National Guard: Food Bank Mission Accomplished

COMMUNITY NEWS National Guard: Food Bank Mission Accomplished

When pandemic health restrictions hit in March of last year, food banks across our state were facing a near-complete lack of volunteers for essential tasks. Volunteers make our food banks work. They bring the hearts, heads and hands needed to sort, pack, handle and deliver food to partner agencies all over our county. Second Harvest faced this crippling people shortage just as food demand began spiking. Need went from the normally 55,000 food-threatened people per month to 100,000.

“We had to protect older volunteers,” explained Willy Elliot-McCrea, CEO Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County. “We shut down some programs. The food banks reached out through Congressman Jimmy Panetta’s office resulting in the California National Guard support deployed state-wide.”

Guard personnel from units across the state, arrived at Second Harvest, taking over for missing volunteers. Many brought ideal skills like forklift operation, logistics and truck driving. They all brought their disciplined, mission-focused muscle and energy to the challenges.

“I am truly grateful the Guard came to help Second Harvest,” says Arturo Fuentes, Second Harvest’s warehouse manager, who is working side-by-side with guard members. “We couldn’t do it without them. Their positive attitude toward accomplishing their mission is phenomenal. Thank you to all the Guard men and women who worked at Second Harvest. I will never forget you.”

Many Became One

Guard members arrived at the food bank from many separate units and were accommodated in nearby hotels. The diverse teams included infantry, engineering, quartermaster and other specialist areas.

Though few knew other assigned Guard members working with them at Second Harvest, the mixed units immediately formed a cohesive team and became the essential, efficient force for so many.

Some Guard members had been laid off from their civilian employment. The call-up gave them financial relief as well as a bit of adventure.

Special Payback

Many dozens of National Guard members have rotated though stints at Second Harvest during the past year. Members are still here serving and helping the food bank run. Here are a few of their perspectives.

Hailing from L.A., Specialist Neiman De La Fuente of the 160th Infantry says, “I’m thankful for working with great people. Seeing the faces at the mass (food) distributions was most memorable. We move fast to meet the daily quota for deliveries. It’s satisfying seeing the completion at the end of each day.”

“Second Harvest” page 17

Photo Credit: Jennifer Welling State Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) doing “the COVID shake” with Sgt. Ryan Ridad, NCO-InCharge of the California National Guard support team at Second Harvest Food Bank, while touring a recent drive-through distribution at the Fairgrounds in Watsonville.

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COMMUNITY NEWS Nisene Rio Gateway To Host ‘Beers & Shears Wines & Vines’

By Jondi Gumz

Agroup founded three months ago to promote ecological harmony and improve safety and access for active transportation in the Nisene Gateway area will host its first public event, “Beers & Shears Wines & Vines,” at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 30, to cut invasive ivy from oak trees in Aptos Village Park.

Nisene Rio Gateway aka NRG invites local residents to pitch in, follow COVID-19 safety protocols, and enjoy a beverage afterward as time permits.

“Some of my friends in the area have developed a passion for clearing Nisene Gateway of invasive ivy,” said Todd Marco, founder of NRG, which initially was known as Nisene Gateway Improvement Project. “As the ivy consumes sections of our beautiful forest, it overtakes & kills large trees,” he said. “A number of spectacular oak trees in Aptos Village Park are currently being threatened. They are such gorgeous oak trees.”

Marco, who with his family moved to Aptos Creek Road last July, talked with Patrice Edwards, Aptos Times publisher, and Aptos resident and loyal government watchdog Becky Steinbruner, about safety issues on the narrow and winding road, which has been deluged with cars, cyclists and people on foot headed to the 10,000acre Nisene Marks State Park for respite in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Discussions with State Parks Superintendent Joe Walters, who manages 29 parks, led to: a revamped entry into Nisene Marks to better accommodate incoming traffic; installation of “no parking” signs to better accommodate ambulances and fire engines responding to medical emergencies; making a broken pay phone operational to call for help as there is no WiFi for mobile phone; pothole repairs and $34,000 worth of paving plus slurry seal to make Aptos Creek Road smooth all the way from Mangels Gulch to the Nisene Marks entrance kiosk — with a safer path on the shoulder for pedestrians.

Marco, a hardware engineer, started a Facebook group to focus on safety issues in the Nisene Gateway area, a group that in three months has grown to more than 200 members.

County parks staff have approved the ivy-clearing project, which is generating enthusiasm among neighbors.

“Woo hoo! It is on the calendar :)” wrote biology teacher Catherine Handschuh via email. “Thank you so much for organizing and getting the ball rolling.”

Marco said he’s experienced with proper ivy removal techniques, which means “not yanking the vines off the branches, which damages the trees, but instead cutting ivy at the base and letting Nature do the rest.”

He has been working to establish Nisene Rio Gateway as a 501c (3) nonprofit, which would allow the group to accept tax-deductible donations and solicit sponsorships from local businesses to support the vision of “a world-class connection to our spectacular natural amenities with reduced reliance on vehicle use, less traffic congestion, and relieved parking challenges.”

Photo Credit: Todd Marco Volunteers are needed to cut invasive ivy from the oak trees at Aptos Village Park