Kiwanis Club member Val Schweifler presents Lakeport School Librarian Michelle Figg with books for the school libraries. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Kiwanis Club of Lakeport continues to support local students through its donation of books to Lakeport Elementary School and Terrace Middle School Libraries but is also embarking on a new project.

The Kiwanis Club of Lakeport is teaming with Kiwanis International and UNICEF on a global campaign for children, “The Eliminate Project: protecting babies and mothers from Maternal/Neonatal Tetanus (MNT).”

Most American’s don’t think of tetanus as a deadly disease. When you step on a nail, you go in for a tetanus booster shot. Simple. Done. No problem.

However, it is not quite so simple for the tens of thousands of newborns and their mothers annually that die from maternal/neonatal tetanus (MNT) and their families who suffer their loss. MNT is caused when tetanus spores (found in soil everywhere) come in contact with open cuts during childbirth. There is little hope of survival for infected newborns.

Lakeport Kiwanis Club President Jennifer Richardson. Courtesy photo.

But these deaths are completely preventable through the immunization of mothers to protect their unborn babies. The cost of these immunizations – three doses at only 60 cents each. While UNICEF has worked successfully for the last ten years to eliminate MNT in many countries, the disease is still a killer in 40 countries located in Africa, and Southern and Eastern Asia.

The Kiwanis Club of Lakeport, through Kiwanis International, is joining forces with UNICEF to bring this project to its culmination: the elimination of maternal/neonatal tetanus (MNT), The Eliminate Project.

For more information about The Eliminate Project, go to www.TheEliminateProject.org

For more information about The Kiwanis Club of Lakeport, go to www.kiwanislakeport.org or visit one of our meetings at 7:00 a.m. every Wednesday morning at the Lakeport Senior Center.

Mary Secord of Lakeport, Calif., was the winner of the first Lake County Quilt Trail raffle. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Mary Secord, a longtime resident of Lakeport, won the Lake County Quilt Trail raffle.

The prize was a hand-crafted cloth quilt comprised of 13 different quilt blocks.

“I’m so pleased to be the winner of the beautiful quilt,” Secord said. “I enjoy seeing each quilt block on buildings all around the county. Each has such a good meaning.”

The quilt was designed and machine quilted by Kerrie Hershey. Quilters Nancy Carpenter, Bethany Rose, Kerrie Hershey and Patti-Cox Frankenfield hand-pieced the cloth blocks.

The quilt block names are (in order of installation) Square in a Square, Martha’s Vineyard, Big Oak Ranch Blazing Star (a variation), Peace and Plenty, Lady of the Lake, 54 40 or Fight, Rising Star, Monkey Wrench, Bear’s Paw, County Fair, Tulip Time, Ohio Star and Squash Blossom.

Lake County is the first location in California to create a quilt trail.

This past spring, with seed money from the Kelseyville Pear Festival, vibrantly colored quilt blocks inaugurated the first phase of the project.

Each block, specifically designed and painted entirely by volunteers onto 8-foot by 8-foot wooden panels, was hung on pioneer barns, pear packing sheds, winery tasting rooms, an orchard ladder manufacturing facility and even an exhibit hall on the Lake County Fairgrounds.

Each unique quilt block on the Lake County Quilt Trail was selected to connect with the history of the building, honor farming, or celebrate the family, as well as pay tribute to the generational history of beautiful quilts.

Phase two of this project is currently in production. By September 2011, another 12 quilt blocks will be added to the Lake County Quilt Trail.

Information about the Lake County Quilt Trail can be found at www.kelseyvillepearfestival.com. Click on the Quilt Trail button.

Food sorting taking place at the Rural Food Project shed in Middletown, Calif., on Tuesday, December 14, 2010. Courtesy photo.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Spirit of the Season reported that it is once again grateful for the community's generosity during the holiday season.

“Spirit of the Season is thrilled that we have received so many gifts from our Wish Tree program participants as well as gifts being given by the general public to make this Christmas the best ever,” said Hedy Montoya, coordinator for the holiday program.

The food and gifts will be distributed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, from the Little Red School House in Cobb and from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Middletown.

All those who registered have received their postcards to come to the annual event.

To make the season even brighter, the group received some 5,000 or 6,000 pounds of food from Twin Pine Casino, Montoya said.

“Working with Donna Crofoot at Twin Pine, their staff and the public at large who brought cans of food for a promotion they held, we worked ourselves silly trying to sort and prepare for the food distribution this Saturday,” Montoya said.

Food and monetary gifts were given to Spirit of the Season recently by the HVL Garden Club, as well as anonymous donors, the First Baptist Church, as well as the United Methodist Church, to name but a few.

“We have so many people to thank,” said Montoya. “We’ve had tremendous response from our volunteers, food has come to us from many sources this year and it feels as though it is raining food!”

She said she will send a notice to the community in January to publicly thank all concerned, but she wanted to give mention Mary Jo Gawley, Mary Rose Pott, Christine Bougas, Phyllis Kelsey, Sandy Tucker, Bonnie Thompson, Kathleen and Kelly Connors, Cindy Weber and the students of Loconoma High School, Bryan Ridste and most especially Stephen Hebert for their hardworking efforts to make Spirit of the Season 2010 a success.

Many more volunteers working with them this year are not mentioned here, but Montoya said she will be acknowledging them in the New Year.

The donations for the year have been $6,000 to date.

If anyone wishes to make a tax-deductible gift to assist with SOS, please send a check to Spirit of the Season, P. O. Box 1468, Middletown, CA 95461.

Montoya can be reached at 707-987-8139.

Harry De Lope presents Jan Mezoui with a special memorial award case in honor of her late husband Zino at the Flotilla 88 Change of Watch ceremony on Saturday, December 4, 2010, in Kelseyville, Calif. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Dec. 4, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 88 of Lake County held their yearly Change of Watch at Zino’s Ristorante on Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville, Calif.

This ceremony is held each December to swear in the flotilla commander and vice-commander, and the Flotilla members who will serve as staff officers for the coming year of 2011.

After lunch, Past Flotilla Commander Harry De Lope presented to flotilla member Jan Mezoui a special memorial award case in honor of Jan’s late husband Zino Mezoui. The case held the awards Zino had earned while a member of Flotilla 88 and was made by Past Flotilla Commander Jerry Collins.

Following this special presentation, U.S. Coast Guard officer Lt. Rob Starr, Surface OPS Officer and Auxiliary Liaison from Group Humboldt Bay and Flotilla Division Captain Wayne Farnholtz performed the oath of office ceremony to Dane Hayward as Commander and Gary Dromi as vice commander for the year of 2011. This was followed by the swearing in of the staff officers for coming year.

For the new year, Flotilla 88 will be getting ready for the boating season by offering safe boating classes, vessel exams, and many other activities to help keep the boating public safe on and around the water.

Lake County can be proud of their Flotilla 88 members who donate hundreds of volunteer hours and are considered America’s Volunteer Life Savers.

Dane Hayward and Gary Dromi are sworn in by Division Capt.Wayne Farnholtz and U.S.Coast Guardsman Lt. Rob Starr. at the Flotilla 88 Change of Watch ceremony on Saturday, December 4, 2010, in Kelseyville, Calif. Courtesy photo.

Shoes donated by guests at the Charity Cocktail Party. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The seventh annual “New Shoes for Kids” charity cocktail party was reported to be a huge success by hosts Dan and Donna Streckfus of Richmond Park Bar and Grill.

Approximately 146 pairs of children’s shoes and over $3,000 in cash were donated by people in attendance at the party, held at Richmond Park Bar and Grill.

Prizes donated by local businesses were given in raffles held throughout the evening. Guests enjoyed an evening of appetizers and dancing to the music of the band T-2 while contributing to the children of Lake County.

All shoes and money collected were donated to the Lake County Office of Education Healthy Start Program.

The shoes and money will be divided between the 10n school sites served by Healthy Start.

Healthy Start provides support services to families in every school district in Lake County. These services are primarily aimed at keeping children in school, healthy and ready to learn.

“Having good shoes helps children to feel more comfortable, and it also gives them more confidence at school,” reported Doreen Gilmore, Healthy Start Site Supervisor at Pomo Elementary School.

“On behalf of the children who will receive new shoes, all of us at Healthy Start wish to thank Richmond Park Bar and Grill, and their guests, for their generosity,” said Gilmore.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club will hold the last meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 27.

Discussion and business will focus on an appraisal of the past year, and plans for 2011.

The meeting will be held in the Friendship Hall at the United Methodist Church, 12487 The Plaza, Clearlake Oaks.

There will be the usual potluck at 6:30 p.m. followed by the meeting at 7 p.m.

All registered democrats are invited, LGBT and people as well as their friend and allies.