Guests and vendors invited to the Friends of the Anza Library 2023 Summer Reading Program Kick-off event

Diane Sieker Staff Writer

The Friends of the Anza Library is inviting residents, volunteers and vendors to their 2023 Summer Reading Program Kick-off event at the library Saturday, June 10.

Vendor space is available for businesses, artisans, food vendors and nonprofits. Volunteers are needed for set up, tear down and provide guest guidance during the event. Additionally, local published authors are invited to participate. KOYT 97.1 LPFM Community Radio will be providing musical entertainment and special guest Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington will be in attendance.

“Bring your kids to sign up for the free Summer Reading Program and receive a goody-bag,” Jill Roberts, Friends of the Anza Library president, said.

Entertainers such as a clown, makeup artist, caricature artist, balloon artist and more are invited to attend free and receive tips.

The business sponsorship donation is $50 and includes booth space. Vendor space is a $25 donation, with nonprofit space offered for a $5 donation.

“We are very excited to kick off the Summer Reading Program that will run an additional six

Saturdays,” Roberts said. “The Friends of the Anza Library just received their articles of incorporation as a nonprofit from the state. Next, we apply for the federal exempt status.”

The group’s annual membership is only $10. Supporters that join now get 10 free books from the library’s bookstore.

“We need volunteers,” Roberts added. “I still need a corporate secretary, a recording secretary, an historian, a membership chair and to fill several other positions. Bring your skills and talents to contribute to a great cause. It’s a great place to make new friends.”

The Anza Valley Library is a joint-use public library, located inside Hamilton High School, but a completely separate entity. It is part of the Riverside County Library System, located at 57430 Mitchell Road, Anza.

The library’s hours are Thursday and Friday from 4-7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Staff may be reached by calling 951-763-4216.

Please join the Friends of the Anza Valley Community Library on Facebook at www.facebook. com/groups/223224583610311

For vendor information, please contact Kay MacKay at 831706-1188 or Jill Roberts at jillrobertsartist@icloud.com or 858-774-5855.

To learn more about the Anza Valley Community Library, visit www.facebook.com/AnzaLibrary

Don’t have a library card? Go to www.rivlib.net to sign up online for free.

Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com purchase and as the dining wound down, the drawings commenced.

Organizer Christi James and her friend Alex Barajas shouted out the winning numbers as the audience cheered on the winners.

“We have scholarships and our back-to-school backpack giveaway event coming up, so we appreciate the help to support the kids in our community,” James said. “I would really like to thank the Anza Baptist Church for their generosity and Living Hope Church for always being so supportive. Isabel Lee, Stephanie Anaya, Martinez, and Karelyn Blackmore and the Barajas crew are always available and willing to serve. To all of the volunteers before, during, and after the event, you’re awesome. To the From the Heart ladies whom I love dearly, we did it. Our first Mother’s Day Brunch. Here’s to many more.”

The From The Heart Christian Women’s Ministries raises funds to buy Christmas gifts, fill and give away backpacks to school children and assist those local children that may be disadvantaged, focusing on families and children in need in the mountain communities of acoustic entertainment provided by guest artists Art Gomez, Ed Wall, Marea Stinett and Joanna

Anza, Aguanga, Mountain Center and Idyllwild.

According to James, on the first From the Heart Christmas hosted for the children, they served 13 children. The first back-to-school backpack giveaway helped six students with backpacks and school-related goodies.

“Every year it gets bigger,” she said. Now the organization gives out over 300 loaded backpacks, as well as a pair of new shoes, socks and a haircut. Almost 600 kids will benefit from the Christmas toy giveaway this year.

Fundraising events are held throughout the year to help collect money to aid these worthy causes. Rummage sales, luncheons, raffles and the annual From the Heart’s Holiday dinner are held to raise funds for their nonprofit programs.

To learn more about the From The Heart Christian Women’s Ministries, visit www.facebook. com/groups/115200731856938/ about or write to From The Heart Christian Women’s Ministries, PO Box 391224, Anza, Ca. 92539.

Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia.

Crombie.

The unexpected star of the show was newcomer chef Alexander Calapodis. The meal he created was full of flavors and well prepared that it started an instant fan following for the young culinary artist. “Chef Alexander crafted a wonderland of culinary delights like a celebration that danced on the palette,” Amy Procop, administrative assistant and social media guru for the Sage Mountain Farm, said. “His homemade salad dressing complemented Sage Farm’s freshly harvested veggies in a way that farmer Phil couldn’t stop raving about. The potato salad was bright and creamy with high notes of dill to elevate the earthy potato. Then, as if it couldn’t get any better, he delivered a masterpiece of a burger with brilliantly caramelized onions.

It’s exciting to work with talented local chefs who really understand the value of local, sustainable food, and know how to organize an amalgam of flavors that bring out the best of what small farms have to offer.”

Sponsors for the fundraiser included Once Upon A Thread, ManShort Beer Microbrewery, Bedrock Hair and Nails, Rancho Del Sol Vineyard, High Country Chaparral Vineyard, High Country Mercantile, Jackie Cope at Raven Rabbit, Cali Produce, Cahuilla Mountain Market, The Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival and the Anza Pizza Factory, who donated items for the silent auction and giveaways.

“Our silent auction was a success,” Erinne Roscoe, radio station program director, said. “People bid generously, and all of the items received bids. The auction brought in $1,003 for your community radio station. In total, KOYT Anza Community Broadcasting received over $3,900 in donations.”

Sixty-six people were in attendance, including patrons, musicians, press and volunteers.

“It was a beautiful afternoon,” Roscoe said. “Huge thanks to Allison Renck who generously let us enjoy her beautiful garden and to our volunteers who worked hard to make this fundraiser such a blast and such a success: Allison Renck, Annika Knoppel, Betsy Hansen, Sue Sandersfeld, Nina Esparza, Art Gomez, Lorraine Elmore, Joe Hagerman and chef Alexander Calapodis. Thanks to the Anza Electric Cooperative for the use of the tables, pop-ups and chairs.”

Sunny Sutton, a local and wellliked young artist, wowed guests with her fun caricatures. One lucky attendee won a drawing that she generously donated. Sutton is currently lending her skills to KOYT, drawing coloring pages for the radio station to use at future events.

“Thank you to attendees who, on top of supporting by attending the event, also bought KOYT merchandise,” Roscoe said. “Seven folks became new members of Anza Community Broadcasting and some people even generously gave us personal donations. Every single dollar helps and all proceeds directly benefit your 501c3 nonprofit, all-volunteer community radio station. We depend on donations from businesses and community members just like you to keep radio on the airwaves here in Anza. Fundraisers like this help pay the bills and help us continue to build up our radio station.”

The mission of the Anza Community Broadcasting KOYT 97.1 LPFM radio is to provide an inclusive public broadcasting forum to educate, inform and entertain the local community and the general public.

For more information about the radio station, call 951-7635698, email info@koyt971.org , visit them at www.facebook.com/ koyt97.1 or https://koyt971.org.

Amy Procop contributed photos to this report.

Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com

You are set free

bite. Not to mention my mother was having none of it.

So, I drove to a wooded area, opened the cage and set them free. And then the most amazing thing happened. They ran away. Not a single raccoon ran back into captivity.

Zachary Elliott

Special to the Valley News

I once caught four baby raccoons who had lost their mother. I tried to keep them, but after a few days, it was clear it wasn’t going to work out. They

When you enter a personal relationship with Jesus, you are set free and no longer a slave to your former captor, sin. The Bible said, “A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free,” in John 8:35-36.

It means that true freedom is already yours in Jesus Christ. You no longer have to be bound to your old hiccups and hang-ups. They have no hold over you.

Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t move forward? And you couldn’t figure out what was holding you back? Do you know what’s holding you back? You are.

The Bible summed it up pretty well when it said, “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom,” in Galatians 5:7-8.

God is never the one holding you back. You do that to yourself when you choose to run back to captivity instead of running the race. Jesus came to break the cycle of captivity in your life so you can experience true freedom.

That’s why it warned us when it said, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery…” in Galatians 5:1.

Do you want to know how to stay set free?

Do whatever it takes to make Jesus the priority o f your life.

What’s getting in the way of your relationship with God?

Grow spiritually. Healthy things grow. And if you’re not growing, it means you’re not feeding yourself the right spiritual food. It’s time to learn God’s word.

Make yourself accountable.

Jesus died to build his church. And in his church are people who are ready to help and encourage you.

Be part of God’s family. There’s no such thing as a lone ranger in the kingdom of God. We are a family of believers. And you’re not meant to be without a spiritual family.

Eliminate the temptation. What keeps calling you back into the cage? It’s time to end it. Get it out of your life. You are set free.

Here it is in a nutshell.

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes,” in Ephesians 4:21-23.

Remember, “If the Son sets you free, you are truly free,” in John 8:36.

Zachary Elliott is the lead pastor of Fusion Christian Church in Temecula. For more information, visit http://www. fusionchristianchurch.com, http:// www.encouragementtoday.tv or find them on Instagram.

Assemblymember Kate Sanchez names Community Outreach Ministry as 2023 Nonprofit of the Year

WILDOMAR – Assemblymember Kate Sanchez of California’s 71st District named Community Outreach Ministry as 2023 Nonprofit of the Year.

“I am proud to select Community Outreach Ministry of Wildomar,” Sanchez said. “Their dedicated work with helping at-risk kids to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, drugs, violence, delinquency, gangs and incarceration is incredible and I am grateful to have them in our district.”

The mission of Community Outreach Ministry, co-founded over 20 years ago by Coach Bob and Mona Salomo-Davies, Ph.D., is to focus on early intervention which has increased these children’s capacities, to become firstgeneration high school graduates, skilled workers and earn a legal salary. Their successful treatment and intervention programs through their mentor protégé workshops are helping to reduce recidivism. These programs are “giving at-risk children a second chance to be winners and champions,” according to the nonprofit’s mission statement.

“Community Outreach Ministry is another great example of what we do right in our communities,” Sanchez said. “This organization serves as an inspiring example of putting others before self. They are dedicated to changing lives in our world, and they are doing just that.”

Now in its eighth year, the Nonprofit of the Year initiative provides the opportunity for each California State legislator to choose a nonprofit organization doing outstanding work in their district. This year California Nonprofits Day is being celebrated June 7, 2023.

According to “Causes Count,” a 2019 report by CalNonprofits, the nonprofit sector is the fourth largest industry in the state, employing more than 1.2 million people. Each year, California nonprofits generate more than $273 billion in revenue and bring in $40 billion in revenue from outside of California. The unpaid labor contributed by volunteers at nonprofits is equivalent to 330,000 full time jobs every year.

Coach Bob Davies gives commands to Meccano Robot at Tahquitz High School STEAM Program Oct. 11, 2022. Valley News/Courtesy photos

Coach Bob and Mona Salomo-Davies, Ph.D., are the founders of Community Outreach Ministry, which was named 2023 Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember Kate Sanchez of California’s 71st District.

Donations can be made by visiting http://www. communityoutreachministry.org or texting “DONATE CHAMPIONS” to 609-212-0627. Checks may also be made payable to Community Outreach Ministry and mailed to 23905 Clinton Keith Road, Suite 114 #116, Wildomar, CA 92595. For more information, contact 951-

698-7650, 951-231-5515 and info@ communityoutreachministry.org Submitted by Community Outreach Ministry.

Jehovah’s Witnesses resume public ministry at the LA County Fair for the first time in three years

POMONA – After a three-year pause, Jehovah’s Witnesses will return to the Los Angeles County Fair. Jehovah’s Witnesses from Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire began hosting display carts with Bible-based literature for the thousands of daily visitors starting Friday, May 5.

Just over 100 years ago, Los Angeles County opened its first local fair in a Pomona beet field, beginning a Southern California tradition that only a world war and a pandemic could postpone. Since 1994, Jehovah’s Witnesses have welcomed fairgoers with a positive message and an array of free Biblebased literature at the fair.

The Los Angeles County Fair, one of the most well-known fairs in the United States, closed for public safety during the pandemic, reopening for its centennial anniversary in 2022. At the same time, Jehovah’s Witnesses globally halted their public ministry in March 2020 in response to COVID-19 but resumed in July 2022.

“We believe that the early decision to shut down all in-person activities for more than two years has saved many lives,” Robert Hendriks, U.S. representative for Jehovah’s Witnesses, said. “We’re now ready and eager to reconnect with our neighbors once again –person-to-person, face-to-face.

It’s not the only way we preach, but it has historically been the most effective way to deliver our message of comfort and hope.”

For Gene Beltran, a Los Angeles County resident and regional spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses, visiting the fair with his family has been an annual highlight since he was four years old.

“For the past 20 years, I have enjoyed not only going into the fair but also talking to people at the fair about the Bible and the comfort it gives,” Beltran said. “I really enjoy giving back to my community and my neighbors.”

In the 101 years it has existed, the Los Angeles County Fair has welcomed an estimated 89 million visitors with the unique ability to draw a diverse crowd.

“The fair really brings people together from all over LA and the Inland Empire Region,” Beltran said. “The Bible’s message often has the same unifying effect on people. I love talking to people about its positive message.”

In a world that has faced significant change since the pandemic, Hannah Maisel, who has volunteered at the fair since 2005, remarked on the importance of being there.

“After the hardships that people have experienced these last three years, it’s important now more than ever to connect with people and share a message of encouragement and hope,” Maisel said.

Mobile displays of Biblebased literature have been part of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ public ministry in the U.S. since 2011. While “cart witnessing” began in large metropolitan areas around the world, the practice quickly see FAIR, page D-7