VMI Wins Prestigious PRSA Award

VMI recently received the PRSA Central California Chapter's "Award of Merit" for the development of Continental Labor and Staffing Resources brochure.

Mary attended the awards ceremony in Fresno where she met with other PRSA members and award winners.

VMI was recognized for the the design, messaging and overall presentation in the product.

Katy's Trip to China

Katy just returned back to SLO after an exciting adventure in China. Here are a few pictures of her adventure!



Kimzey (left) and Katy in the Forbidden City in Beijing



Katy rubbing Buddha's belly for luck at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an



Katy (left) and Kimzey in front of the temple at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an



On the waterfront in Shanghai

We're Bad at Bowling but Good at Raising Money

The VMI team, along with some special friends, competed in the annual 211 SLO Hotline Bowl-athon last week to raise money in support of the local program. We lost, but had a ton of fun doing it! Our very own Mary Verdin raised the most money out of all of the participants, and VMI collectively had the largest donation amount of all the teams.

By this Tuesday, the event had raised over $76,000...with pledges still coming in! Congratulation to 211.

Children's Health Honors Local Champions for Children

The second-annual Champions for Children: Sunset at the Rancho II celebration will take place August 26 at Santa Margarita Ranch. The event honors six local individuals for their children's health advocacy and awareness. The event will feature the Arroyo Grande Optimist Club BBQ, the Sarsaparilla train ride and the Rock-a-Billy Legends Band with musical guests Jack "Johnny C" Hardy and Mike "Roy O" Kee.

Congratulations to this year's honorees:

• For Art – Dr. Botso Korisheli, Co-Founder, Conductor, San Luis Obispo County Youth Symphony: Beginning his local career as a music teacher at Morro Elementary School in 1957, Korisheli expanded his reach by coordinating and instructing a small group of young musicians, which he eventually transformed into the San Luis Obispo County Youth Symphony. As cofounder and the first conductor of the program, Korisheli has tirelessly assisted in the achievements of the group, training young musicians to understand, appreciate and master the musical art.
• For Oral Health – Dr. John DeVincenzo, DDS: DeVincenzo has provided over 40 years of superior orthodontic care for local children. In addition to basic orthodontics, the American College of Dentists Fellow treats children with cranial facial anomalies who would not have received care otherwise. DeVincenzo is a past trustee of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District and the Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School. His work has given hundreds of children the self-confidence and success of a beautiful smile.
• For Business – CeCe and Henry Lane of Dioptics, Inc.: As the president and CEO of locally operated Dioptics, Inc., Henry Lane and his wife and co-owner CeCe, have contributed generously to the community in their over 25 years in business in San Luis Obispo. Important to them has always been providing local children the resources essential in growth, development and a happy childhood. When the Lanes received word that the local YMCA needed funding, the couple and their business partners initiated a matching fund to assist the organization. The United Way joined the Lanes in their efforts, ensuring that local children receive the tools to grow into strong, independent citizens.
• For Education – Rod Blackner, Director of Food Services, Paso Robles School District: Blackner successfully designed and implemented the award-winning Culinary Arts Academy at Paso Robles High School as a educational program designed to prepare students with a nutritious and knowledgeable background in food preparation. Students enrolled in the program develop an understanding of healthy living, agricultural sustainability and a passion for culinary arts, many seeking future careers in food service. Blackner also maintains a fiscally sound food-service program and was the first to introduce healthy eating options, such as salad bars to the district food programs.
• For Health – Karen Trask, R.N., Director of Quality Management, French Hospital: Trask began her local career in children’s health in 1977. Over the years, she has served in the pediatric unit at French Hospital, taught Pediatric Advanced Life Support and CPR to new mothers, and led instructions for families with children suffering from cystic fibrosis, diabetes, asthma, or receiving chemotherapy. Beyond her position at French Hospital, Trask currently serves as a healthy living instructor for local kindergarteners.


Tickets for the event at $75 per guest. For more information or to purchase tickets call (805) 540-5177 or visit the Children's Health Initiative.

San Luis Obispo School of Law Introductory Night

The San Luis Obispo School of Law will be hosting an introductory night on Thursday, April 24th at 6:00 PM. This event is open to the public and provides an opportunity for those that are interested in the school or obtaining a law degree to come learn more and ask questions. All attendees will have the opportunity to meet Judge Charles Porter, the founder and head instructor of the school. The event will be held in the school’s regular classroom at the former Pacheco Elementary School at 165 Grand Avenue. To get to the school take Grand Avenue towards Cal Poly, and turn left on Slack Street. The school is 100 yards up on the left, Room 15. For more information on the San Luis Obispo School of Law call (805) 544-6767 or email cheryluslolaw@hotmail.com.

Meathead Movers Leads the Way in Environmental Consciousness

In response to growing environmental concerns, locally owned and operated Meathead Movers is introducing biodiesel fuel to over half of their fleet of moving trucks. Biodiesel is a clean-burning fuel derived from domestic, renewable resources. Users benefit from decreased carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions, helping sustain a cleaner air.

In addition to launching this effort in environmental activism, Meathead Movers employees will be wearing special uniforms for Earth Day, 2008 (April 22) to raise awareness and show other businesses that there are many things they can do to be more environmentally conscious.

You can see the biodiesel trucks in action. Look for Meathead Mover trucks bearing the biodiesel logo!

Established in 1997, Meathead Movers has celebrated over a decade of providing quality moving service to the Central Coast. Check out Meathead Movers online for more information on their environmental efforts.

Exciting News for the San Luis Obispo Children's Museum

The Children's Museum recently received a $50,000 donation to be used towards the fabrication of an exhibit on amber! The San Luis Monday Night Kiwanis donated $25,000 and an anonymous donor matched their contribution.

The amber exhibit, located on the museum's first floor will allow museum guests to discover the past by investigating real amber specimens. Local amber collector, Paul Lichtman and Cal Poly professor Dr. Raul Cano will participate in the exhibit, Lichtman providing rare specimens from his personal collection and Cano acting as technical advisor.

The Children's Museum is expected to open Spring 2008 and will feature a new 8,400 square foot facility with multiple exhibits and offerings for children ages two to 12.

Environmental Award Winners Announced

Congratulations to this year's Environmental Award winners. The awards recognize local organizations and individuals contributing to the environmental sustainability of San Luis Obispo County. Part of the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation, the Environmental Awards are funded through a donor held endowment by Ann and Lou Robinson of San Luis Obispo.

This years winners are:

Environmental Achievement of the Year - $3,000 - The Cayucos Land Conservancy for its fundraising efforts which assisted in the preservation of the historic 900-acre San Geronimo Ranch.

Sustained Environmental Contribution - $2,000 - Mark DiMaggio, Paso Robles High School science teacher who designed an environmental course focusing on the impact of human growth and expansion.

Environmental Initiative Award - $1,000 - Teens at Work for establishing a county-wide recycling program for businesses and individual residencies.

Award winners will be recognized at the seventh annual Environmental Awards ceremony on May 2 at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Gardens. The event is open to the public and will feature keynote speaker Michael Weber, author and program officer at the Resources Law Group in Sacramento, overseeing programs on oceans, fisheries and coasts. Weber has worked extensively in the field of marine protection and has consulted with both governmental and independent organizations.

Visit SLOCCF for more information.

Rizzoli's Ranks High in Customer Satisfaction

Congratulations to Rizzoli's Automotive for achieving an incredible 100% customer satisfaction ranking from the American Automobile Association through its annual survey. The local automotive servicing company has consistently received high marks on the evaluation since 1982, always ranking in the top 10 percent.

General Manager Kyle Rizzoli attributes the success to the company's emphasis on service and customer loyalty. "It's a family tradition," Rizzoli said. Established in 1976, Rizzoli's has operated under three generations of the same family, consistently providing the same quality and service the business was founded on.

To experience the 100% customer satisfaction personally, stop by either of the two Rizzoli’s Automotive locations at 2584 Victoria Lane in San Luis Obispo and 1149 W. Tama Lane off Skyway Drive in Santa Maria.

Community Input Needed for Mental Health Prevention and Intervention Services

The planning process has begun for local implementation of the Mental Health Services Act Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) funding. The County has asked local members of the community to take a survey identifying our county's specific mental health needs. Results from the survey will be used as recommendations in the allocation of nearly $1.3 million in funding.

Please participate by CLICKING HERE by April 15.

(Those that take the survey will be entered into a drawing for movie tickets!)

For more information on PEI efforts, taking the survey or joining a workgroup please contact Dale Magee, at 805-438-3232 or email MHSA-SLO@charter.net.