Below are few November 2017 highlights from Healthy Communities. Thank you to everyone who volunteers and works together to make our Lyon and Storey communities warm and welcoming places where everyone can thrive.
Nov 18th Dayton Food Drive at Smith’s Grocery – HCC’s Dayton Food Pantry is holding another “Stuff a Cop Car” event in front of Smith’s Grocery store. Join volunteers from the Dayton Food Pantry and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Department on Saturday, November 18th from 10am-4pm in the goal to stuff a police car completely full of nonperishable food to help our friends and neighbors. For addresses, contact numbers, etc for all 3 HCC pantries, see https://healthycomm.org/food-hub/food-pantries/
Nov. 18th Dayton Food Distribution Day– Dayton Food Pantry distributes USDA commodities and other donations at Sutro Elementary on the 3rd Saturday of each month from noon-3pm. More info: https://healthycomm.org/food-hub/food-pantries/
Nov. 18th Fernley Turkey Trot 5K: HCC’s Stand Tall and the Family Resource Center are hosting the 5th Annual Turkey Trot 5K at the Fernley High on Saturday, November 18th beginning at 8:30am. The event will help raise funds for the annual Stand Tall scholarship and will also support the Family Resource Center.
Nov. 20th Free Cooking Class in Dayton: Join dietitian Kim Mason and chef Cynthia Kroon for a healthy cooking demonstration, followed by dinner, on Mon Nov 20, 2017 at 5:30pm at the Dayton Community Center at 170 Pike Street. The class is completely free, no need to register, and everyone is welcome. Participants will learn how to prepare Pumpkin Spice Bars, Cauliflower Gold, Crunch Quinoa and Apple Salad. The November cooking class includes information about Metabolic Syndrome, steps you can take if you are at risk for Metabolic Syndrome, and recommended food therapy for Metabolic Syndrome.
Community Roots and Shoots is blossoming at its new location at Healthy Communities’ headquarters at 209 Dayton Valley Road. Current hours are Thursday/Friday from Noon-6:00 and Saturday from 10:00am-2:00pm. Proceeds from the nonprofit benefit area community projects such as school gardens and teen job and academic skills programs.
Tues Nov 21st Thanksgiving Food Distribution at HCC’s Yerington Food Pantry: Yerington Food Pantry’s Thanksgiving food distribution will be TUESDAY November 21st rather than on the Pantry’s normal distribution day of Wednesday. Also, the Pantry is welcoming turkey donations through December 18. The Yerington Pantry, which opened its doors for the first time just this spring, is already reaching about 600 people per week! The majority of the Pantry guests are elders. For addresses, contact numbers, etc for all 3 HCC pantries, see https://healthycomm.org/food-hub/food-pantries/
HCC’s Silver Stage Pantry served 387 families on November 15th alone (ham plus side items for Thanksgiving). The Pantry will be opened Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving, then closed Wed -Fri for the holiday. Silver Stage Food Pantry director Kathy McIntosh writes, “we have three AmeriCorps members serving the Pantry, and many wonderful caring volunteers that make it all possible. The work is not easy – it is back breaking and hard, but they all do it with a smile and a loving heart.”
Yerington Coat Drive: Soroptimists in Yerington are partnering with HCC’s school-based resource coordinator for a coat drive. Contact Shannon at 350-4597 to donate.
Dayton: Teri Gahr, HCC’s Dayton region School Resource Coordinator, is helping to connect families with winter needs, and helping to distribute the coats, food, etc. that many groups are gathering during the holiday season, and/or helping to promote their good causes. Following are some of the groups gathering items:
Dayton Clothing Swap: at Dayton Community Center on Sat. Nov. 18 from 10am-2pm at the Dayton Community Center (170 Pike St). Admission is 2 non-perishable items for the Dayton Food Pantry. Drop off your clean, outgrown, no longer needed clothing items and pick up “new to you items.” Stock up on winter wear for children and adults at this annual event sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of Mason Valley.
November Coat Drive: River Vista Finess in Dayton is hosting a November coat drive, seeking gently used hats, coats, sweaters, etc. All sizes welcomed, and kids sizes 4-16 especially needed.
Winter Clothing: Dayton High Key Club students are hosting a winter clothing drive, seeking child and youth sizes. Donations can be taken to Room 5 at DHS until Dec. 15th.
Thanksgiving Donations: Several kind souls contacted Teri with offers to provide full meals for families for Thanksgiving.
Holiday Gifts: Urgent Care in Dayton is hosting an Angel Tree for the holidays.
Holiday Meals: River Vista Fitness is partnering with a local church for a non-perishable food drive to benefit two families from each Dayton school, ten in total, for holiday meals.
Toys: The Dayton schools are collection spots for Toys for Tots.
Girls Group at Silver Stage Middle School is meeting again this school year. The group meets on Fridays from 2:45-4:45pm. Contact Rosa Stone or HCC’s Patty Sanborn (room 101) for more details. psanborn@lyoncsd.org
Fernley Clothing for Students: HCC’s Fernley School Resource Coordinators have a fantastic clothing room for students in need, and they welcome donations of new or gently used coats and clothing for K-12 sizes. Contact Norma or Maria at nespinoza@lyoncsd.org or msaavedra@lyoncsd.org
Silver Stage Pantry Gift Drive: The Pantry is also collecting gifts for 40 homebound seniors and nearly 800 children. Beginning in Dec, there will be donation barrels at the high and middle schools and at Dollar General. Their Shopping with the Elves event will be on Dec. 22 from 1pm-4pm for children in need of holiday gifts. For contact numbers etc for all 3 HCC pantries, see https://healthycomm.org/food-hub/food-pantries/
Tobacco Use Prevention: Shout out to HCC’s Fernley Stand Tall for their informative tobacco prevention presentation to the Fernley Chamber on Nov. 14th!
Thank you Dick Goodrick and American Family Insurance: Long time Dayton Food Pantry volunteer Dick Goodrick’s moving essay about HCC’s Dayton Food Pantry resulted in a $3,000 award from American Family Insurance!