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Easing the path from intent to action  


The CanDo Connection                                                                April 17, 2018
In This Issue

Reminder
This buttery yellow color indicates volunteer 
opportunities.  

When you see this image, 

Family Friendly Event

it's a family-friendly  volunteer event.


NFP

SPRING  INTO  ACTION WITH  THE  FOOD  PROJECT

CanDo's Napa Food Project has brought in over 92,000 pounds of food for hungry neighbors in less than two years.

Ready to make a difference by helping out once  every two months ? The magic happens with just  about 
90 minutes of your time. Become one of our ace 
Neighborhood Coordinators. 

Next orientation:  
Tuesday, 
May 8, 6-7:30PM

RSVP with a quick email.

ORIENTATION FOR 
2018 GIVE!GUIDE

MAY 3 
TWO LOCATIONS:  
NAPA AND ST. HELENA

What an extraordinary ride it's been. Since its inception five years ago, our collaborative Give!Guide
effort, orchestrated by CanDo volunteers, has raised awareness and more than $1,424,000 in funds for 100 Napa County nonprofit organizations.

Nonprofits must apply each year. Then, CanDo volunteers and community members carefully review applications. Each year, we save 20% of spaces for participants that are either brand new to the Guide or have not participated in the previous year.

In 2018, sending a representative to the orientation is MANDATORY FOR THREE GROUPS, OPTIONAL FOR OTHERS. Learn details here
RSVP REQUIRED:  
Click here

For orientation locations and times, visit the NVGiveGuide.org website.


FARM  TO  FOOD  BANK
We're having fun...
this Farmers' Market season, welcoming the vendors back and getting to know our new volunteers as we gather delicious donated produce for the Food Bank.


Taking a sorbet break while collecting donations at the Farmers' Market.

It only takes two hours on the Saturday of your choice! Older kids and teens welcome.

Click  here to find out more. 

Family Friendly Event

BITS  AND  PIECES

CATERPILLAR CAMEOS:
Otherworldly!


to see  just a small sampling of the astounding variety of caterpillars found across the Eastern US.
 
(Hint: scroll down once you've clicked.)


 QUICK  TIP

BEDTIME SNACKS: 
Yea or Nay?
 
from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center separates fact from fiction.


WORDS  MATTER 
 
"What for centuries raised man above the beast is not the cudgel, but the 
irresistible power 
of unarmed truth."
Boris Pasternak


 SAVE  THE  DATES

Save the Date

GARDENING FOR THE FOOD BANK
Every Wednesday
9-11AM
Learn more 
here.

EARTH DAY TRASH CLEANUP and CELEBRATION
Sunday, April 22, 
9-11AM
Details  here. garden

2018 GIVE!GUIDE ORIENTATION
Thurs., May 3
Two sessions to choose from:  Napa and St. Helena
FFI:  Click here.

NEIGHBORHOOD COORDINATOR ORIENTATION
Napa Food Project
Tues., May 8
6-7:30PM
Learn more here.

 
HERE'S  WHAT  YOU   CanDo TO  GET  INVOLVED
 
We grow fresh, local produce for the Napa Food Bank. Email Karen or Betty.

Waterways Keepers help maintain our river and streams to keep them vibrant and alive. Email Karen.

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

CanDo has a whole new way to help the Food Bank feed neighbors in need. Email Marilyn. 
 

  

 New to CanDo?   

 

Click  here  to receive this nifty weekly eNewsletter.

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



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. 


E P H E M E R A 

Monday, I w asn't quite sure why I hesitated to leave the house for errands. It was an odd sensation, but I listened. 
When I entered my bedroom, I glanced out towards the balcony and realized why. 

Rufous Hummingbirds, which migrate through Napa 
in March and into April, were swooping in numbers 
greater than I'd ever seen. In the past, I've witnessed 
just one at a time and felt it to be a little miracle. 
Now, I counted ten at once, 
all a flutter of copper, green, and magic. 

Three ounces of spirit and determination, they migrate over 3,900 miles from Alaska to Mexico. 

Grabbed my trusty point-and-shoot. 
Then the hail came - twice. I haven't seen them since.

Sometimes it really pays to listen to that whisper.
  hz

WATERWAYS  KEEPERS

EARTH DAY 
IS ALMOST HERE!
Sunday, April 22, 9-11AM


Start the day in the fresh air. Help make our waterways safer for wildlife and even more beautiful. Join other caring folks cleaning trash from our waterways. Then join us as we 
c elebrate at the Oxbow Commons!

Want to volunteer at the family-friendly Earth Day event? Find d etails  right  here and sign-up   here .

Family Friendly Event


PLAY  DAY  
(WE  MEAN  PICK-UP  DAY)
FOR  CanDo's NAPA  FOOD  PROJECT

More than two dozen CanDo volunteers, teens to seniors, worked together to bring in the green bags of hundreds of Food Donors this past Saturday. The total? 
A whopping 10,978 pounds.


Here are a few of the ace volunteers 
who helped make it happen. (The others were busy greeting drivers and unloading green bags!)
Find an album of Napa Food Project photos on 
CanDo's Facebook page.

Next pick-up:  Sat., June 9   
FFI: 
Email 
us.

Building community; sharing food...
one green bag at a time


EVERY   CanDo  PROJECT  INVOLVES  
COMMUNITY EFFORT 

BIG THANKS TO
 Lisa, Marco, Rocio, and all the others at Napa's

They helped us acquire a much-improved 
irrigation system  for our expanded Food Bank garden!

Marco and Rocio with our new irrigation supplies.

Come and join us in the garden any 
Wednesday morning, 9AM until around 11AM, 
and on occasional weekends.
Questions? Email Karen.       
   Family Friendly Event
Kids are welcome to help as along as
           you provide direct adult supervision.
                            
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 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.  
 EARTH DAY FESTIVAL  
SPONSOR: Environmental Education Coalition 
of Napa County
The Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County is looking for volunteers for the Earth Day celebration in downtown Napa on Sunday, April 22nd at the Oxbow Commons. There will be two volunteer shifts: 7:30AM to 12:30PM and 12:30PM to 5PM. Please help us with event set up, the running of the celebration, or the break down of the event. Proceeds from the Earth Day event go to the Darcy Aston Memorial Scholarship Fund and to provide bus grants for Napa County students to take environmental field trips. It is a great community event with fun for all ages! Please consider lending a helping hand.  
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Sunday, April 22, 7:30AM-5PM  
LOCATION: Oxbow Commons Park, Napa
FFI:
  Email, call 707.258.6002 or visit their website
  STORY PIRATES IN ALL NEW GREATEST HITS!      
SPONSOR: E & M Presents
The nationally-acclaimed troupe, STORY PIRATES, brings their sketch comedy musical based on favorite stories written by kids from around the country, plus an improvised segment using ideas from kids in the audience! Volunteers needed. Dress casually, wear comfortable shoes. Help is needed for pre-show arts activities and other easy jobs related to Will Call. Volunteers may bring kids with them but contact organizer for details.  
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Saturday, April 21, 1-2:30PM and 
3-4:30PM    
COST:  $18 general admission / $25 reserved seating (buy three tickets, get a fourth ticket free)
FFI:
  Email or call 707.501.8567 or visit their website
 NAPA VALLEY TOUR DE CURE 
SPONSOR: American Diabetes Association
27th Annual Napa Valley Tour de Cure is a fundraising walk, run and ride event to benefit the American Diabetes Association. (Minimum $250 fundraising required to participate.) Volunteers are needed to support the event and participants. Volunteers receive free lunch and event  
t-shirt. This is an outdoor event. Volunteers should wear comfortable clothing and shoes. If community service hours are needed for school, court or social services, please bring forms to be signed. 
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Sunday, May 6, 5:30AM-5PM  
LOCATION: Veteran's Home, Yountville 
FFI:
  Email, call 510.654.4499x7525 or visit their website
  HOME COMPOSTING WORKSHOP      
SPONSOR: City of Napa, UC Master Gardeners, County of Napa, City of American Canyon
Learn how to turn yard trimmings and kitchen scrap into compost at home. Sign-up for a free workshop and choose a backyard composting container at the end of your two hour workshop ($20 cash or check only). 
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Friday, April 20, 6:45-9PM  
COST:  Free workshop. $20 for composting bin
FFI:
  Email or call 707.258.7864 or visit their website
  EARTH DAY NAPA FESTIVAL       
SPONSOR: Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County (EECNC)
Come celebrate Earth Day the Napa way! This annual festival is held from 11am to 4pm in the Oxbow Commons Park next to the Oxbow Market. Come down, listen to live music provided by BottleRock, explore nature-based games and activities from local organizations, see student projects, visit exhibitor booths, and enjoy local beer, wine and food-trucks. And all beer and wine is only $5 and 100% of the proceeds go to support environmental education in Napa County. It will be a fun packed day in the Oxbow bend of the Napa River! 
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Sunday, April 22, 11AM-4PM  
FFI:  Email or call 707.974.7498 or visit their website
FAITH FORUM - THE JOURNEY FORWARD,
INCLUSION OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY  
 
SPONSOR:   PFLAG Napa
Please join PFLAG Napa to learn about evolving relationships between faith communities and LGBTQ* people.
- Guest speakers from different faith traditions will tell their "stories," including the journey thus far and hopes for the future.
- Small group discussions will focus on ways faith communities and LGBTQ* people can build inclusive relationships.
- The Faith Forum will be in place of the regular April PFLAG Napa Support gathering.
The PFLAG Napa Chapter looks forward to welcoming you (18 years of age and older). 
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Tuesday, April 24, 7-9PM  
LOCATION: CrossWalk Community Church, 2590 First Street, Napa
FFI:
  Email, call 707.681.1477 or visit their website
PRIMARY ELECTION FORUMS   
  SPONSOR: League of Women Voters of Napa County
Forums will educate voters about candidates and issues in the upcoming primary election. Learn about the New Voter's Choice Act in Napa County. Meet the two candidates running for District 3's Board of Supervisors seat: incumbent Diane Dillon and Cio Perez. Hear a panel of proponents and opponents for Measure C: Watershed and Oak Woodland Protection. Listen to pro and con arguments concerning Measure D: Heliport Ban, Regional Measure 3: Bay Area Traffic Relief Plan, and five state propositions. Free and open to public. Bring questions. 
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Wednesdays, April 25 (St. Helena), and May 2 (Napa). Both run from 7-9PM. 
LOCATION: Napa Valley College Up Valley Campus, 1088 College Ave., St. Helena / Napa Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 1625 Salvador Ave., Napa
FFI:
  Email, call 707.963.7210 or visit their website
STEVENSON POETRY NIGHT    
SPONSOR: Robert Louis Stevenson Museum
Join the RLSM for the 2nd Annual Stevenson Poetry Night - a celebration of RLS and the Spoken Word. This is a night for the community to come together and celebrate poetry! An open mic will be available to those who wish to recite a favorite work or read a new poem. To be guaranteed a spot, please contact the RLSM by April 20th. Early submitted poems will be included in a program. Performers are asked to keep their reading under 3 minutes to give everyone an opportunity to read.
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Thursday, April 26, 6:30-8PM  
LOCATION: St. Helena Public Library, 1492 Library Lane
COST:  This is a free event, but donations to the RLSM are appreciated to keep these events going! 
FFI:  Email, call 707.963.3757 or visit their website.
RETIREMENT RENEWAL FORUM   
 
SPONSOR: Collabria Care & Aegis Living of Napa
CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS OF AGING IN PLACE - Preparing to Live the Life You Can Enjoy. Where will you live in your later years? Remain in your home? Move to a retirement community? Go where the grandkids are? Learn more about your many options and what you need to know to make informed decisions at this transition time in your life. Speaker: Dr. Sara Zeff Geber, Retirement and Life Planning Specialist, author "Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers". 
DAY/DATE/TIME:  Tuesday, May 1, 5:30-7PM  
LOCATION: Collabria Care 414 South Jefferson Street, Napa
FFI:
  Email, call 707.258.9087x272 or visit their website