Hello fellow Avilones. The weather is heating up, and so are things here at the Foundation and in and around town. First up, I want to make sure you act soon to register for the Foundation's Live Well Symposium, scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd at the Avila Community Center, from 9:00a.m.-12:30p.m. Organizers Penny Burciaga and Julian Varela have secured an impressive lineup of local health professionals to speak on topics such as: Top 10 Medical Trends and Treatments of the Future; Wellness 2.0, Spinal Health from Birth to the Golden Years; Nutrition and Sugar; and Climate Change is a Public Health Issue. A complimentary, healthy continental breakfast will be provided to help fuel the day. Space is limited and advance registration is required. See below for the flyer or you can visit the Foundation's website at -www.avilabeachfoundation.org. We thank our friends at Chevron for underwriting this highly educational event.
Next, I want to extend congratulations to the administration, educators and families of Bellevue Santa Fe Charter School in Avila Beach for conducting a very successful matching gifts campaign. Principal Brian Getz submitted a grant application to the Foundation last fall seeking support toward the purchase of some iPads and a charger station to be used for instructional purposes in the classroom. Our Foundation Trustees decided to issue a "challenge grant", meaning we would furnish one half of the requested amount if the school could generate the other half. Well, the families and other members of the community stepped up big time - not only raising the $4,250 Foundation match, but blowing through that goal by raising a total of $8,850! A truly remarkable effort that means the school can purchase even more iPads for student use. The technology now available for instructional purposes is growing exponentially, and teachers are being challenged to stay up with the times. It feels good to know that the Foundation and a generous community are able to help our area students learn at the highest levels. We thank the following families for donating to the cause: Auran, Connelly, Crozier, David, DeGasparis, Dusair, Engle, Flores, Fow, Gorton, Hendricks, Hinds, Karleskint, Kaiura, Kalpakoff, Moreno, Pan, Payne, Pitrowski, Ritterbuck, Tawata-Min, and Adobe Systems (through Karleskint). Well done, everyone!
For some of you, it may come as a surprise that just a few blocks from the beach rests the Lachen Tara Apartments, a colorful collection of subsidized individual and family rental units owned and operated by People's Self Help Housing. I was recently asked to participate on a committee planning the PSHH 45 year Anniversary Celebration, scheduled for April 23rd at the Madonna Inn from 11:30a.m. - 1:00p.m. "People's" is a well-known industry leader in providing various forms of subsidized housing in SLO and Santa Barbara Counties. The Lachen Tara complex in Avila Beach is particularly important as a number of its occupants include residents who were displaced by the oil contamination cleanup project, and others who work in the Avila Beach hospitality industry. "Affordable" isn't a term used when it comes to housing in Avila Beach/Avila Valley, so we are fortunate to have its presence. The Foundation has recognized the value Lachen Tara brings to our community by providing funds for PSHH to deliver supportive housing counseling services for several years, as well as to purchase items for its community room and outside grounds. If you feel inclined to help PSHH celebrate its 45 years in operation, visit their website for registration information -www.pshhc.org.
Are you ready for some public art? As mentioned in previous columns, the Foundation has set aside $10,000 toward the creation and placement of artwork in Avila Beach. We are just in the beginning stages of acquiring information from Arts Obispo on how to best go about this endeavor. A project committee is being formed to help us identify preferred location for the art, theme(s), artist selection, etc. While we certainly have and enjoy the beauty of the beach and surrounding hillsides, there lacks the type of public artworks that abound in many SLO County communities. And with Avila's rich history, heritage, culture, and industry, it will be interesting to see how we can best capture the creativity of those artists who will submit proposals. Let us know if you want to participate in the project. It is anticipated that the committee will hold its first meeting sometime in April or May. Stay tuned. That's it for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!
Next, I want to extend congratulations to the administration, educators and families of Bellevue Santa Fe Charter School in Avila Beach for conducting a very successful matching gifts campaign. Principal Brian Getz submitted a grant application to the Foundation last fall seeking support toward the purchase of some iPads and a charger station to be used for instructional purposes in the classroom. Our Foundation Trustees decided to issue a "challenge grant", meaning we would furnish one half of the requested amount if the school could generate the other half. Well, the families and other members of the community stepped up big time - not only raising the $4,250 Foundation match, but blowing through that goal by raising a total of $8,850! A truly remarkable effort that means the school can purchase even more iPads for student use. The technology now available for instructional purposes is growing exponentially, and teachers are being challenged to stay up with the times. It feels good to know that the Foundation and a generous community are able to help our area students learn at the highest levels. We thank the following families for donating to the cause: Auran, Connelly, Crozier, David, DeGasparis, Dusair, Engle, Flores, Fow, Gorton, Hendricks, Hinds, Karleskint, Kaiura, Kalpakoff, Moreno, Pan, Payne, Pitrowski, Ritterbuck, Tawata-Min, and Adobe Systems (through Karleskint). Well done, everyone!
For some of you, it may come as a surprise that just a few blocks from the beach rests the Lachen Tara Apartments, a colorful collection of subsidized individual and family rental units owned and operated by People's Self Help Housing. I was recently asked to participate on a committee planning the PSHH 45 year Anniversary Celebration, scheduled for April 23rd at the Madonna Inn from 11:30a.m. - 1:00p.m. "People's" is a well-known industry leader in providing various forms of subsidized housing in SLO and Santa Barbara Counties. The Lachen Tara complex in Avila Beach is particularly important as a number of its occupants include residents who were displaced by the oil contamination cleanup project, and others who work in the Avila Beach hospitality industry. "Affordable" isn't a term used when it comes to housing in Avila Beach/Avila Valley, so we are fortunate to have its presence. The Foundation has recognized the value Lachen Tara brings to our community by providing funds for PSHH to deliver supportive housing counseling services for several years, as well as to purchase items for its community room and outside grounds. If you feel inclined to help PSHH celebrate its 45 years in operation, visit their website for registration information -www.pshhc.org.
Are you ready for some public art? As mentioned in previous columns, the Foundation has set aside $10,000 toward the creation and placement of artwork in Avila Beach. We are just in the beginning stages of acquiring information from Arts Obispo on how to best go about this endeavor. A project committee is being formed to help us identify preferred location for the art, theme(s), artist selection, etc. While we certainly have and enjoy the beauty of the beach and surrounding hillsides, there lacks the type of public artworks that abound in many SLO County communities. And with Avila's rich history, heritage, culture, and industry, it will be interesting to see how we can best capture the creativity of those artists who will submit proposals. Let us know if you want to participate in the project. It is anticipated that the committee will hold its first meeting sometime in April or May. Stay tuned. That's it for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!
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