Page 9 - Reedley Exponent 4-5-18 E-edition

The Reedley Exponent BPanorama
Kiwanis Distinguished Service Awards earned by trio
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Section | Thursday, April 5, 2018 www.reedleyexponent.com Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654 An event-full weekend
Rummage Roundup, concert, plant share, sale and auction, more are on tap
Staff Report
You’ll have your pick of activi- ties this weekend, including annual events that draw their share of fans and admirers.
The happenings range from the Downtown Reedley Rummage Roundup – that’s rain or shine – on G Street Saturday, April 7, to the West Coast Mennonite Men’s Chorus concert at the Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church on Sunday, April 8. There’s also an out-of-town event that attracts local interest – the West Coast Mennonite Relief Sale and Auction held for two days at Fresno
Pacific University, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave. in Fresno.
Here’s a schedule of what’s com- ing up:
• April 6 and 7, Annual West Coast Mennonite Relief Sale and Auction at Fresno Pacific University – This is the 51st anniversary for the event. It’s packed with food, auctions and lots of quilts, to point out just a few attractions. All proceeds benefit the Mennonite Central Committee and its programs and projects to help people around the world.
The event kicks off on Friday, April 6, at 4 p.m. when food and shops open, and the silent auction
begins. It winds up at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, April 7, the sale and
auction offers a full day of activities. They start at 7 a.m. with a Run for Relief as well as a Pancake and Ger- man Sausage Breakfast. An outside auction begins at 8:30 a.m.
At 9 a.m., the day gets into full swing with sales, auctions, food and shop booths, and children’s activities. The event ends in the late afternoon.
Go online to westcoastmccsale. org for more information.
• April 7, Annual Plant Give and See WEEKEND page B8
An April 8 concert fea- turing the West Coast Mennonite Men's Cho- rus is one of several events in Reedley this weekend.
Photo Contributed / WCMMC webite
Easter break brings plenty of holiday activities
By Felicia Cousart Matlosz
felicia@midvalleypublishing.com
Local schools were out of session for the Easter spring break and some families took vacations, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t activities in town to keep youngsters and others busy and entertained.
Aside from sports tournaments, pro- grams included an Easter-themed evening event at Washington Elementary School on March 23 for an early learning program called Early Steps to School Success through the Save the Children organization.
At the Reedley Senior Center, the se- niors decorated eggs, crafted baskets and had an Easter egg hunt on March 30.
The city’s Community Services Depart- ment hosted its annual Easter Egg Carnival on March 24 at Mueller Park and offered an Easter Kids Camp from March 26 to April 2.
The event at Washington Elementary was a lively affair with a purpose – to show parents that they are vital to how their chil- dren will do in school.
Veronica Diaz, the early childhood co- ordinator for the Early Steps to Success program, said that evening that the festivi- ties would include an Easter egg hunt and a
spaghetti dinner.
As she talked, several mothers were
gathered around a table, where they were crafting Easter baskets from plastic gallon milk jugs, colorful paper, and wiggle eyes. Diaz said this particular arts and crafts ac- tivity would show parents that they can use everyday items at home for learning oppor- tunities with their children. As a handout pointed out: “By creating lots of opportuni- ties for play, parents encourage exploration, creativity, and experimentation – all key fac- tors in building strong minds.”
The children at the March 23 event were going to decorate cookies and participate in a game to guess what was inside small deco- rated boxes (which contained fun learning materials).
The whole idea, Diaz said, is to empow- er parents. The message, she said, is this: “You are the most important teacher in your child’s life.”
Amanda Dover was there with her three young children. She said she understood the importance of doing what she can to make sure her children are “at the development stages they’re supposed to be at for read-
See BREAK page B8
LEFT: These youngsters (seen with rec- reation leader Janie Almanzar) were among the city's Easter Camp attendees who took a tour of the Sequoia Safety Council facility.
They are (from left) Kimberly Ramos, Evelynn Perez, Jocelyn Trejo, Charlie Ocañas, Madison Garcia and Carson Manning.
Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Exponent
ABOVE: Parents at the March 23 Easter-themed event at Washington Elementary School included (from left) Lorenza Diaz, Marisol Aponte, Maria M. Garcia, Blanca Hernandez (in striped shirt) and Rosa Gomez. The event was presented by the Early Steps to School Success program through the Save the Children organization.
Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Exponent
LEFT: SamuelEscarenooftheReedleyPoliceExplorerprogram,isseen at the city's Easter Egg Carnival on March 24 at Mueller Park.
Photo Contributed
ABOVE: GuadalupeMartinezholdsupthegoldeneggshefounddur- ing the Reedley Senior Center egg hunt on March 30. Whoever found the golden egg received a $5 Starbucks gift card. She's seen with Chris- tina Ontiveros, Reedley senior citizen coordinator.
Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Exponent
Kiwanis Distinguished Service Awards conferred on trio
Contributed
The Reedley Sunrise Kiwanis Club was awarded three Distinguished Service Awards during the annual Kiwanis governor’s visit with the clubs in the Fresno-Made- ra Division on March 17.
The Distinguished Ser-
vice Awards were presented to Gordon Todd and Ro Lin- scheid, both members of Reedley Sunrise Kiwanis. And, Adriana Genna, as a member of the community, was presented a Local Com- munity Person of Distinction Distinguished Service Award.
The event was held at Pardini’s in Fresno. Kiwanis Governor Joni Ackerman of the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis Club was the
featured speaker.
She also presented
the awards to the three Reedley honorees.
Todd has been a club member since 1984 and has served in officer posts for the organiza- tion. Linscheid, a member since 2015, is the associ- ate executive director for the Sierra View Homes Retirement Community.
Genna is the wife of club member Vito Genna. She has provided vital assistance with Kiwanis fundraisers as well as planning for the club’s din- ner events.
The awards are given to individuals for “many hours of service to Kiwanis and the community,” according to the organization, which also sup- ports the Kiwanis Cal-Nev- Ha Foundation.
In the Reedley and sur- rounding area, the foundation supports the pediatric trauma program at Valley Children’s Hospital.
The foundation has given $20,000 to the hospital for children’s car seats and train- ing to install them in the past two years,.
The foundation’s other en- deavors include grant fund- ing, scholarships and leader- ship training.
Pictured here are (from left) Kiwanis Dis- tinguished Service Award winners Ro Linscheid, Gordon Todd and Adriana Genna.
They were honored at a Kiwanis divi- sion event held March 17 in Fresno.
Photo Contributed
The View From Here
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