Blog Updates

This year the McMahan family bought gifts for children in need and represented the Corporate Visions’ Incline Office.  Noah, Josiah, and Salomon McMahan each bought a gift using their own money to understand Christmas is about giving and receiving.  See their joyful expressions as they pose for the first Angel Tree Gift Giving photo!            [By Sarah McMahan]

[Photo above taken by Kathleen of San Rafael Elks Lodge: 10 students, their parents, Principal Pepe Gonzalez, Elks’ Members/Officers, Private donor and Charlotte]

Corporate Visions, Inc. partners with San Rafael Elks, private donor, and Bicycle Odyssey to award 10 more bicycles to deserving 4th grade students of Laurel Dell Elementary School on November 9 2017. Eight of the bicycles were funded through San Rafael Elks grant funds, one set from Corporate Visions and one from an on-g0ing private donor.  And now, after 4 years of awarding bicycles, there are 86 bicycles wheeling around the county.

{Proud mother and son]

Many of these students walk to and from school and are not able to participate in extra curricular activities after school due to lack of transportation.  These happy 10 students now have brand new $325 bicycles [purchased at cost price], plus safety helmets, and a lock to bicycle themselves to and from school, ride with friends and family and participate in additional activities after school and weekends.

[By Charlotte Kobayashi]

 

 

[Photo left to right: Katie Findling, Charlotte Kobayashi, Erik Peterson, Francisco Ramirez. Missing are Meghan Peddicord,  Lynn Zambrano, Laurel Botsford, Stewart Munson, Donna Platt, Tara Kott, Nathan Findling and Luis Castillo with volunteers- Curita Harper, Yesenia Ramirez and Marissa Kobayashi]

Due to the North Bay fire, air pollution and lack of manpower to man the Peak Hike Trail, the October 15th BCPP 7 mile Peak Hike was cancelled.

Some of the team members proudly show their unworn Corporate Visions’ tee shirts.  Partnering with CVI were San Rafael Elks Lodge and UCSF staff.  The team led by Captain Meghan Peddicord exceeded their goal of $6000.

Thank you to many CVI-ans who supported the team and individuals – Mike Finley, Erik Peterson, Mike Miller, Hugh Bishop, Fabiana LaBauve, Joe Terry, Dustin Ring, Francisco Ramirez, Lynn Zambrano, Teresa Kwan, Patti Fiore, Amy Merrill, Conrad Smith.. to name a few…]

The Peak Hike is not being re-scheduled this year.

Some of us joined teams to prepare quiche and sandwiches for the North Bay fire evacuees.

[By Charlotte Kobayashi}

Fu Hong Society, (an organization serving people with intellectual disabilities, psychiatric disabilities and those with autism), organized the sightseeing at Tai Po Waterfront Park on October 9, 2017.

Roxanna Yuen took care of two service users and walked them  around the park – the insect house and ponds.  They were mainly interested in seeing the fishes and tortoises.  The most exciting part of the day was the barbecue lunch.  The service users were all looking forward to the barbecue as they are generally not able have this type of food.

Roxanna was responsible for grilling the food. They were overjoyed! See their lovely smiles in photo.

[By Roxanna Yuen]

On October 13th, 2017, Sarah McMahon volunteered for 6 hours for the annual Jog-a-Thon Fundraiser.  The event raised $35,000 to pay for the physical education and wellness programs at Incline Elementary School.

Kids from Kindergarten through 5^th grade run as many laps as they can in 30 minutes.

[By Sarah McMahan]

 

On September 1^st, 2017, Leela Newman, Pete Fulford, and Fabiana LaBauve worked on the Oregon Food Bank’s community farm, digging up rows of weeds to clear a new plot for farming, picking several flats of tomatoes, and composting organic materials.

Oregon Food Bank’s Community Farm is a 3/4 acre site next to OFB’s warehouse, where community members can learn to grow food under the instruction of a farmer-educator. The farm is operated in partnership with MudBone Grown, a women-minority-veteran owned small farm working communities. Volunteers grow food to localize the food economies of underprivileged and marginalized communities, learn new skills, and take home a share of the harvest for free. The program offers a nutritious supply of fresh produce to low-income individuals and families in need of fresh fruits and vegetables in communities across the state. Additional produce is distributed to hunger-relief agencies throughout Portland. Harvest Shares, such as MudBorne’s, encourage healthy eating through nutrition education, skill building, and access to a rich and diverse array of community resources.

[By Leela Newman]

 

Since our Breast Cancer Prevention Partners Peak Hike was cancelled, due to poor air quality on Mt. Tam, a group of us decided to put our volunteer time to help a new  evacuation center opened up in Santa Rosa for the first responders and the fire victims.

Today, Saturday, October 14th, CVI purchased the ingredients for making 20 quiche for $155, Jen O’Mara of San Rafael Elks asked to use the Elks’ kitchen, and we quickly recruited 8 people to help make 3 different types of quiche in 3 hours.  We started at 1:00 pm and all 20 were ready by 4:00 pm.  Fresh out of the oven, 20 quiche were delivered to a kitchen in Novato where Francisco Ramirez and another team made 150 sandwiches also for the victims in Santa Rosa .

Here is the Quiche Team at San Rafael Elks Lodge in San Rafael:  left to right- Melann Mushet, Elk and Ukulele player; Joan Corey – Ukulele player, Charlene Loen -Ukulele player; Jen O’Mara – Elk and head chef; Charlotte Kobayashi- Elk and Ukulele player; Ralph Loan- Ukulele Player; Laurel Botsford – Elk member and SharedHope for Human Trafficking.

Extra kudos to Francisco for taking the extra step and delivered the sandwiches and the quiche to the Santa Rosa evacuation center just in time for dinner, before 6 pm!  He reported that the prepared food was greatly appreciated as there were just snacks [pretzels] and drinks at the center!  This was truly two great cooking teams working in different locations for the same purpose – to serve the fire fighters and fire victims.

We are doing another fundraiser on October 28th at the Tam Junction Starbucks in Mill Valley.  We will suggest using funds raised at this event to provide more food for the fire fighters and victims.

[By Charlotte Kobayashi]

 

 

Kickoff for Strides for Life Walk

In continuation from the inventory preparation for the American Cancer Society’s Strides for Life Walk (July 28^th), Diane Frate and Lisa Slen assisted with the setup for the Kickoff on August 23^rd.

The Kickoff is to get people revved up for the walk, which takes place in October.

[by Diane Frate]

On August 15th, CVI employees joined forces to help the United Way Bucks County with their Stuff the Bus campaign to provide backpacks and school supplies to children in need throughout Bucks County.

The effort began weeks ago when CVI employees started collecting school supplies at the Doylestown office. This year’s overwhelming response was overwhelming contributed to our success. CVI’s Power Foundation purchased 80 backpacks to give us a jump start on the collection drive. The rest of the backpacks and all supplies were purchased by CVI employees from all across the country.

A very big thank you to all the employees who donated supplies: Charlotte Kobayashi, Conrad Smith, Diane Frate, Erik Peterson, Fabiana LaBauve, Jaime Farrar, Jeff Adler, Joe Kozub, Joe Terry, Mary Pacell, Nicci Hammerel, Nina Litvinchuk, Sheila Ryan and Tim Brooks.

On the big day, everyone organized and separated the supplies into boxes. We counted each item, then created a list of how many of each item would go in all the backpacks. After that, we stuffed the bags. Everyone worked together efficiently and swiftly while listening to 80s and 90s tunes and reminiscing about their own days at school. Susan Supernavage and Elise Moores took on the task to count out a dozen pencils for each bag to help make packing go smoothly. Eric Nitschke made a fun video of the team in action. At the end of the day, the team stuffed 84 backpacks, beating their total from last year.

Thank you to our awesome team of stuffers, who also donated supplies: Brent Alwood, Eric Nitschke, Elise Moores, Evan O’Donnell, Laura Vollbrecht, Leslie Talbot, Patti Fiore, Sonia Sommers, Susan Supernavage and Cassie Galster. Special thanks to Tim Brooks who helped us quickly deliver the backpacks to United Way in time for their deadline.

In addition the efforts from CVI, United Way was able to collect a total of 2,848 backpacks and supplies for the 2017 school year. United Way works with all 13 school districts in the county to identify those in need and will distribute these bags throughout the county. 16% of kids struggle to have their basic needs met.

[By Cassie Galster]