On Oct. 19 at Lewis Middle School, SCAC hosted to a mid-sized audience a community forum for the two candidates (Shana Hazan, Godwin Higa) running for the San Diego Unified School District Board of Trustees for District “B” (which includes all the feeder schools for PHHS).

A special thank you to Principal, Justin Phillips, and staff for ensuring the desks, chairs, and microphones made for an easy style of forum. For nearly two hours we heard from our candidates on questions from the audience in true nonpartisan fashion. While I was timekeeper, making sure each candidate used only the same allotted time, our moderator was Tamar Caspi who did a stellar job reading the questions so the candidates and the audience could hear and understand them.

SCAC does not endorse any candidate; our purpose is to present the candidates so you hear from them why they are running for office and present their vision for that office.

The next meeting of the San Carlos Area Council (SCAC) is Wednesday, Nov. 16, and the flow of the meeting is as follows: We open with a few brief words, then the pledge of allegiance to our flag, the SCAC Officer reports, the San Diego Fire Department, and the San Diego Police Department, then to our representatives from our various elected officials for their reports. Time is allowed for questions and answers. Then we have our guest speaker (see below for the November topic).

For our November meeting, we have a speaker who will discuss an innovative and altruistic conservation project. Gary Blume is the president and founder of the “Total Altruistic Project Foundation”, and will discuss his project and Foundation.

This nonprofit foundation organization is running its pilot program, the Total Altruism Project, at our neighboring Allied Gardens Community Park. The project is about managing and eliminating litter in commonly used public spaces. The project is unique in that it taps into people’s need to occasionally do “a random act of kindness”.

In conjunction with this project, Mesa College has their biostatistics class (Bio 200) collecting data to be able to scientifically show what effect the project has on the environment.

Mesa finished their baseline/control study at the end of October so the installation of the project was Nov.1. If studies show public support for this type of project, it is hypothesized that there will be a rippling effect of positive energy throughout the environment to the point that the project was named the Total Altruism Project. T.A.P. into it. If you would like to help with this project, contact their website at: TotalAltruismProject.org.

The SCAC previously helped with neighborhood community service projects; it is time we got back to doing that. While I know some of us are physically unable to do a lot of physical labor (myself is included) there are things we can do that are not so physically challenging, with this project or any other local community service project. So keep your eyes and ears open and if you see a project you think we may be able to help with, please bring it to my attention.

At our September meeting, Jordon Marks was our guest speaker and spoke about why he is running for SDARCC and his vision for the future, after his presentation he answered audience questions. In July Barbara Bry was our guest speaker, and at this writing I have no idea which candidate will win but I know forward thinking is making a difference for both candidates.

Our drive to collect needed items for our local elementary schools continues.

I met briefly with the principal at Foster Elementary School and she indicated that they always need more Kleenex, so a few days after our meeting I delivered a 12-box package of Kirkland tissue to the school. The flu season is here and there is an ever-increasing need for simple things like tissues to help combat the spreading of the flu germs.

And that reminds me… in December we are embarking on a PJ campaign for those kids in Foster Care.

So, at our annual SCAC Appreciation SNACK – FEST, I am asking (it is not a requirement) that you bring at least one pair of new PJs … And please do come and help us say thank you to our Fire and Police departments, the San Carlos Branch Library Staff and our elected officials and their representatives to meet with us on a regular basis. I want to give a shout out to Raul Campillo and his staff especially.

If you would like to get involved in your Area Council, contact me at: [email protected].

We are looking for someone to help with our San Carlos Community Garden plot.

Our next SCAC meeting is Dec. 21 at the San Carlos Branch Library (pictured above) starting at 6:30 p.m.

Photo credit: Pixabay.com

– Mickey Zeichick is president, SCAC.