Community briefs
Mammoth Water District backs LivingWise® for fourth year
At November’s regular, meeting the Board of the Mammoth Community Water District approved continuing its $3,500 co-sponsorship of the LivingWise® water conservation and energy efficiency program for Mammoth Middle School sixth grade earth science students. Also sponsoring the program is the Eastern Sierra Energy Initiative, a Southern California Edison community energy partnership that is managed by the High Sierra Energy Foundation
“This is an exciting program for the students,” said Rick Phelps, Executive Director of the High Sierra Energy Foundation, during his comments to the Board. “Not only does it educate, but it also results in real savings. In fact, in 2009 about 425,000 gallons of water and 45,000 kilowatt hours of electricity were saved based on the actions of the students in their homes.”
Tom Smith, chair of the MCWD Board, saluted the “enthusiastic and creative leadership” of High Sierra Energy Foundation program manager Leslie O’Berry as key to the program’s success.
The 2010 schedule will begin in the spring and will include and a hands-on resource conservation kit for each student in Gil Campos’ sixth grade Earth Science class, as well as a field trip to the Lakes Basin, a water treatment plant, wastewater treatment plant and other special activities. This will be the fourth year of the program and to date nearly 300 Mammoth Lakes’ students have enjoyed participating in the innovative approach to teaching water conservation and energy efficiency.
The High Sierra Energy Foundation is a nonprofit corporation supported by local individuals and businesses and the Town of Mammoth Lakes. The Foundation’s mission is to develop and showcase energy efficiency and renewable resources in Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra.
For more information, visit www.highsierraenergy.org.
Season ski pass raffle, Christmas tree sales boost Boosters
SierraYellowPages.com has donated a FULLY TRANSFERABLE 2009/2010 ski pass to the Mammoth Huskies Booster Club. All of the raffle proceeds benefit Mammoth High School Boosters!
The Season Pass is a $1,675 value and best of all is fully transferable — use it yourself or give it to a friend! Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10, available at: the Vons Christmas Tree Parking Lot site, Mammoth Chevron, Footloose Sports, Kittredge Sports, The Ski Renter, Mammoth Sporting Goods, The Booky Joint, The Ski Surgeon, Rick’s Sports Center and Wave Rave Snowboard Shop.
And don’t forget the Mammoth High School Boosters Annual Christmas Tree Fundraising event is underway now in the Vons parking lot from now until Christmas. Proceeds benefit Mammoth High School Sports and the National Honor Society chapter.
The lot’s open daily 3-9 p.m. and fresh trees will arrive weekly. More info: Jeff DeSalvo, 760.934.5000.
DSES Island Extravaganza
Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra will hold its next Island Extravaganza, the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser, at Canyon Lodge next Saturday, Dec. 12, from 6 p.m. until midnight. The island-themed night features dinner, live reggae music by Santa Barbara’s One Two Tree and DJ Shawn Roj, as well as a silent auction and a grand raffle prize of a trip for two to Hawaii!
Event tickets are just $55 each and include one raffle ticket. Additional raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20. You don’t need to be present to win.
Purchase Island Extravaganza and raffle tickets at the Booky Joint and Second Chance Thrift Shop in Mammoth, or at the DSES office at Mammoth Resort.
Visit disabledsportseasternsierra.org for more information.
MES winning winter banners
The Mammoth Elementary School students and the Mammoth Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization have created a new set of seasonal street banners which will adorn Town streets this winter. A similar program resulted in summer-themed banners unveiled in May.
All Elementary School Students, from Kindergarten to Grade Five, were asked “What does winter in Mammoth mean to you?” Answers were consolidated into the eight most popular: skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowflakes, snowmen, fireplaces, ice skating and holidays. Then, with help from MES creative writing teacher Mrs. Peckenpaugh, the students drew images representing all eight themes. Of more than 300 pieces, 8 finalists were selected through a student voting process. Thanks to funds from the Town’s Public Arts Commission, the 8 pieces are being turned into new seasonal banners to adorn Town streets.
The artists who created them are:
FIREPLACES – Trace Calvin (5th Grade); HOLIDAYS – Felicity Lopez (5th Grade); ICE SKATING – Allie Williams (3rd Grade); SKIING – Sophia Schuldt (5th Grade); SLEDDING – Cesar Piña (1st Grade); SNOWBOARDING – Max Boyer-Tolley (4th Grade); SNOWFLAKES – Jonathan Morales (5th Grade) and SNOWMEN – Meghan Thompson (4th Grade).
The official unveiling of the banners and awards to the eight artists will take place at the Mammoth Elementary School Winter Extravaganza on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 5:30 p.m. Summer and winter banners will also be available for sale to the public and local business community. All money raised directly funds Elementary School programs, events and supplies.
More information: contact Green Fox Events at 760.709.6744 or e-mail info@greenfoxevents.com.
Meadowcliff Lodge earns an “A”
Coleville’s Meadowcliff Lodge & RV Resort is the only RV park in California and one of only 31 campgrounds and RV resorts nationwide to have earned an “A” grade in a national consumer survey of independent RV parks. The 34-site park was awarded the highest grade in overall guest satisfaction for 2009 by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds.
Nearly 17,000 camping and RV enthusiasts participated in the 2009 survey, which evaluated guest experiences at 1,840 independent campgrounds and RV resorts affiliated with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. The GuestRated.com national online survey program which judged Meadowcliff so highly, was launched in February 2008.
More information: visit www.meadwocliff.com or www.monocounty.org.
Think Local First scavenger hunt
As of Dec. 1, local shoppers can take part in a holiday “scavenger hunt” shopping game at their favorite Think Local First businesses. A new counter card lists all of the TLF 50+ members, and contestants save any and all receipts from purchases they make from Think Local First members. At the end of the month, contestants mail in their receipts, after which two gift baskets will be awarded in January: one for the highest number of receipts overall, and one for receipts from the most TLF locations. There is no minimum purchase for receipts to qualify.
So save your receipts from those bookmarks you buy from Spellbinder, that cup of coffee from Black Sheep and shoelaces from Sage to Summit.
More info: contact Vickie Taton at 760.258.1363 or vtaton@sbcouncil,org, or stop by a participating business.