December 2011 Archives

The office of Councilman Dee Andrews annouced today that "Peace, Passion, Purpose" is the theme for the Jan. 14 Martin Luther King Jr. Peace and Unity Parade and Celebration. The parade and celebration, which conclude Peace Week activities in the city will run from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.

On Saturday morning, January 14th, the parade route begins on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue at  Anaheim Street and proceeds to Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1950 Lemon Ave., where a multi-cultural celebration will follow.

Here is more from the city on the 2012 event: 

"This year, more than any other, there is reason to celebrate and reason to reaffirm hope for the future. The 2012 celebration theme is in Dr. King's own actions, "Peace! Passion! Purpose!". The theme was taken from Dr. King's teachings that "everyone can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love". Everyone is a leader because everyone has the power to influence and develop others - whether at your work, home, church, or school. All it takes is Peace in your heart and actions, the Passion to generate enthusiasm and excitement about your actions, and the Purpose, something to stand or aim for.

"As we reflect on this years' parade theme, let us remember the purpose of this special City of Long Beach event honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and moves us towards Dr. King's vision of a beloved community", said Councilman Dee Andrews.

 The celebration will be filled with music and dance performances; a children and teen area filled with free carnival rides and give-a-ways. There will be lots of food, general merchandise vending booths, and community services information, as well as a Health Pavilion that will provide a number of free health test and flu shots.

Last year, the celebration attracted over 20,000 people that participated in the parade and visited the park. This year, the weeklong celebration will attract cultures from all over Long Beach to continue the legacy and teachings of a great leader, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For more information call (562) 570-6816."

 

Parents looking for activities to keep the kids occupied over the holidays might want to consider heading down to the El Dorado Nature Center, where a variety of activities are scheduled.
 Here are details from the Nature Center on what it is offering:


Winter Break Workshops at El Dorado Nature Center

These fun-filled workshops are scheduled from December 27 through January 6 (no class on December 31 or January 1). Class size is limited and workshops fill up fast, so make your child's reservation today! Pre-registration is required for all workshops, by calling the Nature Center at 562.570.1745. Morning sessions for K-1st grade students are from 9:30 to 11:30 am; afternoon classes for 2nd-4th grade students are from 1 to 3 pm. Fee is $10 per participant for each workshop. El Dorado Nature Center is located at 7550 E. Spring St.

·        Crafty Kids (Wednesday, December 28): From prickly pine cones to fuzzy seeds, nature surrounds us with beautiful textures, colors, and patterns. Join us as we fashion beautiful creations from what we find on the trail.

·        Track Attack (Thursday, December 29): Think like a detective and follow the tracks. Join us as we study the lives of Nature Center animals and how the signs they leave behind tell their tales.  

·        A Smurf's Eye View (Friday, December 30): Wear your blue as we take a smurf's eye view of nature! Enter our smurfworld and explore massive mushrooms, soaring birds, and bigger than life butterflies. Whether you're a smiley, handy, or brainy smurf, this class will be smurftastic!

·        Where Do We Go From Here? (Monday, January 2): Did you know nature was the first GPS? Come learn how you can find your way by recognizing landmarks, tracking the sky, and using a compass.

·        Nature's Beat (Tuesday, January 3) Can you bounce to the beat? We'll explore animals making music, build our own instrument, and move, move, move for rockin' fun.  

·        Wizardry Wonders (Wednesday, January 4): Wizardry Wante: Use your powers to create a special potion, study illusions and talk to snakes. No muggles allowed!

·        Roly Polys and the FBI (Thursday, January 5): They live under leaves and around moist stuff. They're nature's clean-up crew--fungus, bacteria, and insects. Join us as we investigate this fascination world "down under."

·        Survivor Kid (Friday, January 6): Can you last in the milds of nature? At the Nature Center we'll explore what skills are needed to be a survivor, like finding shelter and building a fire. All you need is your sense of adventure and the will to survive.

Mad Science Winter Camp at Heartwell Park

Lights, Chemistry, Action: Become a Junior Engineer as we investigate the world of simple machines. Study inertia and gravity to learn what football players, ballet dancers, and scientists have in common. Learn about photography and the movie-making business as we examine how a camera works, how film captures light and stores images, and how filmmakers make images move. For children ages 5 to 12. Cost is $310 per participant, plus $40 material fee; parents provide lunch. Camp will take place Monday, December 26, to Friday, December 30, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm at Heartwell Park. Care is available one hour before and after camp at no extra charge (8:30 to 9:30 am and 3:30 to 4:30 pm). Call 562.570.2111 or visit www.LBParks.org.

For information on these or other Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine programs, call 562.570.3100 or visit www.LBParks.org and sign up for E-notify.

 Volunteers for the 24^th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace and Unity Parade Celebration. are invited to attend a planning meeting Wednesday, December 28, at 6 p.m.at Ernest S. McBride Park, 1550 Martin Luther king, Jr. Ave.
 Councilman Dee Andrews' office released this:

"Being that this is his fourth year heading the Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Parade and Celebration, the "Son of the Sixth District," Councilman Dee Andrews, is calling out to his community to join him to continue the works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  

"Being an activist for equal rights and peace, this is a special event for me. Being a believer in the human spirit, it is an event to unite all races and that is my intention for this annual event. I am calling out to all my brothers and sisters, be it African American, Asian, Hispanics, or Caucasian. The human spirit has no color and this is the perfect venue to demonstrate that we are beyond the color boundaries," said Councilman Andrews.

This will be the 24^th year the City of Long Beach celebrates not only a man but also the knowledge and teachings of a man. "Dr King's legacy is imbedded in our history and will always play a tremendous part in uniting the human spirit, "said Andrews.

For more information or to register to become a volunteer call (562) 570-6816.

 Volunteers for the 24^th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace and Unity Parade Celebration. are invited to attend a planning meeting Wednesday, December 28, at 6 p.m.at Ernest S. McBride Park, 1550 Martin Luther king, Jr. Ave.
 Councilman Dee Andrews' office released this:

"Being that this is his fourth year heading the Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Parade and Celebration, the "Son of the Sixth District," Councilman Dee Andrews, is calling out to his community to join him to continue the works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  

"Being an activist for equal rights and peace, this is a special event for me. Being a believer in the human spirit, it is an event to unite all races and that is my intention for this annual event. I am calling out to all my brothers and sisters, be it African American, Asian, Hispanics, or Caucasian. The human spirit has no color and this is the perfect venue to demonstrate that we are beyond the color boundaries," said Councilman Andrews.

This will be the 24^th year the City of Long Beach celebrates not only a man but also the knowledge and teachings of a man. "Dr King's legacy is imbedded in our history and will always play a tremendous part in uniting the human spirit, "said Andrews.

For more information or to register to become a volunteer call (562) 570-6816.

  "Troop 1500" is the December screening of PBS' award-winning series of independent documentary films presented by the Long Beach Public Library and MusicUNTOLD.

 The free film will be aired Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. at the main auditorium at the main branch of the library, 101 Pacific Avenue. The movie will be followed by a panel discussion.

 In press materials on the film PBS says this. "Their mothers may be convicted thieves, murderers and drug dealers, but the girls of Girl Scout Troop 1500, in Austin, Texas, want to be doctors, social workers and marine biologists. At Hilltop Prison in Gatesville, Texas, Troop 1500 unites daughters with mothers who are serving time for serious crimes, giving them a chance to rebuild their broken bonds. Ninety percent of female inmates are single parents, and their daughters are six times more likely to land in the juvenile justice system than daughters of non-inmates. TROOP 1500 poignantly reveals how Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (GSBB), an inspired yet controversial effort by the venerable Girl Scout organization, is working to help these at-risk young girls deal with their unique circumstances and break the cycle of crime within families."

 For more info 562-570-7500 or www.musicuntold.com

 Amid news of the tough economic times, the Salvation Army has some good news and wants to add a little encouragement to help them reach out to those in need.

 Here's what they have to report:

 The Kettles you see outside retail stores in Long Beach are actually ahead of where they were last year at this time, thanks to the community's generous support. Still, there are just a couple more days to raise $15,000 -- the amount needed to reach the $75,000 season-long goal.

 Kettle donations allow The Salvation Army unit in Long Beach to provide Christmas-time food and toys to families in need. The organization is helping 500 more families this Christmas than last year, for a total of 2,000.

 

On Christmas Day, The Reef will spread out a free sumptuous buffet for seniors, families, the homeless and needy for the ninth straight year. Each year about 2,000 tickets are passed out ahead of time at various sites and are recommended but not required. The meals are served in groupings beginning at 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. Also the Long Beach Fire Department passes out about 1,000 toys as part of its Spark of Love Campaign. Other groups give out goody bags with toiletries and other essentials. There will also be clowns and Christmas carols.
The event is hosted by the Tallichet family, which owns the restaurant.

 Long Beach Animal Care Services is staging its next low-cost pet clinic Saturday, Dec. 10 at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1950 Lemon Ave.
 Licencing and vaccinations will be offered with no reservations and cash-only vaccinations by a licensed veterinarian from the Southern California Veterinary Vaccine Clinic (SCVVC) http://scvvc.webs.com

Services available include:
     · Dog Rabies: $7
     · Cat Rabies: $7 (or if preferred, "Purevax" Rabies @ $20)
     · DHPP (DA2PP): $16 (dogs)
     · Bordetella: $13 (dogs)
     · Lyme: $22 (dogs)
     · FVRCP: $16 (cats)
     · FELV: $18 (cats)
     · AVID Microchips: $28 (cats and dogs)
     · Altered Dog License: $20 (half-price for seniors)
     · Unaltered Dog License: $95
     · Altered Cat License: $10 (half-price for seniors)

  The clinics are scheduled monthly  in Long Beach to provide one-stop shops for vaccination, microchipping and licensing. More information about upcoming pet clinics online:
http://www.longbeach.gov/acs/pet_license/microchip/microchip_clinic_schedule.asp
  Animal Care Services is open to the public Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
 For services or information, call 570-PETS (7387) or visit www.longbeach.gov/acs.

 The Long Beach Red Cross youth volunteers are having their annual holiday party for underprivileged children Saturday, Dec. 10, from 9 - 5 p.m. at the Red Cross offices, at 3150 E. 29th Street.
 The local volunteers will play host to 250 children and their families in an event that will feature toys for the children, a visit with Santa Claus, teaching on how to make a disaster preparedness kits, a Sesame Street-themed Disaster Puppet Show and an appearance by a Long Beach Fire Department engine from 11 a.m. until noon,
 The American Red Cross Rancho Region Youth Volunteers are hosting the event.  The Holiday Project helps underprivileged children from homeless
shelters, community agency referrals and low-income families experience the holidays. This is also an opportunity for the American Red Cross to provide some children and their families with a disaster kit and emergency disaster planning.
 Please RSVP to Guillermo Sanchez at sanchezg@usa.redcross.org or 562-490-4016

 The Neighborhood Resource Center is celebrating the holidays with one of its regularly scheduled potlucks on Monday. The potlucks give neighborhood leaders and groups the chance to mingle, get to know each other and share ideas.
 Here are the specifics from the NRC:

Neighborhood Resource Center
Invites you to join us for our
WINTER POTLUCK MIXER
Monday, December 12, 2011
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
425 Atlantic Ave.

BRING YOUR FAVORITE FOOD TO SHARE!
Meet, mingle and eat with individuals and neighborhood groups that make our city better

Feel free to bring a donation for  School on Wheels, a volunteer tutor program for homeless children in Long Beach

Wanted:
·        Educational Materials (K-12):  Backpacks - preferably stuffed with school supplies (new), workbooks (all grades), dictionaries, calculators, binders, markers, crayons, colored pencils, paints sets, scissors, highlighters, erasers, rulers, flashcards, glue stick, graph paper
·        Toys, books, board games, gift cards (K-12). These items will be distributed to children participating in the program in Long Beach.
  Please RSVP to the Neighborhood Resource Center at (562) 570-1010 or e-mail Scottie Hinkey at Sharron.Hinkey@longbeach.gov
  This FREE event is presented in English with Spanish and Khmer translation available  
  Free parking behind the building and on the street

 There is still time to get in on one of Long Beach's most popular and enduring parade and celebration in the Central Area. Volunteers are still being sought for the mid-January event.
 Here's the information from Councilman Dee Andrews' office:

Sixth District Councilman Dee Andrews is Seeking Volunteers for the Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace & Unity Parade Celebration

Sixth District Councilman Dee Andrews is calling for volunteers for the 24^th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace and Unity Parade Celebration.

Councilman Dee Andrews is calling out to his community to join him to continue the works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "The Long Beach Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration has always been a grassroots event and I invite everyone to be apart of the event planning", said Councilman Andrews.

The parade, in its 24th year, honors Dr. King's life and dedication to service by show casing schools, organizations and community groups that strive to keep his timeless values alive. The parade will start on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, Saturday morning, 10:30 AM, January 14^th, intersecting Anaheim Street. It will proceed North on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, turn right (East) on 19^th Street, and turn left (North) on Lemon Avenue. Parade Parking is available at Long Beach City College, located at Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Hwy.

The parade is followed by a multi-cultural celebration at King Park, located at 1950 Lemon Avenue. The celebration will begin at 12:30 PM and end at 5:00 PM.

All volunteers will be offered community service hours. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register to become a volunteer call (562) 570-6816 or email tonya.martin@longbeach.gov.

The Long Beach Central Area Association is offering a free bus trip and admission to a performance and lecture by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at UCLA's Royce Hall on Sunday, Dec. 11. The lecture is at 6 p.m., concert at 7 p.m.
 The bus will arrive at Mercedes Benz of Long Beach, 2300 E. Spring St. at 4 p.m. and depart at 4:30 p.m. The bus will return to Long Beach immediately after the show at about 8:30 p.m. RSVPs are required by contacting John Malveaux at musicuntold.com or by phone at 562-436-4352.
 The Central Area Association is a volunteer partner with the orchestra.