VENTURA — Anna Bermudez, the curator for the Museum of Ventura County and a member of the Bell Arts Factory board of directors, recently received a commendation from the Mexican Community Consul Jonathan Elias Alvarez.
Anna Bermudez, the curator for the Museum of Ventura County and a member of the Bell Arts Factory Board of Directors, received a commendation from the Mexican Community Consul Jonathan Elias Alvarez. Courtesy photo.
The recognition is for the inclusivity and community engagement Bermudez has brought to the Tool Room Gallery on behalf of the museum.
The Tool Room Gallery at the Bell Arts Factory was launched in March to provide an industrial space for artists who seek an alternate place to showcase their work. The gallery’s mission is to feature emerging and established artists who, with their work, will enhance the Ventura arts community.
It is located at the Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Ave., Ventura.
The gallery will showcase the work of Lori Cozen Geller in the exhibit “Sol,” with an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 during the First Friday Artwalk Ventura.
Visit http://toolroomgallery.com/, https://www.facebook.com/toolroomgallery, http://venturamuseum.org/upcoming-events/tool-room-gallery/, or call 805-643-1960 for more information.
THOUSAND OAKS — Lamia Financial Group Inc. has announced that Juan C. Ros has been named vice president for financial planning and philanthropy. Ros, who holds the certified financial planner designation, joined the Thousand Oaks-based firm in 2012.
Juan C. Ros. Courtesy photo.
“Juan is an integral part of the firm, both in the relationships he has with our clients and in his knowledge of financial planning and charitable strategies,” Christopher Lamia, president and CEO, stated in a media release. “This appointment merely cements the excellent work Juan has already been doing for the firm and for our clients.”
Ros worked as a nonprofit gift planner for 11 years before joining Lamia Financial Group and heads up the firm’s philanthropy division, which develops creative strategies using philanthropy to assist clients with meeting their charitable goals. In addition, Ros chairs the firm’s Financial Planning Committee, which evaluates new trends and techniques in the ever-evolving field of financial planning.
He is a member of the Financial Planning Association of Ventura County, Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council, ProVisors and the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Greater Los Angeles. He serves as secretary of the board for Make-A-Wish® Tri-Counties and is a member of the Advisory Council of the Central Coast for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.
Prior to joining Lamia Financial Group, Ros worked for more than a decade at various nonprofit organizations. He writes a blog on charitable topics at www.SpreadingtheWealthBlog.com.
SANTA BARBARA — Foodbank of Santa Barbara County raised $75,000 during End Summer Hunger, its month-long campaign to raise $50,000 to help feed the most at-risk school-age children during the summer months. Thanks to a generous anonymous pledge, the community responded and the campaign surpassed its goal by $25,000 the organization reported in a media release.
End Summer Hunger Leadership-level sponsors included Aera Energy, Santa Barbara Women Lawyers’ – Food from the Bar Drive along with the support from Citrix, Chevron, Hazelwood Allied Moving and Storage, Mentor, Oniracom, Sodexo, KCRW, Subway, Vita Travel Store and FLIR Systems.
Campaign proceeds will support the Foodbank’s countywide Picnic in the Park program, which provides free, healthy lunches to ensure that all children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. There are no income requirements and any child 18 and under is welcome to receive lunch. Picnic in the Park to date for summer 2015 has served 23,000 lunches and will continue until the end of August.
For many children who receive free and reduced-priced meals at school, summer can mean hunger. The End Summer Hunger campaign, which ran June 1-30, is crucial in closing the “summer hunger gap” in Santa Barbara County, and promoting wellness and healthy eating during summer months.
“When school lets out for the summer, children still have a need for good nutrition,” Erik Talkin, CEO of Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, stated in a media release. “In fact, only 16 percent of children in our county, who receive free or reduced-priced lunches during the school year, receive any meal assistance during the summer.”
A total of 35 percent of the people the Foodbank serves are children. There are a total of 34,000 children in Santa Barbara County who receive free or reduced-priced lunches during the school year, but don’t receive any meal assistance during the summer, a time of critical brain development. To support these children, the Picnic in the Park program provides more than 35,000 nutritious meals for 2,500 local low-income children during the summer (more than 900 meals per day throughout Santa Barbara County).
On a typical day, Picnic in the Park serves children from many diverse backgrounds including 5-year-old David, who loves Spiderman and comes to have lunch with his babysitter, Carmela, who takes care of more than six children every day from different working families, the organization reported.
To donate and get involved, visit endsummerhunger.org or to find locations where lunches will be served text SUMMERFOOD to 877-877 or visit Find a Lunch.
VENTURA — The Museum of Ventura County will present the “Meet and Greet & Book Signing — Legendary Locals of Fillmore,” featuring Fillmore author Evie Ybarra from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2 at 100 E. Main St., Ventura. The book will be available for purchase at the Museum Bookstore. Click here or here for more information.
VENTURA — The Ventura County Fair has just announced its 2015 line up of entertainment, including its annual “Día de la Familia Concert” featuring Roberto Tapia, Beatriz Adriana and Mariachi Aguilas de Mexico starting at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9 at Seaside Park, Ventura. All concerts are free with fair admission.
Other entertainment includes Motor Sports (Aug. 6), Montgomery Gentry (Aug. 6), Huey Lewis and the News (Aug. 7), LeAnn Rimes (Aug. 8), Kevin Costner and Modern West (Aug. 10), Neil Sedaka (Aug.11), Chaka Khan (Aug. 11), The Band Perry (Aug. 12), the B-52s (Aug. 13), Salt -N- Pepa (Aug. 14), closing with the annual PRCA Rodeo on Aug. 15 and 16.
Visit www.venturacountyfair.org, click here or call 805-648-3376 for more information.
OXNARD — Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. will present a health fair / Feria de Salud from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9 at Parque del Sol, 1800 Camino del Sol, Oxnard. The event will feature blood pressure, bone density, cholesterol, dental, glucose, vision and other screenings, entertainment and games for children. Call 805-647-6353 or visit www.clinicas.org for more information.
OXNARD — More than 25 representatives from the Employment Development Department (EDD), other state agencies and local, community-based organizations will join hundreds of Ventura County farmworkers and their families from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30 at the 10th annual Farmworker Fair – Feria Campesina at the West Oxnard America’s Job Center of California, 635 S. Ventura Road, Oxnard.
“Feria Campesina pays tribute to the hard work and dedication of California’s farmworkers. They work long hours, in harsh and extreme weather, in fields and orchards – growing, harvesting and preparing goods for market both at home and abroad,” Mary Navarro-Aldana, manager of the state Employment Development Department (EDD) Oxnard Workforce Services Office, stated in a media release. “This fair is our way of acknowledging their contributions to our community.”
The Feria Campesina offers Ventura County’s 20,000 farmworkers, who work during standard business hours, an opportunity to have easy access — in-person and in one location — to resources and services offered by a variety of different state government and local community agencies.
During the event, participants will be given information about farmworker health-and-safety issues, labor-law enforcement, wages, housing, transportation and other community services. The EDD, host of the fair and a partner of the West Oxnard America’s Job Center of California, provides information on how farmworkers can use CalJOBSSM, the department’s online employment services system, to find employment outside of farm work.
Representatives from El Concilio Family Services, the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Clinicas Del Camino Real Inc., the Center for Employment Training and other agencies will be onsite to provide information and answer questions.
Various local employers, community-based organizations and partners will also provide food, music, and live entertainment to show appreciation for the hard work of Ventura County farmworkers throughout the year.
Call 805-382-8610 for more information.