Facebook159Tweet0Pin0 Submitted by Family Education and Support ServicesGenerations United announces Olympia non-profit Family Education and Support Services as the recipient of the Brookdale Foundation Grandfamilies Award.“This award validates all the hard work that our dedicated Kinship Team has put in over the years to support, train and assist the growing population of Kinship families in our community. We appreciate the recognition and our team is very excited to travel to Hawaii next week to accept the award” said Shelly Willis, Executive Director of Family Education and Support Services.This year marks the 15th year of operation for Family Education and Support Services. They continue to provide a wide array of helpful parenting services including the Kinship Support services they offer a Foster Parent support group and parenting classes such as the “Parenting Tools” series, “Winning At Parenting“, “Dynamic Dad’s” and the “Consider the Children” class to aid families impacted by divorce or separation.This is the third award they have received in just the past few months. Earlier this year this agency was recognized by the Thurston Economic Development Council for “Outstanding Non Profit” and just last month the Behavioral Health Resources Foundation presented them with the “Phoenix Award” for the “Clean and Sober” parenting program collaboratively offered to pregnant/postpartum women participating in the “Harvest Program”, out-patient treatment program.“We are honored to help parents, grandparents, foster parents, really any adult who influences the health and well being of a child” said Willis. “At FESS we are dedicated to ensuring that ALL families are equipped with the skills, support and resources necessary to help them rise above the difficulties that will inevitably come their way. We are very proud of the quality of the programs we offer and more importantly the positive outcomes they have had in our community”.About Family Education and Support: At FESS we are dedicated to ensuring that ALL families are equipped with the skills needed to help them rise above the difficulties that will inevitably come their way. We are very proud of the quality of the programs we offer and more importantly the positive outcomes they have had in our community. We believe that by strengthening families we strengthen our community. If you would like to learn more about our agency, or support our efforts, please contact Executive Director Shelly Willis at Shelly@FamilyESS.org, visit our WEB site at: FAmilyEducationAndSupport.org, or visit our administrative office located in West Olympia.About Generations United: Formed in 1986, Generations United is the national membership organization focused solely on improving the lives of children, youth, and older people through intergenerational strategies, programs, and public policies. Representing more than 100 national, state, and local organizations and individuals representing more than 70 million Americans, Generations United serves as a resource for educating policymakers and the public about the economic, social, and personal imperatives of intergenerational cooperation. For more information, visit www.gu.org.About the Brookdale Foundation: The Brookdale Foundation Group consists of the Brookdale Foundation, Glendale Foundation, and Ramapo Trust. All three were endowed by the Schwartz family and all share a common outlook and purpose: to enhance the quality of life in America’s elderly. For more information visit: brookdalefoundation.org.
Plastic Recycling 101
Facebook118Tweet0Pin1 Submitted by Thurston County Solid WasteRecycling can be complicated and plastic items confuse people the most. Contrary to popular belief, the chasing arrow with the number on the bottom of a plastic product does not mean it is recyclable – it just provides the type of resin the product was made from. To make things easier, here are some tips on what plastic does and doesn’t go in your curbside recycling bin if you live in Thurston County.Bottles, Jugs and Jars – These can all be recycled with the rule being that the neck must be at least slightly narrower than the base. Think soda bottles, detergent jugs, and peanut butter jars. These are items products came in, not your food storage container or reusable water bottle.Tubs – You can recycle opaque dairy tubs: cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc. But the clear tub that your salsa or fancy olives came in are not recyclable. And just to throw you, the clear container that your parmesan cheese is in cannot be recycled. Yes, I know that it is dairy, but the container is clear. So it is just the whitish or opaque tubs that go in your recycling.Medicine Bottles – See the above two items – neck narrower than the base and opaque. The white bottle you’re over-the-counter antacids came in is fine, but the orange tinted, straight sided, brittle bottle from your prescription is not. However, prescriptions are starting to come in orange tinted bottles with narrow necks and those are recyclable.Rigid Plant Pots and Buckets – These go in your recycling bin but take the metal handles off of your buckets. The thin crinkly little plant pots are not recyclable.Lids – All plastic lid go in the trash. Loose lids from bottles are small and fall out during the screening process to end up in the trash. Lids from tubs are flat and end up in the paper that goes to paper mills. People often leave lids on when there is still liquid or other products in the containers. When the recycling is compacted in the truck, the lids come off and everything gets contaminated – especially the paper – and reduces the value.Plastic Shopping Bags – These never go in your recycling bin. Plastic bags and film cause more problems than any other item in the recycling system since they get wrapped up in the equipment and cause expensive shut downs. Bags also catch wind during bin pickups and float like butterflies to create ugly litter and cause damage to wildlife and the environment. If you place loose plastic bags in the trash, tie them in knots so they can’t become airborne.Plastic Clam Shells – No, no and no. Try to buy the foods that are not in these containers.Styrofoam – This does not go in your bin but you can take it to the DART facility in Tumwater or at the WARC recycle center. Check www.WhereDoITakeMy.org for details.Just remember, when in doubt – leave it out. You can always find recycling and waste reduction information on the Thurston Solid Waste website at www.ThurstonSolidWaste.org or call 360-867-2491.
Westport’s Rapture of the Deep Wins Best of Class in Oregon
Facebook0Tweet0Pin0 Submitted by Westport WineryRapture of the Deep, Westport Winery’s sparkling cranberry wine, earned Best of Class at the third annual Great Northwest Wine Competition held last week in Hood River, Oregon. This has been the winery’s most decorated wine having earned numerous double gold and platinum medals in international competitions. It has been rated one of the top 100 wines in the Northwest for two years and was poured at the annual Christmas tree lighting at the nation’s capital in 2012.The winery’s tasting notes capture its essence with the description, “Purity of fruit, joyous and angelic.” It is suggested you enjoy this sparkler in the winery’s restaurant with Chicken Cordon Gold (featuring Washington State University’s Cougar Gold sharp cheddar wrapped with maple-smoked ham in a breaded chicken breast). The tasting notes also offer a musical pairing with each wine. They suggest this one is best enjoyed while listening to Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.Each of Westport’s wines benefits a different local charity, in this case Aberdeen’s Driftwood Theater. The label features one of winery co-owner Blain Roberts’, iconic underwater photographs of an octopus from his time as founder and owner of Lahaina Divers on Maui. The sculpture commemorating this wine in the gardens was created by Johnny and Darlene Camp of Opal Art Glass in Cosmopolis. It is located under the black gazebo on the winery’s patio.When you visit Westport Winery Garden Resort be sure to explore the unique sculpture garden, lavender labyrinth, musical fence, 9-hole executive golf course, giant chess set, outdoor scrabble game, and grape maze, all located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road halfway between Aberdeen and Westport. You will see why four times this has been voted Best of the Northwest Wine Destination.These award-winning wines are exclusively available at the resort. The tasting room, gift shop, produce market, plant nursery, bakery and gardens, are open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The restaurant is open for lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and for dinner on Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information contact Westport Winery Garden Resort at 360-648-2224 or visit the website atwww.westportwinery.com.
Two Religions, One Happy Family
By Muriel J. SmithSHREWSBURY – Lisa and Jim Halpern love this time of year. They love all the celebrations that generally begin in November, either when older daughter Emily celebrates her birthday Nov. 22, Thanksgiving, or Hanukkah, whichever comes first. And the celebrations just keep rolling on until well into the New Year.All four family members participate in all the family events for both Hanukkah, which officially started Tuesday night and continues through Dec. 23, and Christmas. There are three menorahs, the candelabra of eight candles to be lit, each by the ninth candle which stands higher than the rest. But there is also a Christmas tree, holiday decorations, and a ceramic Nativity scene set up in a prominent spot in the family room of the Halpern home, a light shining behind it to give it more emphasis.For each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, it’s usually Sophie who lights the candles while her father leads the family in the ritualistic prayers. Now that the girls are older, the smaller gifts for each of the eight nights have been replaced with one gift for each family member, usually the first or second night. The family also enjoys traditional Jewish foods for the Festival of Lights. Lisa not only brags about her husband’s famous latkes…potato pancakes, but notes that “all our non-Jewish friends want to be sure they have some, too.” Her pride in Jim’s culinary expertise is not without good reason….a few years ago, when Monmouth Reformed Temple had a contest for latke making, Jim walked off with the top prize. The gold wrapped chocolate coins – gelt – are also part of the Hanukkah festivities in the Halpern home.At Christmas, the family worships together at Christ Church, and this year will be as exciting as previous. Once again, Sophie will be serving on the altar; both Jim and Lisa are in the choir, he as a tenor, she as both a soprano and alto. The family will host a family Christmas Eve party, then head off to church in time for the 10:30 p.m. lessons and carols, followed by the 11 p.m. festive Eucharist. “This is so exciting,” Lisa exclaims, “not only because it is the celebration of the birth of Christ, but also because the church is decorated in greens and bows so beautifully, it’s a candlelight ceremony, and it is the most beautiful high service; it’s just exquisite.” The only drawback to this year’s midnight celebration is the fact that Emily is employed in the retail field in Boston, and won’t be able to be home until the day after Christmas. “That just stretches all our celebrations out an extra day,” her mom said.Christmas Day is “our day,” Lisa stresses, “when we might just be relaxing, enjoying each other’s company and sitting around in our pajamas all day.”Both Lisa and Jim brought a different religion into their marriage when they were wed 32 years ago. At that time, Lisa was Catholic and their wedding took place in a Catholic church. Jim was Jewish. Emily, their older daughter, has been raised a Christian but is currently undecided on which religious path she’ll follow in the future; teenaged daughter Sophie is leaning towards Judaism.Both religions are vitally important in the Halpern family. Lisa, in the years when her daughters were youngsters, found a great degree of comfort, spirituality and security in the Episcopalian Church and is an active member of historic Christ Church in Shrewsbury. Jim is a member of the Monmouth Reformed Temple and active in numerous activities there, including serving on the board. Their girls are involved in services and activities in both religious communities.While both the Jewish and Christian celebrations are highlights in the Halpern family, Lisa concedes she prefers it when Hanukkah falls in late November or earlier December to give more attention to the menorah, the miracle of the oil, and the festival of lights. “When it’s this close to Christmas, it seems the lights of the menorah are kind of dimmed by all the glitter and bright lights of Christmas. Each holy day deserves to be honored, revered, and kept at a high level.”Professing faith in two different religions has never presented a problem to the Halperns or their daughters. “We have always tried to teach our girls tolerance,” Lisa said, “and want them to know it’s OK to celebrate and honor the religious beliefs of their friends. We have taught them, and we ourselves believe, that we should all be open to each other’s beliefs. It’s wonderful when we can also participate in each other’s religions and celebrate all beliefs in a really wonderful way. I cherish this time of year because it does bring out so much faith and goodness.”
Mallard’s Team of the Week — Young Guns
The Young Guns, coached by Iain Harvey, stayed with Co-op throughout the contest, and with the score tied 6-6 in the final minutes, went ahead for good.Members of the winning Young Guns includes, back row, L-R, Erick Norberg, Luke Mori, Mitch Melanson, Iain Harvey, Kevin Lewis, Simon Sheppard and Andrew Woodward. Front, Louis Loeschnik, Russell Rae, Mitch Popadynetz and Ryan Lewis.The other teams in the running for the Mallard’s honour are:The Scornets, outlasting the Creamers in an upset to claim the Bridge Ladies Rec title; Neon Indians coming out on top of the Finley’s Co-Ed League with a 6-2 win over Marshmellow Conspiracy of Selkirk College and Bia Bora rallying back to defeat Abacus 6-3 in the Jackson’s Hole Masters Men’s Final. Staff and management at Mallard’s Source for Sports didn’t need to look far for potential entrants into this week’s winner of Team of the Week as Soccer Quest concluded the season with its Champions Weekend. No less than four winning teams were crowned this past weekend at Soccer Quest Indoor facility. But the judges went with the Young Guns after the squad knocked off defending champion Kootenay Co-op 8-6 in the final of the Finley’s Men’s Open.
UPDATED: Heartbreak for Team BC at 2016 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Championships
Team BC’s run at the 2016 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Championships in Digby, Nova Scotia ended Saturday morning with a 6-5 loss to Bryan Cochrane of Team Ontario during semi final action.Team BC lost a chance to finish in the medals after dropping a 7-5 decision to Alan O’Leary of Team Nova Scotia in the Bronze Medal match.Meanwhile, Cochrane doubled Randy Neufeld of Team Manitoba 6-3 to capture the 2016 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Championship in the Gold medal game.What’s even more crushing to Skip Bob Ursel and third Dave Stephenson of Kelownaa, second Don Freschi of Trail and lead Fred Thomson of Nelson was the fact Team BC held the advantage with last rock in the final end in semi final action against the eventual 2016 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Champs.However, Cochrane overcame not having the hammer to steal one and the hearts of Team BC at the same time.”We lost that game by a quarter of an inch,” Ursel’s third, Fred Thomson said following the game.Thomson said Ursel’s first stone in the end caught something on the ice, which put the pressure even more on the Team BC rink.Then with Ursel’s final shot, needing a double takeout to win the game, Team BC’s rock came up ever so close to scoring the winning point.”Bob hit (the stone) where we thought we had to hit it,” Thomson explained. “There wasn’t a measurement, but we both looked at the two stones for a minute before realizing Team Ontario’s rock was shot.”Team BC had the advantage coming home, leading 5-3 after six ends.However, Cochrane scored a deuce in the seventh before completing the comeback with a single in the eighth.Thomson said Team BC third Dave Stephenson, who was injured Friday, played, and played well for the westcoast province. Team BC suffers huge setback, qualifies for playoffs at 2016 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling ChampionshipsJust when everything was going so well . . . well, then this happens.Team BC suffered a huge setback Friday at the 2016 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Championships in Digby, Nova Scotia when third Dave Stephenson injured a knee walking off the ice following the morning draw.“We had just played Team Ontario when Dave stepped in a spot at the end of the sheet with no ice and slipped,” third Fred Thomson of the Bob Ursel rink told The Nelson Daily.“He thought he was okay but while we were eating after he noticed the knee swelled so he went to get it check out.”Turns out Stephenson tweaked something in his knee.Skip Bob Ursel, Stephenson, second Don Freschi of Trail and lead Fred Thomson had just handed Team Ontario an 8-2 thrashing — skip Bryan Cochrane’s only loss of the Championships.However, the injury prevented Stephenson from taking to the ice for Team BC’s final game of the Championships, a 6-0 loss to Team Manitoba — a game that was called after five ends.“We’re hoping Dave is okay for (Saturday),” said Thomson, adding the rink was not really into playing the final game, especially after Stephenson went down.“He’s doing everything he can to be ready for the semi final.”Team BC, finishing with a 7-3 record, advances to the Playoff round as the fourth seed.Team BC, which meets Team Ontario at 5:30 a.m. PDT, moved Thomson to third and called in a spare to play lead against Manitoba.If Stephenson is ready to give it a go, Thomson is confident Team BC has just a good a chance to win the Championship as any of the other three rinks — Team Ontario, Team Nova Scotia and Team Manitoba.“We believe we’re have just a good a chance as any of the team,” Thomson said.“The way we’re curling, especially after the Ontario game, we feel we have a good shot at this.”That’s, of course, with Stephenson healthy playing third. Right now everyone in BC has fingers crossed.
FANTICOLA ALL BUSINESS IN TAKING GRADE II, $200,000 ROYAL HEROINE STAKES BY NECK UNDER TALAMO; D’AMATO-TRAINED FILLY GETS MILE ON TURF IN 1:36.76
ARCADIA, Calif. (June 27, 2015)–A heartbreak second in the Grade I Gamely Stakes on May 25, trainer Phil D’Amato’s Fanticola bounced back with a hard earned neck victory under Joe Talamo in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita. Owned by Joseph Scardino and Anthony Fanticola, the 5-year-old Ontario, Canadian-bred mare by Silent Name sat a close second to the furlong pole and got one mile on turf in 1:36.76.The third choice in a field of nine fillies and mares three and up, Fanticola paid $10.20, $4.20 and $3.40. The Royal Heroine marks her first graded stakes win and her fifth overall from 17 starts. With the winner’s take of $120,000 she increased her earnings to $468,300.Irish-bred Queen of The Sand, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, sat far back early behind splits of 23.44, 48.00, 1:12.60 and 1:24.68 and flew late to just miss, finishing one length in front of late running Stormy Lucy. The 2-1 favorite, Queen of The Sand paid $3.60 and $3.00.Stormy Lucy, next to last early, rallied three-wide turning for home and got third money by a head over Alexis Tangier. Off at 10-1 with Flavien Prat, Stormy Lucy paid $6.00 to show. –30–
DECKED OUT RALLIES TO WIN GRADE III, $150,000 PROVIDENCIA BY 2 ¾ LENGTHS; DESORMEAUX BROTHERS TEAM FOR 1 1/8 MILES WIN OVER ‘GOOD’ TURF IN 1:52.72
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 9, 2016)–Last early, a rejuvenated Decked Out rallied wide turning for home to register and emphatic 2 ¾ length win in Saturday’s Grade III, $150,000 Providencia Stakes, the first of six stakes events on Santa Anita Derby Day at The Great Race Place. Trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by his Hall of Fame brother, Kent, Decked Out negotiated 1 1/8 miles over a turf course listed as “good” in 1:52.72.“I wish I could say that I’ve done something different with her, but really, it’s just been the switch to turf that’s turned her around,” said Keith Desormeaux, when asked if he could explain his filly’s rapid improvement. “It only took us about eight races to figure out that we should try the grass, and really, that’s been the biggest reason.”Breaking from the rail in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies, Decked Out was hammered down to 3-1 off of a morning line of 8-1 and paid $8.60, $5.40 and $3.80. Owned by Gene Voss and Big Chief Racing, LLC, Decked Out, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Street Boss, picked up $90,000 for the win, increasing her earnings to $202,768. In garnering her stakes win, Decked Out improved her overall mark to 10-2-1-3.“She’s matured,” said Kent Desormeaux. “She’s letting me drive, instead of wanting to go all out…Now she can go a mile and an eighth. That’s just maturity and Keith’s training.”Irish-bred Jeremy’s Legacy traded punches on the front end with Do the Dance and wrested control mid-way around the far turn, opened up two length advantage approaching the furlong pole, but was inhaled by the winner approaching the sixteenth marker and finished second, a head in front of an on-coming Nodiac.Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Jeremy’s Legacy was off at 19-1 and paid $17.40 and $10.00.Nodiac, who was also bred in Ireland, finished well under Rafael Bejarano at 7-2 and paid $3.60 to show.Lady Valeur, who was favored at 2-1 with Gary Stevens, was attentive to the early pace but flattened out late to finish fifth.With the temporary rail set at 20 feet, fractions on the race were 23.51, 49.17, 1:15.14 and 1:40.36.
TIZNOW STAKES QUOTES – SATURDAY MAY 28, 2016
JOCKEY QUOTES RAFAEL BEJARANO, AVANTI BELLO, WINNER: “I thought he rushed too much in his last out at Los Alamitos when I saw it. He still ran well and finished well in the end but I knew (what I would do differently.)“I knew Boozer and Songforjohnmichael were coming from shorter distances and were going to show more speed today. I pretended to go to the lead to make the other horses go, they went and I found my position and waited as long as I could until the right moment. I knew that Soi Phet was going to come running in the end so I wanted to save a little bit.“I thought we won. When we got to the stretch I still had a little horse and he was fine.” DOUG O’NEILL, AVANTI BELLO, WINNER: “Rafael thought he was like riding a bike a little in that you have to keep (his) mind on the game. But, at the same time he’s a horse that is very tempting to shoot off to the lead early with because he has the gate speed. Rafael chose to sit in a reserved spot and when he called on him, he chirped at him he had saved enough for the end.” TRAINER QUOTES NOTES: The winning owners are Steve Keh of Glendale, CA, Jim Richardson of Danville, CA, Pablo Suarez of Valencia, CA, Tom Roberts of Corona, CA and Wonderland Racing Stables of Orange, Connecticut. KENT DESORMEAUX, SOI PHET, SECOND: “Gallant effort, I thought I won. I thought I won.”
XPRESSBET LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO ‘MAKE AMERICA BET AGAIN’
Online Wagering Provider Introduces Financial Stimulus Package for Horseplayers September 27, 2016 (Washington, PA) – This Election Season, leading online wagering provider, Xpressbet, is reminding all Americans about our nation’s great history with the sport of horse racing. In doing so, Xpressbet has introduced a Financial Stimulus Package for Horseplayers that includes discounted past performances, lucrative wagering bonuses and an industry-leading Sign Up Bonus for new customers. This Stimulus Package is earmarked for the millions of Americans who enjoy the thrill and excitement of a day betting the races. Xpressbet’s steadfast commitment to horse racing is evident in its Make America Bet Again Manifesto, a public declaration of intent to do everything possible to make horse racing one of the country’s most popular sports again. It reminds us that America’s forefathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Ulysses S. Grant, loved to watch, bet and participate in horse racing. Xpressbet has set up a website, www.MakeAmericaBetAgain.com, where horseplayers and fans can read the Manifesto and declare their support for the sport by sharing the Manifesto on social media. That belief is at the core of Xpressbet’s Financial Stimulus Package for Horseplayers, which includes:
“Xpressbet believes in horse racing. This is the sport we love, and the sport we work tirelessly to grow, support and promote,” said Xpressbet President, Ron Luniewski. “While we don’t have a stake in the Election, we do have a stake in the future of horse racing and we think all Americans can agree that a day betting the races is a day well spent.” ‘Double Your Deposit’ Sign Up Bonus: Sign Up for an account using promo code VOTEXB and earn up to a $500 Bonus.Great 40 Million Points Giveaway: Customers can win 1 Million Bonus XB Rewards Points every day from October 1 – November 8.50% Off Past Performances: DRF Classic (TB) and TrackMaster Platinum Plus (HRN) Past Performances are 50% off. About XpressbetXpressbet provides legal and secure online wagering services to horseplayers in the United States. It is the industry’s most comprehensive and user-friendly wagering site, allowing customers to wager on more than 300 of the world’s best racetracks from their computer, phone or mobile device. Xpressbet operates XB SELECT, the industry’s premier destination for high-volume wagering, and XB Net, which connects bet shops and wagering sites from around the world to North American racing. Xpressbet is a Stronach Group company, which also owns and operates Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Rosecroft Raceway, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness Stakes. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, the award-winning Adena Springs operation, AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology, and Monarch Content Management, horse racing’s leading simulcast purchase and sales agent.