Youth, the abused and fund-raising are targeted by leadership
members
For the second year in a row, members of Leadership San Benito
County have chosen to work on three separate projects, said Mary
Damm, president of the board of directors for Leadership San Benito
County.
Youth, the abused and fund-raising are targeted by leadership members
For the second year in a row, members of Leadership San Benito County have chosen to work on three separate projects, said Mary Damm, president of the board of directors for Leadership San Benito County. This year’s projects include constructing a garden for Emmaus House, a shelter for women and children who have experienced domestic violence; “A Night on the Vine” fund-raiser for Leadership San Benito County; and “Tween Spot,” a safe place for young teens to hang out, Damm said.
Leadership San Benito County is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the next generation of community leaders in the county, said Damm.
Leadership SBC conducts a yearlong class series that meets from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. one Friday per month. Students learn about issues from county residents who are experts in their fields, she said.
“People who complete the class are expected to use their skills for the benefit of our community,” Damm said.
There are 26 members of the class this year, she said. The program is in its fourth year.
Dale Yarmuth, a director at Emmaus House and member of the leadership class, is helping to coordinate the garden project.
The garden will consist mostly of vegetables, Yarmuth said. He would also like to include some flowers, he said.
“The kids will love it,” Yarmuth said. “The kids can say it’s their garden, and they can take care of it too.”
The garden will also benefit the women who stay at Emmaus, he said. Once the garden is constructed, the women will maintain it, he said.
“This will help them build up their self-esteem,” Yarmuth said. “The women will take ownership of this and see something actually come to being. It will also bring some happiness and beauty to their world.”
The garden will have raised beds, he said. The beds will be constructed of either plastic or wood and then filled with dirt, Yarmuth said.
Members of the garden project group are looking for donations of dirt, plants and materials from which to construct the beds, he said.
The leadership class, “basically teaches how we can give back to the community,” said Nick Prizant, a Hollister resident. He is working on “A Night at the Vines,” the fund-raiser for Leadership SBC.
The fund-raiser will take place on May 17 at Leal Vineyards in Hollister, Prizant said. Tickets are $60 and all proceeds will benefit Leadership SBC, he said.
From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., there will be a wine pairing, Prizant said. The different wines that Leal produces will be paired with different food, he said.
Gambling will begin at 8 p.m. Attendees will have the chance to play Texas hold’em, blackjack, craps and roulette, Prizant said. The chips can be traded in for prizes, he said.
There will also be silent and live auctions, he said.
Class members are still seeking prizes for the auction and gambling, Prizant said.
“If anybody has anything that they would like to donate, that would be wonderful,” he said.
Diane Ortiz is the executive director of Hollister Youth Alliance, a nonprofit that serves youth in the community. She is also a member of the group that is coordinating the tween spot.
“It’s really in the planning stages,” Ortiz said, “But we’re really excited about the project.”
“Tween Spot” will be held once per week at the community center on West Street, she said.
Members of the “Tween Spot” group plan to discuss the name of the spot as well as potential activities with local teenagers, she said.
“We want to have a youth advisory committee so that we have their input,” Ortiz said.
The spot would be very structured, with a set time, activities and expectations, she said, “but we want it to be their place.”
Members of the group would like it to be in place by May or June, Ortiz said.
“We’re looking to have it opened by summer,” she said.
Members of the group would like to create something for youth that, “can last through the lean years,” Ortiz said.
“We want to show how the community, by pulling together, can put together something for youth without spending a lot of money,” she said.
Members are still searching for donations of supplies, such as art supplies, Ortiz said.
