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Easing the path from intent to action  


The CanDo Connection                                                                 May 24, 2016
In This Issue
 
REMINDER:
 
Butter yellow lets you easily spot volunteer opportunities and other ways to 
get involved. 
 

 NEW  SHORTER SHIFTS!  
CanDo at the
Napa Farmers' Market  Saturday, June 4  8-12:30
PM   
(Come play with us in the CanDo booth.)
Cherries
 
New location: 195 Gasser Drive
(so. of the Cinemark Theaters)

Three shifts with one veteran volunteer signed-up for each - but it's so much more fun when there are two! We need your help to staff CanDo's booth. 

Take a look at available shifts on the sign-up sheet. Then lend a hand. 
 
 
 
WORDS  MATTER 

"The only way
to make sense
out of change
is to plunge into it,
move with it, and
join the dance."  

-- Alan Watts
 
 
     COMPOST  CORNER    
Responses to your questions from Tim Dewey-Mattia,
Napa Recycling and
Waste Services 

 
 
Q. Hey, Tim. It's that season: Graduations. Weddings. Fathers' Day. Garage Sales. Could you give us the 411 on balloons? 
     
A.  Both latex (the typical ones you blow up) and Mylar (the shiny foil ones filled w/ helium) balloons go to the landfill. They are not recyclable. Balloons are reusable, however. Most party stores will refill Mylar balloons, so keep them to refill for your next party.  

CanDo says:  Here are a couple of sites with creative and celebratory alternatives to balloons.
 
Have a question for Tim on curbside composting or recycling? Email us.
 
 

 BITS  AND  PIECES
ARTISTS OF THE OMO
f 
"Every Child is an artist.
The challenge is how
to remain an artist  
once we grow up."
Pablo Picasso

The people of the Omo River Valley in Ethiopia use the tools of the natural world for paints and their bodies as canvasses.
Photos by
Hans Sylvester
  f 
Click here to see their artwork and be in wonder. 
 
 
SAVE  THE  DATE
Save the Date
PLANTING
CanDo's FOOD BANK GARDEN
  Wednesday, May 24
9:30-11:30AM
Click here for details.

 
SEE  WHAT  YOU 
CanDo
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
 
We grow fresh, local produce for the Napa Food Bank. Email Karen or Betty.

Waterways Keepers help maintain our rivers and stream to keep them vibrant and alive.
Email Margret.

Raises funds and awareness for local nonprofits in a year-end giving campaign.  
Email hilary or Nancy.

CanDo is piloting a whole new way to help the Food Bank feed neighbors in need. Email Karin/Amy. 
 

The Choices We Make

Napa Valley CanDo seeks to inspire and facilitate action by alerting interested Valley residents about opportunities for service. If you participate as a volunteer in an activity that you learned about through Napa Valley CanDo, whether initiated by CanDo or another organization, please take personal responsibility for your involvement. Use common sense. Only you can determine whether an activity is a good fit, that is to say compatible with your interests and abilities. 

  

 New to CanDo?   

 Click here to receive this nifty weekly eBlast. 

 The CanDo Connection is filled with volunteer 
opportunities and events help you connect 
with community. 


HERE'S  A  QUICK  ASK 
G
Do you know any of the good folks who are responsible for booking speakers for local service clubs that meet regularly around the Valley? Kiwanis? Rotary? Soroptomists? AAUW? Elks? Women's Club? Social or faith-based groups?

This fall, from October 31-December 15, CanDo reps are eager to speak to as many community-minded people as possible. We'll be sharing the exciting story of our newest endeavor, the Napa Food Project, and will give an update on the Napa Valley Give!Guide's efforts to raise funds and awareness on behalf of dozens of local non profits.

Just shoot us an email with the name of the organization and contact information. We'll reach out. Thanks much.

CanDo Logo - graphic only           
           

TREASURY  WINE  ESTATES
 
What happens when the local branch of an international company says yes to community involvement?
Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) volunteer days.

Dozens of employees were given the gift of time to volunteer last week and Valley programs were the beneficiaries. Whether at the Food Bank, in CanDo's community garden, cleaning up the river, crafting reusable bags by repurposing old t-shirts, or caring for new trees
on our hillsides, TWE volunteers did it all. Our thanks to them all and to the vision of local employees with the CanDo spirit making a difference.

 
 35 volunteers monitored 236 new native oaks over 13 acres of land, removing invasive grasses and providing soil protection and water conserving mulch for the new forest. Each tree can live up to 300 years,
and process 50 lbs. of CO2 per year.
 
 
 


TWE volunteer with wheel barrow full to the brim (and beyond) with invasive weeds heading for the
mulch pile.
 
 





Leif Bryant, CanDo Waterways Keepers partner with the Napa
County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, leads a river clean-up with 51 hard-working TWE volunteers. Our first find
of the day: a styrofoam paddleboat...destined to break down in
tiny pieces and be gulped by birds and fish if we hadn't
caught it in time.

Volunteers can be fashion-plates, too. Here, they model reusable bags made from re-purposed t-shirts which we donated to the Food Bank for delighted clients.
 
 
  CanDo Quick Tip
 
Make a Hummingbird Feeder from recycled materials: a plastic bottle, a baby food jar, a frisbee.

It's so easy
(and the kids are going to be out of school soon).

Anna's Hummingbird
Click here for everything you need from the National Wildlife Federation. 

Spotlight - Stars
THE CanDo SPOTLIGHT
Events and Volunteer Opportunities
from Other Groups Around the Valley
 Tell 'em you heard about it through CanDo!

Note: Posting of events in this "Spotlight" does not constitute an endorsement by Napa Valley CanDo unless expressly stated. We list a variety of opportunities and programs we feel may be of interest to our readers.  
CALLING ALL CARING CANINES
SPONSOR:  Loving Animals Providing Smiles     
LAPS is sponsoring a FREE screening and education event open to community members age 16+ and their people-friendly dogs age 6+ months. Find out if you and your dog might be successful as a volunteer animal-assisted therapy team. LAPS volunteers will be on-site to share their experiences with this rewarding work. 
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Saturday, June 4, 10AM-1PM  
LOCATION:  Old Sawyer Tannery, Building N, 68 Coombs Street, Napa
FFI:  Email, call 707.265.6642 or visit their website.
NAPA VALLEY PRIDE KICKOFF EVENT - DINE & DONATE FOR PFLAG NAPA & LGBTQ CONNECTION
SPONSOR:  PFLAG Napa    
Join in the initial Napa Pride celebration event to be held at the Q Restaurant in Napa. The kickoff gives everyone the opportunity to meet, greet, and socialize with LGBTQ friends, family and allies. In addition, this kickoff event is a Dine & Donate benefiting two favorite LGBTQ organizations: PFLAG Napa and Napa LGBTQ Connection. 20% of whatever you spend on your scrumptious meal and drinks will be donated to these two great organizations with no additional cost to you. Hope to see you there...and also at the many additional Napa Pride Events happening daily through Sunday, June 12, 2016. Everyone's welcome.   
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Thursday, June 9, 6-9PM  
LOCATION:  The Q Restaurant, 3900 Bel Aire Plaza, Napa
FFI:  Email, call 707.681.1477 or visit their website.
IT'S RAINING PRIDE TEA DANCE
SPONSOR:  Napa Valley LGBTQ Pride 
Come out & show your pride at this year's Pride closing party, our annual Tea Dance. Twirl the afternoon away to the classics! Disco/80s/90s/Modern dance music. With DJ Rotten Robbie. You can dance under my umbrella-ella-ella-ay-ay-ay!  
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Sunday, June 12, 4:30-8:30PM 
COST:  $15-$25 (Tickets available on the website - $15 if purchased in May, $20 if purchased in June, $25 if purchased on the day of the event.)
LOCATION:  Lucky Penny Community Arts Center, 1758 Industrial Way #208, Napa
FFI:  Email, call 707.410.3252 or visit their website.
ROSE CARE
SPONSOR:  UC Master Gardners of Napa County  
The rains have worked their magic and roses are giving us a great show. It is also a great year for rust. Join the Napa MGs and learn how to keep your roses lovely using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods to deal with pests and diseases and how to care for them with our on-going drought and water restrictions. Pre-registration is recommended. Check out the MG's page on Facebook.
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Saturday, June 18, 10AM-noon   
LOCATION:  1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa
COST:  $5
FFI:  Email, call 707.253.4143 or visit their website.
GARDEN PLOTS AVAILABLE
SPONSOR:  Napa Community Gardens 
Love to garden? No space at home? Come and join us! 
Napa Community Garden, located at the SW corner of Trower and Jefferson, still has some nice sunny 10' x 10' plots available to rent for the 2016 growing season. We provide irrigation, compost, and some tools. For more information, check out the website below.  5/1/16 
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Ongoing
LOCATION:  3875 Jefferson St., Napa
COST:  $50/yr
FFI:  Email, or visit their website.
BAY-FRIENDLY GARDEN TOUR
SPONSORS:  Napa County RCD, City of Napa,
City of American Canyon, County of Napa,
UC Master Gardeners   
Napa's 5th Bay-Friendly Garden Tour features 12 gardens in Napa and American Canyon that provide inspiration for creating beautiful low-impact landscapes. Volunteers are needed to serve as greeters at each of the 12 gardens on the tour. Greeters work 3 hour shifts, either 10AM-1PM or 1PM-4PM. Volunteers tour gardens for free.
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Sunday, May 22, 10AM-4PM
LOCATION:  12 gardens in Napa and American Canyon Check website below for details.
COST:  $5
FFI:  Email, call 707.252.4189 or visit their website.