Although many of us are blessed with healthy children, I was reminded once again that childhood Cancer is on the rise in the United States. 

Did you know…?

Each year in the U.S., approximately 12,500 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer.  That is the equivalent to two average size classrooms diagnosed each school day.

Childhood Cancer can affect any child - from newborns to teenagers. There is no known cause for Cancer.  No one knows why some children get Cancer.   No one knows why some children get well and some children don’t.

Children tend to develop different types of Cancer than adults do.

There are currently over 40,000 children receiving treatment for Cancer in the United States.

Cancer remains the number one disease that claims the lives of children in the US.  More children, under the age of 20, will die from cancer than AIDS, asthma, cystic fibrosis and diabetes combined.

Leukemia’s, tumors of the brain and nervous system, the lymphatic system, kidneys, bones and muscles are the most common childhood cancers in the US.

Combined, the cancers of children, adolescents and young adults to age 20 are the sixth most common cancer in the U.S.

In the 1950, less than 10 percent of children with cancer survived.  Currently, nearly 80 percent of children diagnosed become long term survivors and the majority of those are considered cured.

Many breakthroughs in pediatric oncology have helped increase the survivability of adults with cancer.  Many of the principles in therapy used today in treating adults were first developed and tested in children.

Research is needed to end all types of Cancer and funding is the key.  There are many organizations that are leading the charge in the US.  Please consider donating money to organizations like St. Jude’s Children Research Center, The Pediatric Cancer Foundation or New York’s Sloan Kettering.

The Harry H. Baker Boys & Girls Club has been in operation for almost 10 years now.  They are well known for the services that they have provided to the community at large.

How can it be that they are now having to shut their doors?  Club officials have been left with little choice in the matter.  They have been without a corporate sponsor since 2003 and are in desperate need of help from the community.  Financial difficulties have hit everyone hard, and the Club is no different.
 
The community needs this organization and they are hoping to continue to raise funds so that they can open their doors once again.

For a mere $10 per year, per child, parents could send their youngsters to a fun and safe place in the community.  Children have enjoyed playing on their computers and using the skateboard park.  It has given students a safe place to do their homework or hang out with their friends, instead of wandering the streets of Oakhurst with nothing to do.  The club was open during the summer time and after school the rest of the year.

Mountain area residents have a couple of opportunities to help raise the much needed funds to reopen the Club.

A raffle for a laptop will be held at Oakhurst Computers.  The drawing is March 1st at noon.  Tickets are being sold for $5 each.

A benefit dinner will be held at the Erna’s Elderberry House on March 31st.  It is sponsored by the Sierra Rotary Club.  If you are interested in attending, contact James Overbaugh at (559) 683-6800.

Monetary donations are also being sought to help open the Club back up.

A Simple Way to Donate to the California Peace Officers’ Memorial

 There is a  beautiful bronze and granite Memorial located on State Capitol grounds in Sacramento which contains the names of the more than 1,400 courageous peace officers who have laid down their lives in the line of duty protecting and serving their fellow Californians. The names date back to early statehood. Contributions are needed and used to maintain the California Peace Officers’ Memorial, and for activities in support of the surviving families of those brave men and women peace officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.Taxpayers can make voluntary tax-free contributions on their personal state income tax returns to the “California Peace Officers’ Memorial Foundation Fund.” The process is simple. There are no checks to write and no solicitors. The taxpayer merely enters an amount of at least $1 on his or her state income tax return.I urge you to remember the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Foundation Fund when you file your 2007 state tax return. .

Do you have an old cell phone taking up space around your house?   Most of us do. Another great collection is being taken in Madera County.

Susan Galley is adding yet other item that she is collecting to help out our soldiers who are in Iraq….cell phones.  Susan is the owner of the Coarsegold Book Peddler.  She is working in conjunction with the non-profit group Cell Phones for Soldiers (www.cellphoneforsoldiers.com) in collecting unused cell phones.  Each phone collected will be recycled and the cash paid for them will be used to provide phone cards to the soldiers overseas.   Collected cell phones are sent to ReCellular who then in turns pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each phone they receive.  These used cell phones are collected each month from over 3,000 collection sites nationwide.  All types of cell phones are accepted for recycling.

All of the phone cards will be sent to the soldiers via another great organization that Susan Galley has teamed up with, Any Soldier Inc.  In 2003, Sergeant Brian Horn, from La Plata, Maryland formed this family company to help out soldiers in one army unit, with essential items given from home.  The organization has since expanded to sending care packages to any soldier around the world that is serving in harms way.

Items being collected include:  stationary, disposable cameras, games, books and hygiene products to name a few.  For a complete list of acceptable donations, visit www.anysoldier.com.

For more information on this great recycling/donation project, contact Susan Galley at (559) 683-8024 or drop off cell phones or other items for donation at the Coarsegold Book Peddler 35430 Highway 41 in Coarsegold.

E-Waste is described as electronics that have little or no further value to the consumer or business.  From VCR’s, televisions, compact disk players, cell phones to computers, etc.  It is the fastest growing solid waste generated in the United States.   Every holiday Americans receive wonderful updated electronics during the holiday season.

Environmentalists wonder where all of the old equipment will go.  Landfills are filling up nationwide.  These electronics contain harmful components that are terrible for the environment when deposited in landfills.  

E-waste creates a burden on landfills.  Toxic substances can leach into the groundwater and soil.  Harmful substances like copper, lead, mercury, arsenic, PCB’s, zinc, cadmium and nickel can be found in electronic devices. Because of the dangers, it is illegal in California to dispose of these items in landfills.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, some manufactures, retailers and service providers offer recycling of e-waste for free or for a minimal charge.  Many of the components can be easily recycled into other items for the consumer.

There are efforts begin made to ensure that harmful substances do not get deposited in any landfill and Oakhurst is jumping on board as well.  The Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce has scheduled two days to deposit your unwanted electronics.  Saturday, January 5th, and Sunday January 6th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can rid yourself of these unwanted items.  There are no limitations to the amount of items that you can bring.  Collection is being taken at the Chamber parking lot, next to the library.  For more information, call (559) 683-7766.

The Harry H. Baker Boys and Girls Club had their 6th Annual Christmas Tree Auction on December 2, 2007.  They are reporting that it was a huge success.  Information will follow soon on their website, as to how much money they raised for their various charities.

If you missed the live auction, you still have a chance to bid on some fantastic items online.  The final day of bidding will be this Friday, December 14th.  Like before, the proceeds will go the The Harry H. Baker Boys and Girls Club.

Bidders are welcome to wage war and try to win a one-of-a-kind original painting that was painted especially for this occasion by artist Joan Brumley.  There are  other items still available for online bidding. Many holiday decorations, a family portrait session, glassware, jewelry, various collectible items, and the book, “Rhett Butler’s People”.

Not only will you find some fun items to put under the Christmas tree, you will be helping this worthwhile organization whose mission is to enhance and promote and the development of boys and girls in the Madera County area.

If you would like to see what see what all the fun is about, visit http://www.supportbgclub.cmarket.com for more information.  Let the bidding continue!

Montecino & Associates is hosting the first annual “Celebrate The Season”. Come into the office with a can of food for Manna House, vote on the best decorated cubicle and be entered to win a $200 gift card to Target. You may vote daily and the drawing will take place on December 18th.

Do you remember the joy of racing downstairs on Christmas morning to see what presents were their awaiting you? Or, of you don’t remember Christmases like that from your childhood, perhaps you remember the see the joy on your own children’s faces as they opened gifts the gifts you bought for them.

In our area there are parents who cannot give their kids that kind of Christmas and there are children who already know that when they awaken on Christmas morning, there won’t be a tree or a sea of presents.

The Oakhurst Elks Lodge wants help families in our area who are unable to provide such Christmas morning moments on their own by giving gifts to children in need. They are having their annual Christmas party on Saturday, December 15 for 9am to 1pm. The Elks are committed to assisting these children with their wants and needs. Each child at the party will receive toys as well as an item of clothing.

Attendees will be children ages 4-12. At the party they will get pizza, soft drinks and ice cream. And a certain jolly old man in a red and white suit will make an appearance to spread Christmas cheer.

You can help make a child’s Christmas a little merrier by making a donation for this effort. Call the Elks at 559-683-2717 for more details.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 3:00PMFRESNO FALCONS VS
VICTORIA SALMON KINGSSpecial Appearance by SpongeBob!KidsHoliday Caroling Party on the ice!

Oakhurst Library – Food For Fines Program

The State of California passed a law in 1911, requiring each county to provide free public libraries to all citizens.  With revenues from the federal government, the Oakhurst Library was built in 1977.   When it first opened, the Oakhurst Library was called “Fresno Flats”.  Currently, there are many services available including tax forms, internet assessable computers, music CD’s, books on CD and tapes, along with newspapers, magazines and most importantly, books.

“The mission of the Oakhurst Branch Library is to provide a balanced, accurate, and up-to-date collection of books and other materials, as well as professional information services, for the educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the community.”

The Oakhurst Library will be sponsoring the “Food For Fines” program.  Under this program, library patrons with outstanding fines, can reduce or eliminate their fines by donating canned food items.  Each canned food item donated is equal to $1 in fines assessed.  Patrons are asked to not bring in dented or damaged cans, as they cannot be accepted.  Donations cannot be applied to lost or damaged items from the library.  Canned food items are being collected from November 26th through December 15th.  If you are interested in donating canned food, but do not have any fines to pay, feel free to join the fun and make a donation.  The Manna House will be receiving all collected items.
 
The Friends of the Oakhurst Branch Library will also be offering the “3 Bucks for Books” sale on December 1st from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m..   Proceeds will benefit the needs of the library.   Visitors will be able to fit as many books as you can in a bag for only $3!  All books are in good condition and are fiction, self help, art, history and travel, to name a few.   There will be a great selection of children’s books on site.  For more information, contact 559-683-7552 or 559-642-4333 or 559-683-4838.