Rattlesnake dog clinic scheduled

The 5th Annual Rattlesnake Avoidance Dog Training Clinic will be March 1 and 2 at 1890 View Drive, Santa Ynez. Professional dog trainer Patrick Callaghan will be handling the personal one-on-one training for all dogs attending the classes. He spends six months every year training dogs at various clinics so that they will avoid rattlesnakes. The program is being coordinated by Jill Warren.

The training sessions will be held between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. both days. Training takes approximately 15 minutes, but is by appointment only, and training should be reinforced every year to make sure dogs and humans are safe when walking and hiking. Warren said more than 80 individuals visited last year’s clinic and she expects a similar number of participants this year. The cost is $70 per dog. More information is available from 688-7993, or visit www.gamelandkennels.com or www.patrickcallaghan.com.

 

Volunteers to speak March 2

The public is invited to a special session and brunch March 2 when Si Tenenberg of San Luis Obispo will visit Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 3550 Baseline Avenue, Santa Ynez. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. with the brunch to follow at 11:45 a.m. Tenenberg and other volunteers have assisted troops in Afghanistan and Iraq with thousands of packages. This service and ways to become involved will be discussed during the meeting. Tenenberg has traveled to churches throughout the Central Coast so share his message about helping the troops.

“We started with 80 packages and we are now at 1800 packages delivered and continue at the rate of 40 a week,” Tenenberg said in a letter about the program. He added that the packages contain phone cards, boot socks, t-shirts, blankets, gloves, beanies, hand warmers, and other items needed for the minus-15- degree temperatures that persist during winter in the Middle East. Tenenberg also is expected to share correspondence he has received from troops stationed overseas.

Donations to the program may be tax deductible. Anyone with questions can call Margo Gould at 688-3109.

 

 

Donations help children’s camp

Local volunteers are spending weeks as missionaries at La Montana Christian Camp in Costa Rica. Started by Joe and Clara Pent, San Jose, as a place where children from Limon and San Jose, Costa Rica, can leave their neighborhoods and learn another way to live, the program assists approximately 300 children every week.

Funds donated to Latin America Assistance, a tax-exempt charity, started the camp with one cabin and so far have financed staff quarters, a gym, dining hall, a soaring chapel that looks out on the jungle, as well as a room for an institute to teach Costa Ricans to become youth pastors. Donations also pay for materials and staff for the camp.

Details about the camps are available from public relations director Tom Doty at 2822 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, or by calling 563-2075 ext.100, or visit www.lamontana.org. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 123, Solvang, CA 93464-0123.