Members of Boy Scout Troop 802, including the Scouts, their leaders, e-waste committee members, and adults, participated in an e-waste drive at Country Club Plaza Shopping Center on Saturday, Feb. 18.

Early in the morning

They started setting up at 6:30 a.m. Bruce Somers, committee chair, held an orientation and safety meeting with the participants. The donators started arriving early at 7:30 a.m. and they were taken care of prior to the official starting time of 8 a.m.

In the first bin were items with screens (TVs, monitors etc) and the other bin contained other e-waste items.

The Scouts directed the incoming traffic, checking with the donors to meet state regulations, and then directing them to the unloading area. Adults unloaded the e-waste into the large bins and everyone received a ‘thank you’ as they departed. All of this took place at a comfortable pace going through the whole system.

The Scouts and adults had lunch in shifts, so the e-waste unloading could continue. A lot of hot dogs with all the trimmings, assorted fruit, lemonade and water were consumed.

The cars and pickups streamed steadily through all day until after closing at 1 p.m. Three bins were filled and moved to CEAR, who will recycle the contents. All computer hard drives will be shredded to protect any information that was still left on them.

Great results

Approximately 25,000 pounds of e-waste was recycled from this event meeting the Scouts goals of “Going Green with the Boy Scouts” and providing a much needed service to the communities we live in. With the completion of this seventh e-waste drive, the goal of 375,000 pounds total should be met in keeping that much recycled material from the landfills.

At the close of the drive and the last bin picked up, the parking lot where the drive was held left no sign of the day’s activity, in the typical Boy Scout way.

The event and others like it have generated funds to help the Troop 802 and the Pony Express District “Friends of Scouting” drive. The e-waste drives also help the local communities by keeping e-waste out of landfills.

bill@valcomnews.com

Genevieve F. Didion K-8 School will present an opportunity for locals to learn more about this well established school’s middle school grades through a special open house, which is scheduled to be held in the school’s gymnasium on Jan. 18.

The event, which will begin at 7:30 p.m., will feature speeches about the middle school by Norm Policar, Didon’s principal, and the school’s middle school teachers, followed by a question and answer session at 8:30 p.m.

The speeches will center on the topic of how Didion’s middle school program provides a well-round education that prepares students for high school.

Only 62 slots available

With space for only 62 students in each middle school grade, Didion is presenting this open house in a timely manner in order to allow perspective middle school students and their parents sufficient decision-making time prior to the beginning of the district’s open enrollment period. This period begins on Jan. 30 and continues until Feb. 10.

The event is also beneficial for Didion, which has an overall student body of 630, considering that there are more vacancies in the local middle school programs than there are middle school students. As a result, local middle schools often compete for these children.

With much anticipation toward the open house, Policar sat down last week to discuss this upcoming event, his own background and details about this local school, which opened as a K-6 school at its current and only site of 6490 Harmon Drive in 1980.

Active parent community

During his interview, Policar was quick to give much credit to the parental involvement at the school.

“I’ve got such a supportive parent community that really backs what we do at school and they have high expectations for their kids,” Policar said. “So, I try to make sure that we keep those expectations high at school.”

Policar explained that the middle school itself was established through the involvement of local parents.

“(The) middle school program started (in about 1994) and it’s an outstanding program,” Policar said. “The parents actually got together to make this program happen. I think the feeling at the time was they weren’t entirely satisfied with the choices they had back then of where to send their kids on to a middle school. So, the parents, I’m told, got together and said, ‘Why can’t we make our K-6 school into a K-8 school. We can hopefully attract some good teachers to our middle school program and keep the kids here for a couple more years, give them a good education and hopefully they’ll be set to go to high school.’ And that’s exactly what (the parent group) did. They went to the (Sacramento City Unified School) District and sought permission to expand our program to become a K-8 (school) and the district loved it. And so, we’ve had a K-8 program ever since (that time).”

Top teachers

Policar additionally explained that Didion was fortunate to attract high quality teachers.

“I’ve got a wonderful staff by and large to work with, so it’s just a great mix of factors that makes it a really good place to go to work every day,” said Policar, who began his career as a history teacher.

Policar, a Vallejo native who was hired as the school’s principal on his 40th birthday in 1997, said that he could not have been more fortunate than to have become Didion’s principal.

And with Policar’s love and enthusiasm for Didion school, it was far from a laboring task for him to speak about the positive aspects of this educational institution.

Motivated principal

In listening to Policar speak about Didion’s students, it does not take long to comprehend how his caring attitude and enthusiasm can spread to others and lead to positive results in the classroom.

“I really, really enjoy being around young people,” Policar said. “I like to talk with them and work with them and I’ve got such great kids to work with at Didion. I just enjoy working with (the kids). I always have and I feel real good about it.”

Furthermore, Policar, who for the past 12 years has been married to his wife Kristi, a special education teacher at Hubert Bancroft Elementary School, believes that his own experiences as a father have helped him to further his success as a principal.

“(Being a father to his daughter, Lindsey, who is a second grader) opened my eyes up,” Policar said. “There were times when sometimes I would just almost take for granted some of the things that parents went through, the regular struggles. But when it came time for me to be a parent, and I’ve got to sit down with my own daughter in the evenings and work through school problems and homework struggles and things like that, I just have a much better feel now for what parents go through.”

And it is Policar’s connection to parenting and his understanding of the educational system – both administratively and as a teacher – that has helped the school to achieve much of its success.

A consistent faculty is yet another factor to the success of Didion.

Overall, Didion has many longtime teachers, including Dana Flaten, middle school science, Richard Howe, middle school social studies, Elett Ricks-Chambers, music specialist, Wendy Martinez, kindergarten, Martha Hawkins, 2nd grade, Cindy Vanbeek, 2nd and 3rd grades, Helen Nevins, 3rd grade, Mary Andrews, special education, Cindy Granados, 6th grade, and Andrea Noteware, 6th grade and a former librarian at the school.

Fewer electives, but positive results

Policar, who has been working for the school district since 1981, said that with the many advantages that come with operating a small school like Didion, one disadvantage is its students have fewer elective choices.

“My maximum capacity (at the middle school) is 124 kids, so with a program that small, I’m not able to offer the depth of an elective program that a great, big school that has 40 or 50 teachers can offer,” Policar said. “So, I don’t have a band and I don’t have an orchestra, I don’t have a woodshop or maybe some of those kinds of things that kids can get elsewhere. My entire middle school has five teachers. Each of my teachers teach one period of their (academic) subject and then each of them teaches one period of an elective class. So, that’s my elective program. And we have a good elective program, but kids aren’t able to pick from 20 different (electives) like they might be able to do some place else.”

In hopes of filling the available space for middle school students at Didion school, Policar emphasized that local high schools have provided much positive feedback regarding former Didion students who attended their schools.

“High schools really like our kids, because our kids go to them ready to tackle high school work, they go with good study habits and they’re sought after,” Policar said. “So, we try to send that message to our parents.”

lance@valcomnews.com

Childen of all ages and the young at heart enjoyed a sunny morning “down on the farm” at Capra Park in Carmichael on Oct. 15.

The free event included horse and pony rides, friendly farm animals to pet and activities for the kids.

Named for Claude and Mary Capra, the park is a place where people can stop for a moment to refresh and recreate. It is the site of the Capra’s original home from the 1940s. Claude’s uncle, Fank Capra, would often visit and enjoy the serene life in Carmichael. Today, the property is a part of the Carmichael jRecreation and Park District.

Until their passing, the Capras lived by the motto, “I am not afraid to face tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.”

Saturday, Sept. 24 will mark Carmichael’s 102nd Founders’ Day Celebration.

As it does every year, the Carmichael Recreation and Park District is putting together a party you won’t want to miss. It’s hard to see how they manage it, but the event just seems to get better every year.

From classic cars to arts & crafts to power horns and carnival games, the event will have a little something for everyone. Dignitaries, musicians and vendors will be “doing their thing” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The day kicks off with a delicious pancake breakfast hosted by the Fair Oaks Lions Club. Breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and is $5 for adults, $3 for kids ages 11 and under.

The Classic Car Show starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m. This year, the Cappuccino Cruisers car club is bringing their collection of classic autos to Founders’ Day. Check out the muscle cars of the 1960s and early ’70s, the classics of the ’50s, the flatheads of the ’40s, the gangster cars of the 1930s and the classic ‘tin lizzies’ of the teens and ’20s.

New to Founders’ Day this year is an Old-fashioned Country Fair. Like county fairs of old, this fair will feature competitions in art, textiles, food and more. If you win a competition, you have bragging rights for the next year that you are the BEST in Carmichael. Check-in is from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Judging is at noon. To enter, contact the Cappuccino Cruisers (who are hosting the fair) at (916) 988-6376. There is an entry form available online at the Carmichael Park and Rec website: www.carmichaelpark.com.

The Carmichael Dog Park Society will host a Dog Parade and Show as a fundraiser to benefit the Carmichael Dog Park. Call (916) 422-2280 for details to enter your pooch in the parade. The Dog Parade and Show will start at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Founders’ Day is always a family friendly event so be sure to bring your children or grandchildren out so they can enjoy the many children’s activities. There will be a mini carnival, face painting, arts & crafts, clowns, an appearance by River Cats mascot Dinger and more – all free.

The shopping promises to be good at the vendor booths this year, also. Information booths, arts and crafts vendors, non-profit agencies and of course food vendors will be scattered around the Carmichael Park Band Shell to tempt you into shopping, eating and enjoying the day.

Live entertainment by the headlining band, Custom Neon, is sure to please.

For more information on Founders’ Day please call the Carmichael Recreation and Park District at (916) 485-5322 or visit www.carmichaelpark.com. The Carmichael Park Band Shell is located in the back of Carmichael Park at 5750 Grant Avenue and both parking and admission are free.

When Stephen Crowley left a lucrative career in software sales in the Bay Area in 2006, he knew he was ready for something that would bring more joy and meaning to his life. The dog-eat-dog world of Silicon Valley, frankly, left him feeling rather burnt out.

A native son of Sacramento, Stephen decided to return to the city of his roots – and to pursue something he always loved: photography and art.

Since that time, he has steadily built an impressive portfolio – and honed his skills in the craft. With his warm smile, patience and easy-going manner, Stephen has the ability to capture the “inner essence” of his subjects…a valuable skill in portraiture.

His photography business, Crowley Photography, specializes in portraits, events and weddings throughout Northern California. Stephen’s freelance work is also seen at the Sacramento River Cats, The Capitol Weekly and in Valley Community Newspapers, which includes the Land Park News.

The Coffee Garden in Sacramento is hosting a show of Crowley photographs from Oct. 3 to Nov. 5. The show will feature views and landscapes around Sacramento and Northern California.

There will be an artist’s reception on the Second Saturday of the month, Oct. 8, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The community is invited to attend.

The Coffee Garden is located at 2904 Franklin Boulevard in Sacramento. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, email scrowleyphotos@yahoo.com.

Local Amtgard players gathered at Carmichael Park on Sept. 18 to meet for a day at the “Barony of Thor’s Refuge.”

The group features bringing interesting aspects of medieval life to the community at large, through demonstration and educational classes and “alternative recreation to those of all ages.” Amtgard is a non-profit, non-sectarian group devoted to recreating elements of fantasy, medieval and ancient genres.

Weapons are safe, foam-padded replicas of the imagined things. There is no cost to participate. For more information, visit www.CAAmtgard.com or www.Meetup.com/Amtgard-Sacramento.

Children, parents, grandparents and friends enjoyed some good old-fashioned entertainment at Land Park’s Funderland. The amusement park features rides – including teacup rides and a steam train – that are perfect for children ages 2 to 12. Funderland is located at 1350 17th Avenue, at the corner of Land Park Drive and Sutterville Road.

“I never got to appreciate what I saw before.”

That is how Carmichael resident and photographer Richard Turner sums up his life before photography. It’s not that he never went anywhere interesting; he detailed a seven-day span in which he traveled to a half dozen European countries for business during his 41 years as a lawyer. It’s not that he was unable to see, it’s that his job did not allow him to see.

“I didn’t want any more calls or faxes or anything else,” Turner said of a decision he made in 1998. “I told my wife I’d be back in a month. I drove through Idaho and Montana and took a camera along.”

Turner wasn’t experienced with photography when he left, nor had he ever had much interest during his years consumed with the legal process.

“I considered myself a pretty creative lawyer,” he said slyly. “But I didn’t know I had any artistic ability at all.”

When he came back, he showed his pictures to a professional photographer, but the reception he got was not favorable. He was told that the pictures he had taken were terrible. Instead of letting this news get him down, he took to heart what he was told and dove deep into the art of photography.

At the conclusion of a three-month trial in 2005, Turner retired from practicing law (although he remains licensed to this day). His newfound freedom allowed him to finally see everything that surrounded him. And what caught his eye in the most profound way was nature.

“I can hardly even walk by a flower without stopping to look at it now,” he said.

To say that photography and nature changed his life is one thing, but hearing his words on life after being in the law profession truly shows what a different path his life has taken.

“I learned that I don’t want to miss the beauty of the world by being too busy,” he said.

He had seen just about everything he could possibly see in law over those 41 years, but the life that he enjoys now never really got to play a part.

Turner said that 90 percent of his photography work is of nature. He specializes in high-impact color on flowers. To date he has sold 35,000 greeting cards that are sold all over Northern California including at the Crocker Art Museum. And while selling pieces is always a welcome event, it is the art itself that captivates him.

“Sharing (my photos) with people makes me happy,” he said.

It would seem as though his photos make other people happy as well. Some of Turner’s work now hangs in Mercy San Juan Hospital in Sacramento. Thirty-five photographers from all over Northern California entered a contest to see whose pieces would be chosen to adorn the walls. Currently there are 12 Turner original works on permanent display in the lobby as well as the connection between wings.

His colorful and vibrant works were considered ideal to put in a place for patients and their family members. Included is a five-by-three-foot Peace rose on canvas, which hangs on the wall across from the elevators.

 

Other artistic endeavors

Turner is also starting a concert series at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center in which he will collaborate with both visual and performing artists to create what he calls “Art Song” by combining images with music. The series will hopefully be up and running by October of this year.

He will also have his works at the Sacramento Art Festival in October at the Sacramento Convention Center as well as at the Blue Wing Gallery in Woodland in May 2011.

Being an artist can be a tough thing if it is what you do for a living. But Turner has a message for the struggling artist who wonders if it’s worth it.

“Pursue your passion. Good things will happen if you do,” he said. “Good things always happen. It might be money, it might not. But something good will happen.”

For more about Turner and his work, visit his Web site at www.rturnerphotography.com.

 

E-mail Benn Hodapp at benn@valcomnews.com.

 Tom Myers’ love for history and photographs is shaping into something fantastic – for him and the Greater Sacramento Area.

Myers, a nationally renowned commercial stock photographer and author, has published a book documenting Sacramento’s rich history through postcards dated from 1905-1925. “Postcard History Series: Sacramento” from Arcadia Publishing, features 213 historical black-and-white postcard/photographs.

This book would be the publishers 19 title documenting the history of the Sacramento area.

“Tom is an ideal author for a pictorial history in the fact that he’s an experienced photographer whose work is already highly respected by locals,” said Teresa Simmons, Publicist for Arcadia Publishing.

It took Myers six years to collect the rare, decades-old postcards. He has more than 600 vintage cards bundled in a black binder he keeps in his Land Park office. His new book, brings to life the history of the city’s early years showcasing postcards such as symmetrical rows of historic buildings off of K Street, acres of undeveloped land, Sacramento bathhouses, McKinley Park, early farmers and even the fashion line of the time. Almost all the postcards he features in the book have writings on the back. He describes the writings as a form of “story telling.”

“Postcards were cheaper to use then it was to make a phone call back in the early 1900s. The mailman would make four deliveries a day, explains Myers. One card from 1913 reads, “I’ll be in late tonight on the ‘L’ train. Meet me around 6 p.m.”

That would be mailed around ten in the morning and the person would get the postcard by the afternoon and show up in the evening.”

Myers knew the postcards were special the moment he saw them – a feeling, he jokes, that is often shared by collectors such as himself. He has spent hundreds of dollars amassing his collection, countless hours reviewing old blue prints at the library, walking up and down the busy streets of Sacramento, but nothing compares to the expense he endured learning how to “Google.”

“I learned how to Google because of this book,” joked Myers. “I hate the computer, but I like to Google.”

At 84 Myers continues to work out of his home which he has turned into a photography museum. Along with his wife Sally and son Jeff, all photographers, Myers continues to live and breathe what he loves to do, photography. For more than forty-five years his stock photos depicting everything from the California agriculture to the deserts of New Mexico, have appeared in National Geographic, Newsweek, National Wildlife, hundreds of educational books and magazines, and Hallmark cards.

He has more than 600,000 slides all cataloged in banker-made cabinets out of his home in Land Park.

“The slides we have are different from what the photo agencies have. We have more natural appearing scenes,” he said. “Some slides start at $1,500 and go up from there.”

Myers first venture of documenting history was when he was shipped to Korea in the 1940’s. There he took snapshots of his combat engineer unit, the 45th Infantry Division. “I always had a camera around my neck, not for the Army, just for me. I took photos of tanks hitting mines, military personnel in camps, and the unique scenery. It’s just so easy to forget what came before us, but it’s important to remember. Everything we face today, we have faced before.”

Those 600 “permanent” photos of the Korean War he took now sit in an archive at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. Myers started taking photos with a manual 35mm Canon, 45 years later, he is still using a Canon, but to help keep up with the times, he’s using a digital.

 

E-mail Elizabeth Valente at reporter@valcomnews.com.