Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

When Life Gives You Lemons… Have a Festival!

One of Goleta’s biggest celebrations, the Annual California Lemon Festival, returns for its 27th year September 29 & 30, 2018, at Girsh Park (7050 Phelps Road).

You’ll find wonderful food, a fantastic family atmosphere, and variety of entertainment and activities that have made this the most anticipated event in the Goleta Valley. The weekend also includes the Goleta Fall Classic Car and Street Rod Show and the ever-popular ‘Safety Street.’ Don’t miss the pie-eating contests and arts and crafts vendors. Admission and parking are free. The Lemon Festival is from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 29 and 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 30.

Volunteers ages 14 and up are needed! Have fun and receive a free t-shirt and lunch. High school students receive community service hours. To sign up to volunteer, click here.

Get more information and purchase pre-sale kids activities wristbands at www.lemonfestival.com. 

Training for Disaster Preparedness Available in October

The City of Goleta is offering training to help you become better prepared in a disaster. Sign up for our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training on Saturdays this October.

The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

Goleta CERT Training Class:

  • October 6, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • October 13, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • October 27, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Classes take place at Goleta City Hall Council Chambers (130 Cremona Drive, Suite B). Participants must attend all classes. Registration information is available here.

Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.

It seems quite often that we hear about one natural disaster or another, somewhere in the world. The month of September is recognized as National Preparedness Month. This year’s theme is “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.” and it is a good reminder to prepare ourselves and our family for the next natural disaster that may affect us directly. Learn more at www.ready.gov/september.

We encourage you to:

  • Sign up for emergency alerts from the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (SBCOEM) at www.ReadySBC.org.
  • Sign up for emergency information from the City of Goleta at http://tinyurl.com/goletaemergency and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Make an evacuation plan. www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
  • Have a battery-powered radio ready to listen to local radio stations if the power goes out. https://readysbc.org/storm-ready/radio-ready/ 
  • Be familiar with 211. Santa Barbara County’s 2-1-1 Helpline is the first point-of-access to all community services, including emergency information. A live person is available to answer questions 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, and in multiple languages. www.211sbco.org
  • Finally, know your neighbors and look out for each other. Share verified information from trusted resources.

Residents can also sign up for the City’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training offered throughout the year. The next training opportunity is in October.

Day of Caring

Looking to volunteer but don’t know where to start? Participate in United Way Santa Barbara County’s 27th Annual Day of Caring on September 15! Last year, over 1,200 people contributed to 50 charitable organizations, schools, churches and community centers dedicated to community service in Santa Barbara County. Help make this year’s event even bigger! Volunteer from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at one of the awesome worksites and then head over to a Thank You BBQ in Oak Park (W. Alamar Avenue & W. Junipero Street, Santa Barbara, 93105). View the list of volunteer opportunities, sign up in advance and fill out the requested form(s) at http://www.unitedwaysb.org/2018-day-caring. Looking to volunteer in Goleta Here are a few options with spots remaining:

  • Greek Theater Repaint / Refurbish at Dos Pueblos High School (pictured)
  • Orchard Care at Fairview Gardens
  • Glen Annie Creek Cleanup
  • Greenhouse Cleanup at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health California

It’s All About the Creek

September 15 – 22, 2018, is Creek Week on the Santa Barbara South Coast. Celebrating its 19th year, Creek Week is an annual celebration of our creeks, watersheds and the ocean. Throughout the week, there are guided nature walks, project tours, restoration events, beach and creek cleanups and more. Below are some local activities you can participate in:

  • Saturday, September 15 – Glen Annie Creek cleanup
  • Saturday, September 15 – Coastal Cleanup Day (local beaches include Ellwood Mesa Beach, Goleta Beach and Haskell’s Beach)
  • Sunday, September 16 – Tour of the County’s Baron Ranch
  • Wednesday, September 19 – Tour of the Goleta Sanitation District’s Treatment plant

Reservations are required for many of the activities. View the full schedule and reserve your space at www.sbcreekweek.com.

Please Take This Important Survey from the County about Emergency Notifications

How can Santa Barbara County reach you in the event of an emergency? In order to best reach you and provide you and your family with accurate, up-to-date emergency information, please take a few moments to respond to this brief survey by September 16. This information will be vital in helping Santa Barbara County officials and public safety personnel know how and when to best contact and inform individuals during and in the aftermath of local emergencies. Click here to take the survey.

Tell Us Your Parks & Recreation Needs

Let us know what you want in your local parks! Visit our booth at the Lemon Festival at Girsh Park (7050 Phelps Road) on Saturday, September 29 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. to provide feedback and get your questions answered. The City is in the process of putting together the Goleta Parks, Facilities, & Playgrounds Master Plan which will create a road map for addressing the City’s aging parks and facilities. In order to successfully accomplish this goal, we need your input! What would you like to see in our parks? What might your recreation needs be in the future? What do you value in parks and recreation? Stop by our booth to help answer these important questions. View the flyer here.

Name that Park!

The City of Goleta is excited that construction on Hollister/Kellogg Park is underway and will be open early in the spring of 2019! We want your input on a fitting name for this exciting new park. It is the first large park developed by the City of Goleta and is located at 170 South Kellogg Avenue. The park will offer a number of amenities for all ages of the community to enjoy, including open space, picnic shelters, playground structures, walking paths, game tables, a skate park and more. View the design of the new park here, then fill out an online form letting us know the ideal name for the park and why (click here to fill out the online form in Spanish). The form is also available to download and return to Goleta City Hall, click here for the form in English and here for the form in Spanish.

The deadline to participate is Thursday, September 20 at 5:00 p.m. Submissions will be reviewed by the City’s Naming Committee and finalists will be considered at the October 3rd meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission at 6:00 p.m.  The Commission will provide a recommendation to the City’s Naming Committee, who will present a final recommendation to the City Council on Tuesday, October 16th for consideration. The finalists and winner will receive gift cards to local businesses. More information is available here.

Get to Know Goleta Valley Library

Do you know about some of the cool things available at the Goleta Valley Library? The Library and MOXI, the Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation, have entered into a partnership to provide Goleta Valley Library cardholders with the opportunity to visit MOXI for free! Family Passes are available to check out for one week. Visit the Service Desk in the Library to add your name to the list. Patrons also have the opportunity to design and create their own project using the Library’s 3-D printer! Cardholders can submit a project request online or in person and arrangements will be made to have it printed. Please be sure to read the Library’s policy on 3-D printing. Visit www.goletavalleylibrary.org for information on these opportunities and more.

Keep in touch with the Goleta Valley Library! Sign up for Library updates delivered right to your inbox and follow the Library on Facebook (@GoletaValleyLibrary).

Dyslexia Dialogue at Goleta Valley Library

Goleta Valley Library is hosting the first in a series of monthly Dyslexia Dialogues, titled “Welcome to DyslexiaLand: Population 1 in 5” on Sunday, September 30, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Join us for an afternoon discussion on dyslexia – a common and misunderstood learning difference. Dyslexia affects 1 in 5 individuals and is often the unrecognized reason that bright and motivated children unexpectedly struggle to read, write and spell. Those academic difficulties, if unaddressed, can lead to negative self-esteem and worse.

The September Dyslexia Dialogue program will be led by Cheri Rae of the Dyslexia Project. She is a dyslexia advocate, mother of a dyslexic son, and author of the new book, “DyslexiaLand: A Field Guide for Parents of Children with Dyslexia.” Cheri will provide resources about the early indicators of dyslexia, how to support dyslexic strengths and what parents can do to help their children reach their full potential.