Annual fundraiser to celebrate 25 years of granting wishes

By An Elderly Wish Foundation

SAVE THE DATE!! This will be our “Silver Jubilee of Wishes.”

Come join us as An Elderly Wish Foundation celebrates a monumental accomplishment of serving Contra Costa County residents. The foundation has been making wishes come true for 25 years.

Our goal is to grant wishes for our neighbors, friends and your family members who have serious, chronic or life threating illnesses. All recipients must be 50 years of age.

We are celebrating this wonderful event on February 28th, 2026, at the Lone Tree Golf and Event Center in Antioch. Tickets are $80 per person and available on our website.

RSVP by Feb. 17th.

Sponsorships are being accepted now.

A fun evening is in store for all starting with a delicious dinner, followed by:

• Mystery Envelopes
• Card Raffle
• Our Live Auction, and
• Our Silent Auction

An Elderly Wish Foundation welcomes any donations for the Silent Auction and Live Auction. Gifts of cash, gift cards or gift baskets from individuals or businesses will be accepted. Remember they are tax deductible!

Proceeds from the benefit will help pay to grant wishes submitted to us.

Donations are always accepted. Please let foundation staff know if you can make a donation to help us grant our elderly with a special wish by calling (925) 978-1883 or emailing info@elderlywish.org.

If you know of anyone that would like a “Wish” please let us know.

By Antioch Police Department

We will be holding a community meeting for City Council District 1 residents on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026, to provide updates as well as discuss any issues or concerns. The meeting will begin at 5:00 PM in the Antioch Police Department’s Community Room at 300 L Street.

According to Community Liaison Officer Joseph Amiri the meeting will include an open forum with Q&A. Some of the topics that will be covered are Neighborhood Watch and staffing updates, as well as additional resources such as CitizenRIMS, which stands for (Records Information Management System), and a discussion of See, Click, Fix.

Antioch City Council District 1 includes all the area north of Highway 4 and east of Highway 160. To find your council district visit https://www.antiochca.gov/243/Find-Your-City-Council-District.

For more information contact Officer Amiri at jamiri@antiochca.gov or (925) 779-6900 extension 87046.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By City of Antioch

Join us for an important community conversation about human trafficking. We’re screening “Buying Her,” a powerful documentary exposing the realities of human trafficking in America. This is a chance to learn, connect with local advocates and take action.

Friday, January 23 | 6:00 PM

El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. 2nd Street, Antioch

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

• Panel discussion with local experts & service providers
• Q&A session

Why this matters:

• Raise awareness about human trafficking
• Educate on warning signs & prevention
• Inspire action for change

If you or someone you know needs help:

National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888

RSVP: bit.ly/screeningbuyingher

Together, we can make a difference.

To expand respite care

By Nikki Lopez

Caregiver OneCall, an Antioch-based nonprofit, will host the All Our Love for Caregivers Gala on February 26, 2026, bringing together community leaders, advocates, and supporters to raise funds and awareness for caregiver support and expanded respite care across East Contra Costa County and the greater region. The event will be held at Center Concord, 5298 Clayton Road.

Caregiver OneCall was founded to support unpaid family caregivers who provide daily care for loved ones with dementia, disabilities, chronic illness, or complex medical needs. While caregiving affects families of all ages and backgrounds, many caregivers experience exhaustion, isolation, and burnout with little access to relief or guidance.

Funds raised through the gala will directly support expanded respite services, caregiver training, and real-time support for caregivers. Respite care allows caregivers temporary relief so they can rest, work, attend appointments, or simply recharge, helping prevent burnout and family crisis.

The evening will be celebratory while centering on the serious realities caregivers face. The program will feature lived caregiver stories and the recognition of individuals who have made a meaningful impact on caregivers and families in the community.

The gala will be emceed by Dave Clark of KTVU, longtime Bay Area media personality and caregiver advocate. Christina Irving of Family Caregiving Alliance will deliver the keynote address, sharing insights on the importance of caregiver support and policies needed. Debbie Toth, CEO of Choice in Aging, will be honored for her leadership and dedication to aging, individuals with disabilities, and caregiver services. The evening will also include a special musical performance and caregiver story shared by Anastacia Downey, award-winning Bay Area neo-soul artist and caregiver.

While rooted in Antioch, Caregiver OneCall serves caregivers throughout the region through partnerships with community organizations, ensuring caregivers are supported, informed, and never left to navigate care alone.

Community members, caregivers, leaders, and philanthropists are invited to attend, learn more about the importance of respite care, and support an organization strengthening families across the region.

Event Details

Event: All Our Love for Caregivers Gala

Date: February 26, 2026

Location: Center Concord, 5298 Clayton Road

Organization: Caregiver OneCall

Purpose: Fundraising and awareness to expand respite care and caregiver support

Service Area: East Contra Costa County and surrounding communities

Get your ticket: www.caregiveronecall.org

24/7 Free Support Line: 833-927-6599

The Antioch Lapidary Club will hold its annual Jewelry, Gem & Rock Show at the Contra Costa County Event Park (fairgrounds) on Saturday and Sunday, February 21 and 22, 2026. (See flier for details)

The club is dedicated to education and conservation of our resources. We cordially invite you to experience the fascinating and little-known world of lapidary. Lapidary is the art of cutting and shaping all manner of rocks, minerals, fossils and gems to create beautiful art forms. The Antioch Lapidary Club is looking for new members with a curious mind and willingness to discover the many sides to this skill.

This is a hands-on, involved club and all new members are welcome, as well as curious guests.
Our club reaches out to schools and youth groups to educate children about the fascinating world we live in! We also host Shows and Rock Swaps to let Rockhounds from all over California (and beyond!) to come together.

To learn more about the club click here. Although our club takes field trips out into the field to collect precious and semi-precious stones, we also make sure to respect both the land and the wildlife that has to share space in the area.

At USA Northern California Regional III Varsity Spirit Competition

Annual fundraiser for Deer Valley High Cheer team which helps run event

By Allen D. Payton

For the first time in a long time, the Antioch High School Panthers Cheer team is hitting the mat and ready to battle it out!

Come support our Lady Panthers this Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Deer Valley High School at 4700 Lone Tree Way in Antioch. Performance time: 3:20 p.m.

Let’s show up and show out for these athletes!

They will be one of 119 teams from as far away as Reno and Clovis, with 143 performances during the USA Northern California Regional III Varsity Spirit Competition.

Get ready for incredible performances that showcase skill and teamwork in a series of non-stop routines. Bring your friends and family to share in the fun and make memories to last a lifetime!

Lead event organizer, Louise Green, runs the event along with her assistant coaches and the Deer Valley High Cheerleaders. United Spirit Association is hosting the event.

“It’s an annual fundraiser. We earn funds by running the snack bar, providing security, running judge score sheet and assisting the USA Spirit staff to run the event,” she shared. “This is my 30th year of doing this fundraiser.”

“It’s the last qualifying regional in the Northern California area for both CIF and nationals in Anaheim next to Disneyland. That’s why it’s so big,” Green stated.

“We started hosting this event because it pays for a few uniforms for girls who can’t afford them as well as squad expenses, such as training for stunt and traveling to competitions,” she explained. “The costs for a competitive cheer team are more expensive than any other sport. We don’t get any funds from the school or district.”

“We’re hoping this Saturday will be an awesome event,” Green added.

Doors Open to the school’s South Gym at 7:00 AM. The event lasts from 7:30 AM to 8:00 PM. Parking in the back lot is encouraged.

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.showclix.com/tickets/usa-northern-california-regional-iiio8igop4g25qu8w

Includes Senior Engagement Activities & Discussion; Skatepark Restoration Project; AUSD Poetry Contest

By City of Antioch Recreation Department

The past few years, Antioch residents have completed several restoration and beatification projects around our lovely city in celebration of MLK Jr. Day of Service.

From painting a vibrant mural inside of Mission Elementary school in 2024 to working on a myriad of landscaping and painting projects for Fremont Elementary School and Antioch Community Park in 2025, each year residents of all ages have come together, not only to commune, but also to be of service to each other.

Join us this year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as we spend “a day on, not a day off,” encouraging all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

According to the National Park Service, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a tireless advocate for racial equality, working classes and the oppressed around the world. Commonly called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day or MLK Day, the third Monday of January is a federal holiday to honor his life and legacy. Explore places in national parks or your own community that preserve the legacy of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement.

The holiday is also a day of service when thousands of volunteers participate in service projects across the country.

Let’s work together to build a stronger Antioch! Register to get involved today!

We will hold the following on Monday, January 19, 2026:

• Senior Engagement Activities & Discussion at the Antioch Community Center at Prewett Family Park, 4703 Lone Tree Way from 10-11 AM, includes Art Projects, Lunch Service and Senior-to-Senior Discussion;
• Antioch Skatepark Restoration Project at Prewett Family Park, Lone Tree Way from 9 AM-12 Noon, includes Graffiti Removal, Landscaping & Bench Restorations; and
• AUSD Poetry Contest at the Antioch High School’s Beede Auditorium, 700 W. 18th Street from 1-3 PM with the Theme: Keeping The Dream Alive In Our Community.

We want to highlight the Antioch Skatepark, one of our city’s hidden gems! Step one of our plans is to focus on restoring the park with a brand-new paint job and we need your help. We are looking for 40-50 volunteers who want to roll up their sleeves and contribute to making Antioch an even more beautiful place to be.

Want to register as a volunteer today? Visit antiochca.gov/mlk-day to sign up for free.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this announcement.

By Jeremy Gamez

The Boys and Girls of Scouts of America Troop 153 are doing Christmas tree pick up as part of our summer camp fundraiser.

Do you need your Christmas tree picked up? Have the Scouts do it.

We are asking for a donation of $30 for unflocked trees and $40 for flocked trees. These are suggested donations, please feel free to adjust if needed. This is a fundraiser for the scouts.

Pick up dates:

 Dec 27 & 28, 2025.

January 3 & 4, 2026

January 10, 2026.

January 11, 2026. Last day.

To schedule your pick-up and for more information please use this link:

https://pickup.antiochtroop153.org/

Please use the link, it improves our services and help our parents and Scouts doing the tree pick up. Even if you email us, please fill out the link.

Please have your tree on the curb by 9 A.M. Our parents and Scouts will be picking up trees all day and might not pick up your tree until

later in the day. If you have issues, please email us, we will follow

up shortly. Use the email below.

We are all volunteers and have limited resources. No direct messages,

no text messages, we have multiple parents monitoring this email

account.

Please only email once, we may not respond to your email until later in the day.

Payment, please use Zelle and look for: Boys Scouts of America Troop 153.   Use FULL name (no abbreviations). Zelle makes it easier. Email

for Zelle: troop153treepickup@gmail.com

If you’re unable to use Zelle, checks are appreciated made out to: BSA Troop 153. Checks can be left under your doormat on the day of pick up or mailed to: Troop 153, 3377 Deer Valley Rd, #329, Antioch CA 94531.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Troop 153