Lori Ogorchock, Mike Green are 2024 Citizens of the Year

By Allen D. Payton

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of the annual awards for 2024.

• Citizen of the Year for Lifetime Achievement – Former Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock
• Citizen of the Year for Most Impact- Mike Green
• Small Business of the Year- Mike’s Pastry
• Large Corporate Business of the Year – Travis Credit Union
• Non-Profit of the Year – RCF Connects
• Student of the Year – Mina Aljanaby, Dozier-Libbey Medical High School student

More details on each winner will be provided by the Chamber later.

An additional Citizen of the Year for Lifetime Achievement will be posthumously to the late Jimmy Bean, a former business owner and community leader, who passed away in December. (See obituary, here)

All seven award winners will be honored at the Chamber’s Annual Gala at the Lone Tree Golf & Event Center on Saturday, March 28. Tickets are $85 per person or $680 for a table of eight and are available on the Chamber’s website at www.AntiochChamber.com.

Sponsorships available

Download the form here.

By Jeremy Gamez, Boys Scouts of America Troop 153, Antioch, CA

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

Please use the following link to schedule your pickup. https://pickup.antiochtroop153.org/

We are asking for a donation of $30 for unflocked trees and $40 for flocked trees. Please use the link, it is going to improve our services and help our parents and Scouts doing the tree pick up. Even if you’ve already emailed us, please fill out the link. We are picking up trees on the weekends of Dec. 28 & 29 and January 4 & 5, 2025. Please have your tree on the curb by 9:00 A.M. 

Our parents and Scouts will be picking trees all day and might not pick up your tree until later in the day. If you have issues, pls email us, we will follow up shortly. We are all volunteers and have limited resources. No DM, no text messages, we have multiple parents monitoring the troop email account. Please only email once. We may not respond to your email until later in the day.

To pay, please use Zelle. Look for: “Boys Scouts of America Troop 153” – full name (no abbreviations). Zelle makes it easier. You can use our troop tree pick up 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.

Thank you!

Presented in coordination with Seven Stars Baptist Church and Midnight Basketball League

Last day to register: Dec. 19

By Yvette Williams

Antioch Seasons of Sharing event on Saturday, Dec. 21, will feature free photos with Santa Claus, live entertainment, gifts, games and activities for the entire family, free groceries and free pop-up Community Boutique. The event will be held from 12:00-4:00 p.m. at Antioch Middle School, 1500 D Street.

Community Supportive Programs

• Employment opportunities
• Free Community resources
• Free Mental Health
• Union Apprenticeship Employment Sign Up
• Free Hot Lunch & Free toy giveaways will be provided until supplies run out.

The last day to register is December 19, 2024. Secondly due to our limited supplies of toys, this event is for our Antioch community members only. All children registered will need to be present for Gift Giving. All Antioch residents will need proof of where they live in Antioch. This information will be verified at the registration table upon entering.

We are grateful for any toy donations or financial support to the success of the event. Anyone can donate through this site, via the donation option. Additionally, we have an Amazon Wish List to guide you. $25 and under https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/JP44T9CR7EDR?ref_=wl_share

For toy drop-offs we will have volunteers at our registration table, ready to receive donations. We can also make alternative arrangements if needed.

For Vendors or community member questions please call or email me directly at (925) 658-8278 or Yvette4Hope@gmail.com. Please follow my Eventbrite page for future Community Events open to the public.

For more information and to register visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1105967541689.

To learn more about Friends of the Antioch Library visit Antioch Friends | Contra Costa County Library.

“Olde Fashioned Christmas”

GFWC Woman’s Club of Antioch fundraiser benefit

You are invited to attend the 67th Annual Christmas House Tour off the GFWC Woman’s Club of Antioch, with the theme of “Olde Fashioned Christmas” Saturday, December 7, 2024.

The House Tour benefits local high school scholarships, local charities and GFWC Club projects.

Houses Open for Touring 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Tickets $35.00 per person – purchase tickets at:

Willow Park Mercantile at 205 G Street

Rivertown Treasure Chest at 306 G Street

or on EVENTBRITE.

Redeem your tickets for a Program & Wristband December 7, 2024, starting at 11:00 am at the GFWC Woman’s Club of Antioch, Clubhouse, 509 G Street.

Reviving a Tradition with an Open House at the Clubhouse with Desert and Beverages, Including Champagne Punch, Door Prize and Fundraising Drawings.

Contact Ticket Chairperson Lynn Confetti-Ledbetter at (925) 234-0456.

SACRAMENTO, CA – On Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, the California State Parks Foundation released the following statement reacting to the passage of Proposition 4 –The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024. The passage of Prop 4 authorizes up to $10 billion in bonds to help the state become more climate resilient. The investments in state parks will include $175 million in deferred maintenance, $50 million in sea level rise adaptation projects, and $200 million to build parks and recreational facilities in local communities.

“While there are many votes still left to count, we are optimistic that voters passed Prop 4 by a wide margin,” saidRachel Norton, Executive Director of California State Parks Foundation. “We thank California voters for choosing to supply California’s state park system with desperately needed resources to make our state parks more resilient to extreme weather, sea level rise, wildfires, and other impacts driven by climate change. These funds will also update state park infrastructure, help California acquire new parklands, and create recreation opportunities in local communities.

“As California’s economic fortunes have changed the past few years, and budget surpluses became budget deficits, state parks have faced steep cuts. The passage of Prop 4 is an important step in reversing the budget reductions that cut the deepest.”

ABOUT CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION

California State Parks Foundation, an independent, member-supported nonprofit with over 50 years of history, is dedicated to protecting and preserving the California state park system for the benefit of all. We work in parks and in Sacramento with partners, park staff, and policymakers to address the challenges parks face. To make real and lasting change we are working to build a movement of people who enjoy and advocate for their parks now, and for future generations. Learn more at www.calparks.org, or find California State Parks Foundation on Facebook, or Instagram and Twitter/X (@calparks).