I played in Seaboks 1 Million twitter followers tournament on Sunday. There were a ton of pros one of which was Joe Cada and he was on my table.

In the hand I was in against him, I had J 9 of spades – flop comes two spades and the turn the ace of spades. We bet and on the river he filled up. It was a bad beat but at least I have a story to tell.

Every day before I go to bed my goal is to have with in a few dollars of my highest total for the day and so far its worked.

Canon EOS 350D + Canon EF-s 18-55m f/3.5-5.6 + Canon Speedlite 580EX

@ISO 100, 18 mm, 1/200 sec, f/4.0

The second Pecha Kucha Evening goes tonight at 7pm at the Uptown Cinema!

Sponsored and moderated by the good folk at CADA, the topic that the presenters will chew on is Living and Working.  And remember, what makes these evenings so interesting is that each presenter is limited to showing and talking about 22 slides for 30 seconds each.

For a full list of presenters, logistics and other information, please go to http://www.calgaryartsdevelopment.com/

See you there!

Within the array of youth programs run by CADA we have a great class run by our Youth Service Specialists in the Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria high schools and middle schools called Reconnecting Youth. The aim of this program is to decrease drug involvement, increase school performance, decrease emotional distress, and reconnect youth to their school culture.

These small classes not only engage in classroom coursework, but importantly they also participate in different activities designed to create trust and bonding within the group and connect them with our community. These outside activities have included beach cleanups, assisting at the Unity Shoppe, participating in the Summit for Danny hike, and a variety of field trips ranging from the Museum of Tolerance to Home Boy Industries in Los Angeles.

Over the course of the program they learn to become more self-aware, to express their feelings, and gradually learn to trust the facilitator and the other students in the class. We have seen that the students in these classes develop the awareness of their personal triggers and learn to develop coping skills that will prevent them from relapsing into alcohol and drug use. In some cases the class becomes somewhat of a second family.

The Reconnecting Youth program is in full swing again as we are almost half way through the school year (things move so fast!). We look forward to continuing the classes and truly reaching out to our youth and helping them realize they are valuable members and have so much to contribute to their schools, families, and our community!

Perhaps the true indication of the change this program creates is expressed best by the students themselves. See what our participating youth have to say about the program…

Before I came to San Marcos i was scared.  Scared to fail and not make it.  When I came to reconnecting Youth, it al changed.  You pushed me when I gave up on myself.  You believe in us when everyone else doesn’t.  Thank you for everything!

I missed three years of school.  Now I go every single day.  I don’t just want to graduate, I know I’ll graduate.  I’ve completely changed my attitude.

I feel it motivated me to do better and always keep my head up.  I f I could take this class for the rest of high school, I would.  Thank you for the opportunity to talk about the things in our lives such as school, drugs, alcohol, and anything else that needed to be discussed.

The most meaningful part was that it was a place where everything felt right.  You were able to trust everyone and speak freely.  It was like a close bond.

On Tuesday, November 17th Santa Barbara City Council brought the issue of marijuana dispensaries to their agenda.  Councilmembers Iya Falcone and Dale Francisco had asked for this item with the recommendation that Council “reconsider its policy concerning medical marijuana, consider alternative models for meeting the needs of patients, and provide direction to the Ordinance Committee as appropriate”.  As per many of the meetings of the Planning Commission and Ordinance Committee when dispensaries have been addressed many community members attended to have their concerns and opinions heard.

At this meeting there were about 40 speakers, with the vast majority being supportive of City Council taking up the issue of changing the model of how medicinal marijuana is provided in Santa Barbara.  Many supported the change from a for profit, storefront, dispensary model to the CA state approved collective or cooperative model.  Of particular concern for many was the proliferation of dispensaries, the easier access for our youth with the increased amount of marijuana in our community, and what the true need in our community for medical marijuana truly is.

Of the numerous speakers there were a fair number representing CADA and the Fighting Back (FB) community coalition: Rolf Geyling, Director Santa Barbara Rescue Mission and FB Public Policy Task Force member; Dr. Brian Sarvis, Superintendent, Santa Barbara School Districts and FB Steering Committee member; Tom Thomas, Community Relations Executive, SB Bank & Trust and FB Steering Committee Co-Chair; Shereen Khatapoush, CADA Youth Services System Director and FB Secondary Schools Task Force member; and Jen Lemberger, Fighting Back Coordinator.

The public comment and then the City Council questions and discussion resulted in a motion carried to advise the Ordinance Committee to look at state law and CA attorney general guidelines and to look at changing the city model from dispensaries to a collective/cooperative model.  As well, a motion was carried to add an agenda item to future council meeting (before the end of the year) to vote on an immediate moratorium on dispensaries in Santa Barbara. This would stop the process of approval of new dispensaries while the Ordinance Committee and City Council finalize what will be done.  Per city counsel, such a moratorium would need to be approved with a 5-2 vote, not just a majority.

Please contact the City Council and urge each member to support an immediate moratorium when the agenda item comes up for a vote!

Marty Blum – mblum@santabarbaraca.gov

Iya Falcone – ifalcone@santabarbaraca.gov

Dale Francisco – dfrancisco@santabarbaraca.gov

Grant House – ghouse@santabarbaraca.gov

Helene Schneider – hschneider@santabarbaraca.gov

Das Williams – dwilliams@santabarbaraca.gov

Follow the link below to read the public comments entered by Rolf Geyling, Jen Lemberger, and Tom Thomas.

A comprehensive article from Noozhawk can be found here.

As the President of the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, I oversee a team that deals with the horrors of drug abuse everyday.  I don’t need to explain much of our program to you all because several of you have toured it and some of you have even contacted me at times on behalf of someone needing treatment.

We are able to do our work because over 4,000 donors in the community see it as important that Santa Barbara have a meaningful response to those who struggle with homeless and addiction.  We are, unfortunately, in a growth industry and I would ask you to take what steps you can to not contribute to the process.

We get calls from around the country about our recovery program which underscore that it is truly unique.  That comes part and parcel to being a part of Santa Barbara—our community is used to be renowned for things.  But it troubles me that a quick internet search for marijuana shows that it has quickly gained a reputation for something else—not as a place where people with debilitating illnesses find compassionate care—but simply as a destination location for retail marijuana.

We are grateful for colleagues at Transition House and Casa Esperanza who share our concern about the current circumstances surrounding dispensaries.  As the rhetoric of compassion is used extensively in this dialogue, I trust you recognize with me that it is challenging to find three agencies that embody it more vividly.  We deal with people whose lives have been torn apart by drug abuse and, more often than not, marijuana is a part of the heartbreaking stories we hear.

Members of this council have been instrumental in projects that benefit the vulnerable populations we are committed to helping—you have had a hand in some important projects that re-integrate them into society.  As addiction is such a prevalent issue, all of these efforts stand in jeopardy if this council allows the current situation to continue.

By all means, help those who suffer, but remember that the California Sherriff’s Association has found that only 2% of the people using dispensaries report having AIDS, glaucoma or cancer, and carefully consider the impact on the larger community.

Please take action by declaring an immediate moratorium on new approvals and work to institute an outright ban on storefront dispensaries as 124 other communities in California have done.

- Rolf Geyling, Director Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, FB Public Policy Task Force member

Good evening Madam Mayor and Councilmembers, my name is Jen Lemberger and I am the Fighting Back Coordinator.  Fighting Back, as many of you know, is an almost 20 year old coalition here in Santa Barbara and one of our main goals is to decrease the demand for drugs and alcohol among youth in our community.  The issue of marijuana dispensaries in Santa Barbara is therefore extremely pertinent to our coalition.  Under the city’s current ordinance we are seeing an ever expanding number of for profit dispensaries opening in our neighborhoods.  There is much talk about our youth accessing the dispensaries directly, but it is not just this, it does not matter who accesses them, in our current atmosphere the more dispensaries the greater the availability at large of marijuana.  The higher level overall in itself leads to easier access for our youth.

We currently have approximately 17 pharmacies in Santa Barbara to serve our entire population of over 92,000.  As stated earlier, there are 16 dispensaries either operating, permitted, in process, non-conforming, or illegal.  In comparison then, does this number reflect the true need of medical marijuana in our community?  As well, just as in pharmacies there must be safeguards against misuse, so should there be within a collective or cooperative model.

We at Fighting Back acutely understand that responsibility and modeling begin at home, however it is seen in the realm of public health that the most successful interventions are those that affect our environment.  Thus, the city needs to support and set standard that aid parents while also ensuring the health and safety of our citizens.  We know that as we develop and grow our environment and surroundings help shape our beliefs and behaviors.  For the city to allow dispensaries under the current model so close to schools, recovery facilities, and after school programs will most definitely effect youth perception of this illegal drug.

Therefore we ask the Council to implement an immediate moratorium and urge a ban on the for profit dispensary model and that state law, which is not under debate, be required in the form of collectives and/or cooperatives with strict oversite, transparency, and regulation.  As well we urge you ton consider the actual need in our community and thus the number of collectives or cooperatives. And geographically we would like schools, parks, recovery, recreation, and youth facilities to be considered in zoning.

Thank you.

- Jen Lemberger, Fighting Back Coordinator

Tom Thomas in his comments pointed out that the last time he was before the City Council was to present the Community Indicators Report from 2007.  He stated that “whatever structure the city moves forward with the important thing is to make sure we control the inappropiate posession in the hands of our adolescents, the 12 to 17 group that we at Fighting Back focus on so much”.  Thomas thought it important that the City Council not only decide between the form to be taken, but that there be “structure to keep close tabs so doctors aren’t giving minors recommendations for medical marijuana when unwarranted and also those with recommendations don’t then sell it onthe street to your youth”. Thomas also recommended a moratorium be implemented.

On Thursday, November 12th CADA along with partners the Santa Barbara Secondary Schools District and Fighting Back held a Town Hall to address the increasing number of dispensaries in the Santa Barbara community.  Held at Victoria Hall (thank to the generosity of Tom Reed and the Unity Shoppe) several topics were covered by the various speakers.  Jen Lemberger, the Fighting Back Coordinator, MC’d the event and helped steer the Question & Answer session at the end. Panelists at the event were:

 

• Sharon Byrne – Neighborhood Activist + Parent
• Shereen Khatapoush – Youth Services System Director, Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
• Peter Afflerbach – Counselor, Daniel Bryant Youth & Family Treatment Center
• Brian Sarvis – Superintendent, Santa Barbara School Districts
• Florene Bednersh – Assistant Superintendent, Special Education, Santa Barbara County Education office
• Robert S. Bryant – Concerned Citizen and Owner of Bryant and Sons Ltd.

Much of the evening was focused on youth and the effects ranging from physical/neurological to behavioral that the over abundance and proximity to schools, parks and recreation areas that dispensaries can have on them.  Individuals from both sides of the issue were present and questions and discussion reflected this.  A groundswell of concern from parents, residents and educators at the meeting really focused the dispensary issue around what could be done to ensure the health and safety of our community and what can immediately be done.

Here are links to articles about the evening: Noozhawk article and picture gallery and Santa Barbara News Press

More pictures can be found on CADA’s group page.

The Town Hall Meeting was held to help educate the public about the situation in our Santa Barbara neighborhoods, soecifically in preparation for the City Council to adress the city’s dispensary odinance at their November 17th meeting.  Check back here for updates on what happens at that meeting…

No todos huelen la frescura
ni miran las nubes
del atardecer violeta.
¡Tampoco ríen cuando caen!
y lo han hecho de forma estúpida,
ni siquiera nacen a gatas
cuando los dan por muertos
o se agarran en las paredes
porque caerse es fácil,
no todos se arman con una misión
y la misión es ser vivo
dándole belleza al cielo
ironía al gris o gris a la nada
no todos,
quizás dos de cada cien:
les dan sabor a los árboles
cuando por mirar su copa
les deslumbra el sol
y cae una hoja
y reluce su fruto
y el pájaro despega
de su nido para dar compañía
a nuestra alma.

On a beau savoir qu’il est toujours mieux d’être riche et en bonne santé que pauvre et malade, cela fait toujours plaisir quand l’Etat républicain rappelle à la loi ceux qui prétendent s’en affranchir. Or, une des règles de base de l’administration française est la publicité de son action. Les fonctionnaires agissent dans la transparence et tout citoyen peut veiller à la bonne utilisation de ses impôts.

Comme les choses ne vont pas forcément de soi, il existe une autorité administrative indépendante, la Commission d’accès aux documents administratifs (CADA) – bien connue des archivistes – qui a pour mission de contrôler cette accessibilité. Et éventuellement de conseiller à une administration de permettre la consultation de certains actes.

Ainsi, quand une grande bibliothèque de province signe un accord avec un prestataire étranger pour numérisation de son fonds, elle passe un marché public « soumis au droit d’accès institué par la loi du 17 juillet 1978 ». Les clauses de confidentialité contractuelles n’ont donc pas de valeur légale.

Un journaliste de Livres Hebdo vient ainsi d’obtenir un avis favorable de la CADA pour consultation de l’acte d’engagement et du cahier des clauses techniques particulières de l’accord signé entre la BM de Lyon et Google, car ces deux documents n’entrent pas dans le cadre des renseignements qui peuvent légalement rester confidentiels (moyens techniques et humains, certification, coordonnées bancaires…).

Mais la CADA ne rend que des avis : le journaliste en question possède certes des arguments supplémentaires pour appuyer sa demande mais rien n’indique quelle pourra être la réaction de la mairie de Lyon. Les documents obtenus ne permettront pas non plus de connaître l’ensemble des caractéristiques de l’accord.

On peut donc seulement compter sur la bonne volonté de la Ville et de la BM de Lyon, qui ne peuvent cependant que difficilement faire fi des clauses de confidentialités du contrat signé (même si ces dernières ne sont pas légales). Et même si l’obscurité caligineuse de ce contrat est, en terme d’image, assez désastreuse pour la bibliothèque.

Sources : Livres Hebdo ; Actualitté

Friday Night Live (FNL) is one of the many youth focused programs that is part of Fighting Back. Within FNL is a unique Mentoring program that pairs high school students with junior high students to encourage mutually beneficial relationships as a way of building resiliency among junior high students. We are excited to report that the FNL Mentoring program is currently at three junior high school campuses in Santa Barbara County. During the month of October, we had 30 high school students trained as mentors. Each student was paired with a junior high protégé that was recruited to the mentoring program. The first mentoring sessions between our high school mentors and junior high protégés were held in November. It was an inspirational start to the year for the program as the junior high students excitedly met the high school students that they will be paired with throughout the school year.

We are so excited to start a new year!!

Follow the jump to find out more about what the youth think of the program…

Some bullet points of importance regarding the FNL Mentoring Program:

- In last year’s survey of FNL’s mentors we found that 90% of them felt that they had opportunities for leadership and advocacy.

- 77% of mentors in FNL Mentoring either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that their involvement in the program helped them decide to do other things instead of using alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

- 78% of protégés reported having learned new skills including working in a group, planning and organizing, solving problems and looking at issues in their school/community.

- 89% of protégés reported that this was the first time that they had the opportunity to look at issues within their school and community.

- 91% of protégés reported that being part of FNL Mentoring makes them more excited about and committed to school.

The fall Quarterly from the Fighting Back Mentor Program is here!  Read about the Mentor of the Year recipient, our Mentee Spotlight, New Staff and upcoming opportunities in the program…

(If the print is too small on your screen hit ‘Ctrl +’ to enlarge.)

“Sou uma mulher madura
Que às vezes anda de balanço
Sou uma criança insegura
Que às vezes usa salto alto
Sou uma mulher que balança
Sou uma criança que atura”

Martha Medeiros

Homenagem à eterna criança que há no interior de cada adulto… Afinal, é ela que garante a nossa espontaneidade, a alegria e a felicidade com os pequenos detalhes da vida!

Joanie Grissom is our October Mentor of the Month.

Joanie has mentored for over 6 years. Her mentee is a 10th grade student at Santa Barbara High School. Joanie and her mentee have participated in a wide range of activities from reading together, making pottery, going to the beach, shopping in Paseo Nuevo, visiting the Botanical Gardens, and going to the movies. Her mentee comes from a family where her mother has been absent for much of her life, making Joanie’s role as a female mentor even more vital to her mentee’s development. Two years ago, her mentee became part of a leadership group at her school, and Joanie has helped guide her into doing community service for SBHS. Her mentee has been exposed to these positive outlets throughout most of her teens because of Joanie’s hard work and dedicated as a positive role model. Joanie has been able to assist her mentee through most of her high school career, no doubt making a life long impact. Joanie is also a member of the Mentor Task Force, highlighting her compassion and dedication to the cause. She is one of our mentors who truly goes above and beyond, and serves as a great example of how mentorship can change the life of a child for the better. Nice job, Joanie!

Cineva o sa aiba un soc de cacat cand o sa se trezeasca…

Eu não sou uma
Posso ser duas, três, quatro,
Multiplico-me entre o sofrer
E o viver,
Divido-me entre amar
E morrer,
Não escrevo,
Finco-me em folhas
E a cada palavra

Para ler o restante clique no link abaixo e conheçam nosso novo blog

http://www.poemasepensamentos.com.br/2009/10/02/duas-faces/

Tihuana – Um dia de cada vez

Pedido do Rafa Silveira

-

3OH!3 – Starstrukk

Pedido da Gah

On Thursday morning CADA held a Council Connection event at the Daniel Bryant Youth & Family Treatment Center. CADA’s Council Connections are a chance for interested individuals to find out more about our programs and facilities. At this particular Connection at Daniel Bryant attendees were introduced to the various treatment groups and programs, heard about client experience firsthand, and enjoyed a tour of the facilities. The event was wildly successful in that all attendees left with greater knowledge, but even more so, a deep appreciation for the work that is going on at Daniel Bryant. One particular mother daughter pair made an extreme impact through their stories to those who attended. The girl spoke first and relayed her personal experience with drugs and how it had affected her life and her relationships, in particular her relationship with her mother. Unbeknownst to the girl, her mother was actually in attendance and spoke after her daughter about how wonderful the programs and Daniel Bryant have been and how much it has helped to start the two in repairing their relationship.

To read e-mail letters from those in attendance about how they felt about the event continue reading after the break…

—————————————

Sarah, thank you and the Daniel Bryant staff for putting on the event at CADA’s DBYT during National Recovery Month. It was very moving and simply fantastic! Keep up the great work with young people!!!

Jenaro Valdez
Alcohol Drug Program
ADMHS
County of Santa Barbara

———————————————

Sarah,

On behalf of The Alano Club of Santa Barbara, Inc. I echo Jenaro’s remarks.

What a wonderful program! Too many of our young people fall prey to the lure of alcohol and drugs. Hearing the youth share their respective stories is compelling evidence that underscores the importance of the work that CADA and the Daniel Bryant Youth & Family Center do. The eloquence of the Mother who spoke, despite her disclaimer of knowledge of the English language, was moving. Her story revealed that CADA’s and the Daniel Bryant Youth & Family Center’s work also benefits and reinforces families afflicted by the disease of alcoholism or addiction. I remain convinced that intervention at an early age is the most effective weapon against a prospective life of misery and despair. CADA and the Daniel Bryant Youth & Family Center are truly assets in our recovery community!

Best Regards,

Rick Lee
President
The Alano Club of Santa Barbara, Inc.

—————————————–

Hi Everyone:

What a warm and hospitable event it was this morning. Thank you, Sarah and all the staff, for participating and for encouraging the young people who spoke to us. I was gratified to finally glimpse the work that you do at Daniel Bryant and thankful to all who helped make it happen. My spirits were lifted especially since I have not been able to be present for all the Recovery Month meetings but know that this yearly effort is in not just good but great hands. Special thanks to Rick, Jenaro and Tiara (who has so gracefully stepped up to the plate in so many ways)! Wonderful to see Wim and Bob B. too!

Sincerely,

Bonnie Raisin

Ken Boomer is our September Mentor of the Month.

He has been meeting with his mentee for over a year now through Isla Vista Elementary. As his mentee enters the 6th grade, he knows that Ken will continue to encourage and support him. Ken has done an amazing job of proving to his mentee that he can position himself to do well throughout the rest of his life. Ken has fostered his strengths and helped him figure out how to learn through his challenges.

His mentee was referred to the program because he was having challenges concentrating in school, which translated into academic difficulties. He was fidgeting in his seat, not paying attention, and wasn’t motivated to stay on top of school work. He didn’t have someone outside of school encouraging him to do well, to exhibit what it means to grow into a strong young male. Ken stepped in and showed his mentee that it is equally as important to get a good education as it is to be involved in healthy activities outside of school. His mentee was awarded with certificates for improvement in classroom behavior, math, and reading – improving 2 grade levels! He’s also taught him that rewards can be far more appreciated when hard work precedes it. Ken and his mentee worked together to fix an old bike, and once it was finished, his mentee had earned the privilege to keep it and ride it. Through that, Ken continues to encourage him to keep physically active.

Thank you, Ken, for all that you do to encourage a positive lifestyle with your mentee!!

La newsletter de la Previsión Internacional de Bob Champan (Bob Chapman’s Int’l Forecaster newsletter) revela la siguiente noticia de inteligencia del Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos y embajadas.

“Algunas embajadas de Estados Unidos en todo el mundo han sido aconsejadas con comprar enormes cantidades de moneda local, suficiente para llegar hasta fin de año. Algunas embajadas recibieron enormes cantidades de dinero metálico en moneda de Estados Unidos para que compraran moneda de otros gobiernos, con anticipación y sin levantar demasiado ruido y sospechas. Pero no libra esterlina.

En el Departamento de Estado norteamericano se respira un ambiente de tristeza y anticipación de que “algo está a punto de ocurrir, aunque no se conoce la fecha, podría ser dentro de 180 días, pero también, en un plazo de 120 a 150 días”.

SIGUE LEYENDO LA ENTRADA HACIENDO CLICK  EN: “Leer el resto de la entrada>>”

Bob menciona otra fuente que asegura que “Panasonic le ha dicho a su gente que esté de regreso en Japón en Setiembre de 2009″.

Harry Schultz, el decano de la edición de newsletters recoge la carta de Chapman del 30 de Mayo, en relación a las embajadas de USA y la compra de grandes cantidades de moneda local antes de fin de año.

Aquí está la nota de Harry sobre la situación:

“Sospecho que el plan de la elite es organizar otro “Bank Holiday” como el de Roosevelt (Día en la que los bancos no trabajan) de duración indefinida, quizás muy pronto, para dar tiempo a los elementos internos a arreglar el enorme embrollo organizado, y que cada día se escapa más y más de control. Los que están dentro de esto necesitan imponer nuevas reglas bancarias. La nacionalización podría ya estar decidida. El proceso podría llevar a una devaluación formal del dólar USA, como FDR hizo por medio de la revalorización del oro (y después confiscándolo), pero la pregunta es ¿en relación a qué van a devaluar el dólar? ¿Contra el euro? Improbable. ¿Contra el oro? posible, o tal vez se devalúe versus el carrito de moneda del FMI, lo que podría ser un beneficio adicional en el escenario de dejar caer el dólar. Tal caída lograría la devaluación que ellos necesitan sin tener que declararla. En suma, los “elementos internos” quieren más y más control del sistema, menos bancos y un dólar más barato. Un “Bank Holiday” sería perfecto para adaptar todas sus necesidades”

Obviamente, no puedes abrir las cajas de seguridad si los bancos están cerrados, de forma que la recomendación pasa por planificar todo de manera que no necesites nada que esté en cajas de seguridad. Durante el bank holiday de FD Roosevelt, miles de bancos nunca volvieron a abrir sus puertas; fue una forma que eligieron para cerrarlos definitivamente.

¿Podría esperarse que ocurriera de nuevo algo así?. Es posible, una buena parte de ellos no tiene ya ningún valor, están hundidos en deudas, malas hipotecas, etc.

The September newsletter from the Save A Valuable Employee (SAVE) Program. Included in this issue is an article on the hazard of inactivity (be healthy!), an article on toxic relationships, some great swine flu facts, and more…

(If the print is too small on your screen hit ‘Ctrl +’ to enlarge.)

The November newsletter from the Save A Valuable Employee (SAVE) Program. Included in this issue are an article on financial stress and losing sleep, another on internet addiction, one about self-motivation and exercise, and more…

(If the print is too small on your screen hit ‘Ctrl +’ to enlarge.)

On the sunny afternoon of Monday, September 14th a large crowd gathered at the Veteran’s Building down on Cabrillo, right across from the beach. A community coalition of recovery organizations (Casa Serena, Jennings House, Sheriff’s Treatment Program, Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, County ADP, Alano Club, and others) had planned this BBQ as part of September’s National Alchol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month events. Actually, they were lucky in that they simply co-opted the regular STP monthly BBQ and just made it bigger!  More food, more people, speakers, and raffle prizes were all part of the expanded version. At least 250 individuals came through the food line, if not 300+, and stayed for the company and fellowship.  For those who had never been to an STP BBQ it was quite an impactful experience.

For pictures of the event visit our facebook page (don’t worry, you can see them without being signed in or a member of the site).

Keep reading for the experience from the perspective of an individual who helped to plan the event, is an Alano Club board member, a mother, and a recovering addict (you are fantastic Tiara!!)…

I was so amazed when I attended my first STP BBQ during Recovery Month 2009! In all my seven years in sobriety, this was my first time seeing what all the talk was about. I knew the food would be good and it definitely was but the fellowship by far was the highpoint of the event. I was able to see new friends and reconnect with old ones. It made me feel proud to see all of the miracles that are so important in my life of sobriety. I was also able to witness first hand all the support we receive in Santa Barbara to help us live a sober lifestyle. From the sheriffs to the counselors, all were happy to be a part of this event and I could feel it just by seeing their smiles.

Thank you to those who donated to the raffle, particularly Trader Joe’s, Numi Tea, UGG, Teva, and Simple Shoes!!!!

The October newsletter from the Save A Valuable Employee (SAVE) Program. Included in this issue are an article on internal stress, another on spouse abuse prevention, one about eldercare and accidental neglect, and more…

(If the print is too small on your screen hit ‘Ctrl +’ to enlarge.)