DIY Energy and Sustainability Toolkit

The city of La Mesa is making it easy for residents to save energy, conserve water and reduce waste with the launch of their new DIY Energy Saving and Sustainability Toolkit. The toolkits are available for check out and give La Mesa residents the tools to make sustainable changes to their homes so they can save energy and water and reduce waste. It aims to engage residents in environmentally conscious initiatives that support the city of La Mesa’s climate action plan, which strives to reduce emissions in half by 2035.

The toolkit was created in partnership with SDG&E and Helix Water District and features free giveaways, reusable tools, and a user guide with step-by-step instructions on how to implement cost saving changes to residents’ home. The free giveaways include LED bulbs, low-flow showerheads, weather-stripping, low-flow faucet aerators, outlet gaskets and more. Users are encouraged to fill out a voluntary feedback form documenting savings and overall satisfaction with the kit. The information captured will help the city improve the program and measure progress towards its goals.

The toolkits are available for check out to La Mesa residents and can be reserved online. Residents can identify one of two pick-up locations — La Mesa City Hall, 8130 Allison Ave., and Helix Water District, 7811 University Ave. Kits must be returned after two weeks. For more information on the toolkit and to reserve one today, visit bit.ly/2mlFuPr.

‘Stuff the Jeep’

The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce has created a partnership with Barnes & Noble at Grossmont Center to invite the public to purchase a book that will be donated to the Chamber’s annual La Mesa Military Families Holiday Project.

The books may be purchased at Barnes & Noble beginning on Sept. 28 through Oct. 26. The local Military Families Holiday Project allows the chamber to gather new toys, diapers and other items for military families that are living in the two military housing locations in La Mesa. Many of them have family members deployed during the holidays and this project allows the chamber and the public to make the holiday season a little brighter for these military personnel that sacrifice for our country. This event is being called “Stuff the Jeep.” There will be a Jeep, courtesy of Carl Burger Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM World, in Grossmont Center beginning Oct. 21 and on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 3:30 p.m., all of the books that have been donated will be brought out to the Jeep and “stuffed” inside for this worthy cause and handed off to the La Mesa Chamber to be included in its annual military children and families holiday enhancement project.

How can the public participate? Visit Barnes & Noble in Grossmont Center and remember at check out to pick a book from the stack of books available to donate to the military families. All those that donate a book will be given a raffle ticket. Raffles will be held for prizes on Oct. 26, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. During those same hours, there will also be lots of children’s activities such as craft activities, special story time and more.

For more information about this project, visit lamesachamber.com.

Chamber board elections and mixer at Hooley’s

The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Hooley’s Public House, 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, starting at 5:30 p.m.

In addition to board elections for the chamber, the event is billed as a business mixer and party that will feature food from host Hooley’s, as well as wines from Cali Comfort BBQ, Nonno’s Ristorante Italiano and Valley Farm Market.

Chamber members bringing their ballots in person, must place them in the ballot box by 6:15 p.m. Enjoy great food and two complimentary glasses of wine — red or white from our wine partners. Find out why Hooleys Public House is a popular destination and why Craig McDonald is a very popular owner! He is one of the most gracious hosts in the region. The great food and friendly atmosphere are keys to Craig’s success.

The chamber will host a raffle and other surprises. Be sure to make plans to join us and bring your business cards while you mix and mingle. The evening cost is free to all chamber members; advance guest tickets, $10 per person; and at door guest tickets, $20 per person. All who attend will receive two complimentary drink tickets

Reservations may be made via the website, lamesachamber.com, or by emailing [email protected], or by calling the chamber office at 619-465-7700 ext. 2.

Canine Corners Dog Park needs facelift

Canine Corners Dog Park, located in Harry Griffen Park in La Mesa, is one of East County’s oldest off-leash dog parks. It began in 1998, the idea of five women who walked their dogs in the park. Shepherded by Becky Rice, one of those women, it finally became a reality in October of 2001.

Over the years, the dog park grew to the three fenced dog runs that exist today. Run by volunteers, Canine Corners maintains the park and offers socialization opportunities for both dogs and their owners.

But the years have taken their toll on the park: the fences are sagging, the dust is overwhelming, the seating areas are underwhelming, and the trek through the creek bed to get to the gate is treacherous.

It’s time for a facelift, and it’s called “Becky’s Project” in honor of cofounder Becky Rice, who passed away in August.

The Canine Corners Reconstruction Committee has developed a plan to prepare the park for a new surface by improving the drainage and grading. Other items on their ambitious agenda include: new vinyl-covered fencing; improved covered hard-scape seating areas with new benches; addition of 2,600 square feet to the north side (mostly benefiting the small dog section); improved water access; improved waste disposal containers; and play features for dogs. The piece de resistance will be the brand-new bridge entrance. The elegant pillared gateway will welcome dog owners into an enlarged entry to the dog runs.

It promises to be a definite enhancement to an already lovely park. The plans have been approved by the Joint Powers Authority, which manages Harry Griffen Park. The next step is to get funding to pay for the dream. The committee hopes to gather funds from multiple sources, including La Mesa businesses, grants, and donations from fundraisers and their GoFundMe page (search Canine Corners Becky’s Project). Information and donation opportunities may also be found at: caninecornersdogpark.com or their Facebook page. Donations may be mailed to Canine

Corners Dog Park, PO Box 2192, La Mesa, CA 91943.

Helix resident featured in memoir showcase

Mt. Helix resident Sandi Nieto is one of 10 winners of the fifth annual San Diego Memoir Showcase Competition, put on by the San Diego Memoir Writers Association.

This year’s contest theme was “I Didn’t See That One Coming,” and nearly 200 submissions were received and reviewed by a panel of judges.

Nieto’s submission, “We Had the Dog Tags All Along,” chronicles her father’s disappearance in 1954 and her feelings of abandonment. She later learned what happened to him following the death of her mother in 1988.

Nieto has lived in Mount Helix for 30-plus years. She credits her husband for encouraging her to write.

“He was the one who encouraged me to start thinking about writing my story for real,” she said. “When I’d tell someone parts of my life story, I would always say in a kidding way, my novel will be coming out soon! I still have doubts about my story as a memoir. Honored and grateful I was considered for the showcase.”

The 10 winning submissions that were selected to be in the fifth annual San Diego Memoir Showcase will be performed before a live audience at the North Coast Repertory Theatre on Oct. 28. This year, there will be two shows: a 4 p.m. afternoon matinee as well as a 7 p.m. evening performance. Tickets available at bit.ly/2koUP0W.

In addition to the 10 showcase pieces, an additional 20 writers will be matched with a writing coach and featured in the upcoming 2020 SDMWA Memoir Anthology, “Shaking the Tree: brazen. short. memoir. – Volume 3.” All the authors will have the opportunity to appear on the “Shaking the Tree” book tour as an anthology author.

The award-winning anthology, “Shaking the Tree: Volume One” was published in 2018 and featured 29 stories from the first three years of the San Diego Memoir Showcase. The editors and writers were honored to receive the 2019 National Indie Excellence Award in Anthology.