Greeting to all. On Friday June 4 th Fillmore/Piru Relay for Life Committee members would like to ask you to join us in spreading the word about our Relay for Life event. Our purpose is to go to businesses , schools, churches, medical facitlities, friends and neighbors and encourage them to participate by showing there support with a donation, starting a team or joining a team or allowing us to place posters, yard signs or any other information we have to spread the word about our Relay for Life. Please contact me if you think you can help Faith Lugo 990-8736. We will be meeting at City Hall at 8:30 a.m. to hand out material and script if you need it. Piru will doing the same on Saturday morning June 5th at 10:00 a.m. to meet at the Gazebo in town. I look forward to hearing from you!

Here's the article you've been waiting for! Come join the usual fun at our annual Alumni Dinner held at the Memorial Building on June 12th. Happy Hour begins at 4:00pm and dinner is served at 6:00pm. Mr. Gary Laird (Class of 76') from Lairds Butcher shop in Santa Paula will be doing the catering. In addition to the 50/50 raffle, we'll be giving away great door prizes. As most of us know, this year marks the 100th meeting in Football between the Flashes, and the dreaded Cardinals from Santa Paula. The Alumni Association is celebrating this special occasion by compiling stories, and interviews with Football players, Cheerleaders, and fans from both communities. A documentation of all this will be made into a DVD, that will be available after November 1st, 2010. The Fillmore/Santa Paula series is the oldest football rivalry in Ventura County, and one of the oldest in the State of California. Video recordings will be rolling at the dinner collecting more stories from you, the great Alumni from Fillmore High. A short preview of the DVD will be shown at the dinner, and of course we will present our Scholarship Winners from the class of 2010. Tickets are $40.00 at the door. $35.00 if you do not subscribe to the Alumni Newsletter (Flashbacks), and $30.00 for subscribers. The deadline to pre-order tickets is June 6th, 2010. For more detailed information and questions, please call the Alumni office at 805-524-0416. GO FLASHES!

Sespe Players Inc. has a Musical Theater Summer Camp beginning July 7th through Aug. 7th, culminating in a wonderful and exciting musical, “THE WIZ”. One performance on Sat. Aug. 7th at the Sespe Theater Auditorum.

Camp Hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays from 4-7 pm. Rehearsals will take place at the Methodist Church Social Hall on Sespe Avenue in Fillmore.

This is a 5-week program for children 7-17 years of age, beginners to advanced. This class will enhance your current singing, dancing and voice skills or teach new ones!

What a great way to spend your time this summer by expressing yourself through Musical Theater … plus … you can make many new friends! Your family will be so proud to see you perform in this popular musical, “THE WIZ”, based on the Wonderful Wizard of Oz”.

You will love this top-notch instructor, Catrina Quintanilla, who has lots to offer our children since she has directed and choreographed hundreds of musicals! We are so fortunate to have Ms. Quintanilla’s expertise and enormous talent here in Fillmore and surrounding cities teaching our kids so they can advance their skills in the performing arts!

COST FOR SUMMER CAMP: $300 PER CHILD ($275 for siblings)
(9 hours a week – Money well spent!)

REGISTER BY JUNE 30TH. We will only be enrolling 25 kids for this program so that each child will get the quality attention she or he deserves...So hurry to reserve your spot!

TO SIGN UP PLEASE CALL: Priscilla Rzezuski (805) 524-0553
OR EMAIL : PRZEZUSKI@ATT.NET

'Saxman' High School Senior Portrait by Charles Morris
Enlarge Photo

Local photographers, Carmelita Miranda and Charles Morris, have won recognition for their photography from the Channel Islands Professional Photography Association (CIPPA). CIPPA is an affiliate of Professional Photographers of California. Carmelita won a merit for her print “Wrapped Trees” in the landscape category at the quarterly competition in February. Charles won a merit and Best in Category for his print “Saxman” (Nolan Doktor, graduating FHS senior) in the new high school seniors category at the quarterly competition in May.

Professional photography competition at the local level has three judges who evaluate each entry on specific criteria, without knowing who the maker of the image is. Prints can earn up to 100 points. If a print receives 80 points, it receives a merit. Typically only about 1 out of 5 prints receives a merit in a competition. Often prints that are merit winners are submitted to state and national competitions.

Professional photography competitions are used by photographers to hone their skills and allows them to evaluate their work in comparison to other top photographers in the area.

Principal photographers at KSSP are Carmelita Miranda and Charles Morris. KSSP is a full service photography studio specializing in portrait, wedding and quinceanera photography (and video). KSSP Photographic Studios is the school photographer for Fillmore High School and is the photographer for the upcoming Miss Regional California Pageant to be held at the end of June.. For further information, please contact KSSP Photographic Studios at 524-6400 or visit http://ksspphotostudios.com.

Location: Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center
725 E. Main Street, Santa Paula
805-933-8452

Thursday, July 8 - Resumes that Sell, 9 am – 4 pm - workshop providing hands-on assistance in completing a resume, cover and thank-you letters. Walk away with a portfolio that shows off professional skills and experience. Career Shops are offered at no cost to Job Seekers. Space is limited. Prior registration required by calling the Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center at 805-933-8452 to enroll.

Thursday, July 15 - Winning Interviews, 9 am – 1 pm - supplies the tools to make a lasting first impression when interviewing. Career Shops are offered at no cost to Job Seekers. Space is limited. Prior registration required by calling the Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center at 805-933-8452 to enroll.

Monday, July 26 - Power of VOS (Virtual OneStop), 9 am – 11:30 am – Learn about the Virtual OneStop website and how you can use the various tools in the system to build your resume and customize your job search to a specific location and occupation. Must have basic computer skills. Career Shops are offered at no cost to Job Seekers. Space is limited. Prior registration required by calling the Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center at 805-933-8452 to enroll.

Spanish language workshop:
Monday, July 12 - Tecnicas para la Busqueda de Trabajo (Job Search Techniques), 9 am – 1 pm - Presentado por Los Centros de Empleos y Carreras Esta sección de 3 a 4 horas está diseñada para personas que están buscando empleo. Los temas incluyen donde y como buscar empleo, como crear una red de comunicación, técnicas de cómo usar el teléfono apropiadamente para buscar empleo y como usar la red del Internet para buscar empleo. También aprenderá técnicas apropiadas para hacer una entrevista. 805-933-8452.

Career Shops are presented in partnership with Ventura County Job & Career Centers and are sponsored by the Human Services Agency and the Workforce Investment Board. Equal opportunity Employer/Program/Service – TDD/TT Inquiries call 1 (800) 735-2922. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individual with disabilities.

The City of Fillmore Fire Department will hold its Fire Recruit Graduation Ceremony on May 30, 2010, 10:00AM at Fillmore Fire Station 91. The event celebrates the successful completion of the fire recruit training and transition to the position of Firefighter/EMT. Pictured are graduating cadets Daniel Mobley, Brian Mercado, Daniel Palmer, Jonathan Torrez, Ryan Kell, Anthony Ventura, and Rudolfo Cortez. The recruit academy lasts six weeks and consists of 168 hours of arduous training. The recruits become proficient in all basic firefighting skills and many advanced techniques including auto extrication and rescue systems. After having successfully passed a 660 hour California State Fire Marshall approved Firefighter academy, recruits are exposed to 168 hours of Fillmore specific training throughout the inhouse remedial academy. The media and the general public are invited to attend. Fillmore Fire Recruit Graduation, Sunday, May 30, 2010, 711 Sespe Place, Fillmore, CA 93015;
10:00AM – Graduation Ceremony, 11:00AM – Live Recruit Demonstration, 12:00 – Refreshments Served.

It’s a sacred day to all war veterans: None need to be reminded of the reason that Memorial Day must be commemorated. But what about the general public, and more important, future generations? Do most non-veterans really recognize the importance of the day honoring their fellow Americans killed in war?

Judging from what Memorial Day has become—simply another day off from work—the answer is a resounding no.

Perhaps a reminder is due, then. And it is the duty of each and every veteran to relay the message.

Sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance. America’s collective consciousness demands that all citizens recall and be aware of the deaths of their fellow countrymen during wartime.

Far too often, the nation as a whole takes for granted the freedoms all Americans enjoy. Those freedoms were paid for with the lives of others few of us actually knew. That’s why they are all collectively remembered on one special day.

This should be regarded as a civic obligation. For this is a national debt that can only be truly repaid by individual Americans. By honoring the nation’s war dead, we preserve their memory and thus their service and sacrifice in the memories of future generations.

They came from all walks of life and regions of the country. But they all had one thing in common—love of and loyalty to country. This bond cemented ties between them in times of trials, allowing a diverse lot of Americans to achieve monumental ends.

We remember the loss of loved ones, a sense of loss that takes group form. In essence, America is commemorating those who made the greatest sacrifice possible—giving one’s own life on behalf of others.

Means of paying tribute vary. Pausing for a few moments of personal silence is available to everyone.
Attending commemorative ceremonies is the most visible way of demonstrating remembrance: Placing flags at gravesites, marching in parades, sponsoring patriotic programs, dedicating memorials and wearing Buddy Poppies are examples.

Whether done individually or collectively, it is the thought that counts. Personal as well as public acts of remembering are the ideal. Public displays of patriotism are essential if the notion of remembering war dead is to be instilled in youth.

As America’s older war veterans fast disappear from society’s landscape, there are fewer and fewer standard-bearers left to carry the torch of remembrance. Such traditions will live on only if there is a vibrant movement to which that torch can be passed.

Now, more than in recent years, the enduring relevance of Memorial Day should be clearly evident. With two wars under way, the public has no excuse not to remember.

This much is owed to the more than 5,400 Americans who have died thus far in Afghanistan and Iraq.

(Courtesey of VFW Magazine May 2010)

On May 12, the Fillmore Women’s Service Club welcomed the 2010-2011 Board of Directors at a special installation dinner held at the Senior Center. Club member Tobey Bowers presented outgoing president Jeanne Klittich with a beautiful scrapbook assembled by the club, showcasing a year’s worth of memories.

Before presenting the new officers, Bowers gave an account of the club’s history: in 1963, a group of young women formed the Fillmore Jr. Women's Club, which later became the Jr. Ebell Club. When the ladies reached 30 years of age, however, they could no longer belong and had to move on to the Ebell Club—but many of the members had bonded by then and did not want to leave their friends. Thus in 1979, they voted to become a service club.

Friendships run strong to this day in this organization that has worked to make a difference in the community through fundraisers to support scholarships, Senior Center programs, nursing and convalescence homes, the Red Cross, and other charitable efforts. The club also enjoys social events such as potlucks and local excursions.
The Fillmore Women’s Service Club meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7 pm at the Senior Center. Ladies wishing to take part in serving the community are welcome to attend! For more information, please call the membership chairman Dorothy Hunt at 524-0767.

Visitors and employees can look forward to a relaxing and peaceful summer at Lake Piru. This will be the first alcohol-free summer at the Lake Piru Recreation Area where campers, boaters and picnickers come to enjoy the lake, taking a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.

On January 1, 2010, United Water Conservation District implemented a ban on the consumption of alcohol at the lake. The Water District’s Board of Directors approved the ban to curtail the increasingly disruptive behavior experienced at the lake that accompanied the irresponsible use of alcohol on the part of some visitors. According to Mary Lindley, administrative services manager for the Water District, “The abusive use of alcohol led to a number of boating accidents and camper injuries and had a negative impact on other visitors, hurting the lake’s reputation. The Board took the action to ban alcohol to return the lake to the family-friendly park it has historically been.” Clayton Strahan, supervising ranger at Lake Piru, reports that he has received a number of positive comments about the alcohol ban from visitors. “They appreciate the more relaxed atmosphere and quite evenings without the loud parties we experienced when alcohol was allowed.”

In addition to the more relaxed atmosphere, visitors to the Lake Piru Recreation Area will be greeted with improved boating, camping and day use facilities. The marina has new boat docks, with 84 boat slips, 18 more than the previous docks, expanding private boat slip rental opportunities. Other recreation area improvements include a nine-hole Frisbee golf course, a recently upgraded and expanded menu at the Condor Point Snack Bar offering visitors variety of “east coast” food items, including fresh cut fries, Philly cheese steak, Italian sausage and pepper hoagies, as well as choose from a selection of vegetarian items.

The swim beach at the Juan Fernandez Boat Launch area is currently undergoing enhancement to enlarge the size of the beach, providing visitors more room to enjoy the sand, sun and water. Evening and day fishing tournaments have also been added to the list of activities at the lake. These tournaments include prizes and are open to the public.

Lake Piru Reservoir was created in 1955 when the Santa Felicia Dam was constructed north of the community of Piru. The lake has the capacity to store more than 84,000 acre-feet of winter runoff from Piru Creek and its tributaries. The water retained in the lake is released each fall to replenish groundwater aquifers along the Santa Clara River from Piru to the Oxnard Plain. Lake Piru hosts overnight camping, a day use picnic area, a marina and boat docks and a five-lane launch ramp. Boats are also available for rental.

Lake Piru is open all year. For additional information about hours, amenities and reservations at Lake Piru, please call 521-1500 or visit www.lake-piru.org.

The Fillmore Ebell Club presents a $1,000.00 donation to the Fillmore Band Boosters towards the purchase of ten new high school band uniform jackets.

According to the Fillmore Band Boosters current president, Debra Galarza, Fillmore High School students, alumni and parents are actively fundraising for new band uniforms to replace the current severely worn 25 year old uniforms. 2010 marks the 100th year anniversary of Fillmore high school. The boosters' goal is to raise about $36,000.00 for the purchase of the new uniforms. To make a donation, please contact Fillmore band boosters president, Debra Galarza, at 805-524-0228, or vice president, Debbie Sanchez, at 805-524-1061. You may also mail donations to the Fillmore Band Boosters, Post Office 1008, Fillmore, CA 93016.

Greg Godfrey, the Fillmore Middle and High School Bands director, and Fillmore Band Boosters president Debra Galarza, and vice president Debbie Sanchez, are seen here accepting the donation from Fillmore Ebell Club president, Fay Swanson.

Anyone interested in more information about becoming a member of the Fillmore Ebell Club, may call Melodie Stich, at 805-521-1400.

The Fillmore Ebell Club has installed its 2010-2011 Board of Directors. At the Fillmore Ebell Club's final meeting of their 2009-2010 season, Installation Officer, Janet Howarth, presented the following new Board Members: President, Fay Swanson, First Vice President, Kathy Marsden (Programs), Second Vice Presidents, Anita Bailey and Charlene Smith (Special Activities), Third Vice President, Melodie Stich (Membership), Fourth Vice Presidents, Marlene Schreffler and Venita Bloxham (Meeting Coordinators), Recording Secretary, Pat Alto, Corresponding Secretary, Lavonne Deeter, Treasurer, Mary Ford, Parliamentarian, Beverly Brisby, 2010-11 Nominating Committee: Chairman, Trisha Armstrong; member, Venita Bloxham; member Neva Picketts; member, Jann Duchacek; and member, Kathy Marsden. Out-going President, Mary Ford, was also honored for her service to the Fillmore Ebell Club for the past two years. Anyone interested in more information, or becoming a member of the Fillmore Ebell Club, may call Melodie Stich, 805-531-1400.

Fillmore Library will be starting the popular summer reading program early this year. On Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at 3:30 the next session will begin. Students of all ages can sign up to participate and earn special prizes for total hours of reading. Weekly drawings will also be held. The Swazzle Puppeteers will perform a lively puppet show at the first session. Support for this free program is provided by the Fillmore Friends of the Library. For further information, phone 524-3355.

The Fillmore Unified Elementary Band and Fillmore Middle School Bands will be performing on June 2, 2010 at Fillmore Middle School Gymnasium. The concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. and admission is free. All four district elementary schools will be represented: Piru, San Cayetano, Sespe, and Mountain View Elementary. Juliette Resor will direct the approximately 225 band students who participate in the elementary band program. The FMS bands, directed by Greg Godfrey will also perform several selections. Solos, duets, and a “mass” band performance will also highlight the evening. Please come and support the local music programs.

The Humane Society of Ventura County is seeking volunteers to help with the on-going operation of its Ojai animal shelter as well as to assist the private nonprofit organization with its off-site fund-raising activities.

Volunteers are needed for the following tasks:

 Participating in animal yard checks in cities throughout Ventura County (applicants must first go through training with Humane Society officers);
 Setting up and manning HSVC informational booths at local community events;
 Collecting cash donation boxes for the HSVC on routes in Ventura County. Drivers needed mostly in Santa Paula, Fillmore and Moorpark.

Sherry Brockus, Executive Director of the HSVC, said volunteers are vital to the organization’s mission to promote the health, safety, welfare, compassionate care and protection of animals through education and community outreach programs.

“Our services and events we provide through the shelter have grown,” Brockus said. “We are very grateful for all the wonderful volunteers we currently have, but our needs have increased. We service the entire county and now we are reaching out to those other areas of Ventura County by asking for more support. We look forward to new, energized volunteers willing to help us.”

Applications are available at the HSVC shelter, located at 402 Bryant St. in Ojai, or online at www.humanesocietyvc.org. Click the “Get Involved” icon for the application. For more information, call Volunteer Coordinator Kate Nelson at 666-5031 or 646-6505.