Antioch author Sarah Sundin

Have you ever read a book where a character had your name? This is your chance to make that happen and help support the El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation at the same time.

Sarah Sundin is the author of eight historical novels, including Anchor in the Storm (coming May 2016). Her novel Through Waters Deep was named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years,” and her novella “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in Where Treetops Glisten was a finalist for the 2015 Carol Award. A mother of three, Sarah lives in Antioch, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday School. www.sarahsundin.com

Sarah has offered to include five characters’ names in the first book of her Brothers of Liberation series, contracted to be published in spring 2018​.

To accomplish this as a fundraiser for El Campanil Theatre we will raffle 5 character’s names.

Each chance is $10.

You can either “win” the opportunity to use your own name, the name of a loved one (perhaps to honor a relative who served in WWII), or to create a name for a character.

In addition, each of the 5 winners will receive a signed copy of the book.

“I will need to retain some artistic control, which I would negotiate with the winners,” Sundin said. “For example, if the name is super-modern and wouldn’t fit in the 1940s or if the name is too similar to the hero’s name and would cause reader confusion we could discuss a solution.”

Proceeds from this raffle will be used to support the El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation facility management projects.

Raffle Tickets now on sale and available through April 30, 2016

$10 per chance. Donate $50 and receive 5 chances.

Chances may be purchased at the ticket office, by phone at (925) 757-9500 or online:  CLICK HERE. There are no convenience fees.

For more information visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com/sarahsundin.html.

Thank you for your support of El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation.

East County Shared Ministry, along with many other individuals and organizations across the country, will join the annual CROP Walk on Sunday, April 17. The walk will begin at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 2507 San Jose Drive, Antioch. Registration is at 2:30 p.m., and the walk begins at 3 p.m.

The CROP Hunger Walk annually raises thousands of dollars to help stop hunger and poverty here in East Contra Costa County and around the world through self-help initiatives. Up to 25 percent the funds raised here will go to local groups: The Antioch Food Pantry and Pittsburg’s Loaves and Fishes. The remainder is donated around the world to provide food and water, as well as resources to empower people to meet their needs.

From seeds and tools to wells and water systems, the key is people working together to identify their own development priorities, their strengths and their needs – something Church World Service has learned through 70 years of working in partnership around the world.

This year, Antioch and Pittsburg join well over 2,000 communities nationwide in over 1,300 CROP Hunger Walks. More than five million people in the last two decades alone have participated the CROP’s goal of “ending hunger one step at a time.”

East County Shared Ministry’s efforts are being coordinated by Judie Moore, a member and local advocate for feeding the hungry. Her advice is “Get sponsors to sign up for this great cause and get some exercise to boot!”

Church World Service is the parent organizer of the CROP Walks, which has been raising money to help stop hunger for decades, both locally and internationally. CROP actually began in 1947 and was an acronym for the Christian Rural Overseas Program. The name remains to acknowledge the efforts of the long-time commitment to feeding the hungry world.

To register for the walk or to make a donation online, please visit www.crophungerwalk.org/pittsburgca/.

For the month of April the Antioch Police Department is encouraging citizens to participate in the citywide, KEEP ANTIOCH BEAUTIFUL DAY clean up event April 23, 2016 from 8:30am-11:00am. This is a collaborative community effort, which involves active participation from the Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission; Neighborhood Watch Program; Volunteers in Police Service; Keep Antioch Beautiful Committee; community volunteers, and the Public Works Department.

Check in sites for the April 23, 2016 citywide cleanup are at the following locations:

Nick Rodriguez Community Center, Turner Elementary, Mission Elementary, Carmen Dragon Elementary, Park Middle School, Antioch High School and Deer Valley High School

The targeted areas are within walking distance. Excluding inclement weather, future Neighborhood Cleanup events are scheduled for the first Saturday of every month and the locations will be announced in advance.

For a list of locations and to sign up visit http://art4antioch.org//Keep-Antioch-Beautiful.asp or call 779-6137.

Sponsored by City of Antioch, Republic Services, Honeywell, NRG, Antioch Unified School District, Walmart, East Bay Regional Park District, Central Self Storage, Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, Pinky’s Klassy Kar Wash, Dick Straub (in Memorium), Police Crime Prevention Commission, Paradise Skate & Paintball Park and Undead Bettys Roller Derby.

Participants from the local yacht clubs enjoy monkeying around during Opening Day on the Delta, Saturday, April 2, 2016. photos by Don Burns, Bridge Marina Yacht Club

More monkeying around during Opening Day on the Delta, April 2.

By Don Burns

Perfect sunny weather shined on the many festooned boats entered in the 66th annual Opening Day on the Delta Boat Parade on Saturday, April 2, hosted by the Bridge Marina Yacht Club of Antioch.

Celebrating the 2016 Chinese calendar’s Year of the Monkey, the boat parade theme was “Monkeying around on the Delta.”   Hundreds of parade viewers lined the Antioch waterfront to cheer the costumed passengers on their decorated boats.

Awards for the best-decorated vessels were presented to David Dial of Stockton for “Best in Show,” Jim and Diane Azeltine of Oakley for first place, Dorothy and Jerry Smith of Antioch for second place, Chris Lauritzen of Antioch for third place and Matt Tate of Antioch for fourth place.

For more information, visit bridgemarinayachtclub.com.

Following are the winners of the 2016 Antioch People’s Choice Awards, listing the favorite businesses in Antioch, as determined by the votes of the readers of the Antioch Herald.