Village Life/Cameron Park Life, Wednesday, February 2, 2023

fail, but successfully delivered its payload of 10 500pound bombs. Despite the e orts of the crew to keep the plane alo , they began to lose altitude rapidly and had to parachute out of the aircra and into occupied France. The crew spent days evading German forces, eventually making contact with members of the French Resistance who helped them make their

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Now

The El Dorado Roses are searching for candidates to run for the 2023 El Dorado Rose. Candidates must be at least 60 years old, have lived in the county for 10 years and have many hours of volunteer service to her community.

The El Dorado Rose dresses in period clothing from 1849-1910 and then becomes the official hostess of El Dorado County for one year. For more information call Carole Burnley at (530) 626-4949.

Imagination Theater on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville presents “Inherit the Wind” through Feb. 19. For tickets and more information visit itplacerville. org.

Feed El Dorado and the Placer Food Bank host food distribution events throughout the year in Cameron Park, Pollock Pines, Placerville and Georgetown. For a complete schedule visit placerfoodbank.org/ pantrytogo.

Feb. 4

Sierra Wildlife Rescue hosts a New Volunteer Fair, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Shingle Springs Community Center, 4440 South Shingle Road. Learn about Sierra Wildlife Rescue and how local wildlife gets rescued, rehabilitated and released.

Feb. 8

The Sons in Retirement – Gold Country branch meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Cameron Park Country Club. Check out the club and be a guest for a complimentary lunch. Contact Branch 95’s membership chairman at SIRBranch95@gmail. com for more details.

UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County host Gardening in Small Spaces. Join Master Gardener Mike Pavlik in a discussion that will cover site location, design, raised bed options, container gardening and other methods that will allow anyone to have a vegetable garden in a small backyard setting. Class runs 9 a.m to noon at the Cameron Park Community Center, 2502 Country Club Drive.

The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce hosts a business blender and ribbon cutting at Pete’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in El

TALK

What would be your best Valentine’s Day date?

Shannon

“Massage, a nice dinner and a babysitter.”

Mark Schnathorst

El Dorado Hills

“Dinner and a movie.”

Kristen Bohnen

El Dorado Hills

“I love doing anything near the water — dinner out on a boat or the beach.”

Emili Reimers

Sacramento

“Going to Sellands and getting dinner for two with a bottle of wine, then taking it home and watching

“Going to Regal for a movie and then dinner somewhere in Town Center.”

Courtesy photo Family, educators and Rotarians came together last month to celebrate Sarah Drennan as Lakeview Elementary School’s Student of the year. The fifth grader received praise and kind words during the breakfast meeting, at which she was awarded a plaque, $50 and an illustrated dictionary. The Rotary Club of El Dorado Hills meets at 7:15 a.m. every Wednesday at the EDH Community Services District pavilion. For more information visit edhrotary.org

on county website redesign

The county website was last redesigned more than six years ago, with only small changes since. There are more than 4,000 web pages that will be assessed for usefulness, importance, accuracy, functional links and content when the site is redesigned.

“The

activities it o ers and should be responsive to the needs of those we serve,” Hass notes in a press release. “While we have some ideas on how to improve

it, we’re asking the end users, the public, to provide their input so we can launch a new website that is more functional and intuitive.”

“Technology changes so rapidly and our county is changing too, in terms of what our residents need and expect from government information tools,” Hass states. “With the input from this short survey, we hope to develop a new website that not only improves on what we currently provide but exceeds the expectations and needs of our public.”

The survey is open until Feb. 10. Visit bit.ly/CountySite.

PEOPLE

Photos and question by Sel Richard

Kuhlmann Folsom

Women’s Fund scholarship available

Applications for Wickline Scholarships awarded via Women’s Fund El Dorado are now available.

To be eligible, students must meet all of the following criteria:

• Reside on the western slope of El Dorado County

• Be a female 22 years of age or older

• Be accepted by and plan to attend an accredited educational or vocational institution for any period between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024

• Demonstrate financial need

• Be available for a possible interview by the Wickline Scholarship Committee

In 2023 scholarships of up to $2,000 each will be granted. Applications are due before 5 p.m. March 11. Visit womensfundeldorado.org/wickline for more details and required documentation. Those with questions are asked to email the WFED Education Committee chair at education@womensfundeldorado. org.

Applicants will be notified in early April. Recipients will be invited to the Women’s Fund El Dorado annual Grants Gala to be introduced to the membership.

A legacy gift from Marian Wickline in 2009 as well as a generous gift from US Bank provides the opportunity to offer this scholarship.

Continued from A1 Lake

Parks Superintendent of Parks Mike Grassle.

These larger fountains — expected to be operational by the first week in April — will provide better aeration to help improve the water quality. The lake’s water quality has been diminishing, residents and lake users have noted. Adding more challenges to keeping the lake and park in pristine condition, the facility was hit with severe weather on New Year’s Eve that closed the lake and surrounding area for nearly a month.

At the January lake meeting Grassle provided an update regarding the status of damages and repairs.

Cameron Park Lake received 9 inches of rain within a 24-hour period during that New Year’s Eve storm. The fierceness of the storm led to a broken waterline and a missing 12-foot by 12-foot chunk of the parking lot. In addition, utility lines below the surface were washed away, leaving the park with no electricity or running water.

Cameron Park Lake is currently closed to all but foot traffic. The kiosk will not be staffed until repairs are made, the bathrooms are closed but portable toilets are available and pickleball and tennis courts as well

as the disc golf course are accessible by walking around the lake, notes a CPCSD Facebook post. Grassle said the CSD hopes to begin major repairs by the end of February. He and his crew worked with PG&E to get the utility repairs under way and Doug Veerkamp Engineering was hired to repair the roadway. Veerkamp estimated repair costs between $95,000 and $100,000 and said it will take approximately two

weeks to complete once work has begun.CPCSD General Manager André Pichley is working with the county to obtain FEMA funding.

Grassle asked residents to report to him anything they come across needing attention either around the lake or in any of the other CSD parks.

During the upcoming board meeting in February, the proposed splash pad at the lake will be addressed. Grassle is asking for residents to

once again attend the board meeting and voice their concerns and opinions on this hot topic. The next board meeting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Cameron Park Community Center, 2502 Country Club Drive. All are welcome to attend. Each individual speaking at the meeting will be given three minutes to address the board. The agenda can be accessed 48 hours prior at cameronpark.org.

Gift

Photo by Cindy Sample

The water quality at Cameron Park Lake has seen its ups and downs. New fountains coming this spring will provide better aeration.

Wreaths Across America exhibit coming to the area

News release

As part of its national tour, the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit — a large, 18-wheel mobile museum — will set up in the parking lot next to Nordstrom Rack in the Palladio Shopping Center on E. Bidwell St. in Folsom, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9. Folsom’s Charlotte Parkhurst Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, sponsor this event which is both free and open to the public. Members of Folsom’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6604 will also assist. In addition to serving as an exhibit to educate visitors about the service and sacri ce of all our nation’s veterans, the mobile museum is also an o cial “welcome home” station for Vietnam Veterans.

All veterans, active-duty military, their families and community members are invited and encouraged to visit, take a tour and speak with WAA representatives and volunteers. Visitors can also learn more about this national nonpro t and the work its volunteers do to support veterans and their communities year-round.

Features of the 24-foot by 60-foot exhibit include a 20-seat theater where an eight-minute video is shown; storyboards and visuals highlighting listen,

growth and programs that have grown due to the wreath laying events; two exterior televisions to accommodate larger additional displays and more.

“The goal of the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit is to bring community together and teach patriotism while remembering the service and sacri ce of our nation’s heroes,” said Karen Worcester, executive director, Wreaths Across America. Wreaths Across America is a nonpro t organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreathlaying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission — Remember, Honor, Teach — is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreathlaying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. This past December, Folsom’s Charlotte Parkhurst Chapter and the Folsom VFW Post 6604 participated at ceremonies honoring 647 veterans buried at Lakeside Memorial Lawn Cemetery and 16 veterans buried at the Mormon Island Relocation Cemetery.

Study utilizing AI in the prevention of human trafficking

News release

3Strands Global Foundation, an El Dorado Hillsbased nonpro t with a mission to mobilize communities to combat human tra cking through prevention education and reintegration programs, recently announced a groundbreaking study which calls out the usage and bene ts of arti cial intelligence in the war against human tra cking. The study coincided with National Human Tra cking Awareness month.

“It’s more critical than ever that schools incorporate research and evidence-based prevention education in their curriculum to protect our youth from human tra cking and exploitation,” stated Ashlie Bryant, 3Strands Global co-founder and CEO. “We have focused on ensuring our programs are e ective since our inception 12 years ago which is now con rmed by this study.”

Having gathered more than 30,000 stories from counselors and school sta who have gone through its PROTECT Prevention Education program, 3SGF sought to develop a methodology to measure the e ectiveness of the training which helps educators and school sta identify physical signs and behaviors indicating a student is being victimized. The program further illustrates how to recognize and respond to trauma and also teaches the steps to take to report human tra cking, as well as how to connect victims with the proper professionals.

Preliminary results show that of the 30,000 stories gathered, it became overwhelmingly clear that a sig-

ni cant majority of the participants now have increased awareness of the issue, demonstrated better knowledge of how to help prevent the crime and expressed an intention to change how they approach what they do daily. In addition, it was observed that approximately 30% of the stories involved comments by educators expressing they wish they’d had this knowledge sooner as they can think of many students they would have acted upon to help.

“We have focused on ensuring our programs are effective since our inception 12 years ago which is now confirmed by this study.”

Bryant, 3Strands Global co-founder and CEO

platform analyzed and categorized each story. If the story, directly from the educator, demonstrated one or more of the desired outcomes — increased awareness, increased knowledge or intended behavior change — a label was applied. The system then added a condence level for each identi ed label. The study results were generated with a 99% con dence level.

This means that educators were much more aware of the human tra cking issue a er program participation, increased their knowledge of the signs or red ags that identify the behaviors and understood what to do (behavior change) when an issue was identi ed. As more data is gathered, 3SGF will be optimizing its education programs based on the feedback received.

3SGF partnered with Levity, a leader in no-code arti cial intelligence automation, to create the research study utilizing natural language processing, a branch of arti cial intelligence, to measure the e ectiveness of their prevention education program. Utilizing the Levity AI custom platform gave 3Strands the ability to evaluate more than 30,000 stories collected from counselors and educators from the 100,000 nationwide who had been through the 3SGF education program. By applying the logic created for the study, the

Dorado Hills, 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information visit eldoradohillschamber.org.

Feb. 10

Publisher Richard B. Esposito (530) 344-5055 resposito@mtdemocrat.net

Managing Editor Noel Stack (530) 344-5073 nstack@villagelife.com

Advertising/Distribution

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2889 Ray Lawyer Drive • Placerville, CA 95667 (530) 622-1255 • Hours: Monday through Friday 8am-5pm

The El Dorado Hills Community Services District hosts the Senior Valentine’s Luncheon at the EDHCSD gym. Register online at eldoradhillscsd.org or call (916) 614-3200.

Feb. 11

The El Dorado Beekeepers host Beginning Beekeeping, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. plus field class April 15. Class will be held at Cameron Park Community Center. Sign up at eldoradobeekeepers.org.

The El Dorado Hills Community Services District hosts the Mommy & Me Valentine’s Dance in the EDHCSD gym. Registration is now open. Visit eldoradhillscsd.org.

The Cameron Park Community Services District hosts the Ties and Tiaras Valentine’s Dance at the Cameron Park Community Center. To register visit cameronpark.org.

The Stage at Burke Junction in Cameron Park presents “Becky’s New Car,” Feb. 11 through March 5. For tickets and more information visit stageatburke.com.

Feb. 12

The Folsom Concert Association presents One Night in Memphis at 2 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. The show recreates that magical night of Dec. 4, 1956,

“It’s exciting for a nonpro t to have access to this type of leading-edge technology which Levity graciously provided to us for a trailblazing evidence-based study of this kind” stated Ray Bryant, a professor at Jessup University who advises 3SGF on its data science needs. “To be able to analyze such a voluminous amount of qualitative data utilizing AI was unprecedented. It would have taken us six person-years of e ort to accomplish this without that technology which would have been time and cost-prohibitive.”

“Levity was founded on the belief that arti cial intelligence should be available to everyone, not just big tech companies. We are proud to partner with 3SGF and believe that their mission is critical to everyone around the globe. We believe that using AI for good is critical for society, and Levity and 3Strands Global Foundation are partnering to make it work,” said Hannah Kleinings, Levity’s customer operations manager.

Continued from A2

when Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash found themselves jamming at Sam Phillip’s Sun Studios in Memphis, Tenn. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit harriscenter.net.

Feb. 14

Valentine’s Day carriage rides will be offered 4-8 p.m. in El Dorado Hills Town Center. Couples and families will load in front of South Fork Grille near the Steven Young Amphitheater. Ladies will receive a special Valentine’s Day rose. Rides are powered by and benefitting Young Life, a youth-based local nonprofit. For more information and to book a ride visit edhtowncenter.com.

Feb. 16

Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom presents “Grease,”

Feb. 16-19. For tickets and more information call (916) 6086888 or visit harriscenter.net.

Feb. 18

First responder agencies compete for the Best Chili at the Battle of the Badges 911 Chili Cook-off, 4-8 p.m. at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. Funds raised will support Snowline Hospice. For tickets and more information visit 911chili.org.

A dentistry that aims to be a home away from home

Jessica Cyphers

Staff writer

For patients of Dale Stanec, Jr.,

DDS, going to the dentist feels a little like going home.

“We know all of our patients. They’re our friends,” said Dr. Stanec, who works alongside his wife and office manager, Elena, in his Cameron Park office. “The experience in our office is very personal. We’re very small and greet each patient by name when they walk in. It’s a comfortable, homey place to have dental work done, and we like it that way.”

Dr. Stanec has been in dentistry in the Cameron Park area since 2002. As a kid, he was “always into science and math” and loved the idea of owning his own business. “I ran a lawn-mowing business as a kid — always had some kind of business going — so becoming a dentist and owning my own practice just made sense,” said Dr. Stanec. Dr. Stanec did his undergraduate work at Cal Poly,

San Luis Obispo and then attended dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago. He graduated from Northwestern in 2001 and says that, although he was born and raised in San Jose, it was a natural draw to open his practice in the foothills. “Elena and I love this area. We had a lot of family and friends here and thought it would be a great place to raise our kids.”

In his office, Dr. Stanec offers a full scope of general and cosmetic dentistry with expertise ranging from porcelain veneers and dental implants to crowns and bridges and more. Unlike many other dentists, Dr. Stanec doesn’t employ dental hygienists or other technicians but does all of his dental work himself.

“I spend a lot of one-on-one time with my patients. It’s fun for me to do the work myself because I get to spend more time with my patients and hang out with them and really get to know them. It makes it fun to do what I do,” said Dr. Stanec.

Another advantage of keeping his practice small is that, because he sees every patient one at a time, Dr. Stanec can be very thorough and immediately answer any questions that come up. He is also able to really respect his patients’ time. “I am almost always early or on time,” said Dr. Stanec. “My patients know that, so they’re usually early or on time for their appointments, too. It’s a win win for everyone.”

Dr. Stanec is located at 3955 Cameron Park Drive — in Cameron Park. His office is right near the Goldorado Shopping Center, directly across from the new Walgreens on Palmer Drive, and is very conveniently located for all of his patients. The move is just one more way Dr. Stanec shows his commitment to providing the best possible care for his patients.

“I look forward to going to work and getting to see who’s on the schedule every day,” said Dr. Stanec.

this way I can get to know them well.”

“I love the work that I do and am proud to do really quality work.

Originally I’d planned to be a little bigger, but then I realized I liked it this way. I really enjoy my patients and

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Stanec, visit drstanec.com or call 530-676-6500.

Photo by Joe Phelan

The Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit rolls into the Palladio shopping center in Folsom Thursday, Feb. 9.

Submit your idea to Noel Stack editor@villagelife.com Got a news tip or story idea?

back to London.

Seventy-nine-anda-half years later, the bombardier from that crew celebrated his 101st birthday in El Dorado Hills with the help of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, El Dorado Hills Fire Department, War ghter Overwatch and the El Dorado County Sheri O ce. The group gathered and sang happy birthday to Thomas Matassa in recognition of his long, full life and his 20 years of service to his country. Matassa’s daughter, Kris Matassa, was touched by the kindness the community showed her father on his birthday.

“It was amazing that they all came out and sang happy birthday to Dad,” Kris told Village Life. “He had a wonderful day and he saluted right back when one of the veterans saluted to him.”

Thomas was born in Worcester, Mass., Jan. 12, 1922, and moved to Shingle Springs and built his own home shortly a er leaving the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s. He has been an El Dorado County resident since. When asked what he attributed his longevity to, Thomas laughed.

“I don’t know,” he responded jokingly.

“Good whisky.”

Kris added that her dad has lived a very active life, building his own home and making many back-and-forth trips around his large garden as he watered and tended plants. Thomas’ preference for fresh fruits and vegetables and very little processed food probably hasn’t hurt, either. His military service began when he received notice that he was soon to be dra ed into the Army as the United States ramped up e orts in World War II; not

interested in being an infantryman, he took a trip to a neighboring county in Massachusetts and enlisted into the Army Air Corps, the predecessor to the Air Force, before his dra ing went through. Thomas loves music and was adept with technology, so he at one time had juryrigged a system to play Frank Sinatra recordings on a reel-to-reel player as his aircra ew missions over Vietnam. Thomas stayed on with the Air Force until 1968, and went on to study at California State University, Sacramento where he received his bachelor’s degree in health education. He would continue on at Sacramento State, later receiving master’s degrees in health and safety studies and healthcare administration. Prior to retirement, Thomas

taught at Armijo High School in Fair eld, American River College and Sacramento State and later did social work. He raised four children and now has six grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren. These days, Thomas has di culty hearing and dementia, and his daughter Kris communicates with him much of time by writing on a whiteboard. While Kris wrote out a long question asked during the interview, Thomas’ sense of humor bubbled up as he made a “talking too much” gesture and pointed to his daughter, then winked and let out a big laugh. The teasing of his daughter clearly comes from a place of love; when Kris asked him what his favorite memories from his life were, he only needed one word to respond: “You.”

Courtesy photo

Thomas Matassa joined the Army Air Corps during World War II and served his country until 1968.

Village Life photo by Odin Rasco

Thomas Matassa relaxes in his El Dorado Hills home. The retired teacher and Air Force veteran has lived a full 101 years.

EDH inventor makes a splash on ‘Shark Tank’

“We were trying to make it something that almost every pool owner could have by their pool,” said El Dorado Hills mom Bianca Wittenberg, who late last year snagged a “Shark Tank” contract on an invention that is both timely and potentially lifesaving.

With the spate of wildfires burning California communities in recent years, Wittenberg’s FireFighter1 allows homeowners to easily hook up a hose to their pool water pump and spray down their house. Although there are already products on the market that do this, Wittenberg explained they use separate engines and can cost thousands of dollars. Because the FireFighter1 uses an existing swimming pool pump, not only is it more affordable, it can be installed in about 15 to 20 minutes enabling homeowners to spray 80 gallons of water per minute at a distance of 40 feet.

“It was my dad’s idea,” said Wittenberg, who also owns a local real estate business and is raising four children. She shared that her FireFighter1 product stemmed from a childhood in Mission Viejo where wildfires were the

norm. “My dad would grab our garden hose, wet the roof, do all those things that we’re supposed to do to prepare,” she told Village Life. “One day he figured out how to use our pool water. Every time there was a fire, our house would be wet within a few minutes because he would hook that up.”

Her husband Erik Wittenberg is an El Dorado Hills native, and when the Wittenbergs moved back to the area in 2011 they bought a house with a pool. Within the first year, a fire broke out nearby, reminding her of her father’s invention. “I couldn’t find it anywhere so I took Dad’s old prototypes and started playing with them and redesigning it and then figured out a system for our house,” she said.

In 2019, while earning her MBA at California State University, Sacramento, she entered a pitch contest with her prototype, won second place and went on to win third place on a national level. When the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bianca and her husband sat at home refining her prototype. Matt Barjas from Sacramento’s Fluid-Tech Hydraulics Inc. helped pron See FireFighter1 page A7

Hayden Chua, a Marina Village Middle School eighth-grader,

a Gold Ridge Elementary School fifth-grader, impressed the judges who read their Second Continental Congress-focused essays.

Students earn American history essay awards

Special to Village Life

Two students from schools in El Dorado Hills and Folsom were awarded bronze medals for their winning American history essays about the Second Continental Congress, which met in May 1775 and was instrumental in shaping what was to become the United States of America. The essay contest was sponsored locally by the Charlotte Parkhurst Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in Folsom.

Winning essays were submitted by Pratheek Guru Prasanna, a h-grade student at Gold Ridge Elementary School in Folsom, and Hayden Chua, an eighth-grade student at Marina Village Middle School in El Dorado Hills. One essay from each of the two grade levels was presented as the chapter winner in a ceremony held Jan. 23 at Folsom Veterans Hall. In a surprise announcement, both students were then noti ed that their essays also won at the district level and would be forwarded to the California state American history

chair for state-level competition.

Students participating in the essay contest were asked to imagine they were a delegate during the 1775-76 Congress. The had to select a colony they wished to represent and discuss what was important to accomplish for that colony. The essay title was “Delegate to the Second Continental Congress: How will the essential actions of a good citizen (dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism) help meet the challenges that America faces in this decade?”

Students in h through eighth grade in public, private, parochial or those who are homeschooled were eligible to enter the contest. More than 20 students from the region participated.

To learn more about the Charlotte Parkhurst Chapter of DAR and honoring and preserving the legacy of potential revolutionary ancestors in your family, promoting historic preservation, education and patriotic endeavors, email charlotteparkhurstdar@gmail.com or visit the Charlotte Parkhurst Chapter website at folsom.californiadar.org.

Go behind the scenes with EDSO

News release

The El Dorado County Sheri ’s O ce Citizens’ Academy is now taking applications for enrollment.

The academy aims to familiarize El Dorado County residents with di erent aspects of law enforcement and the role the Sheri ’s O ce plays within the community.

In 16 weeks of classes, participants go behind the scenes and get hands-on experience that engages and educates. The weekly classroom setting builds momentum as participants meet various instructors and the course eventually ends with an opportunity to play the

FireFighter1

vide a variety of hoses and ttings. Fellow El Dorado Hills resident Mark Zetter, who works with the Sacramento Angel Foundation, volunteered hours guiding the process by setting weekly goals.

“One of the big hiccups was trying to use a reel,” Bianca said, noting that her patented accordion fold allows the hose to quickly expand.

Conversely, when the hose was coiled on a reel, the pressure would catch and arrest the process.

The box design was inspired by ammunition boxes that Erik, who comes from a military background, had around the house. “One day I tried folding it in an ammo box. I plugged it in and we turned it on and it just pulled right out,” Bianca exclaimed. “It was like an ‘aha’ moment.”

Making the product lightweight also proved a challenge, the larger 100foot hoses in particular. However, Bianca nds educating consumers is her most di cult struggle, convincing pool owners it will actually operate.

“It’s amazing how quickly and easily it works,” she insisted. “At our house, we have a split level property and our back roo ine is a good 45 feet up. We can clear that roo ine just from the power of our pool pump.”

Bianca began installing and testing the product through family and friends as well as soliciting advice from Cal

role of these everyday heroes.

Those enrolled in the Citizens’ Academy also get an opportunity to take a ride-along with a deputy and an in-depth tour of both the Sheri ’s O ce headquarters and the Placerville jail. The academy is free and enrollment is limited. Two academies will be o ered in 2023; the rst begins March 22 and the fall start date is Aug. 9. Classes are held Wednesday evenings from 6-9 p.m.

For more information or to apply to attend go to tinyurl.com/78vkunma or call or email Det. Sean Fitzgerald at (530) 621-5714 or tzgers@edso.org.

Continued from A6

Fire o cials and other re ghters. She sold the product at home shows and applied to appear on “Shark Tank.” Before she knew it, she was scheduled to present. “When I got there I was super nervous,” she said, admitting that a microphone glitch allowed her to take a break and restart shooting. “It brought my nerves down. It totally calmed me so that was really nice.”

On the Dec. 2 episode, “Shark Tank” judges Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner o ered her a $150,000 contract for a 25% share of her company. Bianca looks forward to their assistance with networking and distribution. “Before I went on ‘Shark Tank’ I was driving around to mom and pop pool stores and asking them if they would carry FireFighter1,” she said. “I think I had one pool store that told me no.”

Since the episode aired, Bianca has been inundated with inquiries from pool vendors and has already begun conceptualizing variations on FireFighter1, such as the ability to run a hose from a pool to a sprinkler line. She is also considering a foam inductor that would use pool water to create a foam that could coat a house for 48 hours, allowing owners to leave while keeping their house protected.

Bianca noted many people in the area live on rural properties, pointing out that it’s not only wildres that pose dangers.

“Backyard barbecues are a huge cause of res that end up spreading … If we can accumulate di erent methods to help protect ourselves, together they’ll really add up and hopefully make it a little bit safer for all of us.”

Fire ghter1 products can be found on Amazon and ght re rst.com.

Courtesy photo

and Pratheek Guru Prasanna,

Courtesy photo

FireFighter1 uses the water in a home pool to douse a house.

V illage H OMES

Marilyn Goff

#00935416

CalBRE

(530) 672-4530

MGoff@GoLyon.com

3473 Elderberry Road, Placerville

2,529 square feet

3 bedrooms, 2 baths 10-acre property

Listed at $649,000 MLS #223002963

Luxury, log-cabin living in Placerville

Enjoy breathtaking views from every room of this stunning, Tahoe-style log home set on 10 private acres. The spacious oor plan covering more than 2,500 square feet showcases vaulted, wood-lined ceilings and large picture windows.

The bright, inviting great room combines the living room, kitchen and dining area. Enjoy the foothill views inside or on the deck. Family and friends will love gathering around the open kitchen with a large island. Amenities include two sinks, double ovens, a dining bar, built-in cooktop, lots of cabinet space and a pantry cabinet.

The separate family/media room just o the kitchen is a cozy place to catch up on our favorite shows and also has deck access when it’s time to enjoy the sunshine.

The upstairs lo overlooking the great room is another great place to relax.

The home has three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The primary suite boasts a vaulted ceiling and skylight plus a large closet. The suite’s bathroom has double sinks, two walk-in closets and a tiled shower.

Additional home perks include newer central heating

and air, a whole-house fan, skylights, new luxury wood pattern vinyl ooring, a laundry room, large storage area under the home, a 2,500-gallon water tank and a generator that powers the whole house and the property’s well.

The backyard is ideal for entertaining as well as watching wildlife and gorgeous sunsets. The home has an expansive, two-level, wraparound deck with plenty of room for seating as well as a hot tub and garden/ ower pots. Enjoy yard games on the property below, where there’s more space for outdoor seating and dining and shade provided by well-trimmed trees. The fenced acreage features two small barns, a large fenced garden, a re pit and an above-ground pool. Finish any project in the detached garage/workshop that has a workbench, full bathroom and a 30-foot by 20-foot room that could be used for just about any hobby. There is plenty of room for an RV and/or boat, animals and other toys.

Interested in a tour of this lovely Elderberry Road property in Placerville? Contact Realtor Marilyn Go at (530) 672-4530 or visit marilyngo .com.

Grow for it! Japanese gardens: Good for the soul

Japanese gardens are traditional-style gardens that have existed since the 6th to 7th centuries BC. These unique gardens embody principles of Japanese culture, religion and reverence for beauty and the simplicity of nature. The goal of a Japanese garden is to bring humanity closer to nature by inspiring visitors to quiet meditation and tranquil reflection as seen in compact garden features representing the grand scale of our larger world of mountains, forests, rivers and lakes.

UCCE Master Gardener of El Dorado County

In El Dorado County we are fortunate to have a true gem of a Japanese garden right in our own backyard; Sherwood Demonstration Garden in Placerville boasts a classic Japanese garden as one of the 16 individual gardens on display. The late Master Gardener Bob Sherwood, for whom our demonstration garden is named, designed and constructed much of this Japanese garden to promote public interest and education in Japanese gardening. He used three customary Japanese garden design elements — the first are stones, which are the “bones” of the garden, representing structure and stability in nature. Next is both flowing and

still water that is present as the life force. Last is careful selection of a variety of trees and plants that offer greenery as well as colors painting the four seasons. Other important garden features include a stone lantern, water basin, Tea House and bridge.

Dogwoods, azaleas, ferns and hostas welcome the visitor entering the garden over a wooden bridge. Japanese gardens usually don’t stress “showy” flowers but favor plants that offer fleeting color. Azaleas, for example, whose quick blooms don’t last long, remind us that life can be brief and encourage reflection on our own lives. More than 65 plants and trees were carefully selected for the Japanese garden; all are individually labeled and have proven themselves ideal for El Dorado County’s climate. For a complete plant list with common and botanical names, watering requirements and deer resistance information go to the Sherwood Demonstration Garden website at: Sherwood Demonstration GardenUCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County (ucanr.edu).

A magnificent copper-trimmed Japanese Tea House prominently overlooks a pond, stones and waterfall

Kate Halvorson

Photo by Summer Brasuel

Romancing the heart with the Folsom Lake Symphony

The course of true love never did run smooth, according to Shakespeare. If it did, tales of love and romance wouldn’t be half so interesting.

Whether they are writers, poets or musical composers, those who seek to tell stories need characters. And those characters need to present challenges or be challenged.

That is how we get caught up in the tale, mentally and emotionally. But it’s mostly about capturing our hearts.

This month the Folsom Lake Symphony presents Tales of Romance, four works that showcase the rousing action and high emotionalism of romantic music.

‘Don Giovanni’

The overture to this opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) introduces us to the life (and loves) of the scandalous Spanish libertine Don Juan. Although Mozart’s time was before the Romantic Era, he was certainly aware of “Sturm und Drang“ — the German proto-Romantic movement of his time. Such a grand villain demands glorious music. And Mozart delivers.

The overture opens with stern notes that foreshadow the hellish fate of the libertine lover. Yet the beauty of the loves he pursues is present in the music as well.

Composers in later generations would build on Mozart’s innovative use of dissonance and chromatic harmonies in this work. “Don Giovanni” is widely regarded as one of the greatest operas of all time.

Mendelssohn’s violin concerto

Here we have a real treat. Musical prodigy Amaryn Olmeda will guest solo with the symphony. They will perform the “Violin Concerto in E minor, Opus 64,” by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847). Completed in 1844, Mendelssohn wrote this work for his friend

Teen

Courtesy

Ferdinand David, who was a concertmaster — the principal rst violin player in an orchestra. Since the rst performance in 1845, this concerto is considered central to the violin repertoire and essential for every aspiring concertmaster violinist to master. This work is a joyful piece and an audience favorite. Olmeda is a high school student and studies

violin under Ian Swenson. Her talent and performances with symphonies in the U.S. have gained her national recognition as a rising star. She is a Joseph Chan Scholarship recipient at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and performs with the Sacramento Youth Symphony.

Her instrument is a J.B. Vuillaume violin made in 1828. The instrument is on generous loan from Florian Leonhard Fine Violins. Olmeda is becoming a sought-a er soloist for her expressive and bold performances.

Intermezzo

Pietro Macagni (1863-1945) wrote his intermezzo as part of a short, one-act opera, “Cavalleria rusticana,” which premiered in 1890. The intermezzo from the opera is one of the richest, most luxurious pieces of music from the Romantic era.

You may recognize this piece as the melody to “Sancta Maria,” as performed by Andrea Bocelli, Charlotte Church or Friar Alessandro. To hear this romantic music performed live is worth the ticket price all by itself.

‘Don Juan’

Closing out the evening is Richard Strauss’ (1864949) tone poem, “Don Juan, Opus 20.” Remember that libertine lover Don Giovanni? Well, Strauss happened to be conducting Mozart’s opera in Munich. Inspired by the material, he began writing about the same character, but cast him in his Spanish name: Don Juan. (Side note: Strauss fell in love with the opera’s lead soprano and married her. Romanic, no?). It debuted in 1899.

This is true programmic music that pops with color as it tells the story. Indeed, you can see where later composers (such as Korngold and Williams) drew inspiration for their movie scores.

Close your eyes and picture Don Juan as he pursues love, nds it, then becomes dissatis ed and keeps looking. It doesn’t end well for him, but the musical storytelling for us is entirely satisfying.

Tales of Romance begins at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets visit folsomlakesymphony.com.

Send your event for consideration in Susan’s column to slaird@handywriting.com.

Say ‘I love you’ with personalized chocolate cupcakes for Valentine’s Day

Special to Village Life

Love and chocolate go hand in hand. Check out this recipe from El Dorado Hills resident Dale Race; your sweetheart will thank you.

Chocolate cupcakes

1 ½ sticks butter (unsalted) – room temperature

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed. 2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk ½ cup sour cream

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ¾ cups allpurpose our

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. In an electric mixer combine cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for 4 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla, then add one egg at a time.

In a separate small bowl whisk together buttermilk and sour cream.

In a separate medium bowl whisk together cocoa, our, espresso powder, baking powder and salt.

On low speed, slowly add sour cream mixture and our mixture (alternately) to the bowl of electric mixer. Do not overmix (you can nish mixing by hand with a rubber spatula).

Fill lined cupcake pans half full with batter and bake 18-22 minutes (middle rack of oven) until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan then remove cupcakes from the pans & place on a baker’s cooling rack.

Gardener

that o ers soothing sounds. Nestled in and amongst the stones around the pond are iris, juniper, azaleas, gardenias, nandina, spirea and other small shrubs. Rhododendrons, hydrangea, grasses and Japanese maples all come together for di erent plant textures, contrast and colors. Bamboo frames part of the view and is a plant that represents longevity and happiness. Maple trees change colors to show appreciation of di erent seasons, while a variety of pines provide green backdrops to represent consistency and stability.

In describing Japanese gardens, Dr. Koichi Kawana said, “Simplicity means the achievement of maximum e ect with minimum means.” The Japanese garden in the Sherwood Demonstration Garden is a wonderful example of natural simplicity and beauty, inviting visitors throughout the seasons to explore its pathways and many viewpoints. Hopefully you are inspired to discover, re ect and connect with nature at our Sherwood Demonstration Garden.

We ’ve

Continued from B2

The garden is generally open during the winter for free public tours from 9 a.m. to noon on the rst Saturday of the month, weather permitting. However, currently the Sherwood Demonstration Garden is closed due to ooding. Check the website for further information about the Sherwood Demonstration Garden at ucanr.edu/sites/EDC_Master_Gardeners/ Demonstration_Garden.

Master Gardener classes are o ered monthly throughout the county. Find the class schedule at mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/ Public_Education_Classes/?calendar=yes&g=56698 and recorded classes on many gardening topics at mgeldorado. ucanr.edu/Public_Education/Classes.

Have a gardening question? Master Gardeners are working hard to answer your questions. Use the “Ask a Master Gardener” option on the website, mgeldorado.ucanr.edu, or leave a message on the o ce telephone at (530) 621-5512. To sign up for notices and newsletters visit ucanr.edu/master gardener e-news. Master Gardeners are also on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Chocolate ganache glaze

4 ounces dark chocolate ( nely chopped)

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

2/3 cup heavy cream

White chocolate lettering: 2-3 ounces white chocolate ( nely chopped)

Directions: Place chopped chocolate and corn syrup in small bowl.

Gently heat cream on stove (medium-low heat), pour cream over chocolate mixture. Let sit for 4 to 5 minutes, then stir until very smooth. When ganache cools 10 to 15 minutes and thickens a bit, dip the tops of each cupcake in the ganache, letting excess drip o (ganache should be thick enough to not drip down sides of the cupcakes).

Glaze a er cupcakes have completely cooled. Allow ganache to set on cupcakes for 30 minutes.

For white chocolate lettering, place chopped white chocolate in a small bowl and microwave 20 to 30 seconds at a time until mostly melted. Stir until very smooth. Fit a pastry bag (or Ziplocbag) with the smallest round tip. Fill the bag with melted white chocolate and then use it to write on the cupcakes (do this fairly quickly before the white chocolate hardens in the bag).

Baker’s notes: Butter, eggs, sour cream and buttermilk should be room temperature. Buttermilk should be shaken in the carton before pouring. Fill cupcake cups using an ice cream scoop with a spring-loaded handle (if you have one).

Susan Laird The Arts

“every day

photo

violin prodigy Amaryn Olmeda is the guest soloist with the Folsom Lake Symphony in February. They will perform Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto in E minor.” Olmeda is nationally recognized as a rising star for her talent. She is a performer with the Sacramento Youth Symphony.

FINANCIAL FOCUS

Watch out for tax season scams

It’s that time of year when we do our taxes — but it’s also the same time that tax scammers go to work. What scams should you watch for and how can you avoid being victimized?

Sadly, the list of scams is pretty long, including demands for payment or requests for “additional information” pertaining to your tax refund, in which the sender asks for your Social Security Number and other personal information. These scam emails can look quite o cial, o en incorporating the IRS logo. You might also receive

scam text messages containing bogus links claiming to be the IRS website or an online “tool” that can help process your refund faster.

But keep these points in mind:

• The IRS generally won’t contact you by phone and won’t contact you by email, text messages or social media channels to ask for personal or nancial information. The IRS begins most correspondence to taxpayers through regular mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

• The IRS won’t call to demand you make an immediate payment through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer.

If you owe taxes, the IRS gener-

ally will mail you a bill. And the IRS won’t threaten to bring in the police or another law enforcement group to arrest you for not paying your taxes.

In general, be extremely skeptical about any type of communication purporting to be from the IRS that sounds bullying or over-inquisitive — and certainly don’t give out any personal or nancial information. But these fake messages aren’t the only tax-season scams out there. You might even receive a direct deposit from what appears to be the U.S. Treasury Department — but if you weren’t expecting it, something’s likely not right. This payment could be a sign that a fraudulent tax return was led in your name and it might be followed by a communication from a supposed IRS agent requesting this overpayment be sent to them. If this happens to you, you’ll want to contact the IRS right away and you could also ask your bank to return the deposit to the government.

Other scams don’t claim to originate directly from the IRS, as scammers pretend to be from real or imaginary tax organizations. For example, you could get a message from the Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent orga-

nization within the IRS, but this agency won’t contact you without a legitimate reason. Or you could receive a message from the nonexistent “Bureau of Tax Enforcement.” Your best bet is to delete these messages immediately or send them to your spam folder.

Not all tax season scams originate from fraudulent IRS representatives or fake agencies. You also need to be careful about whom you hire to prepare your taxes. If possible, get a recommendation from a trusted friend or family member. And keep in mind that a legitimate tax preparer must have a valid Preparer Tax Identi cation Number and must sign your tax return. If someone doesn’t have this number or is reluctant to sign your return, it may well be a sign that this individual is a “ghost preparer” who only wants to pocket your fee.

Tax scammers are, unfortunately, here to stay — but remaining vigilant can help you keep them from causing problems for you in this tax season and all the ones in the future.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by local Edward Jones Financial Advisor Suzy O’Neal, (530) 676-5402. Edward Jones, member SIPC.

Suzy O’Neal

Financial columnist

Reaping the benefits of manual therapy

Jana Rossi

Staff writer

Experiencing pain?

Soreness? Feeling off balance? Leslie Shahinian of Body in Balance may be just who the doctor ordered. This married mom of three who loves all things outdoors and is an avid runner has had her fair share of injuries over the years, leading her to delve deeper into her field of expertise.

Shahinian is a certified massage therapist and personal trainer. She was referred to a massage therapist after sustaining injuries that never healed well after a car accident when she was just a teen.

“This therapist was able to do wonders for me and it opened my eyes to a whole new world,” she said. But after moving, finding another massage therapist of the same caliber proved to be unsuccessful.

“The body work I received was great but was not what I was seeking,” she told Cameron Park Life. Her dissatisfaction led to researching the industry and after many years she stumbled upon a school that offered exactly what she was looking for, medical massage, and, more specifically, manual therapy. She calls her find “a game changer” for both her practice and her clients.

“This form of massage addresses the body from a clinical perspective, with an emphasis on soft tissue injuries,” Shahinian explained, adding that manual therapy is an umbrella term for all the different soft tissue modalities/techniques.

“The emphasis being on soft tissue, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia injuries. These can lead to pain, imbalances, stiffness and inflammation and can occur for a variety of reasons. Overuse, underuse or a direct impact to a particular area. Tennis elbow, whiplash, frozen shoulder, sciatica are all examples and can show up as pain, tension, weakness, fatigue, numbness, altered movement and reduced performance.”

She admitted it took her years to hone her manual therapy skills but was finally able to incorporate this form of massage into her practice. Once she did, Shahinian said her clients saw greater results, but they lacked the consistency she desired. Not everyone walked away reaping the benefits of her therapy; their pain would return. These unsatisfactory results took Shahinian down another rabbit hole.

“I knew there was a correlation in my own body when I incorporated movement and strength training into my routine so I began studying move-

ment and found this to be an important piece of the puzzle,” she shared.

Movement therapy involves moving groups of muscles called kinetic chains that work together to create a specific movement, referred to as a movement pattern. “For various reasons a muscle can become overactive or underactive, creating imbalances in the groups of muscles,” Shahinian said. “Compensations begin to take place and movement patterns can become altered or dysfunctional which can lead to soft tissue injuries while sometimes soft tissue injuries can lead to altered movement patterns.”

Since incorporating movement into her sessions, her clients are seeing the results Shahinian searched for all those years. Her approach to treatment is two-fold. “I look at the body from a broader perspective,” she explained. “If someone comes in with shoulder pain, I will look at the shoulder but I do not stop there. I will look at the different relationships within the kinetic chains. Oftentimes, the point of pain is not the source of pain.”

Plantar fasciitis presents as pain at the heel or bottom of the foot, but it is not always a foot issue, Shahinian continued. “Oftentimes there’s an imbalance further up the kinetic chain. Manual therapy and movement can be utilized in this sce-

nario.”

Scars can also be addressed through manual therapy. “When a wound heals and a scar is left in its place, the tissue tends to be denser and tighter,” she said. “This denser, tighter tissue may begin to pull on the surrounding tissues from any direction leading to pain in another area.”

Shahinian’s second school of thought is “less is more.” “If someone walks into my office in pain, this tells me their nervous system is already in a heightened state. The techniques I use are gentle as I do not want to increase this heightened state.”

She said her biggest takeaway from medical massage training is how to position the muscles when treating. “It allows access to the tissues without inflicting more pain and can reduce the risk of overloading the nervous system. Essentially, ‘less’ pressure is resulting in ‘more’ positive results. I follow this same approach with movement.”

Stress can also lead to compensations in the body. “People have the tendency to hold their breath, clench their jaw or shrug shoulders when stressed, leading to muscle imbalances from staying in one position for extended periods of time.” Shahinian

this

Change the narrative for a happier life

Jana Rossi

Staff writer

Who doesn’t need a di erent perspective, a shi from the negative dialogue subconsciously played in the mind?

El Dorado Hills author Lynn Lok-Payne’s new book, “Speak This Not That Positive A rmations to Have a Better Day,” shares di erent ways of phrasing negative thoughts that sometimes plague the subconscious. The a rmation author acknowledged, having gone through her own period of tragic losses, not every day can be rosy. “Everyone has challenges but with positive self-talk, they can make it out the other side.” Lok-Payne explained. She’s proof of that theory.

Through a series of events, the world she once knew was quickly lost. Her husband of 23 years unexpectedly died and only three weeks later she lost her home in a re. But she still found hope to pass along. “You go through challenges and come out stronger.”

Journaling her feelings became a way to deal with the mounting grief. “I found writing to be healing,” Lok-Payne shared, adding with a background in sales, she said she never saw herself as a writer. As she continued to pen her feel-

Therapy

the body is also included in the history discussion.

A session with Shahinian begins with a person’s history and assessments, such as postural, movement, balance, palpation of so tissues. “This helps to narrow down where the imbalances may be coming from as the area of pain is not always the source,” she said.

The next step is to decide which therapies to use.

“Manual therapies to treat so tissues, lymphatic work may also be incorporated into a session and lastly speci c exercises are recommended to relearn the movement pattern,” she continued.

Shahinian said her clients come from all walks of life — elderly, athletes, weekend warriors as well as people with physically demanding jobs and those that sit at a desk and those who just want to get through their daily routines.

Clients like Bette Murakami, who su ered from adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), praise Shahinian’s treatment. “I had been to physical therapy and a

ings and experiences, the tone became more inspirational and she knew she wanted to share her story. “We are so connected,” she said. “Sharing my journey helps to relate and connect with others.”

“Speak This Not That Positive A rmations to Have a Better Day” is set up with various examples of negative phrases that people sabotage themselves with. Following each negative statement are three positive a rmations that o er the reader a di erent perspective to which the situation can be looked at.

Replacing “I’m not good enough” with “I surrender the need to be perfect and choose to stop comparing myself to others” or “I love myself just as I am at this very moment” or “I am enough” changes up how people control how they feel in that moment.

“I know we can’t live in joy all the time, but better words create better thoughts which can create a better day,” Lok-Payne explained. “Our internal dialogue is key and by rephrasing our thoughts people can create a di erent reality.”

“Speak This Not That Positive A rmations to Have a Better Day” can be found at Ruby’s Books in Folsom and online. For more information visit LynnLokPayne.com.

Continued from B5

chiropractor, but my arm and shoulder movements continued to be restricted and painful,” Murakami shared. “Leslie used gentle adjustments and applied skilled manipulation of the tendons, ligaments and muscle tissue. She directed me in speci c home exercises which all produced amazing results. I now have full range of motion in my shoulder. It’s good to be able to do the things I used to do again without being in pain. I’m so thankful for her skill and knowledge of the human body and for all she has done for me.”

An initial session begins with a phone consultation to ensure what they’re experiencing is within her scope of practice. Once a session is booked it can range from 45 to 60 minutes, with some clients nding relief a er one session and others needing a few, returning on an as needed basis. Others are seen once a month. Body in Balance Manual & Movement Therapy is located at 3332 Heights Drive, Cameron Park. For more information email shahinian.leslie@gmail.com.

Shingle Springs Cameron Park

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

SHINGLE SPRINGS~CAMERON

PARK Chamber of Commerce

President’s Corner

Boy, it sure seems as though time goes so fast! We are already beginning our journey into February of 2023. Our businesses continue to have struggles ranging from continued supply issues to staffing shortages in almost every industry. Locally, we continue to have many businesses that cannot find quality workers. It adds to the mounting pressure brought on by inflation. The housing market has cooled from the frenzy of 2020 & 2021, which may help some workers relocate to our beautiful county.

Our Board of Directors has been hard at work for the past month with a variety of tasks. Scheduling mixers, luncheon speakers, ribbon cuttings, Thunder in the Park Car Show, Bowling Fundraiser and so much more. All of the Directors volunteer countless hours to help keep our Chamber running smoothly and I am forever grateful for ALL of them.

We have another busy month starting with our 1st mixer of the year co-hosted by Cielo Estate Winery and Thiel Real Estate & Property Management on Thursday, February 2nd 5:30pm – 7:30pm. As you may have realized, we moved our monthly mixer to the 1st Thursday of the month and in January had a GREAT turnout at Tres Calaveras. We expect

another fun night of networking with business professionals. Our Monthly Networking Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, February 22nd, 11:30am at Los Pinos. Our Guest Speaker is our new State Assemblyman, Joe Patterson. We invite you to come meet Assemblyman and enjoy a wonderful lunch. Cost is $25 for non-members and space is limited. So, call the Chamber office for your reservation.

January brought several new members and renewals for our Chamber. We have lofty membership goals this year. I look forward to meeting many more business owners in my second year as President. I continue to have an open door policy and encourage ALL of our members to get involved. And if you know a business that should be a member, I’d love the opportunity to talk with them.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Colette Thiel, President SSCP Chamber of Commerce

The SS/CP Chamber Needs Volunteers!

The Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce needs volunteers to spend a few hours a month helping the chamber with its events and management.  The payback is helping your local business advocates support the community in which

Colette Thiel CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

they live and serve, while striving to make Shingle Springs and Cameron Park wonderful places in which to live!  We have several key positions opening right now.  Get involved today!  Please contact Colette Thiel@ ThielHomes.com for more information.

FEBRUARY Events

February 12

Auction of Homemade Quilts

Celebrating The Presidents and Valentine's Day!

February 18

Third Saturday, Placerville Art Walk

February (Fridays to Sundays)

CP Rotary Club Observatory

From 8:30pm to 10:30 pm, weather permitting , the observatory is open to the public on weekend evenings. Trained docents show the many celestial wonders of the universe through two 14inch telescopes. Folsom Lake College, El Dorado Center, Campus Drive (continue through the back parking lots to the left of the observatory gate). For info and closure updates, call (530) 642-5621, Ext. 9.

February - Visit Small

Businesses To Keep It Local!

Shop locally by visiting the various shops and restaurants in El Dorado County!

February 2

SS/CP Chamber Mixer

Come mix and mingle at the monthly Chamber Mixer, to be held at Cielo Estate, 3040 Ponderosa Rd., Shingle Springs, and co—hosted by Thiel Real Estate & Property Management. Time is 5:307:30pm. Contact the Chamber for more information at (530) 677-8000.

From 10am to 3pm, Sierra Wildlife Rescue and the Placerville Shakespeare Club are co-hosting a "QUILT SILENT AUCTION". A large selection of quilts of various styles, patterns, sizes and colors will be available for purchase. Several other quilted items will also be a part of the auction. An alltime quilters' favorite from the 1950's, a Singer Featherweight 221K sewing machine with attachments and case, will also be available. The sale will be held at the Placerville Shakespeare Clubhouse at 2940 Bedford Ave. Silent Auction bidding will begin at 10:00 AM and close at 3:00 PM.

February 14 – Valentine’s Day

February 14

Valentine’s Day Carriage Rides

Weather permitting, bring your sweetie to Town Center in El Dorado Hills for Valentine’s Day Carriage Rides! Proceeds bene t Young Life. Pre-Pay and time selections are available online. Load in front of South Fork Grille.

Historic Downtown Placerville. Main Street galleries and merchants host changing art shows and late night shopping every third Saturday of the month. Demonstrations, refreshments, music and more. Placerville Downtown Association, 376 Main St., Placerville. Read more on EventCrazy.com.

February 20

President’s Day

Federal holiday. No mail and most government services will be closed.

February 22

SS/CP Chamber

Networking Luncheon

Please join us at Los Pinos, 3420 Palmer Dr., Cameron Park from 11:30am to 1:00pm for our monthly luncheon! The guest speaker will be Joe Patterson, the new Assemblyman. Contact the Chamber for more details at (530) 677-8000.

The Shingle Springs/Cameron Park

Inc. in December 1967. It works

community.

The Chamber’s mission statement re ects this premise: “To advocate,

Community, by means of a strong, healthy and diverse business community.”

Shingle Springs Cameron Park