Who said fundraising can’t be fun? After all, "fun? is part of the word. But to be fair, fund is too. So why not take a cue from Golden Bear and Low Brau’s St. Baldrick’s fundraising team and their effort and simply do both? All leading up to Monday’s big shave day, team “Balds Deep” has been setting up its own mini-benefits around Midtown. With the goal to raise money benefiting cancer research, team captain Kellen Mcconnell said “Balds Deep” held an event Friday, March 8, at The Golden Bear to raise money, and confirmed new Midtown favorite, LowBrau, has been donating $1 for every beer sold to his team’s efforts. A little healthy competition never hurt anyone, especially if the result

Things are warming up in the Oak Park area. The Salvation Army officially opened the “Hot Spot” drop-in center at its Ray Robinson Oak Park Community Center on February 1. Every Friday night, from 7 to 11 pm, the “Hot Spot” will provide teens, ages 13-19, an opportunity to utilize the multiple activities—like basketball, board games, art projects, video games and a computer lab—at the community center. Snacks are also given to the teenage attendees. “People can come down and play instead of being on the streets,” said Oshe, a 17-year-old high school student who came to the opening night of the drop-in center to play basketball. “You always hear about kids getting shot, but this is a plac

The Salvation Army in Sacramento received nearly 600 pounds of frozen turkeys from California State Automobile Association of Northern California. This marks the 16th consecutive year in which The Salvation Army has received turkeys from AAA. Last year, the donation helped nearly 500 individuals receive a Thanksgiving meal. The donated turkeys will be prepared and served for a free Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, November 22 at The Army’s Center of Hope emergency shelter in downtown Sacramento (1200 North B Street). Anyone from the Sacramento community can be served a meal from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day. AAA’s annual turkey delivery project is part of an ongoing effort to help meet th

Billed as the largest event of its kind in California’s capital region, The Salvation Army of Sacramento County held its Annual Community Luncheon on May 29 at the Woodlake Hotel. With nearly 1,000 business and governmental leaders in attendance, the luncheon was an opportunity to showcase its programs, give a fiscal and service report to the community, and thank and recognize the individuals and companies who, through their community service activities or programs, have shown a long history of helping people in need. “Any time we can inform and help people understand the full reaches of The Army’s mission, then that’s a good thing to have,” said Major Bill Dickinson, Salvation Army Del

The Salvation Army of Sacramento kicked off National Salvation Army Week today by hosting a volunteer food box packing project at its Family Services warehouse in the North Sacramento area. Among the volunteers who participated in this project were Sacramento River Cats pitcher Neil Wagner and pitching coach Scott Emerson. “You always like to give back to the community,” Emerson said. “Anytime you can help out and assist The Salvation Army, then it’s a plus. Giving of your time is important, too. If you can’t donate money, you can always donate your time.” The food boxes created from the volunteer project will eventually go to underprivileged families in the Sacramento area. Last year,

Mike’s Bikes and PODS of Sacramento team up to collect bikes for African charity through April 29   For the second year, Sacramento moving and storage company lends support to gather donations for bike retailer’s sister shops in Africa. (SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – From now through April 29, PODS of Sacramento is lending its support to Mikes Bikes, the largest independent bicycle retailer in the U.S., to help collect donations for their ongoing Africa Bike program. A PODS® container has been placed at the Sacramento Mike’s Bikes store located at 1411 “I” St. (at 14th Street) and the public is encouraged to help fill it with donations of new or used bikes that will then be sent to Mike’s Bikes

Salvation Army of Sacramento received more than 300 donated books from the students of Merryhill School of South Natomas today. The donation supports The Army’s Early Care and Education Program in Oak Park. “We wanted our students to have the opportunity to develop service leadership skills,” said Lezli Warburton, Merryhill principal. “It’s important for our children to understand their connection to the community and how they can give back.” Merryhill, a private school for pre-kindergarten through third grade, hosted the book drive for the last month. Parents and students were encouraged to donate books of various topics, including: alphabet, animals, colors, health and nutrition, music

Paula Deen – best known for her traditional southern cooking on the Food Network – is coming to Sacramento for a live show on Feb. 3. While Deen will cook at the Community Center Theater that evening, she’ll focus on what she said she cherishes most about fame – meeting people she never would have met in her life as a bank teller. “I’ll just visit with people,” Deen said. “It’s kinda like coming into my living room, us getting to know each other. People come in and forget everything that irks them.” Deen will appear on stage with her husband, Michael Groover, whom she describes as shy, funny and a great cook. “He has got the keenest sense of humor,” Deen said. “He’s one of the funnies

Earlier this week, the local owners of six La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores in Northern California donated nearly $12,000 worth of beautiful La-Z-Boy furniture to a privately funded home for recently emancipated foster youth in Placer County.  Purchased by a concerned citizen and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) volunteer, “Taylor House” is a six-bedroom, newly remodeled home located in downtown Roseville.  Once furnished, the home will welcome its first young women residents -- all of whom are no longer able to stay in a foster care environment after turning 18 years of age -- within the next few weeks.    To help furnish the empty home, local La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries owne

“It’s getting cold out here.” Kelsey Cottle uttered this while ringing The Salvation Army bell outside Macy’s at Sunrise Mall.  Yet her fellow bell ringers did not care--they were having the time of their lives. “Yeah, they’re having fun,” Cottle said. Meet Carl Virgin and Eulogio Lizarraga--the jubilant bell ringers. Both have cerebral palsy and are confined to wheelchairs, but they do not let it deter their efforts to give back. “It just a good time for them to get out and people to see them,” said Cottle, who is Carl’s personal attendant through S.T.E.P. (Strategy To Empower People) services. “It’s great that they get to see them so happy and that they can do this (volunteer) like e

Wanted: turkeys or ham. That is what The Salvation Army needs for its upcoming Thanksgiving community meal.  "We need some additional donation so we can feed anyone looking for a hot meal this Thanksgiving," said Captain Hendrk Sumter, Salvation Army Sacramento County Coordinator.  "Every bit helps when we are serving a lot of people." More than 500 are expected to come to The Salvation Army Emergency Shelter in downtown Sacramento for the annual free meal.  The donated meat will used for that day and to feed the clients from the shelter program. Last week, California State Automobile Association of Northern California helped the cause by donating 31 turkeys.  Information about how to

PODS of Sacramento provides vital storage and logistics solution for NEWS10’s 21st Coats for Kids Winter Drive. (SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – PODS Moving and Storage of Sacramento will donate several of its storage containers to help collect donated coats in support of NEWS10’s 21st Coats for Kids Winter Drive through Dec 9. Logistics were a nightmare for organizers prior to using PODS®, according to Brian Bills, a lifetime resident of Fair Oaks, Calif., and territory manager at PODS of Sacramento. “In 2010, we supplied three PODS® containers at Swansons main dry-cleaning facility and transported each filled unit to Cal Expo where volunteers from the Salvation Army sorted the coats by size,” B

More than 200 handbags were up for grabs during the October 15 Helping Handbags luncheon and auction. Hosted by The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, a volunteer group made of local business women and retirees, the event had nearly 500 attendees pack the Radisson Hotel grand ballroom to check out the seventh annual live and silent auctions. “It exceeded my dreams,” said Laurel Speier, Helping Handbags event chairperson. “You could see the ladies here in attendance had a lot of fun.” More than $75,000 was raised. All of the proceeds will go to Salvation Army’s programs for women and children in the Sacramento area. “Many of us here are blessed to have (comfortable) lives,” Speier said,

The Salvation Army officially opened its new E. Claire Raley Transitional Living Complex on September 20. The 35-unit center, located near I-80 and Watt Ave., will house families who were homeless. Each family had qualified for this housing program through The Salvation Army’s Family Service Department. All participating families may live in the units from six months to two years. Case workers will work constantly with each program participant to find permanent housing and employment. The living complex is also a clean and sober program. For those who have a history of drug or alcohol abuse, recovery and prevention meetings will be available to them. The new program is a blessing for 32

A German delegation came to volunteer at The Salvation Army’s Family Services facility in Sacramento on June 30. The visit was set up by the Northern California World Trade Center, which is hosting the three member party. The group is made up of two state parliament members, Markus Blume and Roland Theis, and the mayor of the town Monheim am Rhein, Daniel Zimmermann. They, along with nine other volunteers, spent nearly two hours creating 342 food boxes in the Salvation Army warehouse. “People here (the volunteers) are really excited to contribute and help others,” said Blume, member of the Bavarian State Parliament. “We’re really happy to come out and help in some way.” Sacramento was t

After nine months of construction, The Salvation Army opened the doors to its new Child Development Center in Oak Park today. The education facility is two stories high and nearly 14,000 sq ft, and it is the home for The Army’s day care and after-school programs. “To see this come into reality is incredible,” said David Bentley, Salvation Army Sacramento County Coordinator. “We have a new education building that can make a real impact for many families in our area.” The Child Development Center replaces an old 2,400 sq ft modular building that used to house the day care program for 24 years. A capital campaign was started in 2008 to raise the necessary funds for the construction of a ne

Bike drive supports the Mike’s Bikes Sister Shops project which aims to improve everyday life in Africa, one bike at a time. (SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – PODS of Sacramento and Mike’s Bikes, the largest independent bicycle retailer in the U.S., have partnered at three locations with PODS containers placed to serve as temporary bicycle donation centers and on-site storage during the Mike’s Bikes Africa bike drive. Bicycle donations are tax-deductible and will be accepted at the following Mike’s Bikes stores from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through June 26. 1411 I St. (at 14th), Sacramento 264 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma 1615 North California Blvd., Walnut Creek “Our Sacramento location is deeply roote

Territory Manager Brian Bills from the PODS of Sacramento franchise was happy to oblige a request from organizers to donate PODS® containers for the 2011 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Sacramento held on May 7 at Cal Expo. Officials noted this was the biggest turnout they have ever had with approximately 25,000 people walking, running and raising money to find a cure for breast cancer. Four PODS® storage containers were used as onsite storage of event merchandise and check-in points for race participants. Although he did not run or walk Bills also provided services as a mobile DJ, providing music and inspiration to all who passed by. “PODS is honored to be involved with the Susan

May 12 is the deadline for the Sacramento Opera to raise the final $37,000 of its $122,000 goal by that date – or there will not be a 2011-2012 opera season. In all, the opera must raise $175,000 of pledges and gifts for the season. The opera recently reorganized, strategically aligning with the Sacramento Philharmonic as both organizations continue to suffer from funding slumps as a result of the recession. A meeting last week with 123 opera subscribers and donors to discuss the reorganization, and Sacramento Opera officials described it as “just the kind of engagement needed” in a press release this week. If the $37,000 is raised, the opera season will include “Opera at the Cathedral

“This helps me a lot.” Charmar Randle was grateful for the assistance she just received. She was one of 1,600 families to receive food and other essentials from the January 18 Feed The Children distribution at Cal Expo. “The economy is so bad and that’s why you see so many families out here,” said Randle, a Sacramento resident. “It’s good that they are having this (distribution) right now in order to help those who are in need.” Feed The Children, an international relief organization, delivered four semi tractor-trailers full of food and other products to the event. The distribution was part of Feed The Children’s Americans Feeding Americans Caravan, which has helped more than 200,000 f