Community

If life is like a game of poker for actor Lou Diamond Phillips, then his attitude about life and the business of acting should garner him either a Royal Flush or an Oscar. “I feel like I’m the luckiest person I know.  I’ve had lots of dreams and they’ve come true,” said Phillips, the Tony and Golden Globe-nominated actor during an exclusive interview with The Magazine of Santa Clarita.

For more than 80 years, the Soroptimist Club has been dedicated to women and girls by giving them the resources needed to pursue dreams for themselves, their families and the world. On Sunday, March 25, the Santa Clarita Valley Soroptimist Club will hold its Annual Auction to benefit a variety of agencies in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Volunteers whose community service have benefited women locally and across the nation will be honored at the annual Status of Women Celebration hosted by Zonta Club of the SCV.  This year’s brunch will be held Saturday, March 31, at the Valencia Country Club from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Non-profit organizations across the Santa Clarita Valley have each selected one nominee, who will be the guest of Zonta at the celebration.

Earlier, this year, Santa Clarita was named as one of the 100 Best Communities in America for Young People by the America’s Promise.  Citing Santa Clarita’s Anti-Gang Task Force, Youth Employment Program, Blue Ribbon Task Force and proactive, partnerships benefiting youth, Santa Clarita was one of six communities in California to receive this prestigious designation.  I am very proud of the time and talent our City and our community spend for our youth.  Kudos to all of you who helped our City achieve this impressive award.

Walk for a cure, walk to be healthy, walk to keep your joints moving, walk for the millions affected by this painful and debilitating disease.  The Arthritis Foundation is calling for people to take action against arthritis by participating in the 2007 Arthritis Walk.  The annual nationwide event kicks off in late April and May during National Arthritis Month, raising funds and awareness to fight arthritis, the nation’s leading cause of disability.  The Santa Clarita Arthritis Walk will be held on April 29 at Bridgeport Community Park.

More than 200 women from across Santa Clarita will do just this as they learn about the unique contributions of women in the story of Passover.  On March 18, the SCV Jewish Women’s Seder explores the history of the Passover holiday, from a women’s perspective.

Greetings!  I hope your year is going well.  We are very busy here at City Hall, working on a variety of programs, projects and events for the community.  One of the things I hear most about from our residents and the business community is concerns regarding traffic.  People want to be able to travel through our valley and on freeways easily and conveniently, and that is certainly something we consider to be an important part of our quality of life here in Santa Clarita.

Think you’ve got an inspiring picture in your photo album or in jpg-form on your computer desktop?  Is it so amazingly cool that you’d like to see it published for all of the Santa Clarita Valley to admire and adore?  Is it award-winning?  Let the editors at The Magazine of Santa Clarita be the judge.  Each month we will accept entries.  All you need to do is send them by computer only to  editorial@santaclaritamagazine.com with:

"Art teaches nothing except the significance of Life" – Henry Miller
This quote was most apparent to me when I attended the Santa Clarita Symphony Family Concert Storytelling, held at the College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center. The program was planned for children to hear the music of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, a Musical Tale for children, Op. 67 and narrated by Michael McCarty a multicultural storyteller of African-American International folk tales.

On April 21st., Optimist clubs from Southern California, including our two local clubs, S.C.V.-Newhall Optimist and the Great S.C.V.Optimist club will participate in the Annual Blind Olympics, formally known as the Optimist Track and Field Olympics.  The change has come about with the insertion of several new events, which include archery, aquatics and rowing.

The results of the Magazine of Santa Clarita book review club are in and Joan Carol O’Connell is the reviewer with the most thought-provoking words about the February book Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez Reverte.  Here is what O’Connell had to say about the book:

The deadline to enter the Citywide Youth Art Exhibit has been extended to March 2 and is open to SCV residents, four to 17 years of age.  Works of art will grace the walls of Barnes and Noble Booksellers in Valencia and a community reception will be held Saturday, March 17, (elementary students reception: 5-6 p.m.; Junior/Senior High reception: 7-8 p.m.).

Did you know that Sierra highway is the longest contiguous Highway in the United States.  Seriously, it is.  To signify the historical heritage of the Highway, formerly  known as Route 6, the City of Santa Clarita has made certain the road won’t soon be forgotten or overlooked with the recent addition of signage.  The 3462 mile coast-to-coast highway that stretches from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Long Beach is also the only national highway dedicated to veterans.

With nearly 1000 Santa Clarita families receiving food assistance last year, a 14 percent increase over the previous year, children at area schools are doing their part to pitch in. Students at Pinecrest Schools participated in a Hunger Defense Fund food drive with the theme being Love and Compassion.

A dedicated and long-time volunteer in the community will soon receive the coveted Silver Spur award from the College of the Canyons.
Rita Garasi, the 1990 Woman of the Year, will be this years recipient.

Think you’d like to try something you’ve never tried before?  Why not?  You could learn more about the life and works of William Shakespeare, explore doing Tai Chi in a chair or prepare to write for publication.  These are just a few of the classes being offered during the College of the Canyons Spring Semester of it’s newly expanded Emeritus College, formerly known as the older adult program. The classes are effective in promoting mental and physical health among the elderly.

Social workers make a difference in people’s lives.  In recognition of the profession and to enlighten the public about what they do, the month of March is designated as a tribute to those who take on the troubles of the world one at a time with the utmost of care. Social workers oftentimes help people facing a life-threatening disease or problems with inadequate housing, unemployment, a disability or substance abuse. Social workers also assist families with child and partner abuse problems, as well.

As you well know just by reading the newspapers, violent activity is rampant.  Whether one is a perpetrator or a victim, they need help.  The Gentle Barn has proven that by offering training in kindness, caring, and supportive dialogue through working with animals and nature, angry, negative attitudes are decreased, turning potential abusers into protectors.