their willingness to help with fundraising efforts here in Cloverdale. The proceeds from the fundraiser will help fund the breakfast program. We would also like to thank all the community members who helped to make the fundraiser successful by eating at Mary’s Pizza Shack on April 14.
Bev Westenberg and Lavonne Nameny
Cloverdale
Dinner of Talents approaches
Editor:   
It’s not too late to enter the Kiwanis Family Dinner of Talents contest. You can call 894-5467 to ask for an entry application. The Dinner of Talents is scheduled for Sunday, May 3. A wonderful, Kiwanis-prepared pasta dinner will be served at 5 p.m., with the talent show happening after.
The entry fee for the talent show is only $10 a person (which includes the participant‘s meal). For those in group performances, every person in the group must pay the $10 entry fee. The first-place prize is $200, second place is $150 and third place is $100. It will be a fun night watching the amazing talent and eating a fabulous dinner. For those who just wish to eat dinner and enjoy the show, prices at the door will be $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for children 12 and under. Pre-sale tickets will be $2 less for each; and will be available from Kiwanis members, CHS Key Club members, Washington School Builders Club members and at Mail Center, Etc. The location of the Dinner of Talents will be Cloverdale High School East Gym from 5 – 8:30 p.m. We hope to see a lot of our community there!
Alayna Lorence,
Cloverdale
Make a pledge for C.A.R.E
Editor:   
The C.A.R.E. Foundation (Cloverdale Adds Resources for Education) has been given a wonderful surprise! Each year, Exchange Bank, throughout Sonoma County, raises funds for “our community’s amazing nonprofits” by participating in the Volunteer Center’s Human Race. This year, our local branch has decided to support our local schools through C.A.R.E.
The staff will walk (or run?) on Saturday May 9 in Santa Rosa, along with other Exchange Bank staff. But all you need to do is stop by our local branch and make a pledge, in any amount. You can bring your pledge in, or they can contact you after the race. While you are there, be sure to check out the gently used books on sale. The proceeds from that sale and any others they do before May 9 will be included in the donation to C.A.R.E.
These added funds provide grade-level activities, classroom materials, science programs that come to the school, field trips for a many aspects of the curriculum, as well as support the arts, which includes: an artist-in-residence at Jefferson, the band (Washington and Cloverdale High School students), drama programs at Washington and at the high school and the art program at the high school. While you are there, be sure to enjoy the wonderful artwork on display from students in Mr. Duell’s high school art classes.
Here’s our chance to support our teachers and students! Drop by the Exchange Bank during their business hours, Monday through Friday. Bring in your pledge, in any amount. And how about a “thanks” from you for their efforts. So, thank you in advance, on behalf of the teachers and students of our town.
Christine Braccialini,
Cloverdale
New perspectives for city council
Editor:
I had to re-read the April 9 article, “The Faces of Local Government,”more than once to really appreciate how well the top 1 percent of the people in Cloverdale are represented by the current city council.
What gave it away? Look through the article, (I did a word count) and you will not see any of the council members use the following words: children, young people, families or seniors. But they did use the word ‘business,’ or ‘businesses,’ nine times. Their lack of care and understanding of the people who make up the heart of Cloverdale, our families, shows a contempt by the elected officials of the real people of Cloverdale.
And of the many types of families that make up the heart of Cloverdale, the two-income households with children who get up early, see the kids off to school, go to their jobs and still attend, if not coach, all their children’s activities, are to be specially admired and supported. But, these are the people that are not represented by the city of Cloverdale. The council is obsessed with subsidizing businesses at the cost of the young people. More playgrounds? More after-school activities? They’re just not interested.
And whose fault is it that the present city council is in power? It is yours. The next time there is an election, you run for the young people, the families, the seniors. Businesses already have enough representation.
I’d like to see young people run. What better group to decide on the future of Cloverdale than the people who will be living it? The present city council is a bit too experienced. I mean old. Their thinking is biased and narrow. (I get to say ‘old,’ as I’m 66.)
And when I say young, I mean the minimum age for city council may be as low as 18, and definitely 21 would meet any minimum age requirement. If you’re in high school, ask your government teacher. If you’re attending college, ask the poli-sci teacher.
I also challenge the Latino community. You are 31 percent of the population of Cloverdale. Do you think your interests are represented with this current council? There should be at least one member or maybe two on the council. Run for council and make this town family friendly.
Don’t expect the current council to change. Who would be best to set the future of Cloverdale? You or those with blackened hearts made by vile compromise with the dark forces of corruption and greed.
Remember this: all evil needs to prevail is for good people to do nothing.
CJ Kennedy
Cloverdale