Spooktacular Dance benefits Military Oct. 7 in Loomis

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The 3rd Annual Red, White & Blue “Spooktacular” Benefit Dance dedicated to American Armed Forces and Veterans will be held on Friday, Oct. 7 at 7 PM at the Blue Goose Fruit Shed, located at 3550 Taylor Rd, in Loomis. Bring your friends and neighbors for a fun evening of dancing, contests and showing your appreciation to our military.

Enjoy dancing to live 60’s & 70’s music by the 9.5 band, a no-host bar, raffle prizes and supporting the Armed Forces. Entertainment includes Miss Placer County helping with Halloween Costume and Hula-Hooping contests. Come early to take part in a Free Group Swing Dance Class 6-7PM. Tickets are $25 per couple and $15 for single and available at Camelot Costumes, 3717 Taylor Rd in Loomis and the Loomis Chamber of Commerce, 6090 Horseshoe Bar Road in Loomis, as well as by calling 916-652-8441, or at the door.

All proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit Wounded Warriors Family Support Division (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ ) and Courage For The Journey military and veterans services offered through the Gold Country Chaplaincy (http://www.goldcountrychaplaincy.com/).

This year special recognition will be given to survivors of Pearl Harbor, according to Red, White & Blue Spooktacular Dance organizer, Sheila Lee. “I have been privileged to hear many stories from our veterans that they usually don’t share,” said Lee. “It makes me so proud and I am passionate about making this benefit a success so we can give support to military families.”

Lee is also collecting photos to post at the dance and encouraged people to drop off copies of photos of their military experience at her store, Camelot Costumes, 3717 Taylor Rd in Loomis, email them to camelotcostumes@sbcglobal.net or call her at 916-652-8441.

Demonstrating her patriotism by organizing this event, Lee wants to give others a way to show their support to those who serve or have served our country. She often quotes G.K. Chesterton – “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” “Join us for a great evening that will make you proud to be an American,” said Lee.

Event sponsors include 92.1 KHITS, Black Bear Outdoors, Loomis Brewing Company and Camelot Costumes. Soroptimist International of Loomis Basin and 17 other businesses, organizations and individuals are also contributing to the benefit.

Loomis Soroptimist Presents Awards

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Soroptimist International of Loomis Basin (SILB) presented community awards on Wednesday, March 23 at the Train Depot in Downtown Loomis. The club’s fundraising efforts such as the recent Tostada Bingo, held March 12, enable the club to support women and children in our community.

Violet Richardson Award

Sarah A. Dietz (16), a student at Del Oro High School, received the Violet Richardson Award that recognizes young women who make the community and world a better place through volunteer efforts. She won a cash award and selected the Senior L.I.F.E. Center of Loomis as the non-profit organization to receive the other half of the award. Dietz also volunteers at the Sacramento Crisis Nursery. “When we were there, we played with the children cooked dinner and did an activity,” said Dietz.

Women’s Opportunity Award

Ashley Day of Citrus Heights, a single mother of two children, won the Women’s Opportunity Award that aids women who must support their families and need additional training to upgrade their employability. Day attends Intercoast College with the goal of becoming an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Instructor Donna Brint said that passion, desire and education are essential elements for a counselor. “Ashley has passion and desire and with the help of Soroptimist will gain her education,” said Brint.

Ruby Award

Amy Beazizo, R.N., BSN, OCN, won the Soroptimist Ruby Award for Women Helping Women that is given to those who improve the lives of other women or girls through their professional or personal activities. Beazizo is the Clinical Manager of the Breast Health Center at Sutter Roseville, a Not for Profit Organization that provides support and education to women and men diagnosed with breast cancer. According to Brenda Newsom, SILB Past-President, Beazizo helps women who seek emotional, intellectual and physical support as they begin their journey with Breast Cancer. “Amy meets with each woman seeking help, listens to her story and moves the woman into their program of counseling and free services,” said Newsom. “She is making a dramatic improvement in the lives of countless women who have heard the words, ‘You have breast cancer’ by moving them out of the terror zone and into the educated zone.”

Senior L.I.F.E. Center of Loomis

Fred & Acsa Hitchen received a grant to continue their work at the Senior L.I.F.E. Center of Loomis, a place where adults over 55 years of age can enjoy leisure through social and educational activities. Soroptimist International Loomis Basin helped establish the center and has supported the program since its inception.

Teacher Grants

SILB provides small grants to help fund teachers’ long-term projects that will benefit numerous classes over time.

Laurel Nichols, Second Grade Teacher at H. Clarke Powers, will use her grant for DVD Listening Center to expose children to wonderful stories and teach them phrasing, expression and accuracy.

Steve Harber and Linsey Dalben, Sixth Grade Teachers at H. Clarke Powers, received a grant to help pay for the shipping of 50-60 care boxes being sent to soldiers stationed in Afghanistan with the daughter of the school clerk.

Tiffany Senkbeil, Fourth Grade Teacher at Franklin Elementary, expects to purchase a set of 30 Island of the Blue Dolphin books for her class with the grant. The story consistently engages and interests students in reading and other cultures.

Carolynn Basque and Kathryn Leupp, First Grade Teachers at Franklin Elementary, plan to use the grant to purchase sets of leveled reading books to teach each child at his or her reading level or ability.

Christie D’Ambrosio, First Grade Teacher at Loomis Basin Charter School, intends to use her grant funds to help purchase an incubator and heat lamps to raise chicks and teach students about embryonic development.

Justin VonSpreckelsen, Second Grade Teacher at Loomis Basin Charter School, received a grant to purchase MP3 players so that students can record themselves reading and then classmates can listen to the recording as they read to improve fluency, compression and expression.

Soroptimist (soroptimist.org) is an international volunteer service organization for business and professional women who work to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. Soroptimist International of Loomis Basin is a 501(c)(3) organization.

The club supports Loomis Women’s Shelter, Loomis LIFE center, Relay for Life, and other community projects.

To learn more Soroptimist International of Loomis Basin, contact Rhonda Morillas, president, 916-652-5276. Meetings are held weekly on Wednesdays at 8 AM (first Wednesday excepted).

Increase Capacity without Adding Costs April 5/6

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Is your company struggling to meet increased demand with limited staff? If your organization is missing deadlines or has a backlog of unfilled orders, this workshop on how to Increase Capacity without Adding Costs will help you improve capabilities to meet customers’ needs. Learn how to apply Value Stream Mapping tools to use existing assets more effectively.

Discover ways to boost your profits at this Increase Capacity without Adding Costs workshop on applying Lean Value Stream Mapping tools. Sierra College Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT), offers this training at the Gateway Campus, 333 Sunrise Rm. 123 in Roseville from 8:30 to 4:30 on April 5 & 6. Jes Vargas, DPMG Corp. and CACT Trainer is the presenter. The fee is $50. Learn more at www.sierracollegetraining.com.

Using this mapping tool, one company discovered that it took 23 days to do three minutes of work. Another saved $800,000 revamping cell phone contracts and policies. The most common time wasters are redundancy, unnecessary steps, waiting for material and information, and redoing work because information is missing. Value Stream Mapping enables employees to look in depth at current business activities, depict what’s happening visually and make changes that increase capacity to meet demand using existing resources.

At this workshop, learn how to draw a picture of what is happening and identify improvements:

  • Look in detail at each step of a specific business process
  • Diagram what happens and who works on it
  • Show bottlenecks and wait times
  • Gather data on how much time each action takes
  • Distinguish the steps that add value for the customer and those that don’t

A Sacramento firm used Value Stream Mapping to review an accounting process. Employees discovered that they spent time on scanning, printing, creating duplicates and filing documents that contained information that was stored on computers. They used Value Stream Mapping to reduce six steps to three, cut the process time in half and save over 250 hours annually.

Gain a competitive advantage by attending this interactive workshop with industry examples:

  • Learn how Value Stream Mapping works and how to apply it
  • Identify methods for gathering data, timing activities and showing steps on a process map
  • Experience making Value Stream Maps that reflect the current situation and desired state
  • Use maps to engage employees, support initiatives and link waste to cost savings

For information and to sign up, go to the Sierra College Training & Development web site, www.sierracollegetraining.com, call (916) 660-7801 or email training@sierracollege.edu.

CCC Completes Training to Energize Careers

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Congratulations to the California Conservation Corps (CCC ) Placer Energy Center in Auburn: The Technical Education in Energy Efficiency and Construction training developed by Sierra College CACT for the CCC was approved as pre-apprenticeship by the Northern California Laborers Union.

As part of the last week of classes, speakers from SMUD and the Laborers Union addressed participants, answered their questions and provided career advice. The presentations were inspiring.

The 128 hour Technical Education in Energy Efficiency and Construction (TE³C) training included building science basics, worker safety, weatherization measures, energy efficiency and alternative energy fundamentals. The goal was to prepare Corps members for entry-level employment in the Energy Efficiency Construction Industry. Over 50 Corps members participated in at least one of the five hands-on classes.

Education programs like this and at high schools and colleges benefit from industry support. Many Sacramento area employers generously share their expertise. How can your business help?

  • Be a speaker about your company, the industry, and what a typical day is like on the job
  • Provide career advice to students
  • Allow a student or an instructor to spend several hours or days at your business doing a “job shadow”
  • Hire a student intern
  • Take a recent graduate to your professional association meeting
  • Serve on an advisory committee to help educators understand the skills your business looks for in new hires
  • Donate equipment that classes can use to develop real world skills

Your contribution may energize a young person’s career.

Sierra School Works makes math matter

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Watch the movie: STEM Tech-Explorer Catapult – Sierra School Works Applied Math entered in the STEMposium contest.

Middle and high school students are being introduced to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers by making catapults. In addition, Sierra School Works (www.sierraschoolworks.com) with Sierra College in Rocklin, CA won a National Science Foundation grant to develop and test the impact of integrating mathematics curriculum into the hands-on catapult building experience.

Students converted fractions and decimals from English and metric measurements on drawings. They used scales, protractors and compasses to measure and mark catapult parts. Once the catapults were built using mills, lathes and other power tools, the students measured the distance, height and speed of launches and inserted the results into the parabolic equation to determine the best launch angle. Learning by doing, they discovered why math matters.

Making math matter to students is critical to their success in pursing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers. They need a reason to keep taking math classes. Sierra School Works developed this Tech-Explorer catapult project to engage students and give them experiences applying math.

  • Accurately converting fractions results in parts that will fit together to make a catapult.
  • Applying the parabolic equation to select the best launch angle will allow their balls to fly the farthest.

It is harder than it looks to develop math lessons, insert them into hands-on projects and use the lessons to reinforce the math skills and interests of students of various ages and expertise. Oakmont High School students in Roseville, CA were the first to test the Sierra School Works math-enhanced Tech-Explorer catapult project developed with Sierra College and National Science Foundation support. It successfully modeled how to engage students in applying math. Learn more at (www.sierraschoolworks.com ).

Jan. 26 — Lean tools to boost success in 2011

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Learn how to cut waste and improve your business process at “Lean Principles to Sustainability” hosted by Sierra College Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) in conjuction with DPMG Corp. on January 26, 2011 at the Roseville Gateway Campus, 333 Sunrise Ave, Roseville, CA from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. $50 registration.

This one-day lecture and interactive educational forum introduces Lean Thinking as a methodology to identify and eliminate waste from processes in any organization and achieve sustainability. Gain tools to boost your competitve edge in 2011:

  • Get an overview of lean principles to begin to recognize how to identify and eliminate waste in your own organization
  • Learn to leverage Lean Thinking to achieve sustainability
  • Define and understand the different types of waste as viewed by your customers
  • Get the “Big Picture” – transform your business
  • Remove the Myths about “Lean Thinking”
  • Apply Lean Principles to “do it right the first time”
  • Learn how Lean Principles can create a collaborative partnership between people and valued partners
  • Experience a real world practical application through simulation of the how the lean principles can generate measurable outcomes
  • Learn from professionals; begin to practice the process in this educational forum to save time and money

Upcoming Lean Workshops: Feb 22-23 Business Process Mapping — Identify the steps and practices for breaking down a process and create a System and Relationship Process Map and April 5-6 Value Stream Mapping (VSM) — See the step-by-step development of current and future state value stream maps and how they can be used with improvement initiatives.

Learn more at Sierra College CACT and Training & Development under 2011 Lean workshops.

Your customers can tip the marketing balance in your favor

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One of my suppliers in Roseville, CA recently asked me to speak with prospects who were considering using the firm’s services. Marketing Action has been working with the company for years, as well as other similar firms, and felt I could give an objective view.

When I’m considering working with a new business partner in the Sacramento region for printing, promotional items, web site design and other marketing services, I like to check references so I was more than willing to “give back” by sharing my experiences.

What did they ask?

  • How long I’d worked with the company
  • What type of marketing projects we’d partnered on
  • Was I satisfied with the quality of work
  • What it was like to work with the project team
  • What one thing could be improved
  • Would I recommend them to others

Happily, the company was successful in securing the new account. Evidently talking with me and other satisfied clients sealed the deal after the firm had met all the other qualifications.

If you ask customers to share their experience with prospects, don’t forget to say thanks. I was surprised and delighted to not only get thanks but a restaurant gift certificate as well. And, remember that keeping your existing customers happy could be your best marketing tool. Your satisfied customers may be your best sales force.

Marketing action plan for tradeshows

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If you are planning to particpate in a tradeshow, start your marketing planning by asking yourself these questions:

  • Date of event
  • Audience – # people, who they are
  • Atmosphere of this conference and typical displays
  • Purpose of attending
  • Expected outcome
  • What has and has not worked when you attended this or similiar events in the past?
  • If you are updating your display, are there events where you may use this same display because of a similiar audience and purpose?
  • What else will attract an audience – movie on TV, demonstrations?
  • Do you want promotional giveaways?
  • What are your plans to invite clients and prospects to stop by your booth?
  • How will you collect attendees’ contact info – from conference organizers or with a drawing at your booth?
  • What follow-up do you have planned with those who visit the tradeshow?
  • Are there opportunities to provide door prizes that are announced?
  • Can you give an educational presentation?
  • How will you prepare staff who are working the booth?
  • What coordination is required with conference group about electricity, union rules for bringing in booth, timing and set up requirements?

Are competitive hawks stealing your clients?

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There was a huge hawk sitting at the end of my driveway in Loomis with a chicken at its feet. Of course, I didn’t have my camera in the car so you can barely see the bird in flight in this picture. I didn’t see it happen but I can only imagine the chicken was unsuspecting as the raptor swooped down from the sky. Are you being hunted by the competition?

In this economy, it is more important than ever to guard your customers by providing excellent service, anticipating needs and regularly checking in to identify potential problems. When you aren’t looking, other vendors are promising better service at a lower cost.

What can you do to protect yourself from competitive hawks? Take marketing action:

  • Ask your clients what one thing you could do to improve the service you provide.
  • Proactively provide new ideas and bring trends that may impact their businesses to their attention.
  • Promote your clients to your associates to help their businesses grow.
  • Express your appreciation for the trust your customers place in you.
  • Invite clients to educational forums as your guest to expand their knowledge.
  • Bring customers to professional association meetings or other networking groups.
  • Get to know your clients and provide referrals and information related to their personal interests.

Don’t let competitive hawks ruffle your feathers by attempting to steal your chickens. With solid relationships that respond to your clients’ needs, they’ll be safe to lay eggs for years to come.