Erik Zetterberg is getting ready for his 26th annual trip to Mexico where he gives away artificial legs, wheelchairs, crutches and other aides for people who have no access to this equipment. Over the years, he has financed much of this on his own, although from time to time he has had aide from individuals and the Rotary Club of Nevada County South.
Zetterberg, who’s had a prosthetic leg since the age of 7, has collected used and rejected prostheses from local prosthetic companies and distributed them for free among the disabled poor in Mexico. Over the years he has received a larger variety of donations – clothes, toys, eye glasses, mainly from friends.
In September 2007, the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation recognized Zetterberg as the Humanitarian of the Year for his decades of social service. “I couldn’t see usable goods going to waste when people needed them” said 70 year old Zetterberg. “There was a need for these things in Mexico. I couldn’t see them being thrown away in the garbage can”
One of his joys is to know that from the multiple artificial legs he donated to organization in Mexico last year, they were able to somehow take parts of some of the artificial legs and create multiple more legs to help more people.
If you have any wheel chairs, crutches, canes or even artificial legs, you would like to donate to Zetterberg, you may contact him by calling him (530) 273-0789 or (916) 955-7711 and he will come by and pick up whatever you care to donate.
Foreclosure filings dropped again in July, marking the 10th straight month for year-over-year declines and reaching their lowest level since November 2007, RealtyTrac reports. But analysts are still mostly attributing the drop to banks’ processing delays as they take more time to take action against delinquent home owners.
For July, about 212,764 homes received a foreclosure filing — which is a notice of default or auction sale or completed foreclosure — that’s down 4 percent compared to June. Filings were 35 percent lower than July 2010, according to RealtyTrac, and bank repossessions were down 33.6 percent from its peak in September 2010. Also, initial notices of default dropped 39 percent year-over-year to fewer than 60,000, which could be an indication that fewer borrowers are falling behind on their mortgage payments or that lenders are not filing notices as promptly in the past.
“The downward trend in foreclosure activity has now taken on a life of its own,” says RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio. “It appears that processing delays, combined with the smorgasbord of national and state-level foreclosure prevention efforts, may be allowing more distressed home owners to stave off foreclosure.”
Las Vegas continued to have the highest rate of foreclosures in the country — a filing for every 99 homes. Overall, for states, Nevada had the highest foreclosure rate of any state (one filing for every 115 homes), followed by California (one in every 239 homes), and Arizona (one in every 273 homes).
Art work by Sandy Gold Winner 2011 Fair Art Work Contest
By Wendy Oaks
EXCITING CONTESTS AND ACTIVITIESHAPPENING EACH DAY AT THE NEVADA COUNTY FAIR!
No pre-registration required. Show up ½ hour before event, have fun, and win great prizes!
At this year’s Nevada County Fair, August 10 – 14, there are exciting contests and activities going on each day! In addition to daily arena events, ongoing musical entertainment, and activities galore, there are fun contests planned for each day. Here are just a few of the fun contests planned for this year’s Fair.
New this year is “Eureka” Cupcake Wars, held Wednesday at 1 pm. The Fair will provide the cupcake, icing, sprinkles and other types of decorations, and participants have to create a cupcake to reflect a theme announced at the beginning of the contest. There will be four half-hour contests beginning at 1 pm.
“Go for the Gold,” based on the popular television show “Minute to Win It,” encourages contestants to complete a stunt within a minute to win prizes. Held on Wednesday at 4 and 5 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 4 pm
The Designer’s Hair Salon is sponsoring a Locks of Love event on Saturday, August 13, from noon – 3 pm. Donate your hair to help provide a hairpiece to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Stylists will be available to assist with the hair donation process, as well as to cut and style your hair for free.
Do you think you can text faster than anyone? If so, a Text Messaging Speed Contest will be held on Friday, August 12, from 4 – 6 pm. This is for children and adults alike.
Find out how fast your baby can crawl by entering the Diaper Derby! Join us on Sunday, August 14, at 5 pm to find out. There are two categories: 6-9 months and 10-12 months. This contest is limited to the first 20 contestants in each age category.
Show off your dancing talents for the audience at the Just Dance 2 event held on Friday from 8 – 10 pm.
If scrapbooking is your thing, here’s your chance to have some fun and win a prize at a Scrapbooking Contest on Thursday, August 11, from 4 – 6 pm.
Join us for Flower Pot Fantasy Contest at 5 pm on Saturday, August 13. Decorate flower pots using various supplies. There’s also the “You Can Call Me Martha” contest which allows participants 30 minutes to create something special from a variety of supplies. This contest is also on Wednesday from 6 – 6:30 pm.
There are no entry forms or fees for these events. Just show up ½ hour before the event at the Special Events Tent and get ready to play. Lots of fun and lots of great prizes!
Also, for your viewing pleasure, each day in the Special Events tent will feature special food contests. Join us to see the judging and meet some of the talented cooks in our community. Special food contests for children happen each day at 3 pm and special food contests for adults happen each day at 6:30 pm.
Visit the Nevada County Fair and help your community at the same time
Imagine being able to visit the annual Nevada County Fair at a discount, and be able to help the local Food Bank at the same time? At this year’s Fair, you can! The Nevada County Fairgrounds and The Food Bank of Nevada County are teaming up to help feed those in need.
Bring a can of food (or two or three) to the Fair on Sunday, August 14, and the Fair will give you a coupon for $1 off general admission to the Fair on that day. The Food Bank will have food collection bins available at the Fairgrounds from 10 am – 5 pm at Gates 1, 3 and 5, which is also where you’ll receive your coupon. It’s that simple!
All food collected on that day will be given to The Food Bank of Nevada County, which distributes food to those in need in our county. At last year’s canned food drive, 1,600 pounds of food were collected – enough to feed 750 – 800 families.
It’s the best of both worlds – fun at the Fair, while helping out in the community. It’s all part of Community Involvement Day, sponsored by YubaNet.com, on Sunday, August 14, at the Nevada County Fair.
This year’s Fair is August 10 – 14. Visit www.foodbankofnc.org or call (530) 272-3796.
Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217 wsoaks@gmail.com
Bank of America Nevada City Photo by John J. O'Dell
Bank of America has joined the Keep Your Home California principal-reduction program, making it the largest loan servicer involved in lowering loan balances for those with economic hardships.
Making sense of the story
Keep Your Home California is a program offered through the California Housing Finance Agency to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure.
Bank of America, which services more than two million home loans in California, joins others servicers involved in the program, including: California Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the California Housing Finance Agency, Community Trust/Self Help, GMAC, Guild Mortgage Company, and Vericrest Financial. Agency officials hope the list will continue to grow, and that the program will continue to gain momentum.
Under the program, qualified homeowners may be eligible for up to $50,000 in assistance. The program requires the mortgage investor to match dollar-for-dollar the amount provided by the program.
Bank of America borrowers who do not qualify for the principal-reduction program will be evaluated by bank representatives to explore other options, including a loan modification.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must: Own and occupy their homes as their primary residence; not exceed $729,750 in current unpaid principal balances on first mortgages; meet low- and moderate-income limits; complete and sign a hardship affidavit to document reasons for hardships; have mortgage loans that are delinquent or “in imminent default;” and have enough income to pay modified mortgage payments according to guidelines from servicers participating in the programs.
For more information about Keep Your Home California, visit keepyourhomecalifornia.org or call (888) 954-5337(KEEP).
The Granholm Family – (from left to right) Kaycee, Danny, Katie and Ben – will be recognized at the Nevada County Fair as the Family of the Year. Credit: Photo provided by Shaffers Originals
By Wendy Oaks
The Danny Granholm Family of Grass Valley has been named the 2011 Family of the Year by the Nevada County Fair’s Board of Directors. The Board chose the Granholm Family because of their ongoing participation in the Nevada County Fair and their commitment and efforts in supporting Nevada County agricultural youth programs.
Danny and Katie Granholm, who were both raised in Grass Valley, have been attending the Fair since they were children. As a teenager, Katie worked at the concerts hosted at the Fairgrounds, and grew up watching her grandparents square dance each year at the Fair. Danny also attended the Fair as a child, and remembers “being unable to sleep the night before the Fair because it felt like it was Christmas Day.”
Most recently, for the past eight years, Katie and Danny have been active in youth agriculture programs. In addition to showing animals with their own children, Danny is currently the President of the Nevada County Ag Youth Boosters and Katie is a past director of the Nevada County Livestock Producers.
As owners of BK Powder Coating, which they started in the garage of Danny’s parent’s home in 1996, Danny and Katie volunteer to donate the powder coating on all Ag Mechanic projects for students from both Bear River and Nevada Union High school.
“It is such a pleasure to work with these students,” said Katie. “They work so hard all year on their Fair projects, and it’s great to be able to come alongside these kids and help them and encourage them.”
Their children, Ben and Kaycee, have also been actively involved in the Fair for many years. Both began exhibiting animals about eight years ago. At the 2011 Fair, Kaycee will show sheep, and Ben will exhibit a hog.
Both Ben and Kaycee have gone on to pursue agricultural education. Ben, 19, graduated from Nevada Union in 2010. He recently completed a year of service to the FFA, where he served as the California FFA State Treasurer. In this role, Ben recently testified at the Senate’s Joint Fairs Committee on behalf of the network of California Fairs. In August, Ben will begin his studies at Fresno State, majoring in Agriculture Business. Kaycee, 17, is a senior at Nevada Union and involved in FFA. She is currently serving as the Superior Region President for FFA, and is preparing for college, where she will major in agriculture.
“Year after year, Danny and Katie dedicate countless hours to the Fair and the agricultural community,” said Sandy Woods, CEO of the Fairgrounds. “They are such a gracious and humble family, with a selfless attitude, and a willingness to give – and they do it all with kindness. They are a nice family and so deserving of being the Family of the Year!”
About being named the Fair’s Family of the Year, Katie says, “We are thrilled and so surprised. It’s a huge honor and we are humbled because there are so many other families who also deserve this recognition. We love being part of the Fair and seeing the community come together to support our community’s youth – and we are honored to be part of that.”
The Granhom Family will be honored at opening ceremonies of the Nevada County Fair, which runs August 10 – 14. They will receive a Fair package of tickets, as well a family portrait created by Shaffers Originals of Grass Valley.
For more information about the Nevada County Fair, visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com or call (530) 273-6217.
Grass Valley, CA (August 2011) – Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital (SNMH) and Sierra Nevada Medical Group (SNMG) are teaming up to present Senior Involvement Day at this year’s Nevada County Fair on Thursday, August 11th, from 10 AM to 12 Noon at the Special Events Tent.
Join healthcare professionals for various presentations to learn about caring for a wide-range of health topics like diabetes management, heart health, wound care, and the importance of annual health screenings and check-ups. Experts from Sierra Nevada Medical Group will include: Dr. George Rice, Family Medicine; Dr. Kesha Hughes, Internal Medicine; and Dr. Ryan Smith, Cardiologist. Also hear what Dr. Evans – from Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital – has to say about the hospital’s one-minute, radio health segment, Your Health Report, as well as Emergency care and house calls.
While visiting the Special Events Tent, take time to visit SNMH’s and SNMG’s healthcare tables for additional information.
The Nevada County Fair is August 10 – 14. Visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com for information or call (530) 273-6217. The Fairgrounds are located on McCourtney Road in Grass Valley.
Preparing for the Junior Livestock Auction on Sunday of the Fair are (from left to right): Bear River Ag teacher, Steve Paasch; Paige Lambert, who is raising the Heritage Lamb for the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation; and Ed Mertens, Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation Board Member
By Wendy Oaks
The 2011 Heritage Lamb will be showcased at the Junior Livestock Auction on Sunday, August 14, at the Nevada County Fair. Proceeds from the lamb will be used to assist the Foundation in its efforts to continue to improve the Fairgrounds.
Raising the 2011 Heritage Lamb is 17-year-old Paige Lambert. Paige was chosen to raise the lamb because of her 4H experience in raising animals and for her leadership skills.
Paige has been involved in 4H for 11 years. She has been raising market swine for seven years, and prior to that, as a junior member, she raised chickens and showed eggs. She is currently raising her first steer, Beef Wellington.
Additionally, Paige is currently the junior head camp director at the Nevada County 4H camp and has been camp counselor for the past four years. She has held numerous leadership positions in her club. She was president for two years, secretary, treasurer, and Sargent of Arms. She has also been a California focus delegate and, last year, a D.C. delegate.
Paige has also served as a Junior Swine Leader, where she taught and assisted novice and younger children the elements of showmanship and raising hogs. She has presented market swine twice in the championship round and been three times in the best set of five hog 4H champions.
In addition to her agricultural work, Paige will also dive on the Sierra College dive team in the Fall and snow boards at a national level.
Paige will receive a $500 scholarship for her efforts. For future plans, Paige will attend Sierra College and plans on obtaining a nursing degree. Her goal is to work as an emergency nurse.
The Foundation is currently seeking donors to contribute to the fund for the Heritage Lamb. The animal will be the last in its specie to be auctioned, and donors can bid on the Heritage Lamb at the auction or they may “bump up” the bid on the lamb by contacting the Fair Office or visiting the Livestock Office during the Fair. The Heritage Lamb was donated by the Paasch Family and Our 49er Feed Store donated all the feed.
Drive a car in the fair’s demolition derby and you could win $1000 for your favorite charity.
Back by popular demand, the Nevada County Fair is providing organizations and businesses the opportunity to sponsor and drive a car in the Fair’s popular Demolition Derby, while at the same time raising money for a favorite charity or service organization.
Organizations and businesses can purchase a car for $500 and the Fair will provide a Derby car to use in the Demolition Derby. The organization can choose to provide its own driver or the Fair will provide a driver for the car. Additionally, the car can be picked up on August 5 to customize the car or it can be left at the Fair, where it will have a number painted on it.
The sponsored Derby cars will participate in their own event at the Demolition Derby, held on Sunday, August 14, at 7 pm in the Arena. The last of the sponsored cars moving will receive $1,000 towards the charity or service organization of their choice. Last year’s winner was Dokimos’ Pharmacy, who received $1,000 for their charity, Hospice of the Foothills.
There are only a limited number of cars available. Call the Fair Office at
(530) 273-6217 to reserve your car and obtain a list of rules. Forms are also available at www.NevadaCountyFair.com. This year’s Nevada County Fair is August 10-14.
