2015 Fit 4 The Cause Miracle of Movement Gala on September 19th Was a Smashing Success

Fit 4 The Cause, a local non-profit that combines social media-fueled flash mobs with fitness education and philanthropic giving, received its 501(c)(3) status a year ago just 90 days after filing with the IRS. 

Founded by PR expert and ACE certified Fitness Pro Cindy Rakowitz, Fit 4 The Cause continued pushing the limits over the last 12 months, culminating in a packed house at the its inaugural Miracle of Movement Gala at the Sheraton Agoura Hills.

Cindy Rakowitz along with "The Duo" - Honoree Sourena Vasseghi and Chris Stevenson

What a great event!  Led by Fox Sport Radio talk show host Tomm Looney, this gala was entertaining and inspirational.

The theme of the night was "Smashing Obstacles." Honorees celebrated for smashing personal obstacles were Lisa Roub, who received the 2015 Advocacy Award and Sourena Vasseghi, recipient of the 2015 Inspiration Award.

Roub learned in April 2014 that she had breast cancer at the age of 40. After much research she opted to have a bilateral mastectomy. After the surgery, she was told that the cancer spread to her lymph nodes and would necessitate four rounds of chemotherapy. The thought of losing her hair was now a concern. But she discovered a new treatment, Penguin Cold Caps, that prevents hair loss by freezing the scalp to 40 degrees below zero on chemo days, protecting the follicles and minimizing hair loss. Roub has been cancer-free for nearly a year. She was honored for sharing her experiences with others in need of support and advice. 

Miracle of Movement Gala Honorees, Sourena Vasseghi and Lisa Roub

Vasseghi is an award-winning author and inspirational speaker who suffers from severe cerebral palsy. Although he has limited motor skills and a significant speech impediment, he is an award-winning author and inspirational speaker. But since he can't really speak to an audience, he has partnered with "interpreter" Chris Stevenson of Stevenson Fitness in Oak Park. The duo had us both laughing and crying as they took us through some of the challenges Vasseghi faces in life and how we all can learn from them. Vasseghi is an Agoura Hills resident and is married with two kids. You have to meet this guy. Learn more at sourenav.com.

We also enjoyed a conversation with NFL linebacker Brady Poppinga at the Gala. Poppinga shared thoughts on commitment and returning from injury over the course of his career. After playing at BYU, he was drafted in 2005 by the Green Bay Packers, where he played six years, then the St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys. 

Two thumbs up to all of the great sponsors for this event that made it happen, with a shout-out to Champion Level sponsors Edison International, Humana/Brian Sullivan and the Law Offices of Friedman & Bartoumian.

The team from Champion Level sponsor, Law Offices of Friedman & Bartoumian 

World Record LEGO Chain Event in Thousand Oaks on Saturday, September 27th

World Record LEGO Chain Event is taking place on Saturday, September 27th from 9 AM - 4 PM at Thousand Oaks City Hall.

We are attempting to break the Guinness Book of World Records by building the World Longest LEGO Chain. We need your help to do it.  We have over 100,000 LEGO bricks and need some families who love building with LEGOs to help us build it.

This charity event is a collaboration between the Conejo Recreation & Park District, Rotary International, and Play-Well TEKnologies to raise money to build a state of the art special needs playground at Old Meadows Park in Thousand Oaks.

By signing up to help build the world's longest LEGO chain, you will help bring this playground to the community.  To learn more and to register (only $5/participant), visit bit.ly/WorldLongestLEGOChainEvent

"The Vernacular Bestiary" Exhibition at Santa Paula Agriculture Museum 3/1 to 6/15

The Premiere Exhibition of “The Vernacular Bestiary” and a Call for Poetry

From March 1 through June 15, 2014, the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula will present the first exhibition of “The Vernacular Bestiary: Animal Snapshots from A to Z.” This collection of anonymous amateur photographs has been collected by photographer and gallerist John Nichols over the past two decades and has never been publiclyexhibited.

Dog, from The Vernacular Bestiary, John Nichols Collection

The abecedarian display of creatures is comprised of photographs taken over the past 120 years.   An adjacent kids’ reading and exhibit area will encourage children and their families to read and write poems, as well as draw and display their own responses to the animal-themed exhibition. Animal poems by published poets will also be shared, in binders that can be carried around the exhibition area. 

Fish, from The Vernacular Bestiary, John Nichols Collection

Call for Poetry: Writers are invited to preview selections from The Vernacular Bestiary online immediately at http://flic.kr/s/aHsj5133kr or see the original snapshots at the Agriculture Museum, beginning on March 1.  They may submit up to three original poems of up to 25 lines each inspired by any of the snapshots. Submission implies that the poems can be used by the Agriculture Museum non-commercially to publicize the exhibit (credit will be given) and copyright reverts back to author. Poems must be submitted to VBpoem@gmail.com by March 29. A panel of judges will select poems to be shared at the “An Afternoon of Animal Verse” to take place in April. Poets will be contacted and asked to read their selected poems at the event; poet Jackson Wheeler will read the poems of any who cannot attend.

The Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula. Information about the museum can be found at www.venturamuseum.org or call 805.525.3100.  Museum hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10 – 4.  For more information about the exhibition and the call for poetry, contact John Nichols at sespenichols@gmail.com or at (805) 525-7804. 

Colt, from The Vernacular Bestiary, John Nichols Collection

Long-Time Newbury Park Resident John Mulhall's Debut Novel "Geddy's Moon"

Long-time Newbury Park resident John Mulhall’s debut novel is called Geddy's Moon.

"Tyler is an amnesiac, drifting aimlessly across the country, struggling to regain his lost memories. When he arrives in Geddy’s Moon, a sleepy town in the middle of the Kansas wheat fields, fragments of his past begin to resurface. But as he establishes new relationships in town, and spends time with the local librarian and her son, he finds himself tormented by nightmares that grow more unsettling each night. What horrific events took place before Tyler arrived in Geddy’s Moon? And could he have brought a terrifying – and possibly supernatural – danger along with him? As the pieces of his fractured memory begin to fall into place, he fears that it may already be too late to keep himself, and those he’s begun to care about, safe from a vicious evil."

In addition to being an award-winning video and event producer, John is also the author of several short stories, plays and a collection of poetry. He began developing Geddy’s Moon more than twenty years ago at age nineteen. In fact, Mulhall indicated that "Geddy's Moon" is actually set in a fictional version of Newbury Park circa 1983.

There will be a Geddy's Moon reading and book signing at the E.P. Foster Library in Ventura at 7pm on October 11th. Your chance to meet the author and learn a little more about his debut horror novel! Visit www.johnmulhall.com to learn more.

New Farmers' Market on Friday Evenings at the Simi Valley Town Center

A new Friday night Farmers' Market had its grand opening last Friday, August 23, 2013. The market is located at the Center Court of the Simi Valley Town Center, 1555 Simi Town Center Way. Hours are 4pm to 8:30pm and the weekly market features local certified and organic farmers, great food, arts and crafts, live entertainment and a kids and family fun zone. Learn more about the Simi Valley Town Center Farmers' Market at www.farmersmx.com.

Chris Harrison Named 2013 Honarary Chair of Thousand Oaks Arts Festival

Television host, Chris Harrison, of ABC's The Bachelor, has been named the 2013 Honorary Chair of the Thousand Oaks Arts Festival.  The two-day Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 21 and 22 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and The Lakes.

Chris Harrison began his television career by covering local sports in Oklahoma, but a visit to L.A. in 1999 ended in a permanent move and later that year Harrison landed the job as host of HGTV’s "Designer’s Challenge," consistently ranked as one of the network’s highest rated shows. In 2001 he became host of ABC’s hit romance/reality series The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

Harrison will again co-host ABC’s live coverage of “The Miss America Pageant” in September 2013. Additional hosting credits include “Emmys Red Carpet Live” at the 2012 Primetime Emmys; ABC’s 2011 “American Music Awards Red Carpet”; ABC’s 2008 “American Music Awards Red Carpet Live!,” and “Road to the 60th Primetime Emmy® Awards.” In 2010 he announced the creation of his own production company, Harrison Productions, and that he will continue to host and executive-produce all of TV Guide’s red carpet shows.

The Festival features more than 60 local visual artists as well as a variety of local performing artists on two stages.  An interactive children’s area lets youngsters experience art on a personal level, and wine tasting offers adults a quiet respite during the weekend.  Visitors to the Arts Festival will also have the opportunity to meet Harrison in person.

Thousand Oaks Arts Festival admission and parking are free to the public.  Artist prospectus and application deadline is August 15 and performing artists’ applications are due August 1.  Both applications are available on the website, www.toartsfestival.com or call 818-991-6158.

Studio Channel Islands Art Center Moves to New Location on Ventura Boulevard

Art Center Celebrates Move To New Location With Rededication Ceremony on Saturday, August 3rd

A rededication ceremony on Saturday, August 3 will celebrate the conversion of Pleasant Valley School’s former auditorium to Studio Channel Islands Art Center’s regional offices and new Blackboard Gallery.

State and local dignitaries will speak at the ceremony which begins at 2:00 p.m. with speakers including state and local officials, as well as school district and art associations’ dignitaries. The school auditorium was added to the Pleasant Valley Elementary School in 1949, when it was dedicated by then School Board Chairman Adolfo Camarillo.

The celebration will continue with a ribbon cutting ceremony, live music, refreshments, art activities for children, and artists’ demonstrations. From 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. a free public art reception will open in the new Blackboard Gallery for the exhibit “Unlimited,” juried by contemporary artist Gary Lang.

The Art Center move will unite all their activities, classes, exhibits and programs on the former elementary school campus in Old Town Camarillo. Since 2010, more than 40 working artist studios have been located in converted classrooms behind the former auditorium. The new facility includes not only the new Blackboard Gallery which is three times the size of their former space, but an enlarged art gift store, a stage for performances, and offices.

The new address for Studio Channel Islands Art Center offices and gallery is 2222 Ventura Boulevard in Old Town Camarillo. Hours are Tuesday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The artists’ studios behind the new gallery are open to the public every First Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please visit our website www.StudioChannelIslands.org or call the office at 805.383.1368.

City of Port Hueneme Cancels Sand Sculpture Events Due to Beach Erosion

The City of Port Hueneme issued a news release today stating that due to severe beach erosion, the Sand Sculpture Demonstration scheduled for Saturday, August 17 and the Sand Sculpture Contest scheduled for Sunday, August 18 are cancelled. These events have been a popular part of the annual Hueneme Beach Festival the last four years.

See scenes from last year's Sand Sculpture Contest at this link.

In late April, City officials announced they are seeking emergency funding to restore the rapidly eroding Hueneme Beach. According to the City, since January, high winds, abnormally high tides and large waves along the Ventura County coastline have reduced the sand relocated by the Army Corps of Engineers from the Channel Islands Harbor last December.

The erosion is threatening infrastructure and flooding to homes, businesses, the deepwater of Port of Hueneme and Naval Base Ventura County. More information at www.ci.port-hueneme.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/340.