LUCERNE, Calif. – A caregiver support group for families dealing with memory loss or other cognitive impairments will meet on Thursday, April 3.

The group meets at the First Lutheran Church, 3863 Country Club Drive across from the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Social worker Jenny Johnson is the facilitator.

The group is sponsored by Redwood Caregiver Resource Center (1-800-834-1636) and the Social Day Programs in Lake County.

For more information call Jenny Johnson at 707-350-3030 or Caroline Denny at 707-263-9481.

Respite is provided by the centers at no charge.

A popular 1970s bumper sticker said, “Support wildlife…Throw a party!” Now you can support wildlife and throw a party. Just make a voluntary contribution on your California income tax return.

The April 15 due date for income tax returns is nearing, but if you haven’t filed yours yet, it’s not too late to use it to help wildlife.

By donating any whole dollar amount to the California Sea Otter Fund on line 410 of your tax return, you will help pay for research by scientists at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

They are studying premature deaths within our sea otter population and finding that there are many contributing factors, some of which are manmade.

With enough funding, they should be able to determine the primary causes, then work to develop solutions that will allow the sea otter population to grow at the rate it should.

Another 80 species of animals and more than 200 plants are listed by the state as rare, threatened or endangered. Donations to the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Fund on line 403 of your income tax form pay for essential CDFW research and recovery efforts for these plants and animals, and critical efforts to restore and conserve their habitat.

“We work with other organizations, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, UC and Cal State Universities, California’s state and national parks, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, and many other organizations to stretch the donations as far as we can,” said CDFW Wildlife Biologist Esther Burkett. “In the Rare and Endangered Species Programs, we’ve leveraged those donations to receive federal matching funds so we can do even more for wildlife.”

If someone else prepares your state tax return, please tell him or her you want to contribute to the California Sea Otter Fund on line 410 and/or the Rare and Endangered Species Protection Program on line 403.

If you use Turbo Tax, when you’re near the end of your tax return it should ask if you want to make a voluntary contribution to a special fund. Click “Yes” and go to lines 403 and 410.

These funds consist entirely of voluntary contributions from California taxpayers. There are no other dedicated state funding sources available for this important work.

Please visit the Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/taxcheck and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SeaOtterFundCDFW for more information.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson’s (D-CA-5) bipartisan Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously this week.

The legislation, H.R. 3771 provides expedited tax relief for Americans making charitable donations in support of Typhoon Haiyan recovery efforts in the Philippines.

Under the legislation, individuals who donate to the relief efforts in the Philippines between the enactment of this legislation and April 15, 2014 would be able to take a charitable deduction for those donations when they file their 2013 tax returns.  

This bill now goes to the president to be signed into law.

“I am proud that this bill has passed the House. Now we need to get it onto the President’s desk so that people are encouraged to donate to the relief efforts,” said Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5). “A lot of people in our communities have family and friends who were impacted by the typhoon. Passing this bill will help make sure aid keeps coming during these early stages of a long-term rebuilding effort.”

While there was an immediate outpouring of donations and other assistance following Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, the length of the rebuilding process means contributions are still needed now and in the months ahead.

This bill is intended to spur donations to charitable organizations by allowing taxpayers who donate to the relief efforts before April 15th, 2014 to receive tax benefits nearly a year faster than usual.

As written, the tax code provides a delayed incentive for making charitable contributions. Taxpayers can claim a tax deduction for contributions they make to charities, but they receive the tax incentive many months later after they file their tax returns the following year.

The Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act eliminates this delay by allowing taxpayers who donate to the relief efforts in the Philippines between the enactment of this legislation and April 15, 2014 to take the charitable deduction when they file their 2013 tax returns.

H.R. 3771 was co-authored by Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15), Darrell Issa (R-CA-49) and Joe Heck (R-NV-3). A Senate companion bill, S. 1821, was introduced by Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Dean Heller (R-NV), and passed by the Senate on March 6, 2014.

Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Highland Springs Equestrian Center in Kelseyville and the Lake County Chapter of the California Dressage Society present an outstanding opportunity for novice – or more advanced – horsemen and women to learn the art of dressage from master teachers Dave Claus and Heather Sentz.

Six once-a-month clinics begin April 12, repeating the second Saturday of each month through September, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Clinic dates are Saturdays, April 12, May 10, June 14, July 12, Aug. 9 and Sept. 13.

The clinics will be taught by Dave Claus of Dave Claus Training Stables (founder of the Lake County Chapter of the California Dressage Society), and Heather Sentz of Sentzible Horsemanship.

The clinics will be upbeat, including games and prizes that will make the sessions both fun and educational.

The clinics are designed to introduce the beginning rider to the concept of dressage, a systematic training of horse and rider together, which develops the horse’s ideal qualities and leads to a natural oneness between horse and rider.

Dressage requires patience and skill, balance, rhythm and subtlety, so these clinics will also challenge more advanced riders to perfect their horsemanship to the level of Art.

Claus says, “Each clinic is designed as a stepping stone for the next clinic, resulting in a true partnership between you and your horse.”

The clinics are designed with any discipline/horse sport in mind, English as well as Western, presenting basics of horsemanship starting with warm-ups to help focus your horse, and improve your timing, balance, and communication.

Clinic highlights will include: in hand obedience, easier bridling/saddling, mounting block woes, soft feel, lateral movement, trail safety, and flying lead changes.

For a complete breakdown of each clinic, visit www.facebook.com/giddyupyo .

The cost for each clinic is $75 per rider. Each clinic will be limited to 15 people, so please reserve your spots early by calling Heather Sentz at 707-998-9176 or Dave Claus at 707-998-9564 and also by sending a $25 non-refundable deposit to "Lake County CDS Chapter," c/o Juliana Vidich, 8900 Wight Way, Kelseyville, CA 95451.

The Lake County CDS Chapter holds dressage shows, clinics, and educational meetings to promote the sport and art of dressage.

Learn about Lake County CDS at www.californiadressagesocietyoflakecounty.org or on Facebook.

Highland Springs Equestrian Center (HSEC) offers natural horse boarding and training, and its facilities include a huge covered arena with sand footing, with gorgeous panoramic views of Mount Konocti, the Mayacamas Mountains, the Highland Springs recreational area, vineyards, hills, forests and oak woodlands.

For more information about HSEC lessons, clinics by John Saint Ryan and Julie Goodnight, or Dressage and Western Dressage Schooling Shows, call owners Paul Marchand or Juliana Vidich at 707-279-1903, or visit www.highlandspringsequestrian.com or find them on Facebook.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Saturday, March 8, marked the seventh annual “Pruning and Pastries” competition held at Six Sigma Ranch.

Twelve professional Lake County pruners arrived well before start time to compete for speed and accuracy hoping to win the grand prize of $500 for first place, $250 for second, and $100 for third along with gift certificates from local sponsor, Kelseyville Lumber.

Other generous sponsors included Mendo Lake Credit Union and Twin Pine Casino who also contributed to the winner’s prizes.

The professional judges were Glenn McGourty, PhD, UC Davis and Broc Zoller, PhD, The Pear Doctor.

Unbelievably, for the second year in a row, there was a tie for first place leading to a heart-racing “prune-off.”

Six Sigma Ranch is happy to announce the following 2014 winners: Ruben Perez Lopez from Bella Vista won first place, Carlos Molina from Beckstoffer Vineyards took second; and Carlos Caluo Salas from Kendall Jackson finished third.

This event also serves as an educational opportunity for the community at large. Winemaker Matt Hughes instructed a group of anxious “grape growers in-training” how to properly prune grapevines which led to a fun amateur pruning competition.

Six Sigma wine club member, Michael Phelps, who received first place joked that “Best Amateur Pruner in Lake County is a nice addition to his many gold medals.” He shares his name with the very famous Olympic athlete.

Second place in the amateur competition was Melinda Wright and Terry Roy took third.

“The professional pruners never cease to amaze me,” said Kaj Ahlmann, owner of Six Sigma Ranch and Winery.

“Even after the top awards were received and the event was finalized, the professional pruners were eager to see their individual tally sheets,” Ahlmann added. “They take their work seriously and it truly shows why Lake County’s wine region is thriving. It starts in the vineyard with this kind of dedication and talent.”

Six Sigma Ranch and Winery is located at 13372 Spruce Grove Road and is open for tasting every day from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit the winery online at www.sixsigmaranch.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Mirella sounds like many parents when she describes ongoing friction with her daughter.

Arguments happen over homework, household chores and bickering with siblings.

Mirella is a mother of six and she found it difficult to take care of her own needs, which left little empathy for her family.

Then her local school, through Healthy Start, invited her to the Nurturing Parenting program.

She attended every class offered, bringing her adult daughters and their young children as well. And things began to change.

The Nurturing Parenting program began in Lake County in 2005 with support from First 5 Lake.

First 5 is celebrating its 15-year anniversary this year, serving families with young children from birth to 5 years old.

The Nurturing Parenting program is now offered through many agencies and organizations in Lake County.

To date, 1,608 parents and 1,840 children have attended local Nurturing Parenting classes.

The Nurturing Parenting program is a nationally recognized program developed by Dr. Stephen Bavolek.

Recently three Lake County facilitators – Tom Jordan, Ana Santana and Socorro Padilla – were invited to Train as Trainers for the program.

Participants in the recent training traveled from all over the United States to attend the training in Chico. Now local trainings for new facilitators can be offered on a regular basis.

Local classes are offered for all parents, in English and Spanish, at school sites, in preschool settings, at the Lake Family Resource Center, the Legacy School, community centers, churches and even at the local jail.

One parent commented, “I am making myself a better person by being able to understand my kids more.” And “I am learning new tools; striving for improvements now in all areas of my life.”

“Many families struggle with discipline issues in the home” said Ana Santana, a class facilitator. “Fights with their teenagers, struggles over curfews, rules and chores. Families with small children can begin learning strategies for setting limits, improving family communication and how to care for each other that will last a lifetime. Families can find ways to move forward together, to help kids to get their homework done and attend school and for more laughter than tears at home.”

Nurturing Parenting classes are currently being held in Upper Lake and Clearlake, with additional classes scheduled to begin next month in Kelseyville.

For more information on current and upcoming Nurturing Parenting classes, please call the Nurturing Parenting program hotline at 707-262-4116 or Gina Dickson, program coordinator at 707-994-2272, Extension 2548.

This article is being published in celebration of First 5’s 15th anniversary celebration and as a longtime funded program through the local First 5 Lake Commission.