CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s More Than Wheels Campaign has raised $92,600 in gifts and pledges to raise funds to purchase new ADA-compliant patient transportation vehicles and to help cover an additional driver’s salary for a year.

The campaign will also establish an “After Hours” Fund to cover bus and cab fare for patients during the weekends and evening hours when the transportation program is unavailable.
 
When the hospital reaches its goal of $135,000, Adventist Health will match the community’s commitment by purchasing another vehicle so that there will be two free shuttles available to help alleviate a growing problem with patient transportation.

These vehicles will replace the hospital’s current bus, which is becoming unreliable due to high use and age.

Up to 30 percent of Lake County residents do not own a vehicle, which means they must rely on friends, family or public transportation to get to and from vital appointments or tests. Having transportation options will help patients to access the care they need.

“A third of patients can’t make it to their medical appointments because they don’t have a ride,” said Jim Robello, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s Development Council chair. “We are making great progress toward our goal of $135,000.”
 
The campaign’s focus is broader than just providing a ride: the development council is ensuring that Lake County residents have access to the medical care they need.

“Many of my patients are seniors who are unable to drive themselves to their appointments,” said Dr. Marc Shapiro, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s chief medical officer and a member of the development council. “Often there are people who arrive at the hospital because of an emergency and struggle to find a way back home.”
 
With clinics in Middletown, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Lower Lake and Clearlake, the hospital has extended wellness services throughout Lake County.

While this means quality health care is available close to home for most residents, getting to each clinic still remains a challenge.

“The transportation issue has only grown worse since the Valley fire,” said Linda Lopez, a patient registration associate at the St. Helena Family Health Center-Middletown.

Lopez regularly observes patients scheduling their appointments based on the ability to travel instead of on what is best for their health.
 
St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s Development Council has been instrumental in development of the Campaign and participation in events including the hospitals’ Charity Golf Tournament & Silent Auction held in May.

The council is made up of David Santos, president and chief executive officer of St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake; Shapiro; Robello, retired chief executive of AAMGI; Conrad Colbrandt, general manager of Redbud Health Care District; Madi Mount, owner of Boatique Winery; Dr. Corey Warner, St. Helena Medical Care-Hidden Valley Lake; Carl Webb, retired Lake County Sheriff’s Lieutenant; Randy Krag, manager of Beckstoffer Vineyards; Stephanie Codling, retired from the Lake County Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Pari Azari, Live Well Program medical director; Charlotte Griswold, philanthropist and retired educator; and Sarah Anzano, branch manager of Mendo Lake Credit Union in Clearlake.
 
Contributions to the More Than Wheels Campaign can be made online at https://foundation.sthelenahospitals.org/clearlake_general_donation_form .

For more information about giving to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, contact Rebecca Southwick, CFRE, at 707-995-5677 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – On Saturday evening, Oct. 15, the Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake continues its series of special dinners with celebrity chefs by featuring Chef John Ash, often referred to as the “father of wine country cuisine.”

The menu will feature selections from Chef Ash’s most recent cookbook, “Cooking Wild” (Running Press; May 2016; $35).

“I’ve followed Chef Ash’s career – and lots of his recipes – since I began working in the food industry in San Francisco,” says Tallman General Manager Susan Mesick. “It’s a great honor to host him here at the Tallman.”

In 1980 Chef Ash opened his namesake restaurant, John Ash & Co., in Santa Rosa. It was the first restaurant in Northern California wine country to focus on local, seasonal ingredients used to create dishes that complemented the wines being made in the region. It continues to be critically acclaimed today.

Chef Ash still holds true to his philosophy of cooking with ingredients that are ethically grown, created locally and in season. And for Ash, wine is always considered an essential part of the flavors of a meal.

Chef Ash has co-hosted a culinary radio show for 27 years on KSRO (1350 AM) in Northern California. He was also host of two TV shows on the Food Network.

In addition, he is an adjunct instructor at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in the Napa Valley.

With regard to his most recent book, “Cooking Wild,” Chef Ash says that “to eat wild foods, you needn’t crawl through the forest or hunt your own game. Many wild foods are as close by as your local supermarket.” 

This book takes a big view of “wild,” including more than 150 recipes using foraged, uncultivated foods as well as the progeny of wild foods more conveniently found for sale alongside their conventional cousins.

Guests at the Tallman dinner will meet for a wine reception and book signing with Chef Ash in Riffe’s Meeting House and then adjourn for a “wild” dinner in the Tallman Dining Room prepared by Chef Ash, assisted by Blue Wing Executive Chef Mark Linback. Ash has selected a seasonal menu starting with a wild mushroom soup, venison with blackberry sage sauce for the entrée and maple flan for dessert.

Tickets for the event ($100 plus tax or $120 plus tax includes the cookbook) and further information can be obtained by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244, Extension 0.

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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clear Lake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club will meet at noon, Tuesday, Oct. 18.

The group will gather at the Scotts Valley Women's Club House at 2298 Hendricks Road, near Lakeport. A light lunch will be served.

Colleen Rentsch will speak on the Lake County Farm to School program. 

This program works with school food service staff in Lake County to link their meals with farmers in the region. 

The club also will finalize the details on this year's mum show, titled “Flower Friends With Mum.” It will be held at the Lakeport Yacht Club on Nov. 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. This event is free to the public.

The club welcomes new members and information can be found by visiting www.clttgc.org .

For more information please call Dana at 707-275-3500.

The Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club is a member of the Mendo-Lake District of the California Garden Club Inc.-Pacific Region and National Garden Clubs Inc.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – At the Heroes of Health and Safety Fair on Saturday October 15, Flotilla 88 of Lake County will be providing youngsters up to 12 years old free life jackets.

Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and will be weighed and properly fitted by members of the flotilla.

The parent and youngster will be instructed on how to wear the life jacket properly.

A grant from Walmart has made this free life jacket giveaway possible. 

At the booth, there will be information on water safety, safe boating practice and other useful information to help keep everyone safe on the water.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Middletown's monthly Movies in the Park event will present “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” on Saturday, Oct. 15.

The free movie, which begins at dusk, will be moved indoors at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St., due to the inclement weather

“The Incredible Journey” is sponsored by Star Gardens Nursery, with host Lovie's Garden Supply. Middletown Area Merchants Association and Hardester's Markets present the movies.

This month, Middletown Boy Scouts Troop 215 will be the refreshments vendor.

For more information, visit www.middletownareamerchants.com or call 707-987-0998.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Join the Clear Lake/Callayomi Masonic Lodge No. 183 on Sunday, Oct. 16, for the “Best Breakfast in Lake County.”

The full, sit-down breakfast is served from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Masonic Center, located at 7100 South Center Drive in Clearlake.

Choose your breakfast from a large menu including, eggs (any style), omelets, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, hot cakes, breakfast meat, toast, juice and coffee.

The cost is $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 6-12. Children under age 6 may eat for free and are served a special “kids breakfast.”

I was pleasantly surprised to read in the S.F. Chronicle that its editors are recommending yes on Proposition 56, the Tobacco Tax Initiative.

Prop 56, if approved, will add an additional $2 tax on a package of cigarettes.

Research has confirmed that heavy taxation on tobacco products is the most effective means to stop smoking. It also confirms that smoking is the most addictive of all risky health behaviors.

Cessation is important because providing public health care for those addicted to nicotine costs us, the taxpayers, on average, $18.29 per package of cigarettes sold!

Prop 56 will also apply the tax to e-cigarettes. This is equally important because the tobacco industry, the prime manufacturer of e-cigarettes, is targeting our youth in its marketing campaigns.

This is easily demonstrated by the “cutesy” packaging and the multiple sweet flavors that can be used in an e-cigarette. Of course each flavor contains nicotine and we all know this is the additive that creates the addiction.

The funding generated from the additional tax will primarily go to fund the health care costs paid by public health. It will also pay for research and public education programs to raise greater awareness of the devastation of tobacco products and in particular the tobacco industry’s marketing strategy to “hook” our children on e-cigarettes much like its “Joe Camel” strategy.

Radio and TV ads are already trying to convince you to vote no on Prop 56, by linking the proposition to a diversion of funds for education.

Do not be deceived. The only education funded by tobacco taxes is to increase awareness of the detrimental health caused by smoking. These ads are entirely paid for by the tobacco industry. They are spending millions to kill this “We the People” initiative.

At the same time this industry is silent on Prop 64, the Marijuana Recreational Use Initiative. This is because they are quietly buying up acres of land to position itself to become the major marijuana producer, thereby putting our small entrepreneurs out of business. I think it should be clear to all what this industry’s motive is: Profit.

Don’t let big money win. Vote Yes on Prop 56.

Tom Jordan is the former executive director of First 5 Lake. He lives in Lakeport, Calif.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Middletown Art Center, or MAC, is pleased to present a pairing of wine and art with its new series, “Palette to Palate.”

Join them from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, for the first exhibit tasting, “Scorched by Fire.”

Wine makers and artists share the same creative impulse. A vine is planted and nurtured, a concept composed; harvest and crush, forms blocked in; varietals are blended, and seasoned, colors and textures stroked onto canvas; through creative alchemy a uniquely flavorful elixir, or work of art, comes into being.

The current exhibit at MAC, “Ashes to Art,” is a poignant and powerful commemoration of the Valley fire anniversary, one of hope and healing.

Come hear south Lake County artists and winemakers speak about the impact the Valley fire had on their lives, work, and the fruits of their labor.

Your $10 cover fee provides wine tastings from Beaver Creek Vineyards, Langtry Estate and Vineyard, R Vineyards and Shed Horn Cellars, all of which were affected by the Valley fire. 

Glasses of wine of your choice will be for sale for $5. Sip wine, view art, enjoy light refreshments, and hear unforgettable stories from winemakers and artists. 

MAC is located at 21456 Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29 in the heart of Middletown.

Since the Valley fire, MAC has provided a strong sense of continuity, community and enrichment to recovering residents and the area.

MAC is a project of EcoArts of Lake County, a nonprofit 501c3. All donations to MAC are tax-deductible.

Visit www.middletownartcenter.org to learn more about exhibitions, classes, events, volunteer opportunities and membership.