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A Note from Cristin,
As we draw near the end of 2014, I look back and marvel at the tremendous amount of good that has been bestowed upon Sonoma Valley Teen Services this year. This newsletter will highlight some of the exciting work being done through SVTS, but this work would not be possible without the people who stand beside us and offer their support.
I would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Chuck and Cathy Williamson and David and Grace Meeks for their recent incredible generosity in support of our "Ready to Work" portfolio of services. The Lovin' Oven now has a wonderful new walk-in refrigerator at the Teen Center thanks to a Capitol Grant from Impact100. Rotary Club Sonoma made it possible for us to get a fabulous, almost new, 15-passenger van so we can transport teens to work opportunities and Dan Roseland from Sonoma Chevrolet added a new set of tires. Through the generosity of Barbara Talbott and John Riley, we have will soon be sporting a new logo (stay tuned). St. Andrews Church came in mass with 15 volunteers who cleaned and repaired things at the Teen Center on their Faith in Action Day. And to top it all off, we have been approved for a forgivable Fa�ade Improvement Loan through the County's Community Development Commission; soon the Teen Center will have a fresh new look.
I love the work I get to do through Sonoma Valley Teen Services but it is made much sweeter through these opportunities to share our inspiration and accomplishments with others. Thank you for partnering with us to employ teens and empower dreams!
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 Cristin Lawrence
Executive Director
Sonoma Valley Teen Services
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Reporting on "Ready to Work"
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Lizette Hernandez working at Rachel Hundley's Drums and Crumbs
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"Ready to Work" is SVTS's work readiness workshops, on the job training and job placement services.
Over the past two years (2012-2014), 42 Teens have completed Sonoma Teen Services' "Skills for Work and Life" Work Readiness Workshops. Forty teens have been employed & volunteered through the Lovin Oven Catering and Event Services, with customers including: Sonoma Education Foundation, Impact 100, Sonoma Kiwanis Club, Pet's Lifeline, The Home Winemakers Club, Destination Races, Transcendence Theater, Sonoma Theater Alliance, The Sonoma County Work Investment Board, SVF Star Volunteer Celebration, Plein Air, and more! The Lovin' Oven event staff has worked over 50 different events including: private dinner parties, weddings, birthdays, fundraisers, community meetings, and nonprofit gatherings. The No Name Caf� has employed 17 teens. SVTS's "Healthy Habits" Program, made possible by a grant from the Vintner's and Grower's Foundation, allowed 7 teens to complete a paid summer internship. In addition, 32 teens have been placed and/or have independently secured employment in community jobs after gaining on-the-job training experience in a Sonoma Teen Services' microbusiness.
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Our Superstar! Jenah Smith Wins Valley Volunteer Award
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 SVTS Board President Marguerite LaDue with our "Star" Jenah Smith
On Sunday September 14th, Sonoma Valley Fund presented their annual "Star Volunteer Award" to 26 recipients, including Jenah Smith for her work with Cowboy Cab and other SVTS programs and events.
Jenah is an absolute gem to Sonoma Teen Services. As Operations Logistic manager at Sonoma Raceway, Jenah has expertise in event coordination and logistics which she applies to our Annual Cowboy Cab fundraiser. Cowboy Cab is our only fund raising event and for so many people, a first introduction to Teen Services. Our organization is highly dependent on its success both financially and from a public relations standpoint. Jenah's talents; creativity, resourcefulness and cultivated connections through the Raceway, have been the "secret" to our event's success for the past three years. Jenah has also coordinated Sonoma Raceway and Teen Services partnerships on Vintage Festival and 4th of July floats as well as organizing a crew of at least 30 Raceway staff on a Service Project day at the Teen Center. Our closets are still organized, our landscaping and gardens look great and the stucco and paint repair that was done maintains the appearance and wellbeing of our building. Jenah recently agreed to be a formal advisor to Teen Services and we couldn't be more thrilled. We are grateful to Sonoma Raceway for introducing us to Jenah and initiating this wonderful relationship that means so much to Teen Services.
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No Name Cafe: New Location, New Manager
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The No Name Caf� moved its location on the Sonoma Valley High School campus over the summer from building E1 to J8. It also has integrated new food items, such as fresh pesto pasta, homemade chili, and our delicious chocolate chip cookies, which are all made by the Lovin' Oven and developed by the Healthy Habits program.
The No Name Cafe also hired a new caf� manager: Tracy Kitz. Tracy has spent much of her career in the retail and craft industries. She has managed and grown several small businesses and was responsible for teens and young adults while working with and assisting some of the top names in the Craft Industry including Dee Gruenig and Tim Holtz. Tracy is currently on the Board of Directors for McDonald Ranch, a local non-profit which teaches life-skills to children through working with rescue animals, which she helped launch in 1992. We are excited to have her aboard with Sonoma Valley Teen Services.
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Lovin' Oven Holiday Pie Sale
Savannah Bertrand, Program Coordinator James Cardenas and Mauricio Tapia Selling Pies at Whole Foods in 2013
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Order Your Pies Today
We're pleased to announce our annual holiday pie sale from the Lovin' Oven. This year we're offering three choices of delicious 9" pies baked from scratch:
Pumpkin $12
Apple Crunch $13
Pecan $14
Ordering opens on October 27th and closes on November 20th at 6pm.
All pies will be available for pick up at the Teen Center at 17440 Sonoma Highway on Wednesday November 26th between 2pm and 6pm.
To order your pie today, or for any questions about the pie sales or the Lovin' Oven program, please contact the Lovin' Oven at [email protected], or call (707) 939-1452.
We'd also like to send a special Thank You out to Sonoma Gleaners and the Ecology Center's Sonoma Garden Park for all the apple donations!
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Maison Du Soleil To Donate a Percentage of SalesTo SVTS
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Save the Date for This Public Pop Up Sale!
Please visit and shop the French inspired Home and Gifts at Maison du
Soleil.
A percentage of sales will be donated to support Sonoma Valley Teen Services
Open at The Stone House at 147 East Spain Street on:
November 12th -16th
November 19th - 23rd
November 26th,& 28th-30th
Hours 11 am until 6 pm
Visit their facebook page or go to www.maisondusoleil for more
details.
 Just a hint of what you might find at the sale.....
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SVTS Teen of the Month: Herlinda Hernandez
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Herlinda working at Cowboy Cab!
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Herlinda Hernandez is 16 years old and has been a member of Sonoma Valley Teen Service since 2013. She quickly became interested in our Lovin' Oven program and began volunteering within a couple of weeks. Herlinda quickly learned the duties in the kitchen and began to excel. We soon hired her to be the lead person for Lovin Oven. No matter if she is in the kitchen or out at an event, she always comes to work with a smile and is positive in how she leads her team. She has learned to delegate and teach her peers and is very well respected. Herlinda is also an an excellent student at Sonoma Valley High and maintains an above 3.5 GPA. We are happy and proud to have Herlinda Hernandez as Sonoma Valley Teen Services Teen of the Quarter.
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HELP US CONTINUE OUR WORK
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- Include us in your estate planning, make a donation of stock or real estate
- Click on the donate button below to make a contribution by pay pal or credit card today!
Sonoma Valley Teen Services is funded through private donations, special events and grants, we do not receive state or federal funding and we are so grateful to the community for supporting the work we do on behave of Sonoma Valley Teens!
Thank you for your continued support!
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SONOMA VALLEY TEEN SERVICES
17440 Sonoma Highway
Sonoma, CA 95476
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