School previously raised over  30 tons of supplies for Katrina victims and, over $100,000 worth of medical supplies for those affected by the Haiti earthquake

November 11, 2012 (San Diego)-- “People really want to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy however they can,” said Scott Brown, former San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA) parent and manager of The Mother of All Garage Sales.

On Sunday, November 11 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, SDJA will old the event,, with 100% of the proceeds going to the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

November 6, 2012  (Alpine) -- On Friday, November 2, Junior Girl Scout Troop 6279 of Alpine collected over 375 pounds of nonperishable food items for the Alpine Food Bank thanks to the Alpine Albertsons and their generous customers.

Over a period of three hours, the Girl Scouts greeted Albertsons shoppers, asking them to give to the drive and handed them flyers listing shopping items that were needed at the food bank. The positive response was overwhelming. The girls especially wish to thank an anonymous patron who purchased over $200 worth of groceries and had Albertsons personnel deliver them to the Girl Scout collection site in front of the store.

Pictured from left to right, Back Row: Carlita Coleman, Claire Doucet, Kate Duffy, Carly Hodgson and Front Row (seated) Kenzie Wray & Carli Sheker (not pictured: Julia Tompkins, Rori McCarthy, Gracie Wyse, Karlee Dillon, Danika Dabbs, Brinleigh Aland)

November 3, 2012 (San Diego)– With the holiday season approaching, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) announced that it will provide more than $600,000 in charitable donations to non-profit organizations in San Diego and Orange counties as part of its continuing commitment to help local underserved communities in need. 

November 1, 2012 (San Diego) – SaveMissionTrails.org is organizing a Stop the Power Plant rally & hike at Cowles Mountain on Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.  The meeting place is the Cowles Mountain staging area at the intersection of Navajo Rd. and Golfcrest.  Attendees are asked to wear orange and bring (or borrow) a sign.

October 26, 2012 (San Diego) – KPBS is hosting A Tribute to Gloria Penner on October 30 at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 700 Prospect Street, La Jolla, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Gloria Penner was a San Diego broadcasting pioneer who was part of KPBS for nearly half a century.  She lost her battle with cancer on October 6 at the age of 81.

To RSVP for this event, please visit http://www.kpbs.org/gloriatribute.

October 26, 2012(San Diego) – As part of its ongoing commitment to cultural diversity and responsible banking, and in commemoration of Disability Awareness Month, Union Bank, N.A., has  partnered with KPBS to recognize two local heroes who are making a positive difference to improve the lives of others. 

The 2012 Local Heroes campaign is designed to celebrate and pay tribute to extraordinary members of the community who are making a difference by improving their workplaces, neighborhoods, region and the world.  The 2012 Disability Awareness Month honorees are: Louis Frick and Laurel Moorhead.

October 18, 2012 (La Mesa) – The Debbie Berton Walk to end breast cancer will be October 28 from noon to 2:30 p.m. at Lake Murray, 5540 Kiowa Drive, La Mesa.  The public is welcome to participate in this community event.

The walk is a relaxed 1.5 miles starting from the baseball fields at Lake Murray.  Admission is not required, but with a minimum $20 tax deductible advance donation a T-shirt is provided.  Two additional registration levels are also available.  Register online at www.TheDebbieBertonWalk.com by midnight October 25.  Walk-in registrations and donations are welcome the day of the event.

October 17, 2012 (Lakeside) -- Cox Communications and The Trust for Public Land announced Sally Nelson as the 2012 Cox Conserves Hero (click to see video).  Sponsored locally by Think Blue San Diego and radio partners KYXY 96.5 and Energy 103.7 FM, Cox Conserves Heroes honors volunteers who are creating preserving or enhancing outdoor spaces. 

Nelson was nominated by Lakeside's River Park Conservancy because of her commitment to the local environment, education and community awareness. Nelson has been volunteering for over 10 years. She has been active in every event  the River Park has had, from the first purchase of land to the trail opening.

By Kit-Bacon Gressitt

October 10, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Picture a serene summer night in Phoenix, Arizona, circa 1982.1

I lay on a crinkly table in a cluttered ER, joking with the doc, bribing him with a promise of homemade shortbread if he could fix my face without leaving scars, looking anywhere but in his eyes, and I noticed a police officer nearby.

October 2, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Keller Williams Realty El Cajon will be a "Gold Sponsor" for the upcoming "Roy Richards Recovery Fund" golf tournament being held on Friday October 5 at the Carlton Oaks Golf Course in Santee. The office is helping to raise funds to help Richards recover from a life-threatening accident that resulted in a skull fracture with major brain injuries. He also suffered a broken rib and broken nose.

October 4, 2012 (Alpine)--The Alpine Woman's Club invites you to participate in a program to help maintain and preserve the historic Town Hall building. It was built in 1899 and is one of Alpine's most significant treasures. In 2006 it was designated an historic site by the San Diego County Register of Historic Places. As Alpine's original Town Hall, it has housed every type of event imaginable - graduations, movie nights, dances, weddings, funerals, Red Cross events during World Wars I and II, and much more.

September 27, 2012  (San Diego)– Three adolescent girls, who suffered severe burns from a Halloween accident, car crash, and kitchen incident, will share their stories during a special fundraising dinner at a private residence in the San Diego area on Saturday, October 6, 2012 from 6 to 9 p.m.

September 22, 2012 (San Diego) -- On Saturday, September 29, hundreds of East County residents will shine their belt buckles and don their best pair of jeans for East County Family  YMCA’s annual fundraiser called The Branding. The event, now in its 19th year, will be held in a western setting at McGrath Family YMCA in Rancho San Diego.

Since The Branding’s inception, thanks to the generosity of community members, sponsors, donors, and dedicated volunteers, The Branding  has raised more than $1.5 million.

Proceeds help fund special programs for San Diegans in need of hospice care

September 16, 2012 (San Diego) – The LightBridge Hospice Community Foundation, a non-profit organization that fulfills special requests from hospice patients and their loved ones, will host its 4th annual Remembrance Walk on Sunday, September 23 at Liberty Station.

September 11, 2012 (La Mesa) -- This year’s Park Appreciation Day is scheduled for October 20.  La Mesa’s parks are the jewels of the city – help make them shine for the centennial.

Individuals of all ages and groups can join in and help their community.  Civic, church or social groups can adopt a park. To find a project that all your members can do, contact us at 667.1300 or community@ci.la-mesa.ca.us.