LAKEPORT – Are you a senior 55+ with a lifetime of experience to share? Would you like to give back to other seniors and learn how to age gracefully yourself?

The Senior Peer Counseling program of Konocti Senior Support Inc. is accepting applications for the Spring Volunteer Training for this enriching opportunity to help seniors talk through a discouraging time, access services, cope with losses and adapt to the challenges of older age.

The training will be held on three successive Fridays beginning June 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Volunteers will share their experiences with other inspirational volunteers, engage in lively discussions and receive weekly training in the gifts and challenges of aging.

Volunteers will learn skills such as compassionate listening, strategic coping and clear communicating.

You will learn the secrets of increasing peace of mind, reducing stress, recovering from a loss, building healthy relationships and exploring the spiritual advantages of later life.

As a volunteer, you will spend a total of about four hours a week with clients and attending a group supervision session in Lakeport or Clearlake.

They are now accepting a limited number of applications for volunteers throughout Lake County for this free training facilitated by licensed psychotherapist Kim Baughan Young MFT, clinical consultant, which includes experiential practice, movie clips, lively group discussion and even free lunches.

Konocti Senior Support’s Senior Peer Counseling program has helped hundreds of Lake County seniors and is rapidly expanding, so please call Konocti Senior Support Inc. now for your application at 707-995-1417.

LAKEPORT – The Lake County Democratic Central Committee will meet on Thursday June 3.

The monthly meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Lake County Tax Services Office, 1210 S. Main St., Lakeport.

Agenda items include results of the spring fundraiser, reports from representatives for Congress Member Mike Thompson, Assemblyman Wes Chesbro and Sen. Patricia Wiggins.

Also on the agenda will be discussion on the committee's participation in upcoming parades, farmers' markets and other events throughout the county, and ongoing voter registration efforts.

Meetings are open to the public and committee membership is open to all registered Democrats.

The Lake County Democratic Central Committee is the official governing body of the Democratic Party in Lake County.

Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-277-0713 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The committee's Web site is www.lakecountydemocrats.org.

SAN FRANCISCO – If you’re an adrenaline junkie and you’re looking for a rush, you have a chance to step off the roof of a 38-story building and live to tell about it.

The Grand Hyatt in San Francisco will host a fundraising rappelling event for Special Olympics Northern California on July 24.

As many as 100 people will make their way down the east side of the building on two ropes. Those who climb down the hotel wall will be gathering pledges from donors leading up to the event.

Special Olympics is hoping to raise as much as $150,000 from the event. Long-time supporter Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery is the presenting sponsor.

“We’re excited about offering a new experience while raising much-needed funds for our athletes,” said Rick Collett, CEO and President of Special Olympics Northern California. “Our athletes have a lot of courage and take risks everyday when they try to do something thought to be impossible by most. Likewise, this event will take a lot of courage for anyone who decides to rappel 400 feet in the middle of San Francisco.”

Tesoro’s Production Manager Marty Hawkins and Special Olympics Board member agreed. “Special Olympics athletes teach us about courage every day. I’m inspired by their accomplishments, and I’ll go over the edge to prove it.”

“I’m going to go over the top for a great cause,” added David Nadelman, general manager of the Grand Hyatt. “I want to support all those athletes who try hard and prove there’s nothing they can’t do when they try. If they can do that everyday, certainly I can do this once and go over the edge for the athletes.”

Already 50 people have signed up, including two Special Olympics athletes. All participants must be in good health and weigh no less than 110 pounds and no more than 300 pounds.

The rappelling will be supervised by Over the Edge, a Nova Scotia company that has organized dozens of rappelling events all over North America.

Over the Edge for Special Olympics is a daylong event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt. Family, friends and spectators are invited to come down and support participants.

All funds raised will go directly toward providing training opportunities, equipment, uniforms and practice venues for some 14,000 Special Olympics athletes across Northern California.

Interested climbers may sign up online at www.OverTheEdgeSF.com.

Special Olympics Northern California is a free year-round sports training and competition program for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

About 14,000 athletes compete in over 170 competitions throughout the region in 12 sports. This gives them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community financial support comes almost exclusively from individuals, organizations, corporations, and foundations. Find out how you can be a fan and visit www.SONC.org.

LAKEPORT – Are you ready for some sunshine? So are the Lakeport Kiwanis, and the perfect place to enjoy the return of sunny weather is the pancake breakfast and craft fair this weekend at Natural High School.

Don’t miss any of this exciting weekend full of events for the whole family – a pancake breakfast, craft fair, parade, live music and food vendors – all at Natural High School this Memorial Day weekend with a special treat on Sunday … hot air balloons and a glider on display.

The fun kicks off Saturday morning with the Kiwanis cooking up a delicious “all you can eat” pancake breakfast with ham, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee, served-up by the local 4-H club from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m., just in time for the big Lakeport Chamber of Commerce Parade on Main Street at 11 a.m.

All day Saturday and Sunday you will be able to browse all that sparkles and shines, twinkles and twirls and try all the tempting treats at the 20th annual Craft Fair.

And this year, on Sunday, there will be lots of live music and beautiful hot air balloons and a glider on display. The place to be Saturday and Sunday this Memorial Day weekend is Natural High School.

Thank you for supporting this annual fundraiser. It benefits the community with support to the local 4-H Citizenship Program and Lakeport Kiwanis Scholarships.

For additional information see the Kiwanis website at www.kiwanislakeport.org.

The program began in 2007. The first project was funded May 1, 2009, with a donation of $5,700.

Garden clubs across the state donated to this fund. Contributions are made in $100 increments, checks made out to California Garden Club Inc. (CGCI), deposited in a restricted CGCI account. Projects are considered in the $5,000 to $20,000 range.

For Project I the CGCI Restoration Chairman contacted the US Forest Service Region 5 Headquarters in California to find which National Forest had the greatest need at this time.

The reply was the Cleveland National Forest for tamarisk removal, an invasive plant species (salt cedar) from Eurasia, and planting with native plant species on Cottonwood and La Pasta Creeks in San Diego County.

According to information provided by CGCI, tamarisk produces dense thickets of 3,000 plants per acre to a height of 25 feet, the deep extensive root system draws salts from ground water.

Salts are excreted through leaf glands and distributed on the ground increasing the salinity of the soil preventing germination of many native plants.

This produces one of the highest evaporation rates per acre of any plant, lowering the water table and drying up springs, wetlands and riparian areas.

Leaf litter increases the intensity and frequency of wildfires. The fires stimulate the growth of tamarisk but kill native plants.

Anyone interested in more information or in donating to this program through Clear Lake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club contact Penny Pines Chair Ann Blue at 707-263-5854.

Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club is a member of Mendo-Lake District, California Garden Club Inc., Pacific Region and National Garden Clubs Inc.

Ann Blue is Penny Pines chair for the Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club.

Jim and Helen Harris of Lucerne, Calif., celebrated 60 years as husband and wife at an anniversary party in Lucerne on April 6, 2010. Photo by Ginny Craven.

The elegant affair was hosted by Ronnie and Janeane Bogner, honorary members of Pearl Harbor Survivors Chapter 23. Photography was provided by Ginny Craven, a friend of the chapter and the couple.

Among fresh flowers and glowing candlelight the celebrants dined on filet mignon, prepared and served by restaurant owner Jose Plata.

Plata provided the repast at his expense, in honor of Pearl Harbor and D-Day survivor Jim Harris and his lovely bride Helen.

Family members came from as far away as Minnesota for the festivities.

Hostess Janeane Bogner and Helen Harris pins a corsage on Helen Harris at the anniversary celebration on April 6, 2010, in Lucerne, Calif. Photo by Ginny Craven.

After dinner, the couple joined hands while cutting a lovely white cake made by Janeane Bogner, decorated with fresh orchids and filled with pineapple at Helen’s request, in memory of Pearl Harbor.

Choking back tears, Jim gave a tribute to Helen as his partner through 60 years.

He then said, “I am giving you the engagement ring I couldn’t afford.” He then placed a beautiful sparkling diamond ring on Helen’s hand as she smiled brightly.

Jim Harris gets a boutonni