Good, Clean, Healthy Fun

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One of the four-person HHSA Behavioral Health Services teams, “Girls Luv Mud,” start out in bright pink shirts: Jennifer Wheeler (in rear), Candace Kienitz and Debra Fitzgerald (middle), and Christine Mabesa (front).For the fourth straight year, the Health and Human Services Agency's Behavioral Health Services staff took on the extreme challenge of the San Diego Mud Run benefit, held in Rancho San Diego on Sunday, March 20.

This year, a few new runners participated in the messy, fun, and difficult 5K race that tested 3,000 runners’ endurance with obstacles including steep slippery hill climbs, tunnel crawls, trail runs, and more than 15 mud pits, from ankle splashers to waist-high.

Most definitely, no one left the course clean. For more information about the race: www.sandiegomudrun.com

Second Board of Retirement Seat Opens for Candidates

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Beginning Friday, March 25, active General (non-Safety) members interested in running for the Board of Retirement’s second seat can pick up petitions at SDCERA’s headquarters, 2275 Rio Bonito Way, Suite 200, San Diego. To learn more about petition requirements and the election process, go to SDCERA’s Web site at www.sdcera.org/board_retirement_election.htm.

The Board of Retirement makes decisions in a variety of areas, such as how the pension fund is invested and setting SDCERA's strategic direction.

The open seat is one of two elected by active General members. The elected candidate serves a three-year term starting July 1. Review the election schedule for key dates:

Board of Retirement election schedule

Friday, March 25

Candidate petitions available

Monday, April 18 noon

Petition filing deadline

Tuesday, May 17

Election day

Friday, May 20

Election winner certified

Friday, July 1

Board member’s term begins



Cher and Friends Visit Animal Services

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Cher, one of two littermates who arrived at the County’s San Diego shelter after someone cut off their ears last year, visited her old friends at Animal Services on Saturday, with a bunch of new friends in tow.

Penny Scarbrough, a teacher at Hillsdale Middle School in El Cajon, adopted Cher in January and regularly takes the puppy to class. Through their friendship with the pup, Scarbrough’s students got inspired to help the other animals at the County shelter.

On Saturday, Scarbrough, a group of her students and Cher delivered pet supplies to the shelter and presented a check for $250 that they’d raised for the County’s Spirit Fund. The all-donation Spirit Fund helps pay for surgeries requiring an outside veterinary specialist that Animal Services could not otherwise afford. The fund helped  Sunny, Cher’s brother, get surgery so his wounded ears would heal correctly.

The Hillsdale teacher and students aren’t the only ones Sunny and Cher inspired; all the media attention the pups got this winter drew attention to the plight of injured and abused pets in our County and prompted a flurry of Spirit Fund donations.

Building Bridges, Creating Friendships

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The 2011 Intergenerational Games were held in Chula Vista on March 10. The Games brought together about 100 older adults who were paired up with 120 Chula Vista 3rd graders for a day of fun, bonding and learning about physical fitness and nutrition. The event is put on by the Health and Human Services Agency's Aging & Independence Services and several community partners.

Skills for Youth Through Building Better Health

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The San Diego Center for Children is making sure our youth have a chance at a better life. They do this through various programs and services. Here's a look at a program that's been around for less than a year and making quite an impact. The Life Skills program is funded by the Health and Human Services Agency's Mental Health Services.

For more information about the San Diego Center for Children, visit centerforchildren.org.