Play auditions set
HOLLISTER
– San Benito Stage Company is hosting auditions for Disney’s
Aladdin Jr. Auditions will be held today, Feb. 6 and tomorrow, Feb.
7 for children ages 8 to 14. Please call 638-1474 to schedule an
appointment for audition. The show will run May 1-3 and May 8-10.
The show will be produced by Pattie Sa
so, with Sally Hail directing and Jessica Smiley
choreographing.
New pastor arrives
HOLLISTER – St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Hollister will welcome a new pastor this Sunday, Feb. 8, with a formal installation and celebration starting at 6 p.m.
The Rev. Amy Denny Zuniga will serve as priest-in-charge for the Monterey Street parish.
She was most recently a missionary serving in El Salvador in charge of a church and a school.
Denny Zuniga attended the University of California at Davis, Berkeley Divinity School and Yale Divinity School. In 2005 she was ordained as a deacon in Davis and came to serve with St. Luke’s in the summer. She went to El Salvador in the fall of 2005 and was ordained as a priest in December 2005 in El Salvador.
Her husband, Vince Zuniga, was music director and wrote grants for agricultural projects. Their son Jacob was born in El Salvador in October 2007.
Vince Zuniga’s family has called Hollister home for many generations. The Zuniga family owns Progresso’s restaurant in Hollister.
“St Luke’s is a wonderful loving community, and as I get to know the church and town, I believe this church can extend a hand in welcome and solidarity to all our neighbors in Hollister,” she said.
Denney Zuniga will be officially installed by Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves of the El Camino diocese on Sunday. A reception will follow the service. The installation service will include clergy from around the diocese, church and community leaders in Hollister, members of St. Luke’s and the greater Hollister community.
Play auditions set
HOLLISTER – San Benito Stage Company is hosting auditions for Disney’s Aladdin Jr. Auditions will be held today, Feb. 6 and tomorrow, Feb. 7 for children ages 8 to 14. Please call 638-1474 to schedule an appointment for audition. The show will run May 1-3 and May 8-10. The show will be produced by Pattie Saso, with Sally Hail directing and Jessica Smiley choreographing.
San Juan/Aromas Little League registration
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA – The final registration date for San Juan/Aromas Little League is Saturday, Feb 7, at Abbe field in San Juan Bautista from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tryouts will be held the same day. Prices are $95 for children who play in the farm division and up. It is $65 for children in the tee ball division. $15 off for sibling discount. Volunteers and sponsors are also needed. Bring the player’s birth certificate and three proofs of residency.
For more information, visit www.sjabaseball.com or call 623-2038 or 524-0554.
Hospital scholarships available
HOLLISTER – Applications for the 2009 Hazel Hawkins Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship Awards are now available. Each year the Auxiliary awards scholarships to students who are pursuing a medical or medically oriented career. The total amount awarded to each recipient will be at the discretion of the scholarship committee.
Auxiliary members put in thousands of hours throughout the year running a thrift shop, the hospital gift shop, and organizing their annual craft and antique faire in order to fund scholarships and purchase equipment for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital.
To be eligible to apply for a scholarship you must:
– Be a high school graduate (or equivalent)
– Be a resident of San Benito County for a minimum of one continuous year
– Be enrolled in health-related course of study at an accredited institution.
– Apply by April 17.
A complete list of eligibility rules and application packet are available at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Lobby, San Benito High School, Gavilan College, on the hospital Web site at www.hazelhawkins.com or contact Frankie Arballo in the hospital’s public relations office at 636-2644 for additional information.
Community Foundation moves
HOLLISTER – The Community Foundation for San Benito County this week moved into new offices, located at 829 San Benito St., Suite 200, in Hollister.
The office phone remains 630-1924. More information on the foundation can be found at www.cffsbc.org.
LAFCO vacancy
HOLLISTER – Due to a resignation, the position of public member commissioner is open on the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). People interested in this volunteer position may submit a letter of interest to Judi Johnson, executive officer, 3224 Southside Road, Hollister, no later than Feb. 15.
LAFCO generally meets nine times per year. The volunteer position comes with a four-year term. For more information, call 630-0745 or e-mail
ju*****@sb*******.net
.
Women’s Networking Group
HOLLISTER – Women with local home-based or small businesses meet every other Tuesday at 1582 San Benito St. at the corner of Nash Road. The next meeting is Feb. 17.
For details, contact Sara Andrade at 637-6006.
Kindergarten registration opens
HOLLISTER – Spring Grove School is now registering children for kindergarten next fall.
Registration packets are available at the school office at 500 Spring Grove Road from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on school days.
Kindergarten classes are from 8:15 a.m.-2:15 p.m., with a maximum of 20 students per teacher.
Children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before Dec. 2. To register, birth date verification in the form of a birth certificate, baptismal certificate or passport must be supplied. Also required are: record of a full health exam prior to first grade, a dental assessment by May 31 of the kindergarten year, proof of residency in the form of a utility bill that includes name and address, and record of current immunizations.
The school is also enrolling students for Little Grove Preschool, a pre-K tuition-based program for students intending to enroll in kindergarten in the 2010-2011 school year. Students must be 4 by Dec. 2. Classes are from 8:15-12:15 daily.
Further information is available from the school at 637-3745.
Summer internship for college students
HOLLISTER – The National Farm Workers Service Center in Hollister is accepting applications for its summer associate internship program, a nine-week opportunity available to college students. College students must be at least 18 years old and able to work full-time.
Interns will receive a nine-week living allowance of $1,975, free housing and training and a $1,000 Americorps educational award upon completion of the program.
The service center focuses on literacy, math and technology for Latino and underserved communities through after-school and summer programs. Applications are due Feb. 16 and must be mailed to the National Farm Workers Service Center, Inc., 5331 Diamond Heights Blvd., Suite E, San Francisco, 94131.
For more information, contact site supervisor Jeanette Acosta by e-mail at
nf************@gm***.com
.
Democrat committee meeting
HOLLISTER – The San Benito County Democratic Central Committee meets the second Thursday of every month at 5 p.m. at the YMCA. All Democrats are welcome and there are openings on the committee.
For more information, e-mail
sb**********@ya***.com
.
Free homebuyer workshop
HOLLISTER – San Benito County’s Housing and Economic Development Department is hosting a free homebuyer workshop in English and Spanish on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall, conference room 204, 649 San Benito St.
Doors open at 9 a.m. for the 9:30 a.m. workshop, which will cover the home-buying process, down payment and closing cost programs, and below-market-rate housing opportunities in the city and county.
To RSVP or for more information, call Christopher “C.J.” Valenzuela at 637-1763 or e-mail him at
cv*********@pl******.us
.
Oriana Chorale rehearsals begin
HOLLISTER – The San Benito Oriana Chorale will hold its first spring rehearsal on Monday, Feb. 9, at 7:15 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church. The rehearsal will be conducted by Bruce Olstad, and the chorale will be singing American folk songs, spirituals and other pieces. For more information, call Jan at 638-9002.
Community Foundation meeting
HOLLISTER – Community Foundation for San Benito County will be hosting a Community Foundation overview at San Juan Oaks on Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The evening will cover topics such as grant strategies, nonprofit leadership training for 2009 and the nonprofit calendar. Nonprofit organization and agenices are asked to send one to two representatives to the meeting. Please RSVP through email to
sf*****@cf****.org
by Friday, Feb. 6.
Tax help for seniors and middle-to-low-income residents
HOLLISTER – The American Association of Retired Persons Tax-Aide Program offers free personal tax counseling and preparation assistance to all taxpayers with middle and low income, with a special emphasis on helping those 60 and older. The program will run Feb. 10 through April 14 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Community Center, 300 West St., in Hollister. Help will also be available Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. at the County Library on Fifth Street. Call ahead for an appointment at 637-1980.
Those who need help with preparing their taxes are requested to bring the tax package they received in the mail, last year’s return, and all relevant information on income and expenses. Volunteer counselors are not trained to assist in preparing tax returns that report business, rental or partnership income.
Fundraiser for local boy
HOLLISTER – Johnny’s in downtown Hollister will host a fundraiser for Logan Wood, a local 2-year-old boy diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Logan takes multiple breathing treatments and various other medications to help him grow and stay healthy. The money raised in the Feb. 22 event will help offset the medical costs associated with his treatment, which includes seeing a team of doctors every three months.
Meals will be available between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the day of the event for a $10 donation. Johnny’s is located at 526 San Benito St. To guarantee your meal or for more information, call Carol at 630-9061 or Andrea at 637-7498.
Paint a chair to benefit HDA
HOLLISTER – The Hollister Downtown Association is seeking artists interested in painting a chair for the second annual Charming Chair event scheduled for April 4-18.
Chairs painted by artists will be submitted for a silent auction that takes place in front of participating businesses downtown. A few chairs will be available, or artists may use their own chair. Last year’s event raised $3,000, all of which went to the Downtown Endowment Fund to help revitalize downtown as the social and economic hub of the community.
For more information, call the HDA office at 636-8406.
