LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This Friday, a local woman has pledged to shave her head as part of a fundraiser to support a friend recovering from breast cancer and to raise awareness about pregnant women who suffer from the disease.

Lakeport resident Regina Aponte is holding the fundraiser for her friend, Rachel Mitchell, a young mother of two who fought breast cancer while pregnant with her two children.

Marin Alexander, owner of Color Organix at 1775 S. Main St. in Lakeport, has donated her services in shaving heads for the event, which takes place at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2.

Aponte also is using the event to raise awareness about the needs of pregnant women with breast cancer.

The students of Konocti Christian Academy, where Aponte is a teaching assistant, took this cause to heart and collected money to contribute towards this goal.  

When asked about her dramatic decision to shave her head to stand in solidarity with Mitchell as well as to raise awareness of breast cancer in pregnant women, Aponte said, “Cancer’s effect doesn’t rest, and neither should we.  Let’s do what we can, while we can.”

About one in eight women in the United States is predicted to develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetimes. An estimated 230,480 cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in 2011 alone, along with 57,650 cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.  

Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women.  

Although we tend not to think of breast cancer affecting pregnant women, it does and strikes about 1 in every 3,000 pregnant women every year. In reality, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in pregnant women and occurs most often between the ages of 32 and 38.  

In spite of such a terrifying diagnosis a pregnant woman with breast cancer still has the opportunity to deliver a healthy baby. With the right care and the right cancer treatment, both mom and baby’s chance of survival are increased.

Treatment is based on the stage of the cancer and the stage of fetal development, both managed to provide optimal results to both mother and baby.

Not long ago, Mitchell was diagnosed with aggressive stage II breast cancer. She was only 24 years old at the time and 14 weeks pregnant. She made a decision to merge her treatment with protecting her pregnancy and worked her way through this difficult path.

Mitchell surrounded herself with a team of physicians who treated her cautiously, yet quickly. She went through five rounds of chemotherapy and delivered a healthy baby six weeks early. Two weeks later she had bilateral mastectomies followed by weekly doses of Taxol chemotherapy.  

She knew that after she regained her strength from the surgery and the rounds of chemotherapy she would have to have her ovaries removed and have a hysterectomy.  

But life wasn’t done leading Mitchell on yet another unexpected path. While she was preparing herself for hysterectomy surgery, she and her husband received news that she was pregnant.  

Once again she joined with her physicians to see her through this pregnancy and she delivered a baby boy in mid-October.  

In the midst of their celebration of the birth of their new son, the reality of what still lays ahead remains before them.

Mitchell faces another surgery in November and she was also recently diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. Physical restoration is painfully slow.

While life is always a mixture of obstacles and victories, she is a shining example of hope, faith and determination. But as her journey continues, so do her medical expenses. With the weight of medical bills continue to mount and their future still fraught with many challenges.

Aponte and her husband Jose, interim director of the imaging department at Sutter Lakeside Hospital,  also are involved in a fundraising effort to bring updated breast cancer screening equipment to our community.  

Sutter Lakeside Hospital is working hard to help Lake County women detect breast cancer in its earliest stages. This year, the Sutter Lakeside Foundation is raising funds to purchase a Mammatome Breast Biopsy System, which will allow for faster, more accurate biopsy results that can be performed under either MRI or ultrasound technology. These biopsies can be performed on an outpatient basis and leave very little scarring.

Sutter Health has generously agreed to match donations up to $50,000 if Sutter Lakeside raises $50,000 in cash and pledges by Dec. 31.

If anyone would like to join in taking a stand against breast cancer and help this young family with their medical expenses, please call Aponte at 707-972-0980.  

More information, and an opportunity to donate to the financial needs of Rachel and her family, visit the Web site,  http://www.iwillshavemyhead.com/ .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Service Director Caroline C. Chavez said the Eastlake Landfill will be closed Sunday, Nov. 11, and the Lakeport Public Services office will be closed Monday, Nov. 12, in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.

The landfill will reopen Monday, Nov. 12. The Public Services office will reopen Tuesday, Nov. 13.

Normal operating hours at the landfill are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The Public Services office is normally open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you have any questions regarding this subject or any of the solid waste issues in Lake County, please call 707-262-1760.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Oct. 20 marked the first night guests were able to experience the Future Six Sigma Ranch Visitor Center.  

It was the first time that an event was held in the massive underground cellar that serves as the foundation and first phase of the evolving new visitor center nestled in the center of the 4,300-acre ranch.  

Upon arrival, mingling guests were able to look at the building’s blueprints and learn about the ranch’s future plans while sipping on Sauvignon Blanc and listening to the music of local artist Michael Barrish.

Once seated, winemaker Matt Hughes took the guests through an intimate night of three different vintages of each of the winery’s most sought after wines, the Pinot Noir, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon.  

Chef Tyler Stone, a contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” returned to the ranch for the second time to pair each vertical with his creative masterpieces.

“The tickets sold out in the first week that they were offered back in August,” said Jacquelyn St. Martin, director of hospitality. “We limited the number of guests to 50 people I think that the guests appreciated the one-on-one attention.”

Wine Club Member Charlene Shaul said, “The wines were really interesting to pair next to each other and see the subtle differences from year to year. I believe all that attended experienced a fabulous array of truly great wines.”

“We were honored to hear from some of guests that this was their best wine experience in Lake County” said Kaj Ahlmann, proprietor. “It’s exciting to know that this is only just the beginning.”

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Shannon Michele of Cache Creek Catering and Lake County Wine Studio are presenting a monthly food and wine series featuring gourmet appetizers paired with select Lake County wines.   

Locally produced foods are proudly featured as key ingredients in recipes created by Cache Creek Catering.
 
The series is held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month. The per person cost is $20 and reservations are required.

The next event will be Nov. 9.
 
October’s event featured Lake County heirloom walnuts grown in Upper Lake and old vine wines (old for Lake County!).  

The first course was eggplant rolatini with walnut pesto made from Hartley walnuts paired with Steele Catfish Zinfandel, followed by a meatless walnut ball made with Poe walnuts from Dancing Tree People Farm with a Petite Sirah plus fig reduction sauce paired with Langtry Estate Petite Sirah.  

The final pairing of a walnut crepe and chocolate sauce with Robledo Family Red Port completed the three-course event.

Nov. 9 will feature pear, onion and dry Jack cheese strudels with Thorn Hill Pinot Grigio, Cider glazed turkey with parsnip and potato pureé with dried cherry, pomegranate-cranberry sauce  paired with Bell Hill Merlot.  

The final course will be a pumpkin crème brulee paired with Moore Family Winery Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc.

Dec. 14 will be the next date to follow for the Local Cuisine Scene event.
 
For reservations and additional information, contact Susan Feiler at 707-293-8752.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Soper Reese Community Theatre will host a concert to benefit the Allegro Scholarship Program on Sunday, Nov. 4, at 3 p.m.

The program will feature young local musicians who have excelled in their music, many of whom have benefited from the Allegro Scholarship program.

Featured young artists from Lake and Mendocino counties will include such noted performers as Hamed Hokamzadeh, who has become a successful film music producer in Hollywood.

One of his scores will be presented in a short film clip featuring his music score. Hamed will be there to introduce his clip.  

Eleanor Cook, Allegro Scholarship recipient, will be performing Felix Mendelssohn’s 3rd Movement (Allegro) Concerto in D Minor for Violin & Orchestra.

Cook majored in music at Holy Names University. After graduating in 2009, she returned to Lake County and continued to participate in many musical activities.

She has played violin with both the Lake County Symphony and the Ukiah Symphony Orchestra, Konocti Fiddle Club, Uncorked! and the Lake Fiddlers. She teaches violin, viola, cello, clarinet, and handbells.

Cook directs Belles with Bells, a handbell team sponsored by United Christian Parish in Lakeport. She is also assistant director to the CLPA Youth Orchestra.

Other featured performers include Edison and Eliot Serena, Erin Call, Cynthia Ganoung, Layton Rudiger, Lars Tisell, Julianne Carter, Sonya and Emilio Diaz, Mikie Howard and Rafael Contreras.

All the performers are music students of a gifted group of music teachers who are committed to providing music education to students in Lake and Mendocino counties, including Tom Ganoung, director of the Allegro Scholarship Program and piano teacher, who teaches at the Ukiah School of Music; Andi Skelton, concert master of the Lake County Symphony Orchestra; Sue Condit, conductor of the CLPA Youth Orchestra; and Clovice Lewis, noted writer composer and cellist.

The Allegro Scholarship Program helps pay for private music lessons for gifted music students in Lake and Mendocino counties. All proceeds will go to support the scholarship program.

Tickets are $10 each, and $7 each for families of three or more.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.soperreesetheatre.com , at the theater box office on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or at The Travel Center in the Shoreline Shopping Center in Lakeport.

LUCERNE, Calif. – Lakeside Art & Gifts is planning an open house on Saturday, Nov. 24.

The shop is located at the Harbor Village Artists complex, 6197 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne.

The open house will take place from noon to 3 p.m.

There will be hors d’oeuvre, wine and an opportunity to meet the artists.

For more information contact Susan at 707-350-1092.