Local

NORCO, CA- Several thousand young female soccer players descended on SilverLakes, the newly minted 130-acre soccer facility in Norco, California, for the three day SilverLakes’ College Soccer Showcase, November 25-27, 2016. The young athletes participating in this signature event hoped to seize the rare opportunity to have their athletic prowess assessed by college coaches from around the United States. The annual College Soccer Showcase is focused on welcoming college coaches as well as U.S. Soccer youth national team scouts, to evaluate the skills and abilities of aspiring young female soccer players as they look to earn scholarship offers and invitations to attend U.S. youth National Team camps. More than 2,500 players from more than 140 teams, including some of the top clubs from the Western Region, were on-hand for this unique event.  A highlight of the showcase was an All Star Game between the Canadian Whitecaps and USA All Stars.

“We are incredibly excited to host this first-of-its-kind showcase event for young women at SilverLakes. The participation by high-level coaches throughout the country, including among others, Stanford, Texas A&M, Cornell, North Western, UCLA, Cal Berkeley and the thousands of young women was incredible to see. It is often difficult for youth players looking to take their game to the next level to gain access to key coaches who will enable them to fully realize their abilities and play at the collegiate level. Our first annual College Soccer Showcase has already succeeded in providing this access and it is our hope that this experience will be a ‘game changer’ for these young people,” said R.J. Brandes, President, SilverLakes.

As SilverLakes continues to build a full offering of programs and events to fulfill its mission to empower young athletes to reach their full plans to add an event for men’s soccer in the near future.  The competition for more than $2.7 billion in athletics scholarships granted annually by the NCAA Divisions I and II schools is extremely competitive and often comes down to demonstrating an athlete’s skill to a select few, and hard to access, coaches and recruiters. SilverLakes hopes to tear down the barriers for student athletes by convening showcase events, such as the November 25-27, 2016 opportunity.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- “It’s not about the food, it’s about human connection, feeling that they belong and included,” said The Way World Outreach Senior Pastor Marco Garcia.  “What’s missing in a lot of people’s lives are relationships, and we’re here to fill that gap and to show them they are loved.”

Garcia bent down and placed his hand on a woman’s shoulder to pray privately with her during the 12^th annual Thanksgiving luncheon on Tuesday, November 22 where over 1,500 people gathered at The Way’s downtown mission in San Bernardino.

Nearly 500 volunteers bustled from the kitchen to the courtyard and main dining hall to dish and serve plates brimming with turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn and stuffing to the area’s underserved population.

According to Garcia, the volunteers gain as much, if not more, joy than the recipients.

“It’s a blessing to serve others and to feel that love and sense of family,” said Vanessa Miranda, celebrating 3 years of sobriety from a 12-year methamphetamine addiction with help from The Way.  “I am so thankful that I am healthy today and able to give back and show others that they are cared for.”  

A homeless mother and her two young children who found shelter by means of The Way two weeks prior to the Thanksgiving event were eager volunteers.  

“Her 10-year-old son told me how much joy he was getting through service to others and that he will never forget this experience,” Garcia said.  

Dozens of gift baskets filled with groceries were raffled away.  Winner Scott Collins, who lives at the Gibson House for Men battling drug addiction, gave his basket away to a stranger, Eddie Weaver, because he felt moved to do so.  Others followed suit.

That same sentiment of generosity, inclusion and connection was palpable amid the lively conversation and laughter among strangers bound by prayer and breaking bread.

“People aren’t looking for a handout, but a hand up,” Cuencas said.  “This event shows the nature of this community, one that comes together in communion, love and service.”

VICTORVILLE, CA- On Thanksgiving Day, Recording Artist Justified connected the dots with Ronalds Fish Market in Victorville and served 200 residents with an awesome Thanksgiving Meal, all for free.

Ronald Butler, owner of RFM, stated that he wanted to show his appreciation to his customers and the community by serving up some excellent food by bringing a blessing to families of the High Desert. Justified, who has been well known for his HEAL THE VILLE efforts, was more than willing to step up and Co-sponsor this awesome act of giving back.

Justified and his daughters attended the situation and brought along his friends from Sunshine Face Painting to make balloon hats and distribute candy leis to the kids. Justified also gave away free advanced copies of his latest project “Man On A Mission”, including legendary features from E40, WC, Suga Free, AV LMKR, Blue Flame Mega, and more.

Overall, it was a successful event and Ronald says he’s looking forward to doing it even bigger next year. Justified’s next form of giving will be his “12 days of christmas giveaway” from December 13 to 25, where everyday one family will be blessed with a gift from justified and participating sponsors including Street Positive, LA Stereo, Yakety Yak Wireless, IMOB, and more. 

If you’re heart leads you to want to donate to Justified’s HEAL THE VILLE efforts, please visit Gofundme.com/healtheville. 

For more information and updates on Justified visit JUSTIFIEDMUSIC.NET and make sure to FOLLOW THE WINGS on Social Media. Twitter: @Darealjustified and Instagram: Justified_Smith. 

LOS ANGELES, CA- This past Thanksgiving, Business Brunch Babes joined Mothers in Action in its annual Thanksgiving initiative to feed the elderly. Taking place at Ward Villa Senior Complex in Los Angeles, neighborhood volunteers and organizations selflessly took time out of their holiday schedule to ensure that someone else’s Thanksgiving was filled will lots of food and love.

Mothers in Action’s 21^st Annual Thanksgiving Day senior feed garnered volunteers like Los Angeles City Councilmember, District 8, Marqueece Harris-Dawson; Los Angeles City Councilmember, District 9, Curren D. Price; Calif. 59^th District Assemblymember, Reggie Jones-Sawyer; Bank of America; Girl Scout Troop 1565; Vice President of the Inglewood School Board, Dr. Charliss McGhee; Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.; Business Brunch Babes; Jazzed Realty; Underground PR; Los Angeles Police Department; Doris Cares. A host of other individuals and organizations not only donated time, but also donated turkeys and additional items to make this initiative a success.

Volunteers worked hard to prepare food, serve dinner to the residents of Ward Villa Senior Complex and pack meals in “to go” boxes to deliver to the sick and shut-in throughout Los Angeles and surrounding areas. As a result, Mothers in Action, along with its volunteers, served over one thousand senior citizens in Los Angeles County.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Saturday, November 26, Coaches White and Mercado took a group of students to the UCLA campus in Westwood, California.  Despite the rain, students had the opportunity to tour the university in order to get a taste of what college life is like.  No visit to UCLA would be complete, though, without catching a Bruins vs. USC women’s volleyball game, which was most certainly the highlight of the trip!

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The Incredible Community Garden (IECG) will commemorate and plant a Healing Grove Memorial honoring Harry “Hal” Bowman whose life was lost with 13 others in last December’s terrorist attack in San Bernardino.  

The planting ceremony will take place at San Antonio Park (N Mountain Ave & W 24th St, Upland, CA 91784) on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m.

“This planting is about bringing the community together in memory of Hal and those we lost. We come together for peace and healing,” Mary Petit said, Co-Executive Director of IECG.

The public is invited to attend and help show Hal’s family and survivors the love that our community endures.

“For many, this memorial and others like it will help cope with the pain and shock that our community has gone through,” Eleanor Torres said, Co-Executive Director of IECG. 

Join IECG and Hal’s family for this special event as we plant trees as a living memorial to those who lost their lives last December.

Bring your gloves, your shovel, and your heart. 

This planting is part of a series of IECG memorial plantings in memory of the victims and survivors of the Dec. 2, 2015 terrorist attack. 

For more information call Eleanor Torres at 909-499-9733 or email etorres@3i-s.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Saturday, November 19, the local community was invited to participate in the Pals of PAL 2nd Annual Community Feast.  The event itself began out of a desire to meet real physical needs and offer a little hope to people who might otherwise not have much to be thankful for. Those in attendance, well over 60 people, brought their appetites and came to fellowship and mingle with other community members, PAL Center staff, and PAL Charter Academy Students.

By Naomi K. Bonman

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Thursday, November 17, Willing Winn Associates and Mission (WWAM) Inc., held its annual food giveaway. This year they gave out 180 meal boxes to families in need.

The event was came to fruition with the assistance of volunteers and sponsors. Fargo Delivery Systems donated a truck for the giveaway that WWAM will have access to until the New Year for more holiday activities. Living Word of God Ministries in San Bernardino also donated food to last week’s event. The church has been allowing WWAM to use the church vans throughout the month of November to do work throughout the community.

“If it wasn’t for the church and the deacons at the church, we wouldn’t be able to feed people in between the holidays,” Dr. Deborah Winn, WWAM Founder, said.

The San Bernardino Food Bank was supposed to donate the organization turkeys, but once again they failed to do so, but WWAM always seems to pull through loyal volunteers and community sponsors to assist in its mission of serving the community and transforming the ‘Operation Phoenix’ area of the city.

“If we would come together as a community, we would be better off because the remedy is in us,” Dr. Winn stated.

For those that missed out on previous events and would like to get involved with Living Word of God Ministries or WWAM, drop down to the church on a Sunday morning service. It is located at 952 S Lincoln Avenue in San Bernardino (92408). To volunteer or support WWAM, please call (909) 889-9509. WWAM is still in need of a truck after being the victim from last month’s hit and run incident.

If there is anyone that needs logistics, deliveries, or carrier services, please contact Jose with Fargo Delivery Systems at (951) 858-6898.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Tuesday, November 22, LUE Productions a long with the Black Chamber of Commerce Inland Empire, fed those in need throughout the City of San Bernardino. This was their second annual Thanksgiving food giveaway.

RIVERSIDE, CA- Twelve African-American middle schoolers from Building Resilience in African American Families Rites of Passage (BRAFF) program in Perris took to the track this weekend.

The men of the Cochér Car Club of Riverside in collaboration with the staff at Adams Race Track sponsored a racing day for the African-American boys receiving guidance and support in leadership, self-awareness, and coming of age through the program. The BRAFF ROP has a strong history across the country and anticipates great successes in the Perris and the greater Inland Empire area.

For more information on the Building Resilience in the African American Families Rites of Passage program, contact Pepi Jackson, President of Riverside Chamber of Commerce, at (951) 310-2325 or James Woods, Director of BRAAF, at (951) 823-0175.