The event begins at 7 p.m.

The dinner will be served in the Special Events Center by the stone fireplace and will feature blue cheese-stuffed figs with walnuts, seasonal greens with rosemary walnut vinaigrette and whole grain croutons, pork roast with winter fruits and port sauce, gruyere potato gratin, moscato roasted parsnips and sweet potato coconut cheesecake with dark chocolate crust for $35 per person.

The Lodge also is offering a special one night, all-inclusive room package, which will include dinner and champagne brunch.

Advance reservations are required; call Sylvia at 707-275- 2181.

The goal is to create a report that is useful for prioritizing and planning community health interventions that improve the quality of life in Lake County and for identifying future areas for research.

A copy of the RFP can be obtained by contacting Linda Schulz, community services director, St. Helena Hospital Clearlake, at 707-963-6419 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

You can also view and download the report by clicking on this link: www.shhclearlake.org/news/SHC_Community_Needs_Assessment_RFP.pdf .

CARE is a community-based program that works with county and local governments, tribes, non-profit organizations and universities to help the public understand and reduce toxic risks from numerous sources.

EPA will award CARE cooperative agreements in two levels. Level I awards range from $75,000 to $100,000 and will help establish community-based partnerships to develop local environmental priorities.

Level II awards, ranging from $150,000 to $300,000 each, will support communities that have established broad-based partnerships, have identified the priority toxic risks in the community, and are prepared to measure results, implement risk-reduction activities and become self-sustaining.

In 2009, EPA’s CARE program distributed $2 million to nine communities. Examples of projects that received grants include addressing waste and storm water issues in Kennett, Mo.; reducing air and water pollution in Holyoke, Mass.; addressing water pollution from coal slurry in Wheeling, W.Va.; reducing radon and other indoor air pollutants in Pueblo, Colo.; and tackling the problem of hazardous waste materials and open dumping in Toksook Bay, Alaska. Since 2005, the grants have reached 68 communities in 34 states and territories. A recent evaluation by the National Association of Public Administrators (NAPA) recognized the CARE program as a solid tested framework for engaging communities and other stakeholders.

Applications for the CARE grants are due March 9, 2010.

EPA will conduct three Webcasts to answer questions from prospective applicants about the application process on Feb. 2, 23 and 26 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

More information about the grants is available at www.epa.gov/care .

Lake County Democratic Club Chair Sunol Westergren, right, and Lake Family Resource Center Chief Operations Officer Rae Eby-Carl at the club's meeting on Saturday, December 12, 2009. Photo by Richard Hoyt.

LUCERNE – The Lake County Democratic Club has made a donation to support the local domestic violence shelter.

On Dec. 12, Lake County Democratic Club members and their guests, met for the group's annual holiday party.

Attendees generously donated over $200 to benefit the Freedom House Domestic Violence Shelter, located in Kelseyville.

Lake County Democratic Club Chair Sunol Westergren presented Lake Family Resource Center Chief Operations Officer Rae Eby-Carl with a check for the donation at the Dec. 12 meeting.

Master gardeners will discuss and demonstrate pruning and other cultural practices that help produce large, healthy rose displays.

Workshop participants should bring heavy gloves and pruning shears for hands-on practice. The Master Gardener Mobile Help Desk will be there and handouts will be available. A $5 donation is encouraged to help defray expenses. The meeting site is wheelchair accessible.

UCCE Master Gardener President Richard Nodine encourages home gardeners to attend the workshop, especially if they've ever thought that pruning roses is hard.

The Lucerne Alpine Senior Center is home to the Memorial Rose Garden, an impressive collection of roses that the whole community can enjoy.

Workshop participants will help the senior center with their roses, and the site provides a wonderful opportunity for home gardeners to get hands-on training through U.C. Cooperative Extension.

Master gardeners are a group of selected, trained residents who work as volunteer staff for the UC Cooperative Extension.

Master gardeners provide accurate horticultural information on vegetable gardening, trees, soils, lawns, ornamental horticulture, insects, diseases, use of pesticides and other related topics based on research of the University of California and other recognized research institutions.

Information about the rose pruning workshop can be obtained by calling UC Cooperative Extension at 263-6838, or on the web at http://celake.ucdavis.edu .

From left, Val Schweifler, 4-H Council president, and Kimberly Walker of Wiloth Ridge 4-H Club. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY – Kimberly Walker of Wiloth Ridge 4-H Club received her All-Star Rank this past summer at the Lake County 4-H Council Meeting on June 22.

Kimberly's All-Star project was to start a new 4-H Club for handicapped kids within Lake County.

She decided to work with Susie Wiloth of Wiloth Equine Center to start the new club.

Kimberly's goal was to start small with about 15 kids and introduce them to what 4-H has to offer. She worked closely with Wiloth to coordinate the leader certification of her current staff and she and Wiloth designed the new club over the summer and started the club last September.

An active member of the club, Kimberly helps Wiloth work with the new 4-H members at the meetings. Kimberly also decided to be the spokesperson for the club within the community and 4-H to raise awareness about Wiloth and her effort at Wiloth Equine Center.

Kimberly wrote in her final All-Star report, “It feels kind of weird, knowing that my project is officially almost over. I say officially, because I know that regardless of whether the project is officially done or not, nothing is really going to change for me. I'm still going to look for and train volunteers so that they can eventually run it when I step down from my unofficial title of club leader. I'm still going to lead the 4-H club and write down everything that happens and take pictures and stick it all in one huge overwhelming book – because it's important that this 4-H club is here for many years to come, helping it's members to be accepted and to achieve anything that they set their sights on.”

She continued, “I like to be involved in stuff that I love doing – and I don't like to forget any of it. I have never finished any kind of project feeling that it was completely perfect. There is always room for improvement and life is never perfect, so that's what makes it great to have a 4-H club where our only vision is to give the members every opportunity to achieve their personal goals, while having fun, making friends and learning all along the way.”

Kimberly has been in the Lake County 4-H Program for seven years. The All-Star rank is the highest attainable honor in the Lake County 4-H Program. To apply for All-Star rank, a 4-H member must be 15 years of age, demonstrate leadership abilities, citizenship and community involvement, and have made a significant contribution to the 4-H Program.

The 4-H Youth Development is a program of the University of California Cooperative Extension.

For more information on the 4-H program contact U.C. Cooperative Extension, 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, CA 95453, telephone 707-263-6838.

Nicole Gentry is 4-H Youth Development secretary.