Opportunities to Help This Fall

Here are some ways you can reach out and help our SCV neighbors this fall. If you lead a scout troop, church group, PTA, or other youth group...consider contacting these organizations to offer your help. These are just a sampling...there are many other opportunities in our valley.

HUNGER DEFENSE FUND

November 2008 - Thanksgiving Turkeys for Needy Families Their goal is to provide a turkey for every family they serve.
November 10 through December 12, 2008 - Adopt a FamilyProvide holiday gifts for the children of a local needy family.

December 2008 – Holiday Hams for Needy FamiliesTheir goal is to provide a ham for every family we serve.
Ongoing – Food Distribution Center:Volunteer opportunities are available at our food distribution center.

To help with any of the above, call 661-299-9273 for details.

SANTA CLARITA FOOD PANTRY

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, please call (661) 255-9078. They also have an Adopt-a-Family program that kicks off each year after Thanksgiving. Each year, they team with the Rotary club to provide Thanksgiving turkeys to families around Santa Clarita.

SINGLE MOTHER'S OUTREACH

If you would like to volunteer at Single Mothers Outreach, please call their office at (661) 288.0117. They are also sponsoring an adopt-a-family for the holidays program. Additionally, they often need staple items such as diapers. Please call for details.

Last Minute Halloween Food Ideas

Happy Halloween!

Looks like we will have a cool Halloween in Santa Clarita...perfect conditions for an extra-spooktacular evening! Arrgh...what's for dinner? We just got a tip for a fun and informative webpage: http://recp.mkt32.net/servlet/MailView?m=2769725&r=MjA5OTgzMzIxNQS2&j=MTAxNzYzNDUzIAS2&mt=1

Maybe you'll find a new idea for a dreadful Halloween feast...bra-ha-ha-ha

Do you take scary pictures?

If you've got young trick-or-treaters at home, get your camera ready. It's time to snap shots of those spooky costumes. Are you ready to take your photography and presentation skills to the next level? Check out these fun pages on the Kodak website: http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=13723&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=10897

Do you have some great ideas to share with other SCV families? Feel free to write us.

Happy Halloween! Stay Safe!

Have You Heard of "No Child Left Inside?"

Green Nursery offers a free newsletter and it has a nice variety of articles related to gardening and plants. This month the newsletter referenced a book, "Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder." After a bit of surfing online, I decided maybe there is something to this theory. Didn't our parents always say, "Go get some fresh air. It's good for you!" Without zero experience in this field, I can hardly speak to the validity of this theory. However, it's an interesting topic and one worth exploring. Here's a blurb from the author's website:http://richardlouv.com/

"Last Child in the Woods
The recipient of the 2008 Audubon Medal, Richard Louv identified a phenomenon we all knew existed but couldn't quite articulate: nature-deficit disorder. Since its initial publication, his book Last Child in the Woods has created a national conversation about the disconnection between children and nature, and his message has galvanized an international movement. Now, three years later, we have reached a tipping point, with the book inspiring Leave No Child Inside initiatives throughout the country.
Hailed as "an absolute must-read" by the Boston Globe and "too tantalizing to ignore" by Audubon magazine, Last Child in the Woods is the inspiring work that proves children need nature as much as nature needs children."

Halloween Tips from the Autism Society of America

Anna Rast is the Special Needs Chairperson for the SCV Council PTA. She and her team are a wealth of knowledge. If you have children with special needs, talk to your PTA's Special Needs Coordinator.

Here's what Anna has to report today about a great webpage on the Autism Society's site:
"It has "Halloween Tips" for going out trick or treating for kids with all sorts of issues. It is put together by the Autism Society of America, but these tips help ALL KIDS!

It can also be especially helpful for kids who may be going out trick-or-treating in a group that may contain an off-beat sort of kid. "
http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=halloween_tips

Class Project from Disney...

A well-informed mom from Helmers Elementary (Carrie Olstad) shared this great tip with us. I copied this blurb from the website. Please visit the site for details. It sounds very interesting! Check it out and share the info with your child's teacher. The deadline is coming soon...





"Disney’s Environmentality Challenge (DEC) provides an opportunity for your class to "think green." DEC is a challenging and fun hands-on experience for the entire class and DEC will help your students learn more about their environment and show them why caring about the earth is cool!The purpose of the DEC program is to encourage students to think and act environmentally at school, at home, and in their communities. The program is available to you as a result of a unique partnership between The Walt Disney Company, CEEIN, US EPA, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service."

Besides being a great program, there are awards and prizes! (that usually gets everyone's attention)

Think Pink! It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month

SCV Community Events and Info for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

* The ZONTA Club of SCV in conjunction with Samuel Dixon Family Health Center is sponsoring Healthy Women’s Day on Saturday, October 25 at the Boys and Girls club in Canyon Country. The screenings will include a breast examination and a free mammogram is available if warranted. Women who need follow-up care will be directed to services that are affordable. Call 661-252-9351

* October 19, 12-1 p.m. - Wine Walk. Soroptimist International of Greater SCV walk, shop and drink wine at participating businesses along Town Center Drive. Call Sheryl Geraci 661-877-5544

* October 23, 6 – 8 p.m. - Breast Cancer Awareness Wine Tasting at Salt Creek Grille. Call Salt Creek Grille 661-222-9999

* During the month of October, Vino 100 Valencia will partner with Hope Wines to benefit the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Imaging Center. The Center will receive 10% of Vino 100 Valencia’s sales of Hope Wine’s award-winning California Chardonnay throughout the month. Call 661-294-6886

* Are you or someone you know challenged by breast cancer? Circle of Hope is a non-profit charity whose mission is to financially and emotionally assist uninsured and underinsured individuals with breast cancer who live in, work in, or receive treatment in the Santa Clarita Valley. For more info: http://www.circleofhopeinc.org/

School Watch

Have you heard of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Department's School Watch program? It's a program designed to help keep our local schools safe and free of vandalism. Click on this link to learn more and possibly get involved.

http://www.scvsheriff.com/pdfs/2008_School_Watch.pdf

and

http://www.scvsheriff.com/comm_schoolwatch.asp

Managing Media in Your Home

Check out this new parent education opportunity from the City of Santa Clarita. This workshop is presented by one of our PTA Partners, Dave LaBat of Dynamic Interventions.

Technology: It can be your best friend or your worst enemy!
Technology touches every aspect of our children’s lives. Whether on the computer, watching television, or even sending a text message, your children are constantly receiving messages about how to act, how to look, and who to be. This workshop will explore the impact of media technology on our families, and give you tools to empower your child to use technology responsibly and informatively.

Date: Thursday, October 30, 2008

Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Location: City Hall
Century Room
23920 Valencia Boulevard
Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Instructor: David LaBat, MSEd, Dynamic Interventions


For more information or to register, call (661) 250-3708 or visit www.scyouthandfamily.com/ParentClass.asp

Get Ready to Make a Difference!

Would you like to make a big difference in our community? Do you have 4 to 8 hours to share on October 25th? That's all it takes. Make a Difference Day is a national initiative started in conjunction with the Points of Light Foundation. We can do good anyday, but this day is special because we come together as a community to do good.

Want to get involved? Check out the website and volunteer to work on one of the 40+ projects happening right here in Santa Clarita. http://www.volunteerinscv.org/MakeADifference.htm

So, will YOU make a difference?

Museum Weekend!

Stacy Kupfer (SCV Council Board, Rio Norte PTSA, and North Park PTA member) just emailed us this great tip! We are fortunate to have so many wonderful museums in our proximity. Here's a chance to enjoy them at no cost.

Museums F*ree-for-All Day

Saturday, October 4, 2008 AND Sunday, October 5, 2008

10:00AM to 5:00PM

In a joint effort to welcome diverse communities across Southern California, the Museum Marketing Roundtable announces the fourth annual "Museums F*ree-For-All" during the weekend of Saturday, October 4, and Sunday, October 5, 2008. The 24 institutions listed below— exploring art, cultural heritage, natural history and science; will offer f*ree admission to all visitors on one or both dates.

Armory Center for the Arts BOTH DATESwww.armoryarts.org/

Autry National Center Sunday, October 5, onlywww.autrynationalcenter.org/

Bowers Museum Sunday, October 5, onlywww.bowers.org/

California African American Museum BOTH DATESwww.caamuseum.org/

California Heritage Museum Saturday, October 4, onlywww.californiaheritagemuseum.org/

California Science Center BOTH DATESwww.californiasciencecenter.org/

Craft and Folk Art Museum BOTH DATESwww.cafam.org/

Fowler Museum at UCLA BOTH DATESwww.fowler.ucla.edu/

The Getty Center BOTH DATESwww.getty.edu/

The Getty Villa (advance ticket required) BOTH DATEShttp://www.getty.edu/

Hammer Museum at UCLA BOTH DATESwww.hammer.ucla.edu/

Japanese National American Museum Sunday, October 5, onlywww.janm.org/

Los Angeles Fire Harbor Museum Saturday, October 4, onlywww.lafdmuseum.org/

Los Angeles Fire Museum & Memorial BOTH DATESwww.lafdmuseum.org/

The Museum of Contemporary Art,Los Angeles (MOCA) BOTH DATESwww.moca.org/

Museum of Latin American Art BOTH DATESwww.molaa.org/

Museum of Tolerance Sunday, October 5, onlywww.museumoftolerance.com/

Natural History Museum BOTH DATEShttp://www.nhm.org/

Norton Simon Museum Sunday, October 5, onlywww.nortonsimon.org/

The Paley Center for Media BOTH DATESwww.paleycenter.org/

Petersen Automotive Museum BOTH DATEShttp://www.petersen.org/

Santa Monica Museum of Art Saturday, October 4, onlyhttp://www.smmoa.org/

Skirball Cultural Center Sunday, October 5, onlyhttp://www.skirball.org/

Southwest Museum of the American Indian BOTH DATEShttp://www.autrynationalcenter.org/

Green and Easy Tips

Every month we look for easy ways to "go green." So many times we think of "going green" as an arduous job involving significant sacrifice. We want to share some easy ways you can make a difference. Sometimes they are surprisingly easier than traditional ways of keeping house. We'll share just two today:

1.) Shop from local farmers

We are lucky to have access to local produce sellers as well as local grocers who value local growers. Why is this important? When you buy food grown locally it costs less to get that food to your table and it uses less fuel needed to transport the food. Find locally-grown foods by visiting: http://www.localharvest.org

2.) This one we found on the Johnson www.RightatHome.com website. Check out the site for other ideas for environmentally-friendly home organization and cleaning.

"Swags are in the bag.
Ziploc® Brand Big Bags, that is. “When my artificial floral swags get dusty, I put them in a [Ziploc® Brand] Big Bag with a few tablespoonfuls of salt. Shake! The salt takes the dust off and your flowers are ready to be rehung,” says Kelly, Washington, MO. This tip is great for refreshing all your silk and artificial flowers so you don’t have to buy new. Best of all, you can save the salt and reuse it the next time your flowers get dusty.We’re glad to see that taking care of our planet and its environment is such a big part of our members’ lives! Please continue to show your children and grandchildren that they can play a part in protecting the earth too. And thanks again for sharing your inspirational ideas with all of us. "

What a great idea! If you have great ideas to share, please use the comment function below.