p Caring Connections Serving the communities of Bellflower and Lakewood since 1992

July /August 2014 www.caringconnectionsonline.com

Mission Statement: Our commitment is to be a bridge to a healthy and successful future for children and families of the Bellflower Unified School District Bellflower Volunteer Center 2014 -2015 Executive Board Members Backpack & School Supplies Drive

Nichole McGahey The City of Bellflower Volunteer Center is holding their annual Back to School Backpack & School Bethel Reformed Church Supplies Drive now through August 21 st . This program is to assist children from the Bellflower

Doug Easer Unified School District who are in need. We invite you to be part of this annual event and help Bellflower Rotary Club bring a new good start to the new school year for our kids.

Jeanette Gosden Suggested items are: Consultant • Backpack (durable) Cindy VanMeeveren • Pencil box/bag Bellflower Volunteer Center • Pens, pencils, erasers Renett Banagas • Crayons, colored pencils, markers Community Services • Paper, notebooks, dividers, binders Coordinator • Glue sticks, rulers, dictionary, calculator

Please donate only new items. If you would like to participate please call Cindy VanMeeveren at (562) 925-9003 or e-mail her at [email protected] . Every little bit helps. Thank you for your support!

Citadel Shopping Extravaganza

Fundraiser for Caring Connections

John J. Gunther Blue Caring Connections is starting the new school year with our first fundraiser. We have joined efforts Ribbon Practices in with Citadel Outlets to be part of their Shopping Extravaganza event that will be held on Saturday, Community Development October 18, 2014 starting at 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $25. When you Award purchase tickets through Caring Connections, $20 comes directly back to us!

Association of School Administrators With your ticket purchase you receive: Partners in Education • Exclusive discounts at over 100 stores Excellence Award • Lunch catered by Ruby’s Diner • Complimentary baggage check Greater LA Federal • Executive Board Live entertainment Partnership Award • Wine tasting • Two raffle tickets (thousands of gift cards to be raffled) California School Boards Association Golden Bell Don’t miss your chance on some great discounts and a fun day! Start your Christmas shopping Award for Partnerships & early! Tickets can be purchased by contacting the Caring Connections office at (562) 866-9011 Collaboratives ext. 2092 or online at www.shoppingextravaganzacitadeloutlets.eventbright.com . Please select “Caring Connections” as your charity choice. There is a $2.37 fee for online purchase. Buy your tickets early before they are sold out! Citadel Outlets is located at 100 Citadel Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90040. Caring Connections is a non - profit 501 (c) ( 3) organization dedicated to serving the needs of children and families of the Bellflower U nified School District. For more information contact Caring Connections at (562) 866-9011 ext. 2092. JULY /A UGUST 201 4 www.caringconnectionsonline.com PAGE 2

Support Caring Connections!

Ralph’s Community Contribution Program  BARK - Reading with Dogs at Brakensiek Library (CC NPO# 92226) Every first Thursday of the month at the Brakensiek Library at 6:00 p.m. bring your child to read with therapy dogs. Beach Animals Reading with Kids (BARK) gives students an opportunity to practice and develop their reading ability by reading to a therapy dog. For

more information call (562) 925-5543. A member of GoodSearch since 2008  City of Bellflower Summer Streetfest www.Goodsearch.com Live music, food vendors, craft vendors, and Bellflower Recreation in Motion (BRIM) at 6:30 p. m. on Bellflower Blvd. between Flower St. and Oak St. on the following dates: July 31, August 14, and August 28.

201 4-201 5  City of Lakewood Family Swim Night Case Managers On Friday, August 1, The City of Lakewood will be hosting Family Swim Night – Angela Guardado Enchantment Under the Sea at 7:00 p.m. at McCormick Pool located at 3300 Del Amo Albert Baxter Elementary Blvd. Cost is $3 per person. (562) 531-1602 ext.6358  Bellflower Chamber of Commerce Backpack & Membership Drive Edna Amezcua Craig Williams Elementary Bellflower Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Olive Crest for their Backpack & (562) 804-6540 ext. 7136 School Supply Drive. Donate a backpack and at least three different school supplies and receive 50% off your new Chamber membership or renewal. Backpacks and school Sailly Grkinich Ernie Pyle Elementary supplies can be brought to the Chamber on August 6 and 7. The Bellflower Chamber is (562) 804-6528 ext. 6865 located at 16730 Bellflower Blvd.

Eileen Velasquez  National Night Out Stephen Foster Elementary Tuesday, August 5, is National Night Out. Between the hours of 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., join (562) 804-6518 Intensive Learning Center neighbors, Bellflower City Council members, Sheriff Deputies, firefighters and (562)804-6513 neighborhood watch volunteers for this celebration. Several Bellflower residents will host

Lupe Valdivia-Gomez block parties during this nationwide public safety event. For a listing of block parties, Frank E. Woodruff Elementary please call Taylor Morgan at (562) 925-0124. (562) 804-6545 ext. 7297  City of Bellflower Food Trucks & Flicks Ana Perez Food Trucks & Flicks are being held at the Towne Center Plaza every other Friday. Food Ramona Elementary (562) 804-6532 ext. 6996 trucks arrive at 6:30 p.m. and movies begin at dusk. Movies to be shown in August are th nd The Lego Movie on the 8 and Frozen on the 22 . Estella Delgado Thomas Jefferson Elementary  City of Lakewood Movie Under the Stars (562) 804-6521 ext. 6501 Friday, August 8, at 7:00 p.m. enjoy a FREE movie at Monte Verde Park located at 4626 Norma Montes North Shadeway Road. They will be showing The Wizard of Oz. A pre-movie costume Washington Elementary contest will be held. Show up dressed in your favorite character from the movie. Pre- (562) 804-6535 ext. 5007 registration is required. Please visit www.lakewoodcity.org.Catalog to RSVP. Jeanine Williams Esther Lindstrom Elementary  City of Bellflower Blood Drive (562) 804-6525 ext. 6768 On Thursday, August 14, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. the City of

Cesar Rangel Bellflower will be holding its annual Blood Drive with the American Red Cross at Bellflower City Hall located at 16600 Civic Center Drive. Appointments can be made by (562) 920-1801 ext. 3044 calling Wendy at (562) 804-1424 ext. 2266 but walk-in appointments are welcome.

Myra Rodriguez  City of Lakewood Traveling Memorial Wall Fundraiser Mayfair Middle School (562) 925-9981 ext. 4011 A fundraiser to bring the Memorial Wall to Mayfair Park is being held now. The Memorial Wall will be in Lakewood August 14-17 during the Chambers Annual Car Show. To Socorro Melgarejo donate please make checks payable to The Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce. Mayfair High School (562) 925-9981 ext. 4012 Checks can be mailed to 24 Mall, Lakewood, CA 90712. For more information contact John Kelsall at (562) 531-9733. Isabel Chagolla Somerset High School  Bellflower Car Show (562) 804-6548 ext. 6252 th On Saturday, September 6, the Bellflower Noon Lions Club will be hosting the 16 Mary Ball Annual Car Show on Bellflower Blvd. from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information BAE Center please call (562) 645-3208. (562) 356-9904 ext. 7496

Our next Caring Connections meeting is Tuesday, September 16, 2014