The organization provides free peer counseling throughout Lake County and administers the Friendly Visitor Program in South County.

“Recipients of senior peer counseling, mostly home-bound, benefit from talking with people who have experienced life changes and understand their concerns,” said Lawrence Grant, board president.

Volunteer peer counselors receive training and have ongoing group supervision and support by Clinical Consultant Kim Baughan Young, Marriage Family Therapist.

The Friendly Visitor Program offers friendship, understanding and companionship on a regular basis to South County seniors having limited access to outside activities. Volunteers are trained and participate in monthly supervision meetings.

In addition to President Lawrence Grant and new directors La Faver and Turman, board members include Hope H. Brewer, vice-president; Jane McKnight, secretary; Charmaine Webb, treasurer; and Gwen Snyder.

Konocti Senior Support Inc., incorporated in 1995, is a nonprofit public service corporation dedicated to enhancing seniors’ quality of life. All services are free.

For more information, contact Gwen Snyder at 995-1417.

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The speaker is Bob Lossius, assistant director of Public Works, who will talk on the "History and Future of the Levee" that forms the Reclamation Area near Upper Lake.

This area contains points most unusual in the history of Lake County. This is also the initiation of our new clubhouse, almost in sight of the area being discussed.

Lossius will hold forth for a question-and-answer session and, of course, the topic will be opened to general discussion. We expect the audience from that area, to be full of interesting information on the history of the area.

Secondly, K.C. Patrick, author of the nenwly published “Images of America: The Pomo of Lake County” will speak briefly about her book and be available to sign copies.

Please feel free to bring your favorite goodies, cake or cookies to share. Coffee and light refreshments will be available.

President Randy Ridgel also suggests you follow the directions to our location, as it is not on Mapquest. We are located in part of the county park in Nice, (Keeling Park). If coming from the east on Highway 20, a few blocks past the intersection of Highway 20 and Nice-Lucerne Cutoff, turn right on Carson Street (Floyd Street intersects at the same place on the left). Proceed to the intersection of Carson and Lakeshore (about five to six blocks) and turn left into our lot up the driveway. (We are across the street from the county park on the lake.)

Coming from the east on Highway 20, pass up the first entrance to Lakeshore Drive, pass through most of Nice until the second chance to turn left on Lakeshore Boulevard (the old Nice-Lucerne Cutoff), just past where Manzanita goes off to the right. Turn right into our parking lot up the grade.

Please bring some folding chairs for your use. We do welcome visitors.

The Lake County Historical Society Web site is www.lakecountyhistory.org.

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Not long ago, the Lake County Coast Guard Auxiliary rescued seven young men in a motor launch. When their vessel died on the water, they became a manually powered craft equal to a kayak, canoe or other manually powered craft.

Their lack of knowledge and preparedness nearly cost at least two of those young men their lives. Because they didn’t have the proper equipment, clothing, signaling devices, shore contact capability, two of those young men slid into a dangerous level of hypothermia. The outcome? It took three hours to raise their core body temperatures to normal.

Three knots is the average speed for a kayaker. When underwater features cause water to speed up, or shifts in weather create towering waves, experience and preparedness, not muscle power, are what matter. The prepared paddle vessel operator will have a boat appropriate for the task. Paddlers should be in the company of one or more people equally versed in reading the water and capable of self-rescue.

People engaged in paddle sports are a vulnerable group of water sport activists. They need to educate themselves and their families in the safe operation for this craft. Wearing flotation devices is superior to having them on board. The wisdom of putting cell phones and other emergency equipment in floatable, sealed containers and maintaining an awareness of the weather and water conditions is crucial.

Leaving a float plan with someone so in an emergency a search team has a point from which to begin a search, and a grasp of how quickly an overturned, loose craft can blow out of reach are some safety considerations for the paddle crafter. The goal is to enjoy the sport and simultaneously keep the adventure from turning into disaster. Remember a drowning is the same whether from a sail boat, motor launch, fishing vessel, or paddle craft.

Paddle craft operators should take advantage of a boating safety class the same as any other vessel operator on the water.

Currently, boating safety classes are being offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary on May 10, June 21 and July 19 in Lakeport. Topics include signaling devices, proper wear and care of flotation devices, float plans and more.

For more information, contact Betty Strach, Flotilla Staff Officer in Public Education at 707-928-9811 or 707-245-3136. The America’s Boating Course is approved by the United States Coast Guard.

Betty Strach is the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Staff Officer in public education.

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The teen pregnancy rate declined 5 percent between 2002 and 2004 according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Overall, the teen pregnancy rate has declined 38 percent between 1990 and 2004.

Research is pointing to teenage pregnancy prevention programs, contraception availability and just overall more education on the problems associated with teenage pregnancy and unsafe sex to the drop in numbers.

“The continued decline in the nation's rate of teen pregnancy is good news, but not unqualified good news," said Sarah Brown, chief executive officer of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Data released in December 2007 show a 3-percent increase in the teen birth rate between 2005 and 2006, the first increase in the teen birth rate in 15 years, said Brown.

Lake Family Resource Center understands the importance of informing teens about pregnancy prevention and through the Challenge Program is presenting information to Lake County youth in 11 schools and other locations throughout the county. Topics such as abstinence, healthy relationships and the consequences of being sexually active are just a few of the subjects discussed in these groups.

Teen pregnancy is closely linked to a host of critical social issues – poverty and income, overall child well-being, health issues, education, child welfare and other risky behavior. Teen pregnancy prevention should be viewed as an issue that works to improve all of these measures.

Lake Family Resource Center offers teenaged parents support through the Adolescent Family Life and Cal-Learn Programs. On average the center serves 88 teen parents a month. Last school year 25 participants in the center's teen parenting programs graduated from high school and another 20 participants are anticipated this year.

As a teen, finding out that you are pregnant is a life-altering and scary event. As a parent, finding out your teen is pregnant can both shock you and cause despair as you wonder, now what? Before this ever happens, you can help your teen learn important lessons on how to prevent teen pregnancy.

Teaching teenagers about safe sex and the problems associated with pregnancy can go a long way in helping the teenage pregnancy rate to continue to drop. Most teens say their parents are their No. 1 influencer when it comes to making the decision to wait to have sex.

For more information on the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and for more tips on how to talk to your teen visit http://www.thenationalcampaign.org.

For more information on the programs provided by Lake Family Resource Center please visit www.Lakefrc.org or call 707 262-1611

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Permits are available at the Upper Lake and Covelo Ranger District offices Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed from noon to 1 p.m. Permits must be purchased in person.

Cost is $5 per cord, with a minimum of four cords for a permit ($20), and a maximum of 16 cords per year. Permits are not refundable.

Permittees are allowed to gather down and dead wood only. A map of open areas will accompany the permit. Wet weather conditions can affect the use and travel on forest roads, therefore, the public is encouraged to conduct woodgathering during periods of dry weather in the spring and early summer months.

If you have further questions please call the Upper Lake office at 707-275-2361 voice or 707-275-9524 TTY, Covelo office at 707-983-6118 voice or 707-983-6123 TTY.

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As a result of the Dec. 15 fundraiser, special education children from all seven Lake County school districts now have the opportunity to attend Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center for sessions at no charge. There is correspondence from the school districts that states they are seeing "progress that no one expected."

The goal of “Lake County Cares” is to have every single Special Education student in Lake County able to attend therapeutic riding sessions at no charge by the end of 2009.

For this exciting fundraiser, a three-hour bring your own horse trail ride will be held at Langtry Farms in Middletown. This beautiful 21,000 acre ranch has been cared for and tended to tirelessly, affording ride participants amazing views around each corner. For those who do not own their own horse, free hay rides will be given, culminating with a delicious barbecue provided by Middletown High School FFA.

This summer will also see the beginning of the Wiloth Ridge Horse Camp program. Students from both the therapeutic and mainstream communities will have the opportunity to come together on a weekly basis to experience all that Wiloth Equine has to offer. The motto of the camp is “Through Horses, Children Unite.” Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy horses for a full week, while getting to know their peers in a relaxed, fun environment. Activities including horseback riding, equine education, nature hikes, outdoor education, crafts and much more will be provided for the children.

The Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center is a nonprofit organization. The center’s passion is to bring horses and persons with special needs and those of the mainstream community together, breaking down any boundaries that may be present in everyday life. Anyone who would like to see the program at work is welcome to stop by and visit with the owners. Witnessing these children and horses in person can bring an entirely new perspective to this unique type of therapy.

Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center has been up and running for nearly two years now, thanks in large part to the dedicated staff and volunteers, generous contributions, and unwavering support from the Lake County community. As of this writing, over 3,000 people have come through the gates of the property, and over half of those have been served on a no-charge,scholarship basis.

Also offered at the ranch are mainstream lessons, wilderness trail rides, winery trail rides, horse hauling, birthday parties, and horse boarding. The center is proud to announce as well that 100 percent of the proceeds from all non-therapy activities (i.e., mainstream lessons, trail rides, etc.) go directly into funding the therapeutic program. If you are a Redwood Coast Regional Center client, please contact your service provider to see how you can obtain the services of the Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center.

If you are interested in participating in the summer camp, please visit www.wilothenterprises.com or call Susie Wiloth at 355-1280 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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