An inspiring twist on a school fundraiser actually gives back to the community too!

What if you could have your beautiful Christmas Tree and make a local needy family’s holiday more bright too? Well, the Parent Network at Antioch Charter Academy II (ACAII) has morphed their Annual Christmas Tree and Wreath Fundraiser into just that idea for a service project.

ACAII is asking Christmas Tree purchasers to pre-order a tree not only for their own homes, but also to donate a Christmas Tree to a needy local family whose holiday budget may not be able to include one this year.

Needy local families are identified through Contra Costa Human Services. Donated trees are personally delivered, (lights, tinsel & decorations included), to these families by ACAII Christmas Tree Volunteers the weekend of December 3rd & 4th – directly from ACAII’s Christmas Tree lot located at 3325 Hacienda Way in Antioch. Christmas Tree pricing starts at just $25 for a 3-4ft Noble Fir and there are 4 types of trees and many sizes to choose from.

“I’ve done a lot of research on Christmas Tree pricing recently,” announced Tamara Mays-ACAII Fundraising Chair, “and our pre-sale prices are definitely less than the local for-profit lots!”

The fundraiser/service project is taking Christmas Tree pre-orders from October 17th-November 17th, with ACAII’s Christmas Tree Volunteers planning to work booths at a local holiday boutique on November 12th, and several area flea markets on the weekends. ACAII Christmas Tree Volunteers are available to give presentations at local churches, businesses and service organizations regarding this project.

Contact Tamara Mays for information, 925.727.7348.

ACAII is a progressive, tuition-free public K-8 charter school designed specifically to produce lifelong learners by nurturing and guiding them in a natural learning environment. We are operated by The Learner-Centered School, Inc., a non-profit, public benefit corporation, so Christmas Tree donations are tax-exempt.

By Teresa A. Klein

Treating each and every client with compassion, sensibility and professionalism, Sweet Medical is a full-service specialty medical supply store servicing the public for nearly 20 years. Owned by Sandra Gama who began working as an administrative assistant under previous owner Marsha Green in 1995, Sweet Medical has recently moved into its new, expanded location at 4615 Golf Course Avenue at the corner of Lone Tree Way and Golf Course.

The new store carries rental equipment, medical supplies, treatment rooms, and a Women’s Boutique.  Supplies include: compression garments and pumps; professional sport supports; burn garments; CPM’s (continuous passive motion); breast care products; mobility; bath safety products; and cane and wheelchair accessories. The Women’s Boutique features Amoena, a leading brand of silicone breast forms and specialty designed post-mastectomy lingerie, swimwear and loungewear. In addition, the boutique includes accessories such as jewelry, purses, hats, scarves, head wraps, and books.

“What sets Sweet Medical apart is my years’ experience,” says Gama. “Even as owner I am still hands-on every day. I greet people at the door, do fittings and am aware of every situation in the company.”

Both Sandra and her sister Bernice are certified fitters and have taken many courses to stay on top of the latest product offerings. Sandra’s specialty is compression garments with a secondary emphasis in breast care, while her sister’s specialty is breast care with secondary in compression
garments.

All other Sweet Medical employees are trained as well so they can provide the best service to its patients, from fitting specialized medical garments and breast care products, to delivering and installing specialized equipment, says Gama.

“All our fitters are certified as well as sensitive to the needs of all patients,” Gama proudly states. “No matter the need … Sweet Medical fitters thrive by providing patients with the comfort they deserve and can always count on.”

Gama says that many suppliers in the field don’t train their patients as to the whys and hows of the garments or equipment, but Sweet Medical pride’s itself on doing just that: educating the patient. She says she always challenges herself and her staff to make the experience better for the patient because sometimes the patient has no idea why a doctor has recommended
a certain item.

“I can’t put the same garment on a patient with lymphederma as a diabetic, which is why we don’t sell anything without a fitting,” says Gama. She adds that Sweet Medical guarantees all fittings.

To help educate Antioch residents even more about their health, Sweet Medical holds monthly informational session from 6-8 p.m. on the third Monday of the month; October 17th will focus on breast cancer awareness. Gama holds these sessions, inviting other local businesses to come and share their knowledge and a wide variety of health topics with the public. This is held free of charge and includes food, and drinks, and sometimes raffles.

“It’s a way to get to know each other as a community,” she says. “I don’t believe we’re competitors; we all provide a service just in different ways. It’s good for the community to do this.”

Sweet Medical is open M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information call 925-779-0207 or go to www.sweetmedicalinc.com.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By Teresa A. Klein

Sweet Medical Women’s Boutique and Specialty Medical Supplies has served Antioch and the surrounding area for nearly 20 years. Having moved to a new, spacious location at 4615 Golf Course Avenue at the corner of Lone Tree Way and Golf Course, owner Sandra Gama chose to add a Women’s Boutique to her store to serve the needs of the community.

Gama has been a long-time advocate for breast cancer awareness and early detection, promoting it in and out of her store. “We’re all about Pink,” says Gama. Although October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Sweet Medicals’ busiest time of the year, Sweet Medical’s Women’s Boutique is a year-round business.

Following skin cancer, breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer and is also the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women, behind lung. “The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35,” according to the American Cancer Society.

According to the American Cancer Society’s web site, in 2011:
• About 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women
• About 57,650 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be found (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
• About 39,520 deaths from breast cancer (women)

Although numbers of women (and men) getting breast cancer continue to rise, ACS says, “Thanks to improvements in treatment and early detection millions of women are surviving breast cancer today.”

Sandra and her sister Bernice are certified to fit breast forms and specialty garments. Both have taken many courses and keep themselves educated about the industry so they can provide the best service for their patients. Sweet Medical has private treatment rooms to meet with patients.
The Women’s Boutique features Amoena, a leading brand of silicone breast forms and specialty designed post-mastectomy lingerie, swimwear and loungewear. In addition, the boutique includes accessories such as jewelry, purses, hats, scarves, head wraps, and books.

“Being in the field we are in awe of how non-discriminating breast cancer is. Breast cancer doesn’t kill you if you catch it in time. Early detection is the key,” says Gama.

Through Gama’s work at Sweet Medical and with patients at hospitals she has heard many excuses why people do not do breast self exams or get mammograms. “I’m too young,” “It’s not in my family,” and “I’m a man” top the list. Gama says we [the public] say we are too busy or we will do it later, but we need to take the time to be proactive.

To help build awareness, Sweet Medical is holding a breast cancer informational session from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, October 17th. Sweet Medical holds these sessions monthly on the third Monday, inviting other local businesses to come and share their knowledge and a wide variety of health topics with the public. This is held free of charge and includes food, and drinks, and sometimes raffles. “It’s a way to get to know each other as a community,” she says.

Sweet Medical is open M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information call 925-779-0207 or go to www.sweetmedicalinc.com.

For more information on breast cancer, what it is, tests to detect it, and treatment options, you may call the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service toll-free at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) Monday- Friday from 5 a.m.-5 p.m., Antioch time. The NCI’s LiveHelp online chat service provides Internet users with the ability to chat online with an Information Specialist. The service is available from 5 a.m.-8 p.m. Antioch time, Monday – Friday.; also its web site at www.cancer.org/breastcancer.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

July 4th fireworks are in the city’s future next year if a citizens committee can raise the necessary funds to make them a reality, now that they have the support of the City Council.

At the meeting of September 13, the Council approved the effort to host a privately-funded July 4th celebration in downtown Antioch, including fireworks, a parade, car show, live entertainment and a kids area, next year.

The committee, made up of local business owners and community leaders including two school board members, and the wives of two of the council members, began work on the effort this past summer.

But, they wanted the Council’s blessing to move forward, before raising the estimated $65,000 to pay for all the costs, including city staff time, and to direct staff to coordinate with the committee.

Now the effort has begun in earnest, and the committee is asking the public and local businesses to financially support the return of the fireworks.
The first deadline is for the committee to raise $10,000 by January 15 which is a 50% deposit in order to secure the contract with the fireworks company.

The evening’s events, all in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown District, will begin at 4 p.m. and last until the fireworks are over at approximately 10 p.m.
The Antioch Chamber of Commerce has agreed to allow the committe to use their Antioch Community Foundation non-profit organization to receive tax-deductible donations.

The account is at ECC Bank, located at 16th and A Streets in Antioch, and anyone can drop off a check there or at one of their branches in Oakley or Brentwood, or mail it to the Chamber office at 101 H Street, Antioch, CA 94509. Please write “Fireworks” in the memo section.

Major sponsors are being sought and anyone who contributes $25 or more will have their name mentioned in advertising in this newspaper. Sponsors of $500 or more will get their name on the T-shirts, signs and major advertising. Businesses who contribute at least $100 can use the theme logo in their advertising throughout the year.

More information can be found at FaceBook.com/Antioch.JulyFourth or email AntiochJuly4th@yahoo.com or by calling Co-Chairman Walter Ruehlig at 925-756-7628.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

The City Council and community were given some good news at the September 13 council meeting when Chief of Police Allan Cantando announced violent crime is down by 19.7% for the first six months of this year, compared to last year.

In spite of a 30% vacancy in sworn police officer positions, murders, rapes, assaults and robberies, known as Part 1 crimes, were all down when compared to the first six months of 2010.

In his report to the council, Cantando shared that there was a 12.6% decline in total arrests from 2,797 to 2,444.

The only part-one crime to increase was burglary, which Cantando attributed to youths out of school for summer break. That figure drops when they return to school.

Cantando also praised the Volunteers In Public Safety (VIPS) for contributing almost 3,700 volunteer hours, helping save the department $86,000.
Council members thanked the Chief and the police department for their good work in the face of limited resources.

By Amy Claire

At the October 12 meeting of the Antioch School Board, two concerned parents raised separate concerns about their children’s first grade teacher at Jack London Elementary School. The teacher, Mrs. Riley, worries both parents with her “closed-door” policy that prevents parents from visiting and observing the class.

One mother stated that her daughter came home from school one day and asked if she was stupid, because Riley had compared the students to her own son. Another parent was alarmed when her child was allowed to sit outside the room, unattended, for the last thirty minutes of school when he didn’t want to talk to Riley about having an accident. Both parents requested that the board address these issues and look into the policies governing the classroom.

Another attendee at the meeting, Willie Mims, agreed that the parents’ worries should be addressed. He also brought up his own concerns about the district, including the high dropout rate among African-American students and the racial diversity imbalance between student populations and teacher populations. He also commented on the need to let parents know about the existence of 504 plans for their children, and on a board resolution regarding staffing, though the board’s response seemed to address the issue to his satisfaction.

The board also listened to presentations from teachers regarding two new linked learning pathways at Antioch High School. These specialized programs within the larger school allow students to focus their education, and have led to increased graduation rates. Rick Barton presented information about the Environmental Science Academy, which will focus on issues such as climate change and allow students to work on long-term, multi-year projects. He championed applied science as a way to help students see the relevance of what they learn.

Sean O’Neil described the school’s new Media and Technology Academy as another step toward relevance. As the business world becomes increasingly digital, the academy will provide “a place to demonstrate learning through twenty-first century means.” Students will also have the opportunity to earn industry certifications, which can help them find jobs. The academies are expected to give students a sense of purpose and excitement in school, while simultaneously jump-starting them in their fields of interest.

The next school board meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 26 at 510 G Street, Antioch at 7:00 pm.

The Antioch Police Department and REACH Project, Inc. collaborated in a Curfew Sweep in the city of Antioch on Oct. 14 starting at 11 p.m. This program is designed to reduce the number of minors being out after curfew.

The program is intended to be supportive rather than punitive. The City Ordinance generally prohibits minors (under the age of 18 years) from being in any public area between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. seven days a week. The ordinance was adopted to promote safety of the City’s youngest most vulnerable residents from becoming participants or victims of crimes.

Officers from the Antioch Police Department detained a total of 10 minors. They were brought to the processing center at the police department and turned over to the staff of the REACH Project where the minors were counseled and released to their parents or guardians. Follow-up juvenile diversion services will be provided by REACH addressing decision-making skills and training, treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse, understanding youth and the law and applying principles of restorative justice.

This program was a success and future programs will be scheduled throughout the summer in an attempt to further reduce number of minors out after curfew and increase the accountability and responsibility of both the minors and their parents or guardians.

Violent crime has taken a downturn this year according to statistics gathered from Antioch and Pittsburg police departments. At the same time, violent incidents among and by young people appear to be rising based on reports in the media and from school districts.

• Recently, two men shot a young man dead in Antioch in the Sycamore neighborhood. The men are still at large.
• A young man was shot while sitting in his car in Oakley. Police suspect it is gang-related.
• Two young men who are connected to a gang were arrested for shooting a man on an Antioch street.
• A member of an Aryan gang fatally stabbed a father in Bay Point.

“While the number of total violent crimes may have gone down, media reports indicate that gangs are involved in a greater percentage of the crimes committed in East County,” said Contra Costa Supervisor Federal Glover.

Criminal violence in East County has attracted the attention of one of the top law enforcement officials in the state. Larry Wallace, director of the Division of Law Enforcement in the Attorney General’s office, will be the keynote speaker at a local anti-violence and anti-gang forum, Peace in the Streets.

“Being smart on crime, that’s a part of collaborating and working with local entities and other forms of law enforcement, other groups within the community … not just a lock-­’em-­and-­throw-­away-­the-­key approach,” said Wallace, who has been in law enforcement for 28 years.

While East County gang-related incidents pale in comparison to other parts of the Bay Area, Glover and the East County Gang Task Force want to make sure that it doesn’t get any worse.

Glover and the task force are sponsoring the Peace In The Streets Forum this Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pittsburg High School. Also featured during the forum will be panels composed of the county and city law enforcement agencies as well as members of the school districts and local community-based organizations who deal with at-risk youth. The forum is open to the public.

Especially urged to attend are parents who want to prevent their kids from joining gangs, educators who want to learn the latest trends in local gangs and youth workers of the nonprofit agencies that offer services to parents and youth.

The forum caps a week of community events against violence. These include:

• Prayer Walk sponsored by New Birth Church in Pittsburg on Oct. 22. Corporate Prayer starts at 6:30 a.m. and the march will begin around 7:30 a.m. The route will follow the DeAnza Trail to Crestview Ave., the site of a recent shooting. For more info, call 925- 439-8989.

• Stop The Violence March & Festival For Peace sponsored by Do The Word Ministries on Oct. 22 at 10:30 a.m. Assembly starts at 10:30 a.m. at East 18 and A streets in Antioch to Contra Loma Park where the Peace Festival will be located. For more info, call 925-978- 4839.

• Town Hall by New Birth Church in Pittsburg, Oct. 24, 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. There will be a panel on safe communities featuring panelists from law enforcement, education and Supervisor Glover. For more info, call 925-439-8989.

Based on information shared by the gang task force, gangs are no longer just an urban problem, says Ed Diokno, who coordinates the task force for Glover. They are actively recruiting vulnerable young people in the suburbs. They use areas like East County as places to hide when the law clamps down on their activities in places like Oakland, San Francisco or Richmond.

“Parents and educators need to know the signs that their children might be at risk of being lured by the violent gang lifestyle,” said Glover. “None of us can afford to be bystanders.” “The good thing to know is, we are not alone. There are resources and help available. There are
people already working to stop the violence.

“We can reclaim the streets if we act as a community,” says Glover. “Hopefully, this forum and the events leading up to it will give the community the knowledge and resources to fight the street violence and gangs.”

Pre-register for the Peace In The Streets Forum at www.cccounty.us/supervisorglover or call 925-427-8138. Registration will also be accepted at the door. All the marches and the forum are free and open to the public.