The CanDo Connection - #588

Sept. 20, 2022

This image indicates a

family friendly event.

This buttery yellow color

indicates volunteer opportunities.

Banned? Says Who?

Banned Books Week is Sept. 18-24

The more they try to ban them, the more we'll read them.

Every year, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) of the American Library Association compiles a list of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. The lists are based on information from media stories and voluntary reports sent to OIF from communities across the United States.

Here are the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2021.

Help the American Library Association Fight Censorship

Here in Napa: Banned Books and Bites

Our own Napa County Library invites you to exercise your right to read banned books-- by reading them. Banned Books and Bites is a new place to read and discuss challenge and banned books in a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment.

Open to ages 14 and up for light snacks and good conversation.

WHEN: Thursday Sept. 29, 6-7:15pm

WHERE: Napa County Library, 580 Coombs St., Napa

Compost Corner 

Disposing of Unusable Pillows and Comforters

Q. I struggle with what to do with old bedding-- pillows, comforters in particular. I have called animal shelters who won't take them. Goodwill won't take them either. Is there an alternative to putting them in the trash?

Thanks, Denise 

A. We did the feather pillow question in the spring… here’s an expansion to this new question:

Sheets and washable bedding (like fleece blankets) are accepted with other textiles on our Recycling More Program. However for unusable pillows and comforters, there are not really any good options for reuse, so these items do need to go in the landfill cart for disposal.

If the pillows or comforters are filled with natural cotton or feathers, the cotton or feathers could be composted if emptied out of the fabric. The outer fabric covering would then need to disposed of in the landfill cart. Please do not put synthetic filling in the compost cart, so if you are unsure over what the filling is made from, please dispose of the entire item in the landfill cart.

To avoid a mess of feathers all over the street, I’d also probably recommend putting emptied feathers in a compostable or paper bag before placing in the compost cart, as opposed to loose in the cart.

Thanks, Tim

Tim Dewey-Mattia of Napa Recycling graciously answers your questions about recycling, composting, and the like.

Napa Food Project 

Be Part of a Simple System That Really Works! 

Every two months-- on the second Saturday of every even-numbered month-- our Neighborhood Coordinators pick up green bags of healthy nonperishable food that neighbors have left outside their front doors. The NCs leave empty bags for next time and take all the food to the CAN-V Napa Food Bank. It’s that easy!

You're invited to our Neighborhood Coordinator Orientation tonight, Sept. 20, at 6:00 PM. If you're interested, click the button below, email us, and we'll send you a Zoom invite. Don't delay!

It's a great way to introduce your children to the importance of community involvement. We hear that they love to help collect the green bags with their family on a Saturday morning!

CanDo's Projects 

Featured this Week: 

Stow It- Don't Throw It, Napa!

Email Debbie if you have more fruit or vegetables than you can use (enough to feed at least 10 families), and you'd like to request a glean. If you'd like to be added to our list of on-call gleaners (no ongoing obligation; give it a try just once)!-- let us know.

CanDo's Food Rescue Team Join us at the Napa Farmers Market on any Saturday, year-round, for just one hour. In that hour, you'll help us provide fresh fruit and vegetables for the food-insecure in Napa Valley. More info and sign-up here.

CanDo's Napa Food Project Want to become a Neighborhood Coordinator (NC) in this dynamic project that supplies the CAN-V Food Bank with a reliable source of nonperishable food year-round? It only takes about 2 hours every other month, after initial set-up.  Our next ZOOM orientation for Neighborhood Coordinators will be THIS EVENING, September 20th. Sign up here to attend.

Waterway Keepers is a project of Napa RCD, originally begun by CanDo back in 2012. It coordinates multiple volunteer-led trash pick-ups throughout the year along the Napa River and its tributaries. Contact Ashley or call 707-690-3117.

CanDo's Napa Valley Give!Guide Since its inception in 2013, the Hilary Zunin CanDo Spirit Award (a part of our Give!Guide campaign) has gone to an exceptional young person (35 or under) who is employed full-time by any NPO in Napa County. The award is generously sponsored by the Napa Valley Vintners. The winner receives a plaque and a check for $1000.00. Application deadline is Sept. 30, 2022.

SEPTEMBER: National Preparedness Month 

Personal and Organizational Preparedness for Emergency Workers, Disaster Workers, & Nonprofit and Faith-Based Organization Staff

Organizational Preparedness: Emergency Operation Plans for Emergency Services Organizations.  Why does it make sense for organizations to encourage their staff to be personally prepared for emergencies-– whether it is an earthquake, wildfire, or pandemic?

An in-depth 2-hour training about Organizational Preparedness, including: learning how to craft a disaster mission statement, forming teams for support, learning about the value of collaborations -- where are your allies?-- and receiving an agency template for preparedness. Participants will leave the webinar with a list of concrete next steps on how to prepare their organization for an emergency.

When: Tuesday, September 27th from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Where: Online, via Zoom. 

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? SPOTLIGHT

Volunteer Opportunities & Events from 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.

If you represent a local nonprofit, you may submit a SPOTLIGHT event or VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY by completing the form found here.

t them to do here? (Call-to-Action)me only" or "only 7 remaining"!

HELP WITH HOMEWORK TUTORS NEEDED

Sponsor: Napa Valley Community Housing (NVCH)

"Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person."

Our "Help With Homework" program is looking for volunteers to tutor and mentor resident children grades 5-12. The 1:1 tutoring can be in person or virtual, whichever works best and is most convenient. Time commitment is minimum 3 hours/week, up to 10 hours/week through the 30 week school year.

DAY/DATE/TIME: Flexible

LOCATION: To be determined, may be virtual

FFI: Email, call 707.257.2844 or visit their website.

FFI: Email, call 707.253.7444 ext 124 or visit their website.

GOLDEN GATHERING FOR WINE AT THE WATERMARK

Sponsor: Share the Care Napa Valley

Please join us for Share the Care Napa Valley's 1st Golden Gathering featuring Wine at the Watermark. There will be appetizers served in the courtyard, live music and a silent auction. It's an opportunity to meet others and show your support for the health, well-being and independence of older adults. RSVP to [email protected].

DAY/DATE/TIME: Thursday, September 22, 5-7PM

LOCATION:  4055 Solano Avenue (next to Justin Siena HS)

FFI: Email, call 707.492.3198 or visit their website.

UPCOMING VOTER FORUMS

Sponsor: League of Women Voters of Napa County

Please join us for the following voter forums. Forums are free and open to the public, and viewers may choose simultaneous translation in Spanish. Recordings will be available (English only) at YouTube/LWVNapa. Register for via Zoom for all forums at LWVNapa.com.00

• - St. Helena Mayor & City Council: Two candidates for mayor, three candidates for two city council seats. Thursday, September 22nd, 6:00–7:30PM.
• - Napa County Board of Supervisors: The top-two candidates each for Districts 1 & 3. Co-sponsored by the Napa County Chamber CoalitionWednesday, September 28th, 6:00–7:30PM 
• - Calistoga Mayor & City Council Candidate Forum: hosting five nonpartisan candidate forums for contested mayoral and city council seats. Two candidates for mayor, three candidates for two city council seats. Submit questions two days prior at [email protected]. Thursday, September 29th, 6:00–7:30PM.
• - American Canyon Candidate Forum & Pro/Con on Measure J: Running for two city council seats: Jesse Corpus, Mark Joseph (incumbent) & David Ore (incumbent). Monday, October 3rd, 6:00–7:30PM.
• - Pros & Cons of the Seven State Propositions: Thursday, October 6th, 6:00–7:30 pm, co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women, Napa Branch. The unbiased, in-depth information will give you a comprehensive understanding of these ballot issues. Co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women, Napa Branch. Thursday, October 6 from 6:00-7:30PM (.

FFI: Email, call 707.287.2021 or visit their website.

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.

CanDo's COVID-19 Guidelines

Napa Valley CanDo abides by all CDC

guidelines regarding COVID-19.

Volunteers are requested to do their best to practice physical distancing and to

wear a mask.

We will provide volunteers with masks if needed.



For the safety of our volunteers, those who don’t abide by these guidelines may not be able to participate in face-to-face activities.

New to CanDo?  

Want to receive this nifty weekly

eNewsletter?

It comes out every Tuesday morning,

bright and early,

full of ways you can volunteer and

connect with community.

In 2009 Hilary Zunin and Grania Lindberg, along with a small group of Napans dedicated to furthering positive change, created an all-volunteer, grassroots community service group: Napa Valley CanDo. The goal? To connect, inspire, and empower neighbors by making it easy to take positive action as volunteers and to learn about our community. All of CanDo’s efforts are designed to strengthen and enhance the lives of Napa Valley residents. At our heart, CanDo is about neighbors helping neighbors.

PO Box 855

Napa

CA 94559

707.226.7458