Colton Courier 02/16/23

L T O N C O U R I E R WWe e eekkllyy

By Manny Sandoval

Th e U n f o rg e t t a b l e s F o u n d a t i o n h e l d i t s

1 0 t h A n n u a l Unforgettable Hearts Awards at the Fox Theater in Redlands on February 10th, to recognize and

By Dr.G (Dr Luis S González), community writer

For many years, members and friends of the I m m a c u l a t e Conception Church have given their time and energy to help with the Dinner Hours ministry, and most recently the food distribution program In many cases, these dedicated individuals come on a weekly basis to unload, sort out, package and distribute food supplies to people in need of a little help in supporting their families

For more than 30 years, Eloy

S a n c h e z , D i r e c t o r o f t h e

D i n n e r H o u r M i n i s t r y a n d

Food Distribution, has been leading this team of volunteers who coordinate their efforts to

honor individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact in the community

K e y n o t e s p e a k e r s i n c l u d e d Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh and Assemblymember James Ramos

p r o v i d e a n d d i s t r i b u t e f o o d supplies to more than 500 people each week

“We are very appreciative of our church volunteers,” says Doug Blinkinsop, one of the program leaders, who continued, “They come to help and always get the job done, rain or s h i n e ” E a c h a n d e v e r y We d n e s d a y, t h e v o l u n t e e r s report to the church early to s o r t o u t a n d p a c k a g e f o o d bags By the time the distribution starts at 9:00am, the food bags, along with several other donated items are methodically lined up in the parking lot ready to go

On most days, the cars are already lined up around the block more than an hour before the drive-thru opens In addi-

One of the highlights of the luncheon was the recognition of Inland Empire Community News Publisher Gloria Macias Harrison for having one of the “biggest hearts” in the community The foundation also hono r e d Ti m e F o r C h a n g e

F o u n d a t i o n ’s F o u n d e r K i m Carter for helping homeless w o m e n w i t h c o m p r e h e n s i v e support and in turn becoming self-sustaining contributors to the community

photo MANNY SANDOVAL

IECN publisher Gloria Macias harrison (center) is a part of the Unforgettables Foundation’s Class of 2023 - 10 Year Awardees

of the Dinner hour Ministry

Awards

The Highland Area Chamber of Commerce was also recognized for its contributions to the Ronald McDonald House - Inland Empire and the Businesswoman’s Association of San Bernardino County

During his keynote speech, Assemblymember James Ramos shared his experience of doctors from Loma Linda coming out to his reservation to assist the San Manuel Tribe with their medical needs when he was a child He emphasized the importance of standing strong in the community and lifting one another in times of need

"Stand strong in the community, and lift one another in times of need Giving back is spiritual for us Together, we have to ensure that there is always someone to call upon when a person or a family needs a helping hand That is our calling," said Ramos

The evening was a celebration of the power of community and the impact that a few dedicated individuals and organizations can make in improving the lives of those around them The Unforgettables Foundation will continue to work tirelessly towards its mission, and events like the Unforgettable Hearts Awards provide a platform to recognize the inspiring work of those who share the same vision

The Unforgettables Foundation is dedicated to helping low-income families give their children a dignified burial, empowering communities to memorialize children who have passed away, and educating parents and caregivers to confront and control the primary risks to children's health and wholeness

The foundation also encourages communities to recognize the financial trauma that is often associated with the death of a child

Church

tion, a walk-up service line starts to form on the sidewalk in front of the church “We usually have more than 50 people on the sidewalk before we open,” explains Angela Wilkinson, one of the first volunteers on duty to meet people, and direct cars

What made this a special day, was the presentation of appreciation certificates to all of the volunteers who helped in 2022 Approximately 26 individuals were recognized in a brief ceremony just after the morning prayer time and blessing Dr G, Council Member, program assistant, and community volunteer made the presentation as part of the CityTalk “Community Impact” award program

The individuals recognized

Input

Community News

were; Regina Alvarez, Marco Artiaga, David Bautista, Doug Blinkinsop, Daisy Campos, Estella Chairez, Cristina Cortez, Silvia Cortez, Pino Espudo, Angel Florez, Guadalupe Gomez, Bruno Gutierrez, Chris Gutierrez, Mario Gutierrez, Connie Hernandez, Lucy Juarez, Kenny Kiddo, Anita Kopersky, Ken Kopersky, Gilbert Maquinales, Brian Torres, Laura Reyes, Eloy Sanchez, Fe Valenzuela, Victor Villarreal, Angela Wilkenson, and Pete Zavala

The City of Colton is fortunate to have a church that is so engaging with the community, and the growth and participation really shows it is “sharing the good news” in a way that brings people together This church has been a blessing

The address is 1106 N La Ca-

Creative Corps Inland SoCal is a newly created regional regranting program founded by the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, California Desert Arts Council, Riverside Arts Council and the Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) This new initiative will support Inland Southern California artists, cultural practitioners and creatives in projects related to health, environmental justice, social justice and civic engagement, with the intention to target high priority communities to benefit from this effort

“Art is a catalyst for social change and an opportunity to build sustainability and strengthen the health of our communities Through this opportunity, people who may have felt excluded in the past will be able to further value their community, take ownership and generate pride” said Rachael A Dzikonski, Executive Director of the Riverside Arts Council

Artists, cultural practitioners and creatives as well as Community Based Organizations (CBO), or local government agencies interested in supporting or uplifting art in their communities will have an opportunity to participate in a series of listening sessions hosted by Creative Corps Inland SoCal and provide input on what they would like to see in a regional regranting program All of the input received will be incorporated into the grant program guidelines to be released in March 2023

“Listening to the voices of artists, people of color, tribal communities and those that are most

dena Dr Weekend masses are Sat 8:00am (English), 6:00pm (Spanish), Sun 8:30am, 10:00am, and 6:00pm (English), and 7:00am, 12:00pm, and 2:00pm (Spanish) Contact Church office @ 909-825-5110

For more information about CITY TALK, various community groups and events, Colton history, the trash clean-up project, the G-Team, prayer list, history briefs, Veteran Spotlight, Church Spotlight, Business Spotlight, U S Flag Watch, neighborhood meetings, community projects, or the online live-stream programs, contact Dr G @ 909-213-3730 Questions and comments are always welcome

impacted by health and environmental issues are critical to properly inform our approach and process We are not simply funding art projects, this is a pilot program for workforce development through the arts in the region This program will have a lasting impact on how we view art and how we fund and promote art across Inland SoCal ” Jennifer Kane, Executive Director of Arts Connection - The Arts Council of San Bernardino County

“Art has often been siloed, seen as leisure or only available for people who can afford it We believe art is valuable for creative thinking and expression Our goal is to change the way people think about creative work and begin to envision solutions to systemic problems that may have not seemed possible before” said Kristen Dolan, Executive Director of the California Desert Arts Council

Participants of the listening sessions will also be able to learn more about how to apply to the grants when they become available this spring Creative Corps Inland SoCal partners’ believe that funding in and around art can provide sustainable opportunities for artists, cultural practitioners and creatives in their communities The vision is to cultivate long-term work partnerships and to expand work and career opportunities for artists and creatives in the Inland SoCal region well beyond the grant

For more information on Creative Inland SoCal visit: creativeinlandsocal com

Feeding America San Ber nardino Announces their 2nd

Annual Fr ee Registration f or Kids Nutritious Education Pr og ram

Community News

The Goodness in Food, known as (TGIF) is coming back this Spring 2023!

Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) will once again open its doors to engage up to 40 grade K-2 students through interactive lesson plans on reducing food waste and long-term solutions to hunger

With classes beginning March 4th, children in grades K-2 can enroll in the TGIF program today! Participating children will spend four consecutive inperson Saturdays with the food bank, with lessons ranging from 45 minutes to 1 hour

At the end of the session, students will enjoy a special day at a local garden where they'll spend an afternoon planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables

Registration and a commitment to completing the

program is required For more information on this exciting opportunity, please visit www FeedingIE org/tgif or contact Jacqueline Arias at jarias@feedingamericaIE org

About Feeding America Riverside | San BernardinoFeeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) is leading the fight against hunger in the Inland Empire by providing food access, emergency relief, education, and advocacy to families in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties FARSB opened in 1980 as Survive Food Bank in response to the increasing concern about the dual problems of hunger and food waste in the Inland Empire Today, FARSB is the primary source of food to over 200 local nonprofit organizations, distributing over two million pounds of food monthly to emergency food pantries, high-need elementary schools, senior centers after school programs and more With the help of these community partners, they make up the largest hunger-relief organization in the Inland Empire, making food security a reality for over 1 2 million people every year For more information about FARSB, visit www FeedingIE org

PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Joalene Given, San Bernardino Councilman Damon Alexander, and Highland Area Chamber of Commerce’s Jane Bouch and Chris Nelson enjoying the program on February 10th

sought f or $4 7 million dollar g rant to fund cr eative pr ojects acr oss Inland SoCal

PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Local dignitaries like former Senator Mike Morrell, Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, and Assemblymember James Ramos pictured with the 10 Year Awardees

a d e n C e n t e r

Chiefs win

Super Bowl 57; Of ficiall y establish their dynasty

By Caden Henderson

The Kanas City Chiefs are Super Bowl 57 Champions That is a statement that some but not many expected to be said this season

Despite losing superstar WR Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs made yet another Super Bowl run and defeated the Eagles 38-35 on a game winning field goal in the final seconds by Harrison

Butker

The game was an instant classic, and it’s time to breakdown how the Chiefs won the Big Game

Throughout the first half it felt like the Eagles were in control They weren’t blowing the Chiefs out by any means, but they dominated possession and Jalen Hurts ran for multiple TD scores to lead his team

The one play that kept the Chiefs in the game it seemed was the defensive touchdown after Jalen Hurts fumbled

the snap on a designed QB run play The Chiefs would go into the half down 10 with Mahomes ankle appearing to bother him and things looking bleak

After Rihanna’s halftime performance, both teams were ready to determine a champion Specifically, the Chiefs offense was ready to determine a champion

Kansas City scored on every drive in the second half despite the Eagles draining much of the 3rd quarter clock en route to a field goal The big swing of momentum occurred after Kadarius Toney made the longest punt return in Super Bowl history before Mahomes found a wide open Sky Moore for the Chiefs first lead of the game

The Eagles would come down a few minutes later and Jalen Hurts would run in for his Super Bowl QB record 3rd TD and the 2 point conversion to tie the game It was time for Mahomes big moment

The best QB in the world vs the NFL’s best defense with a championship on the line They say defense wins championships, but Patrick Mahomes sure does too Mahomes led his team into the red zone before, on 3rd down, Juju Smith-Schuster drew a holding penalty

From there, the Chiefs ran the ball once, and took a couple of knees to drain the clock Harrison Butker drilled his field goal, and a last second Hail Mary from Philadelphia didn’t even make it to the end zone

The Chiefs became champions once again as Patrick Mahomes secured ring number two and the Super Bowl MVP award

An excellent NFL season was capped off by an instant classic of a Super Bowl The Chiefs are once again on top of the football world, can anyone dethrone him? We’ll have to see next season

City of San Ber nardino Par ks, Recr eation, and Community Ser vices

Community News

In a nationwide study, the City of San Bernardino Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department was ranked #14 in the nation for its engagement with residents on social media

The study, conducted by Next Practice Partners, a national consulting firm, examined the social media presence of parks departments from the 100 largest cities in the United States

It is important for our residents to know about the wonderful programs and activities at our parks, senior centers, and community centers, "said San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran "To be ranked so highly for connecting with our residents is something to be proud of "

The rankings are based on data obtained from the U S Census, National Recre-

ation and Park Association, ETC Institute, agency websites and social media accounts, and social analytics tools Collectively, it ranked the engagement for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to create an aggregated ranking model for Social Media Engagement

These agencies and their staff transform lives in their communities and more people need to know that,” said Neelay Bhatt, Founder & CEO of Next Practice Partners

Cleveland topped the rankings, followed by Kansas City and Cincinnati Detroit, Boise, Spokane, Minneapolis, Greensboro, and Gilbert rounded out the top ten

"This ranking justifies the commitment our department has made to a strong marketing program," said Parks, Recreation,

and Community Services Director Lydie Gutfeld "We couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the results "

Among the data points in which San Bernardino scored the highest was the frequency in which followers responded to agency posts The City ranked number three in the nation for its interactions on both Facebook and Instagram

"We thrive when we read about the impact we are having from our residents’ social media comments," added Gutfeld "Our followers are the inspiration for so many of the programs and services we provide "

With a large Spanish speaking population, all the San Bernardino Parks Department social media posts are written in both English and Spanish The Department has also increased the use of video

posts this past year

"We have just begun to scratch the surface of telling our story through our social media platforms, continued Gutfeld "The more we can engage our communities, the stronger our services and programs become "

To follow the City of San Bernardino Parks and Recreation Department on Facebook, go to: https://www facebook com/SBCityParksAndRec/

To follow the City of San Bernardino Parks and Recreation Department on Instagram, go to: https://www instagram com/sbcityparksandrec/?hl=en

To follow the City of San Bernardino on Facebook, go to: https://www facebook com/sbcitygov

Assembl y Majority Leader Reyes swor n-in f or f our th ter m at community-based cer emony in Fontana

Community News

Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes marked the start of the 2023-24 legislative cycle at her Community Swearing-in Ceremony on Saturday, February 11 at the Steelworkers’ Auditorium in Fontana

California Attorney General Rob Bonta administered the oath of office and former State Senator Connie Leyva, now with KVCR, acted as the Master of Ceremonies

The 2023-24 session will be Majority Leader Reyes’ fourth term representing portions of the Inland Empire in the State Assembly, but this will be her first term representing the new 50th Assembly District

All legislative lines were redrawn last year using the most recent U S Census data

“Thank you to my district for trusting me to serve you for another term,” said Majority Leader Reyes “I will continue to align my work with the Inland Empire’s values You are my neighbors and I look forward to hearing more from you and taking your words to Sacramento to fight for the resources our region deserves ”

Other event speakers included California Legislative Latino Caucus Chair Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (Corona), San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran, Loma Linda City Councilmember Bhavin Jindal, Chaffey College Superintendent Dr Henry Shannon, Colton Joint Unified School District Board Member Bertha Flores, and UFCW Local 1167 Operating Director and Inland Empire Labor Council President Yesenia Gonzales

R anked #14 in the U.S . f or its Social Media Enga gement

Pr oject Impact f ocuses on incr easing the number of minority male teacher s

Community News

Project Impact is the vision of Chinaka DomNwachukwu, dean of the James R Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education, to locate, recruit, train, mentor and then deploy minority male teachers to classrooms throughout the inland area and the state

The goal of California State University, San Bernardino’s Project Impact, a community outreach initiative of the James R Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education, is direct: Help close the academic achievement gaps in the state’s K-12 schools, which will ultimately pay dividends in the classroom and its students through the recruitment, training and deployment of minority male teachers into California’s classrooms

Project Impact was a vision that Watson College of Education Dean Chinaka DomNwachukwu brought with him when he came to CSUSB It was born out of his own educational journey as a public school teacher in East Los Angeles in the 1990s He knew firsthand how it felt to be the only Black male teacher on campus at the K-12 schools where he worked

“Also knowing how my presence had a positive impact on the young Black men who were my students ” he added

For over two decades in California the academic achievement gap has been talked about DomNwachukwu saw that bringing more men of color into the classroom could have a direct impact on closing that gap by increasing both graduation and college-going rates and decreasing drop-out rates

When he sat down with CSUSB President Tomás D Morales for his interview, DomNwachukwu told Morales, “I would like to design a program that targets African American men in teaching

Morales’ response? “Absolutely ”

And Project Impact was born

Recognizing that the Inland Empire was predominantly a Hispanic community, DomNwachukwu knew he would need to extend his vision beyond the African American population But he also knew that Hispanic students had similar experiences and faced similar issues to the population of students he had initially focused on

Assistant Dean Becky Sumbera was on hand at the outset to help realize the vision She came to DomNwachukwu’s office one day to discuss one of her students with him

This student, a young African American man, was enthusiastic at the start of the semester about training to become an English teacher However, each week she watched him retreat further and further until, one day, he came to her and told her he was considering dropping out

“Nobody gets me,” he said “They are surprised I can write and read I just don’t feel like I belong ” Sumbera

immediately stepped in to connect him with an African American male mentor along with other resources that he needed to complete the program This opened her eyes to the reality of the assumptions that people make based on the color of another individual s skin

She has been involved with the program ever since

The program’s dedication and commitment to helping its students succeed can be seen through the work of Gregory Richardson, who serves as Project Impact’s interim director Richardson, who is also the director of the Watson & Associates Literacy Center and a lecturer in the Watson College of Education’s doctoral studies program, “is doing a lot of leg work, connecting with the men, mentoring them, and holding Saturday workshops to enhance their skills and competencies ”

Richardson, who is in his third year at CSUSB, said Project Impact basically locates, recruits, trains and then deploys teacher candidates working with men of color

African American, Asian American, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans

“Our intent is to help them succeed throughout the whole process,” Richardson said

The program helps from the beginning when the students fill out the first application to apply to CSUSB, to helping them make the transition from the undergrad program or the liberal studies program into the credential program, helping them with that application process, Richardson said

And once in the credential program, Project Impact provides tutoring if the students are having difficulty with the academics or curriculum The program also puts the credential students in cohorts ensuring they are working closely with their colleagues, whether they’re taking the same course at the same time, but with the same instructor, with the same semester, or they’ve completed it before, Richardson said

Richardson said he also has monthly meetings with the students

“Our meetings are three hours long,” he said “The first hour, the students basically talk amongst themselves and their cohorts about what’s working, what's not working They talk about the instructors, the course load

“Basically, everything is going on the assignment just so they can succeed,” Richardson said “And then during the second two hours that are left, I either have a guest speaker come in or I will speak myself on different topics that would help them ”

DomNwachukwu said he also knew that making a vision real requires partnerships across the community He began building those partnerships with then-superintendent for Riverside County Schools, Judy White, who is a CSUSB alumna (’79) She now serves as a member of Project Impact’s board

White had observed the achievement gaps for African American students in Riverside County and realized that it was time to listen to these students’ voices A key issue was not having teachers who looked like them or, even more importantly, could not relate to them In fact, the percentage of men of color in the county’s classrooms was not only incredibly low, it did not reflect student demographics

Riverside provided the first Project Impact cohort of 10 in the spring of 2020 Currently, Project Impact is now on its fourth cohort, which began in fall 2022 with 30 men Replicability is key DomNwachukwu wished to create a model that other areas could adopt to grow the number of male teachers of color in their classrooms, too The intent to partner with even more school districts is both for collaboration and for them to “grow their own ”

As the program has continued, a further obstacle in training male teachers of color to become successfully credentialed in California has been identified: rigorous postbaccalaureate state requirements mean teaching applicants cannot hold down another job while they are in their 16-week clinical practice stage Two members of the first cohort, for example, had to drop out because they could not manage their living expenses during the program without paid income

White observed the same thing “It’s not just the cost of tuition It also includes tuition, books and accelerating their opportunity to be hired ”

Therefore, Project Impact is looking into the possibility of evolving into a paid internship Participants would then not have to worry about covering tuition and books as well as their living costs

Sumbera continues to actively follow up with the program’s graduates Current and past cohort members are invited to serve on panels at conferences, allowing participants to share their stories and serve as exemplars for men of color

A recent Project Impact three-person panel was composed of a new cohort member, one in their second semester and a graduate

“You could see the growth in confidence across these three individuals, confidence they had gained in telling their story over the course of their Project Impact training,” Sumbera said “It was an amazing demonstration of the effectiveness of the program ”

White remains fully committed to this initiative “I am so impressed by the caliber and passion of the people we are recruiting,” she said

She said she believes this will change the lives of students, especially those who come from communities where they do not see positive role models of men of color “They will see those models in their classrooms,” White said

PHOTO CSUSB

Students participating in the Project Impact program during an event in May 2022 at the James R Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education

By Manny Sandoval

Ronald McDonald HouseInland Empire recently underwent a major renovation, increasing the number of rooms available from 21 to 54

The house now boasts 46,000 square feet of space, making it one of the largest Ronald McDonald Houses in the country

The organization provides a home away from home for families with seriously ill children who are being treated at nearby hospitals

“To stay at the Ronald McDonald House, a doctor must recommend long-term care for a child, and a social worker will then recommend the family for a stay The house is located in close proximity to Loma Linda University Children’s Health, making it a convenient option for families in need,” said Development Director Annette Florez

Currently, the organization is seeking hairdressers to donate their time for haircuts, to give parents and families an opportunity to feel good and look good during a stressful and critical period in their life

“We’re seeking licensed professionals to come twice a month to provide services to families staying at the house Volunteers must be vaccinated and masked while pro-

viding services We have a shop in the house and we already have some materials, including shampoo, conditioner, wash stations, and hair dryers available for volunteers to use It’s important to offer this to our families because oftentimes parents tend to forget about themselves during these experiences; and when you look good, you can feel a bit better,” continued Florez

The House also offers an Adopt a Room Program, which costs $5,000 a year for naming rights Out of the 54 rooms available, there are only 11 rooms that still need to be adopted

“The $5,000 goes back into the operation and upkeep of the room, helping to keep the daily fee low at $12 per night for families One of our recent Adopt a Room Donors Nancy Vasquez recruited 10 friends to split the $5,000, and when broken down it only cost each of them $1 40 per day to Adopt a Room and help a family in need,” concluded Florez

It costs the Ronald McDonald House - Inland Empire $2 3 million a year to operate the facility, so donations and volunteers are critical to keeping the house running and serving families in need To learn more about how to get involved or to make a donation, call (909)747-1200 or visit rmhcsc org/inlandempire

T he Ronald McDonald House - Inland Empir e is seeking a hairdr esser and the community to adopt a r oom

PHOTO RMH - IE

Although the recommended donation is $12 per night, no family has ever been turned away if they are not able to afford to pay

PHOTO RMH - IE

The Ronald McDonald House - Inland Empire allows outside people and organizations to donate a meal where they can cook on the barbecue grill outside or in one of its six kitchens in the house

¡Aplica ahora! Escanea el código QR o visita: WWW.CACOLLEGECORPS.COM

PHOTO RMH - IE

The Ronald McDonald House - Inland Empire does not only allow immediate family to stay in its rooms, extended family like grandparents, aunts and uncles etc are allowed too When guests arrive, a goodie bag with daily essentials is waiting for them