Win $500.00 in the Ladies Home Journal Cutest Pets Contest...

Ladies Home Journal Cutest Pets Contest
"Think you've got the cuddliest cat or most adorable dog? Prove it and you could win $500 to pamper your precious pet! Enter your cutest pet photo by August 7, and you could be chosen to be featured on the site as one of 20 finalists. The top-voted finalist will take home the cash prize (and bragging rights). See Official Rules."

Click HERE to go to:

http://www.lhj.com/photos/lhj-photo-contests/cutest-pets-2009/?page=2

Fruit Tree Planting Foundation...

From their website: http://www.ftpf.org/

"Mission
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is a nonprofit charity dedicated to planting edible, fruitful trees and plants to benefit the environment and all its inhabitants. Our primary mission is to plant and help others plant a collective total of 18 billion fruit trees across the world (approximately 3 for every person alive) and encourage their growth under organic standards."

This is a wonderful program! My dream is to see an outfit in Contra Costa County win a fruit tree planting. Upon reading their website, you will find that Tennyson High School in Hayward, California and another school in Boulder Creek, California have received tree plantings from this organization. Contra Costa County - Let's get growing!

Immediately Needed Items...

This is a special request from Anna Chan, The Lemon Lady.

Please visit:
www.concordfamily.blogspot.com.

If you have further questions, please contact
Anna at 510.406.1625 or AnnaAndAva@gmail.com.
Or, contact George McDowell at McDowellnson@gmail.com.

Hoping the community can PLEASE help gather these simple, yet very much appreciated and NEEDED items to assist the McDowell family with the clean-up efforts of their totally destroyed home. The list below represents the most immediately needed items. Thank you so kindly.

Old towels/rags
Old t-shirts
Batteries - Sizes: D, AA, AAA
Safety Pins
Band Aids
Rubbing Alcohol
Peroxide
Miscellaneous First Aid Supplies
Kleenex, Paper Towels
Plastic Heavy Duty Garbage Bags
Zip Lock bags, large size
Dish Soap
Water
Drinking Cups
Paper disposable plates, cups, etc.
Plastic Chairs, Tables for sitting, that can be hosed off
Straw Broom
Dust Masks
Garden Hose(s)
Tarps
Shoe Boxes/Lids Bedding: Twin Sheets, Full sheets
Medical equipments: Nebulizer for breathing

Let me introduce you to a neighbor...

George McDowell and his sweet son Logan.

Photo courtesy: www.MisterWriter.com

Perhaps you've heard of the devastating fire which destroyed their house on 4th of July. www.Claycord.com originally reported the story. The McDowell Family has asked the community for nothing in terms of help, yet I see a sincere family in great need.

Concord - Let's come together and bring good things to the McDowell Family. Please contact me at AnnaAndAva@gmail.com for ways we can lend our help. Please read Andre' Gensburger's touching tale of the McDowell family's struggles to gather the pieces.

Visit The McDowell Family at Concord Family Blogspot to follow their story:

http://www.concordfamily.blogspot.com/.

Know an inspiring teacher who would like to win $5,000?

This sounds like a fun contest for teachers, coaches, administrators, counselors and other educators. Read the contest and nomination rules. Brush up on your writing skills...sip lemonade under a shade tree...and put pen to paper. Let's put Contra Costa County on the map with a local winner. Have fun today!

The EXPO Extraordinary Educator Contest will begin on July 13, 2009 at 12:00:01 A.M. ET and end on September 15, 2009 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET (“Contest Period”). Learn more from their website: http://www.expoeducator.com.

Meet Larry Sly, Executive Director at The Food Bank of Contra Costa And Solano...

Larry Sly, Executive Director of The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
Anna Chan, The Lemon Lady
Tom Benner, AKA Officer Vic, KSFO’s morning traffic reporter

In June, I attended the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano's "Afternoon in the Admiral’s Garden” presented by Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery. It was a spectacular fundraising event, with dozens of gourmet food, dessert and wine tasting booths. I encourage anyone passionate about the hunger cause to consider attending next years' festive event. You will meet other fine individuals who work endlessly behind the scenes to bring food to those who need it most in our community.

Learn more about Larry Sly by visiting the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano's website, or the Food Bank BLOG. Mr. Sly is an amazing individual, a true local hero who has dedicated a lifetime to the hunger cause. Sly was one of the original employees of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano when it first opened over 30 years ago!

Food Bank Contra Costa warehouse: 4010 Nelson Avenue, Concord, CA 94520 (925) 676-7543
Food Bank Solano warehouse: 1891 Woolner Suite I, Fairfield, CA 94533 (707) 421-9777

Danville Weekly, Fresh fruit in the garden and what to do with it...

Danville Weekly published a nice article about my friend Mira Goetsch of Alamo. Mira has started her own one-woman fruit harvesting campaign against hunger. I have profiled Mira before on The Lemon Lady blog. If you live in Mira's area, she is an excellent volunteer harvesting fruit and delivering to local pantries. Mira's contact information can be found at http://www.mirafruitharvesting.blogspot.com/.

Click below to read entire article.

Column - Friday, July 10, 2009
Fresh fruit in the garden and what to do with it
by Dolores Fox Ciardelli

http://www.danvilleweekly.com/story.php?story_id=6311