Celebrate Earth Day by Sleeping Under the Stars

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The County Parks and Recreation Department is offering a free night of camping to celebrate Earth Day on Thursday.

"What better way to celebrate Earth Day than by getting outdoors?” said Parks Director Brian Albright. “Our campgrounds are places where nature converges with fresh air, clean water and beautiful landscapes, and on Earth Day it’s all free.” The campgrounds will host Earth Day events and activities. Locations include:

Agua Caliente in the Anza Borrego Desert: A popular location in the winter due to its hot springs, which feed two outdoor and one indoor pool. Wildflowers should be bursting with color in April and May. Events.
Dos Picos in Ramona: Sheltered by steep, boulder-strewn mountains and ancient oak groves, this park offers a variety of ranger-led programs, including rock painting, nature hikes, and fishing.
Guajome in Oceanside: Just minutes from the ocean, it features a small lake, miles of hiking trails and the historic Rancho Guajome Adobe, offering insight into life in the area in the 1800s.
Lake Morena in Campo: Features fishing, boating, and hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail. Events
Potrero in Potrero: Quiet solitude best describes this park, but it’s also near some adventurous places such as historic Campo and the Mexican town of Tecate. Events.
Sweetwater Summit in Bonita: Offers miles of trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders as well as spectacular views of the Sweetwater Valley.
Vallecito in the Anza Borrego Desert: Site of the reconstructed sod Butterfield Stage Station.
William Heise in Julian: Peaceful mountain meadows provide the setting for miles of trails.

Note the following rules and guidelines for the Earth Day camping special:

1. Offer is valid for the night of April 22, 2010 only.
2. Offer applies to campsite fees only. All other fees are non-applicable.
3. Cannot be combined with any other offer.
4. Offer is non-refundable and cannot be redeemed for cash, credit or
refunds.
5. One offer per customer. Cannot be combined with any other offer,
discounts or promotional item.
6. Offer applies to individual campsites only.
7. Subject to availability and is offered on a first come first serve basis.
8. Reservations can be made in person, online or by phone. Advanced
reservation is encouraged.

To book your reservation, click here.

Protect your pets!

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The County Department of Animal Service will offer a rabies vaccination, dog licensing and microchipping clinic from noon to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday April 18.  The clinic will be held at the County animal shelter at 5480 Gaines St. in San Diego.

“Get a rabies vaccination, purchase a license, a microchip, and pick up a coupon to spay or neuter your pet!” said Dawn Danielson, director of County Animal Services. 

There will be $25 coupons available to neuter male dogs, cats and rabbits, and $50 coupons to spay female dogs, cats and rabbits.  These services are available for residents who live in the County’s service area of the unincorporated county or the cities that contract with the County: San Diego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar and Santee.

Rabies vaccinations are available for dogs four months or older and cats three months or older for $6.00.  Dog licenses, which are required by law, may be purchased for one, two, or three years.

With proof of a dog license, the Department will microchip dogs for a one-time fee of $20, which includes the registration.  There is no license requirement for cats, and the Department welcomes both rabbits and cats for microchipping as well.

Owners who have failed to ever license their dog, or have allowed their dog’s license to lapse, will be offered amnesty from any late fees during the event.

For the protection of owners and their pets, dogs must be on a leash and cats and rabbits in a carrier while at the clinic.  For more information, contact the County Department of Animal Services at (619) 767-2675 or visit its Web site at www.sddac.com.

Have you given blood yet?

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There's still time!

The County's blood drive is the region's third largest, after drives held by the Chargers and Comic-Con. This year's County blood drive is dedicated to County employee Juan Olmeda, who for years has helped to organize the County's drives. Olmeda was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

Take a look at this CTN.org story for more on Olmeda and the blood drive. Click here for details about the event, including dates,  locations and appointments.

Blood Drive Dedicated to Employee Battling Leukemia

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CAO Walt Ekard donates blood while talking to Juan Olmeda, an employee who received blood during leukemia treatments.

County employee Juan Olmeda has always encouraged employees to donate blood in his role as a blood drive coordinator, organizing events at more than 100 County sites over the past four years. Now he knows firsthand the impact it can have on someone’s life, after receiving donated blood during his treatment for leukemia.

“I have always told people it is important, but now I feel very lucky, very blessed, because of what has happened to me,” said Olmeda.

Olmeda is a border health assistant with the Health and Human Services Agency. He was diagnosed with leukemia in November. He will again need blood transfusions when he has a bone marrow transplant later this year. The County’s 26th annual blood drive is dedicated to Olmeda, and he helped kick off the event by greeting donors and handing out refreshments at the County Administration Center.

Supervisor Greg Cox was the first to roll up his sleeve. He is a lifelong donor who has made more than 120 donations over the years.

“This has always been a very special event. We are able to help save lives in our community, including one of our own employees who uses blood as part of his treatment,” said Supervisor Greg Cox, District 1.

Walt Ekard joined dozens of other employees on the first day of the month-long County blood drive. It will take place at 24 sites throughout the County in April. Click here for details about the event, including dates,  locations and appointments.

The County blood drive is one of the San Diego Blood Bank’s largest and most successful collection events. Employees donated 600 pints at last year’s event, and organizers hope to surpass that number this year.



County Hosts Career Day for Kids Coping with Homelessness

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What do you want to be when you grow up? It's a question often asked of children as they navigate their way through school and various interests. But imagine trying to answer that question when you're not even sure if you're going to have a roof over your head some nights? Eighth-grade students from a local school that helps homeless and at-risk children got a day to consider their career options during a trip to the County Administration Center.

The department of Human Resources partnered with the Community Services Group to host a career day on March 26. The event began with a talk given by Helen Robbins-Meyer, the Assistant Chief Adminsitrative Officer.

“We want to help the Monarch School provide these young people with bright futures by showing them how to prepare for a career in government or any other area they want to pursue,” said Helen Robbins-Meyer, the County Assistant Chief Administrative Officer.

The Monarch School works with the community and the Office of Education to give the kids coping with homelessness an education and provide basic needs such as healthcare, food and clothing.

The children saw a video presentation by Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., the County’s Public Health Officer, followed by a tour of many departments: the Assessor/Recorder/Clerk to see the marriage room and how the department creates property maps; Media and Public Relations showed the students how vidoes are edited and let them take turns reading a script on the teleprompter; a trip to the basement to see how paychecks are printed and stuffed, as well as a look into an old vault used when the building first opened; and even a visit to Board chambers where they got to sit in the seats of our Supervisors.

After lunch, the tour headed outside where students got to try on a HazMat suit, check out a Sheriff's SWAT vehicle, hop in a Public Works dump truck, and practice their voting skills in a polling booth. They also got to meet Friday the dog, who works with Agriculture, Weights and Measures to sniff out produce and plants shipped into the county, helping them identify pests.

"I learned a lot about a lot of different jobs that you can have at the County building. There's actually over 1,000, and that opens up my opportunities for after going to college in what I want to do," said D'Angelo, one of the students.

The Monarch School estimates there are at least 2,200 homeless kids in San Diego County. The school serves about 130 students in kindergarten through 12th grades, a number that has grown with the downturn in the economy. The school's vice-principal is hoping the school will be able to expand from its current downtown location.

Visit the Monarch School Web site for more information.

CECO to Make Annual Awards

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The San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization (CECO) Annual Awards Breakfast will be held tomorrow morning at the Kimball Senior Center in National City.

Seventy-six programs representing seventy local non-profit organizations, along with the CECO Employee Crisis Fund, will receive checks totaling $227,739. All of this money has been donated by employees and retirees of the County of San Diego and San Diego Superior Court

Representatives from charitable organizations including Rady Children’s Hospital (Anderson Center), Mama’s Kitchen, and Crash Inc. will be present to receive their individual checks.

CECO has been supporting local non-profit groups by way of grants since 1956 and has distributed millions to the local community since its inception.  The Annual Awards Breakfast is CECO’s way of recognizing the efforts of grant recipients, who continue to improve the health and well being of San Diego residents.

The breakfast begins at 7:30 am with a welcome address by CECO president, John Rasmussen. The event key note speaker is special guest Nick Macchione, County Health & Human Services Director. For more information, please contact Tracy Watkins at (858) 505-6390.

CTN.org will be covering the breakfast, so check back later for its story.