Band and color guard social
HOLLISTER
– The San Benito High School Scarlet Regiment Band and Guard
Unit are hosting a social for all eighth-grade students and their
parents. The social will be at the San Benito High School
Cafeteria, 1221 Monterey St., on Friday, March 13, from 6 p.m. to 9
p.m.
The purpose of the event is to help eighth-grade students make
the transition to the high school music program. Band director
James Zuniga and guard director Camille Zuniga will be on hand to
talk with parents, as well as current members of the band and color
guard.
Band and color guard social
HOLLISTER – The San Benito High School Scarlet Regiment Band and Guard Unit are hosting a social for all eighth-grade students and their parents. The social will be at the San Benito High School Cafeteria, 1221 Monterey St., on Friday, March 13, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The purpose of the event is to help eighth-grade students make the transition to the high school music program. Band director James Zuniga and guard director Camille Zuniga will be on hand to talk with parents, as well as current members of the band and color guard.
Immunization hours change
HOLLISTER – The San Benito County Public Health Immunization Clinic now requires appointments effective March 31, and cannot accommodate walk-in clients due to budget constraints. Clinic hours are Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information or to make an appointment, call 637-5367.
Brunch and auction
HOLLISTER – The Hollister Seventh Day Adventist Church is hosting a fundraiser Sunday, March 15, at 2121 Sunnyslope Dr. to raise money for the fifth- to eighth-grade students at the school to go to science camp. The event includes a brunch and live auction as well as a car wash. Brunch is $10 for adults, $5 for children 10 and under. Items for auction include artwork, fitness equipment and antique furniture. For more information, visit www.hollistersdacs.cmarket.com.
Farm Day volunteers needed
HOLLISTER – Volunteers and presenters are needed for the annual Farm Day hosted at Bolado Park on March 24. The goal of the event is to increase awareness of nutrition and the contributions of agriculture in the community. More than 900 third-graders from throughout the county will be on site. For more information, or to volunteer or contribute to the event, call Mindy Sotelo at the Farm Bureau Office at 637-7643.
Census testing cancelled
HOLLISTER – Census testing for the second half of March has been cancelled due to a record number of applicants, including dates from March 13-29. More testing may occur in the fall of 2009. For more information, call 1-866-861-2010.
Diabetic support group
HOLLISTER – The Hazel Hawkins Diabetic Support Group will meet Monday, March 16, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the board room at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital. The meeting is free and open to the public. There will be a presentation on diabetes management by Mickey Johnson, a certified diabetes educator, and Jennifer Bange, a registered dietician. For more information, call 636-2607.
Free CPR training day
HOLLISTER – The Monterey-San Benito Counties Chapter of the American Red cross will be offering a free CPR class in Hollister, Salinas and Monterey on March 14. Please call 424-4824 or 375-5730 to reserve a place. The training is available in English and Spanish.
“More than 75 percent of all cardiac arrests occur at home with family and friends looking on and not knowing what to do,” said Brielle Bumba, the education and training director. “CPR Saturday will teach hundreds of local residents how they can save a life by learning and performing CPR.”
Car seat checkup
HOLLISTER – A free child safety seat checkup is set for 2-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, at the K Mart parking lot, 491 Tres Pinos Road in Hollister.
Car seats are only effective when installed and used properly. Representatives from the San Benito County First Five, Child Injury Prevention and Highway Patrol will be on hand.
Low-cost car seats are available for qualified families to purchase. People should bring proof of income in the form of a WIC card, Medi-Cal card or pay stubs. People stopping in for the safety checkup should allot at least 45 minutes and arrive with a safety seat and the car it is to be most frequently used in.
Cleanup downtown
HOLLISTER – The Hollister Downtown Association is hosting the annual spring cleanup, and volunteers are needed. The event will be April 25 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Organized groups such as Boys and Girls Scout troops or 4-H clubs are invited to participate. Students looking for community service hours or adults wanting to pitch in can also join in. For more information, call 636-8406.
Annual Crab Feed
HOLLISTER – The Hollister Exchange Club’s 22nd annual Crab Feed will be held at the Bolado Park Pavilion on April 18. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will begin at 7 p.m. Dancing, with music provided by “The Dadz,” starts at 9.
A wine auction will precede dinner and a silent auction will be held at the informal event, which includes all the crab you can eat along with salad, pasta and garlic bread. Proceeds from the $35 tickets will benefit the Exchange Club’s local youth programs. Tickets can be purchased from any member of the club or at Richard Shelton Insurance, 719 San Benito St., #B, in Hollister. Details: 831-750-9635.
Hollister a Main Street city again
HOLLISTER – The California Main Street Program notified the Hollister Downtown Association last week that the city has been designated a national Main Street destination for 2009.
The designation is given to cities demonstrating broad-based community support for downtown revitalization, a comprehensive Main Street work plan, a historic preservation ethic and an active board of directors and committees.
Blood drive
HOLLISTER – The American Red Cross will be holding a mobile blood drive Thursday, April 1 from 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church Hall, 1670 Cienega Road, in Hollister. To schedule an appointment call 800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or go to BeADonor.com and enter HOLLISTER as the code.
Utility assistance
HOLLISTER – The Health and Human Services Agency Department of Community Services and Workforce Development will have funding available for utility assistance to pay PG&E or to purchase propane.
To apply, residents should complete an application and bring along a photo ID, social security cards for all household members, a PG&E bill, proof of income for the past 30 days, and proof of citizenship. For more information, call 637-9293, ext. 10.
Help Cupid get well
HOLLISTER – On Valentine’s Day Feb. 14, a motorist watched as a car struck a Labrador retriever and continued without stopping. A passing motorist searched for the dog, and found him muddy and hiding under some branches. A stretcher was brought in, and the dog was taken to a local veterinary office where he was examined and a shattered rear leg was set.
Even though Hollister veterinarian Melvin White discounted his services, Cupid will need weeks of rest and more x-rays as he recovers.
Bad Dawg Rescue of Hollister is seeking tax-deductible donations to assist with Cupid’s medical expenses. Further information is available by going to www.baddawgrescue.com or by calling 636-6816.
In search of Sacred Heart class of ’82
HOLLISTER – Members of the Sacred Heart class of 1982 are looking for missing classmates for a summer reunion. Bonnie Brown, maiden name Goodwin, and Michael Kirch are asking anyone who is in contact with a member of the Sacred Heart class of 1982 to help them pass the message along. They hope to have the reunion this summer in San Juan with all 48 class members present, with a date and location to be announced soon.
For more information, please contact Bonnie at [email protected] or Michael at [email protected].
Girl Scout cookies on sale
HOLLISTER – Girl Scout cookies are being sold outside of several local supermarkets and stores through March 22.
This year, Girl Scouts are encouraging buyers to donate cookies to military troops serving overseas through Operation Gratitude. Troop-to-troop donations can be made at any cookie booth location, or by visiting the council website for a secure online donation at www.girlscoutsccc.org. Supporters can also participate in the Girl Scout Gift of Caring program by donating boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to local charities at any Cookie Booth location. Ccookie donations will be delivered to local charities or food pantries identified by each respective Girl Scout troop.
The Girl Scout Cookie activity is one of the longest running hands-on leadership and entrepreneurial programs for girls in the United States, and provides the majority of money girls use all year for service projects and program activities. Cookie sales also provide girl financial aid scholarships for program activities and summer camps.
Eight varieties of cookies are being sold for $4 a box.
Friends of the Library book sale
HOLLISTER – Books for all ages and interests are available for purchase at $2 per bag at the shed behind the San Benito County Free Library on Fifth Street every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 636-4107.
Deadline for new city residential development
HOLLISTER – The deadline to apply for residential growth management allocations, outside of the Measure Y exemption area, for 2009-2012 is March 31. Applications are available at City Hall, 375 Fifth St., at Development Services, 420 Hill St., Bldg. A, or online at www.hollister.ca.gov. The fee is $52 per lot. Along with the application, please submit architectural drawings that illustrate the project’s intentions, such as building elevations, floor plans and design guidelines.
The process is in accordance with the growth management program ordinance, which limits new residential construction allocations to 244 units per year. After the application deadline, city staff will begin an evaluation process for the proposed developments, and there will be a three-year development window. City staff will prepare a report on each proposal that will be reviewed by the city planning commission and will hold a public hearing before making a recommendation to the city council.
Property owners are encouraged to make an appointment with staff at Development Services to discuss the design concept and program for their proposed project prior to the completion of the application.
Properties in and around downtown Hollister may qualify for the Measure Y exemption from the 244-unit allocations, which is roughly Monterey to McCray streets and Third to Hawkins streets.
For more information, call 636-4360.
Children’s art contest
HOLLISTER – The Child Abuse Prevention Council of San Benito County is accepting entries for the April art contest. To enter children in grades third through sixth should create a picture and a slogan related to the theme of preventing child abuse. The pictures can be on 8 ½-by-11 paper up to poster size, and can be done in any medium such as charcoal, markers, paint, etc. Entries can be completed by an individual child, or a group of child, though only one prize will be awarded. All submissions should have a consent form completed by a parent or legal guardian attached.
The first prize is a $50 gift card; second place is a $25 gift card and third place is a $15 gift card. The winners will be announced at the YMCA Healthy Families Day April 25, and the winning entries may be used in agency newsletters Web sites, or on County Express buses.
For more information, contact Ana Cabrera at San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency at 634-0686 or by e-mail at [email protected].
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.
Southside registration
HOLLISTER – Registration for Southside kindergarten will be held March 23 through April 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Southside School District, 4991 Southside Road. Children must be 5 years or older before Dec. 12, 2009. For more information, call 637-4439 or visit www.southsideschool.net.
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.
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.
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 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.
