HHSA Volunteers Help Adaptive Surfers Catch a Wave

From left: Nancy Washwell, Vanessa Stringham, Paul Katsaros, an unidentified friend and Marianne Hanover at the Life Rolls On surfing event. Washwell, Stringham, Katsaros and Hanover all work for HHSA California Children Services and volunteered at the event that helps people with spinal cord injuries experience surfing in the ocean.

La Jolla Shores was awash in color as approximately 500 volunteers clad in a rainbow of rash guards took to the waters to help people with spinal cord injuries have a chance to surf the waves.

“It was just amazing to stand in the water and see the sea of different colors,” said Nancy Washwell, an occupational therapist with HHSA’s California Children Services and one of the volunteers.

Washwell, Vanessa Stringham and Paul Katsaros from the CCS Vista Medical Therapy Unit and Marianne Hanover from the Escondido branch spent approximately seven to eight hours in the water this past Saturday so 117 people with physical limitations could experience surfing in the Pacific Ocean.

The volunteers were assigned to teams of 20 with each group wearing a different colored rash guard. Every team member concentrated on making the event special for participants one at a time.

“They emphasize that for each person, you were there just for them (when it was their time in the water),” said Washwell.

Team members had roles assigned from getting the person onto specialized wheelchairs that could operate on the sand and in the water to those who helped get the surfers on adaptive boards and out into the water.

Washwell was stationed in the shallow water helping participants return to the beach.

“It was so cool for the surfers and family members,” she said. “We would all shout their name really loud when they came back in from the water and all 20 team members would gather around them for a photo.

“They were like rock stars and with all the hooting and hollering and high fives, it was just amazing.”

Family members were very appreciative and were constantly snapping photos for keepsakes.

Some of the surfers were clients that Washwell and the other therapists see on a regular basis through CCS, but most of the participants were people they were able to work with for the first time.

There were little kids as young as 3 and 4 years old all the way up to adults in their mid-50s according to Washwell. One woman came all the way from Kentucky to experience surfing in the ocean.

The event was part of the Get On Board Tour put on by the Life Rolls On organization. Life Rolls On was founded by quadriplegic surfer Jesse Billauer and hosts surfing events on both the east and west coasts.

They are hosting the International Surfing Association World Adaptive Surfing Championships at La Jolla Shores Sept. 24 -27.

“I had so much fun I signed up to volunteer at the world championships, too,” said Washwell. “There were just so many smiles, thank yous and a lot of love and working together I wanted to do it again.”

Volunteers cheer as one of the participants hits the surf. The event allowed people with spinal cord injuries the opportunity to surf at LaJolla Shores.

Bands Wanted for Epic Battle

A rocking new event is coming to the County—an employee Battle of the Bands. The friendly contest will be held this fall and musicians of all genres are wanted. It will be a good time for a good cause, part of our campaign supporting the March of Dimes.

Here’s how it will work: Solo acts or bands, consisting of at least one County employee, must submit an application to compete by Oct. 2. No Milli Vanilli-like lip syncing or karaoke allowed—only actual musical performers need apply. These letters of interest should include a bio and sound or video clips – either files or links to the music online. Email them to your group staff officer: CSG – Janice Downs, FG3 – Carl Smith, HHSA – Christi Knight, LUEG –Conor McGee, or PSG – Marc Regier.

The group offices will select one act to represent each of the five County groups. So apply now to snag that coveted spot to represent your group.

Bands selected to fight for the musical supremacy will be announced in early October, giving them plenty of time to practice for the big show.

The live showdown will be held at the County Operations Center Nov. 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will also be streamed live on InSite.

But this is more than a competition. The Battle of the Bands will give a boost to our year-long effort to raise money for the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that funds research and programs to improve the health of mothers and babies.

Fundraising starts now and will continue when the performers are announced. Donations can also be made the day of the live event, where the audience can stuff cash offerings into boxes.

Each band will play one song for the audience. The top two entertainers will then perform a second song. There will be top prizes for the act that raises the most money and for the crowd favorite. They could be one and the same.

So tune up and turn in your application. And mark your calendar to hear the talents of your co-workers. The Battle of the Bands is in a few short weeks. See you there!

Vision Service Plan (VSP) Giving an Extra $40 for Glasses

The Department of Human Resources wants you to keep an eye open for a great deal. The County’s vision care insurance provider VSP is offering a sale where you’ll really be able to see the savings.

VSP is offering an extra $40 to spend on top of your allowance when purchasing select BeBe, Calvin Klein, Flexon or Nike frames.

The $40 is automatically applied to your purchase at your network provider. There’s no extra paperwork or hassle. This offer is available for purchases made through Dec. 31.

VSP covers lenses or contacts each year, and frames once every other year (24 months). The County’s  plan pays 100 percent of the retail price of frames up to $130, with a 20 percent savings on the amount over the allowance at in-network providers. At an out of network provider, our plan pays up to $45.

With just a few months left in the benefits year, it’s a great time to see how much you have in your health care spending accounts. It may be the perfect time to buy a new pair of glasses or even cool new prescription sunglasses.

For additional information about your employee benefits, visit Human Resources online.

Share Your Vacation Photos

Escape with your fellow employees by submitting a photo of your vacation (*or staycation) from the past year. We will feature them in a slideshow.

Email one or two snapshots (please, we do mean two, max). Include your name, job title, department and a caption with the location of where the photo was taken.

Back-to-School is Forever

The last few weeks, one campus after another has been welcoming its students in for a new year. The scramble has kept many of you busy, whether it’s getting your kindergartners their first little backpacks, moving kids into their dorms, or anything in between.  

The back-to-school buzz is in the air. It’s hard to leave the beach and long days behind, but the chance to learn new things is pretty exciting.

And it’s not just exciting, but essential at the County. We talk a lot here about continuous improvement. Pushing ourselves to the next level. We can’t do that unless we’re constantly learning. New skills, new strategies. From our co-workers, from other agencies.

Because we know how important it is to keep absorbing knowledge, the County makes quite a variety of opportunities available to employees.  

The big one is the Learning Management System, our own online County university of sorts. If you’ve only visited when you have to, you may not be aware of just how much you can do there. There are thousands of modules on everything from Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint to career advancement topics like interviewing skills and resume writing to tips on handling stress. There are even some of the TED Talk videos I’ve invited employees to watch with me.

Scroll down the LMS home page, and you’ll see a catalog of topics you can browse. Some are specific to your department. New modules are being added all the time.

One thing you always ask people in school: What’s your favorite subject? One that’s near and dear to me is financial literacy. We work here because we want to make the County a better place. There are so many things we want to do, but we have to operate within the limits of our finances. You can’t really understand why the organization does what it does without knowing where the money comes from and where it goes.

That’s why we’ve launched a Financial Literacy course, open to any employee. It gives a basic overview of our finances and budget, and it’s designed for non-financial staff. I was delighted to see our first few were very popular. Another one is planned for this fall, and an online version is in the works so that even more employees can take it.

Then there are some things I wish we didn’t have to spend time on, but it’s important that we do. There is no room for sexual harassment here at the County, and we need to make sure that lesson is clear. As part of our overall harassment prevention efforts, we recently upgraded our training for supervisors. Human Resources staff took some inspiration from TV news magazines and came up with a really engaging training, full of real-world scenarios. It took a lot of work to put together, but the subject is worth every bit of it.

We want to make sure we’re providing all the resources we can to creating the best leaders in the future. For the first time ever, the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) took its Institute for Excellence on the road, bringing a series of trainings to the COC. More than 100 employees took courses that got them deep into policy and strategy topics, with 10 employees completing the entire series.  

You’re not limited to what we teach here. The County has two ways to help you pursue education at the college level. Employees can request tuition reimbursement for taking college courses that would help them in their duties here at the County. Make sure you review all the details and check whether your department has funding available before enrolling (Link for DA, Sheriff, SDCERA). And with our Education Partnerships, you can get tuition discounts at National University, University of Phoenix, Ashford University and DeVry University.

I’m mentioning just a little of what’s out there. With all the options, there really is something for everyone. If you’re like me, few things are more satisfying than picking up new knowledge or skills. It’s how we each grow as a person. And it’s how we grow as an organization. If taking advantage of these opportunities can both help your career and help us serve people better, that’s really a win-win.   

I’ll let the wise words of Dr. Suess wrap it up.

County Employee Helps Little Leaguers Achieve Dreams

District 42 Administrator Ernie Lucero (red) stands with Sweetwater Valley Little League players Braiz Ramirez, Levi Mendez and Dante Schmid.

Ernie Lucero and 13 players from Sweetwater Valley Little League (along with a handful of coaches and plenty of family members) just got back from the Little League World Series, where the team of young sluggers took its thrilling run to the competition’s semifinals. Their valiant efforts may not have had them power their way into first place, but Lucero, the District 42 Administrator, is extremely proud nonetheless.

“Even though [they] lost against a good Texas team, in my view, they’re winners. They made it all the way to Williamsport, which is a dream to those who don’t go there. The experience the Sweetwater Valley kids lived in Pennsylvania will forever be etched in their memories,” said Lucero, a supervising investigator with the County Office of Public Defender.

Lucero is the district’s administrator – a volunteer position that oversees nine little leagues in south county and ensures all rules and regulations are followed.

“I have a staff of eight individuals who volunteer their time to help me run the district. These are dedicated people who all share our commitment to better the community through Little League baseball and who also love working with kids,” he said.

Lucero served as President of Eastlake Little League in 2000 and has been in his current volunteer position for about seven years. This is his third time in six years going to Williamsport for the World Series with District 42.

“Each of the three times at Williamsport has been extraordinarily exciting. It all started with the 2009 Park View team. Making it to Williamsport for the Little League World Series wasn’t just a distant dream; they made it a reality. The 2013 Eastlake Little League team reinforced that Williamsport was not out of reach. They became the U.S. champions that year, making us very proud for being the best Little League team in the United States,” Lucero said.

But this past team that made it to the semifinals, the Sweetwater Valley Little League, is the best hitting club Lucero said he’s ever seen.

“If you can believe it, each of the 13 players on the team hit a home run during their run to the World Series. This is incredible!”

One of those players is Lucero’s nephew.

“I’m just happy he was able to experience the magic of playing in Williamsport and being part of the team.”

The three teams that have gone to Williamsport are only about nine miles apart from each other, which Lucero says is unprecedented for teams in the playoffs.

“People ask me how this can be. I tell them it’s the magic of the carne asada fries!”

As for his next trip to Pennsylvania, Lucero thinks it might be sooner rather than later.

“There is another team coming up through the ranks. There might possibly be a fourth District 42 team that makes it to Williamsport.­­­”

A “Welcome Home” celebration is being held for the Sweetwater sluggers at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 3321 Conduit Road in Bonita. Representatives from the County of San Diego and City of Chula Vista will be in attendance as well as Channel 93.3, the Eastlake and Bonita Vista Cheer Squads and the San Diego Padres Pad Squad.

Mark Your Calendar for Free Flu Shots

Linda Feeley with Agriculture, Weights and Measures getting the flu shot in 2014.

Roll up your sleeves—it’s time to fight the flu!

The County will offer free flu shots to all employees starting this week. Shots will be offered at various worksites beginning Sept. 2 at the County Operations Center.

Your supervisor may approve reasonable County time for you to receive the flu shot. No appointment or pre-registration is necessary.  Just show up with your employee ID!

Immunization is the most effective way to fight influenza, according to Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. Everyone 6 months and older should get the vaccine every year. It is safe and effective.

The 2015 Flu Shot Schedule is available on the Benefits Division’s website.

Employee’s Hobby Dresses Up Life

Roberta Nichols in her costume entry at the Disney D23 Fan EXPO in August.

It all started with “Star Trek” in 1979.

“If you wore a costume to the movie premiere, you could get in for free… so I found the pattern in a “Star Trek” manual book, blew it up to full size and started creating.”

Roberta Nichols said she was still hemming the iconic Nurse Chapel short blue dress in the car on the way to the premiere.

The Multiple Conflicts Office employee has been stitching and sewing ever since, boasting memberships in the San Diego Costume Guild (the Guild) and Costumer’s Guild West (CGW) based in Los Angeles.

Roberta Nichols in her Miss Havisham costume at the Riverside Dickens Festival.“I do movie and TV recreations, and have also been a model in historical fashion shows and fundraising events and teas, including the Riverside Dickens Festival, Gaslight Gathering (a steampunk convention) and the Alpine Women’s Club,” Nichols said. 

Most recently, the talented seamstress competed at the Disney D23 Fan EXPO held at the Anaheim Convention Center Aug. 14-16.

“I had never competed in a costume contest like that before. I read the notice for Disney’s Mousequerade and thought, ‘why not give it a try, you never know.’ I mailed in a photo of the outfit and necklace I created a few months earlier for the ‘Cinderella’ movie premiere and never thought I would even be considered,” she said.

Nichols ended up being one of eleven finalists in the “Once Upon A Costume” category with her Lady Tremaine (sometimes known better as the Wicked Stepmother from “Cinderella”) costume. Her competing category was one of five categories with 60 contestants in all, performing on stage to an audience of 7,500 Disney fans. She didn’t win the category – Ursula the Sea Witch grabbed first prize - but was honored to be among the final group.

“It was an amazing experience sharing stories with talented costumers from all over the U.S.” 

Finalists in the "Once Upon a Time" category at the Disney D23 Fan EXPO.

Nichols said she continues to expand her sewing skills by attending CGW’s Costume College, but that also means making extra room in her house for all her supplies and accessories, including hats, gloves, shoes, jewelry, reticules or purses, fans, umbrellas, flowers and even wigs. 

Roberta Nichols (L) in her Lady Tremaine costume.

“My husband Gary, a retired County Public Defender, is very supportive of my hobby and has allowed it to take over two large closets in our home,” she said. “Creating a costume, especially a historically based one, is not just the garments on the outside.  To obtain the proper silhouette, you must first create from within with proper era undergarments (wired bustle, corset, petticoat, chemise).”

Nichols said the San Diego Costume Guild has been invited to attend and be “eye candy” by many local organizations including the San Diego History Center, the USS Midway, the House of England in Balboa Park, and the Museum of Man. She’s even hosted some events, like the USS Midway Flag Day celebration. 

And if you’re wondering if that “Star Trek” costume that started it all 36 years ago got her into the movie premiere for free – it did.

Get Moving with the Employee Wellness Program Champions’ Playlist

A good beat can help you during a workout. Studies have shown that music increases concentration and lowers perception of effort during exercise. So pump up your playlist!

Several of our County Employee Wellness Program Champions shared the gym jams and aerobics anthems that get them moving.

Gilbert Jimenez, a social work supervisor, lets his instructor select the playlist during fitness classes or he “zens out” to the sounds of waves crashing at yoga.

Francisco Puentes runs Pandora or Digitally Imported radio to cue up playlists curated for his activities—cardio followed by resistance training.

And a handful more of the champs have specific tracks that really get them amped up for exercise. Check out the tunes and get fit:

Jennifer Winfrey, Recycling Specialist II, Public Works

1. “Hooked on a Feeling” - Blue Swede
2. “Just Dance” – Lady Gaga
3. “Crazy in Love” – Beyoncé
4. “We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris” - Rihanna
5. “Pray to God ft. HAIM” - Calvin Harris

Venus Zayas, Administrative Analyst II, Public Health Services

1. “La Vida Es Un Carnival” - Celia Cruz
2. “Timber” - Pitbull ft Ke$ha
3. “Tangerine Speedo” - Caviar
4. “GDFR” - Flo Rida
5. “I Love It”  - Icona Pop 

Eileen Espinoza, Criminal Legal Secretary, District Attorney’s Office

1. “Miss Jackson Ft. Lolo” – Panic at the Disco
2. “Wrecking Ball (Nicolas Costa Remix)” – Miley Cyrus
3. “Proper Education” – Eric Prydz vs Pink Floyd

Curley R. Palmer, Health Information Specialist II, HHSA

1. “We Are Family” - Sister Sledge
2. “Happy” - Pharrell Williams
3. “I’m So Excited” - Pointer Sisters
4. “I Got You (I Feel Good)” - James Brown
5. “Celebration” - Kool & The Gang

Terri Foster, Analyst II, Community Action Partnership, OSI

1. “Oh Carolina” - Shaggy
2. “Rastaman Wheel Out” - Chronixx
3. “Here Comes Trouble” - Chronixx
4. “I Like to Move It” - Crazy Frog
5. “Don’t Stop the Party” - Pitbull
6. “Shake Senora” – Pitbull

Feeling inspired? Stream a sample of the Wellness Champions’ playlist on Spotify from the gym or trail.

Animal Services is Top Dog for Work on App

 

Dan DeSousa, deputy director for the Department of Animal Services, picked up an award for the department's work with the dog facial recognition app Finding Rover.

The folks at Animal Services are all smiles after winning a Best of California 2015 Award from the Center for Digital Government for its work with the Finding Rover app. It uses facial recognition to reunite lost dogs with their owners. Animal Services became the first animal sheltering organization in the nation to use the app in May 2014.

Award winners are selected for innovative use of technology, economic benefits and improving public services. Deputy Director Dan DeSousa picked up the award for “Best Mobile/Wireless Project” during an awards presentation Thursday in Sacramento.  

“We’ve had a number of success stories with the Finding Rover app. Owners who have been reunited with their lost dogs couldn’t be more grateful,” said Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson. “A lot of credit goes to Kim Hatfield for recognizing an opportunity when she saw one.”

Hatfield is IT Manager for the Community Services Group. She saw the app and came up with the idea for Animal Services to partner with Finding Rover. The app uses snapshots of lost dogs to match the faces of those that have been found. She worked to make sure Animal Services database of lost and adoptable dogs was linked with Finding Rover’s registry of some 60,000 dogs. It’s updated several times a day to remain current. 

The Finding Rover app also prompted a change in the way Animal Services takes photographs of lost pets. Photos of lost animals were entered into the departmental computer system before but now staff takes special care to focus on the face so the Finding Rover facial recognition can work its magic. Anyone with a smartphone or computer can use the free app to look for their lost animals. The technology shows possible matches within seconds. 

Animal Services recommends all dog owners register their pets with Finding Rover along with getting ID tags, licenses and microchips.