Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, October 27, 2018

7

BEST FRIENDS & MORE 

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 27, 2018 

BEST FRIEND


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

OJAI RAPTOR 
CENTER

Rescue. Rehabilitate. 

Release. Educate.

Captain Barbosa is a 2-year old 
handsome German Shepherd 
pup who is as fetching as he 
is inspiring. Weighing about 
50 pounds, this medium size 
pooch arrived to the shelter 
as a stray in need of medical 
attention with a possible 
broken leg. As suspected, his 
right hind leg was injured and 
unfortunately it needed to be 
amputated. Despite losing his 
right hind leg, Captain Barbosa 
has not lost his positive and 
playful outlook in life. He can 
run, jump, and fetch tennis 
balls faster and better than 
any four-legged pooch! This 
rambunctious pup is lovingly know as a “tripod” 
and has quickly earned the love and admiration 
of volunteers because of his 
anything-is-possible attitude; 
despite the challenges he has 
faced in his young life. If 
you are the forever loving 
family that can give Captain 
Barbosa the life and home 
that he deserves, please come 
meet this special pooch! His 
adoption fee is $145, which 
includes neuter surgery, a 
microchip, first vaccinations 
and a free wellness check-up 
at a participating veterinarian. 
She is located at the San Gabriel 
Valley Humane Society, 851 E. 
Grand Ave. Adoption hours 
are 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
Tuesday -Sundays, closed Mondays. Website: 
www.sgvhumane.org .


There is nothing quite as captivating as catching a 
glimpse of a huge hawk, wings spread wide side-to-
side, soaring over the treetops of our local foothills. 
When I am fortunate enough to see such a beautiful 
sight, I can’t help thinking it is a good sign that nature 
has things well in check and in good balance. Knowing 
the raptors are plentiful and engaged in seeking out 
their next meal indicates to me that the local prey 
must be plentiful as well, and on it trickles down to all 
of the species in nature’s food chain.

 However, there are numerous risks in our suburban 
sprawl that can cause valid concern for the safety and 
welfare of local bird of prey populations. Freeway 
traffic is one example. Also, the dwindling number of 
trees, due to clearing for building and development, 
creates a problem for birds when they go looking for 
a good spot to build a nest. Pollution, both in the air 
and on the ground is yet another potential hazard to 
the normal proliferation and survival of, not just birds 
but wildlife in general.

 I once read an article about the inordinate number 
of raptors killed each year by rapidly passing trucks 
on the freeway, entanglement in fences, electric cables 
and wires or other man-made obstructions. Although 
I don’t recall the exact statistical figure that was 
quoted, I do remember being absolutely floored when 
I read the article. Suffice it to say there are far and away 
too many birds being killed or seriously injured by 
vehicles and other obstructions.

 The good news is there are people in the world 
who recognize the challenges birds of prey are met 
with living so close to an urban setting, and they 
realize the importance of doing everything possible 
to protect them. Ojai Raptor Center (ORC) is a state 
and federally licensed 501c3 non-profit organization 
made up of just those kinds of people. Folks who are 
dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release 
of birds of prey, as well as to providing educational 
programs about wildlife and our shared environment.

 ORC director, Kimberly Stroud started her training 
at the Raptor Rehabilitation & Release Program in 
1992. Shortly after that she co-founded Wildlife Care 
of Ventura in 1994, where they received permits 
from California State and US Federal Fish & Wildlife 
Agencies, and went on to found ORC in 2000.

 There was no real ‘Center’ back then. In those days 
ORC operated out of volunteers’ homes, including 
Kim’s, and a small outbuilding on the campus of 
outdoor clothing manufacturer, Patagonia. Thanks to 
the generous donations and help of many who care, 
today ORC has a 3 acre facility where Kim leads a part 
time staff of 2 and a great group of 200+ volunteers.

 The Center’s core goals are to rescue, rehabilitate 
and release birds of prey and other wildlife, but above 
and beyond wildlife rehabilitation, their Wildlife 
Education Program is of paramount importance to 
the work they do. They are committed to teaching 
the public about local raptor species, and how human 
interaction affects them. As for their primary purpose, 
every year they take in 500-1000 sick or injured birds 
(including a few non-raptors) for rehabilitation and 
release back into the wild. 

 ORC carries out their mission by going to as 
many public events as possible with their ‘education 
ambassadors’ and on a monthly basis they visit several 
schools to perform education programs for children 
in hopes that the next generation will have a deeper 
love and respect for birds of prey. They also hold fund 
raisers and open house events throughout the year, 
inviting the public to come and learn more about their 
facility and programs.

 On Sunday, November 4, 2018 from 12:00-4:00PM 
they will be hosting their annual Fall Open House on 
the grounds of their facility located at 370 Baldwin 
Rd. in Ojai, CA. The whole family is invited to come 
and meet the staff and volunteers who do all the good 
work, and get up-close and personal with the raptors 
themselves! There will be refreshments, booths, stage 
presentations, a silent auction and lots of activities for 
the kids. $5 suggested donation at the door, children 
under 10 are free, no dogs please.

 For more information about Ojai Raptor Center, 
you can visit their website at www.ojairaptorcenter.
org. You may want to consider making a donation 
while you are visiting their site. It’s as easy as 1-2-3, 
and you will benefit greatly from knowing that you 
have contributed to a very worthy and important 
cause. 


SUPER LOVING GIRL!


This sweetheart 
needs a home 
ASAP! The owner 
passed away and 
the husband is in 
the hospital and 
can no longer care 
for Cinnamon. 
Cinnamon has a 
really sweet disposition, but she is scared right now 
because she has lost her home and her loving people! 
Cinnamon is very loving and is a total lapcat! She 
loves being petted and loved. She might hide for a 
little while, but then she comes out to get love. When 
she gets more comfortable, she will hide less, but she 
needs a FOREVER home to feel safe and to thrive! 
Cinnamon is being fostered at The Cats Pajamas & 
you may call for a “Meet & Greet,” 626-449-1717. 
See more pictures and adoption info at http://www.
lifelineforpets.org/young-cats.html. She is spayed, 
healthy, and current on vaccines.


THE WORLD AROUND US


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges

ANOTHER WAY TO COMMEMORATE 
ALL HALLOWS EVE

I’M DREAMING OF A COMMERCIAL 
FREE WORLD

It was one of those really busy 
weeks where there was hardly 
enough time to breathe. For myself, I was glad the week 
was over and I could relax for the evening.

 “What do you want for supper?” The Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage queried. “Do you want to go 
out for supper?”

 Going out for supper was the last thing on my mind. 
All I wanted to do was relax here at the house.

 “No,” I said rather hesitatingly, “why don’t we just 
order a pizza and stay home tonight?”

 That brought a nice smile to her face. It is the one 
time that I made the right decision.

 So, we ordered the pizza and were ready to settle 
down and enjoy the evening together watching TV. 
Nothing could be more relaxing after the kind of week 
we had. It was like two steps forward and five steps 
backward.

 The pizza arrived in good time and we were ready 
to turn our back on the world, the past week and just 
enjoy our own little companionship.

 Ordering pizza can sometimes be tricky. I like 
pepperoni, she likes mushroom and the twain never 
comes together. So we ordered a large pizza half 
pepperoni and half mushroom. That way I know I will 
get my half. I know she will not eat any of the pepperoni 
pizza.

 We were all snuggled down in our easy chairs eating 
pizza, drinking soda and watching TV.

 “What do you want to watch tonight?”

 “I don’t know,” she said hesitatingly, “anything is 
good for me tonight.”

 We settled on one of those Hallmark movies playing 
that night and began watching it. If you ever watched 
a movie on TV, you know that they cannot go long 
without breaking for commercials.

 It was agitating to me, but I just indulged in my pizza 
and soda.

 Then I heard a very deep sighing on the other side of 
the room. For a while, I pretended not to hear it. I just 
kept munching on my pizza.

 The sighing got louder and I tried to crunch louder. 
Unfortunately, the sighing won.

 The next stage was, “I can’t believe all of that.”

 Again, I tried to mind my own business and focus on 
the movie. At the next commercial I heard somebody 
say, and it wasn’t me, “I am just about tired of all that.”

 I am not sure what she was tired of; I was hoping it 
was not me. I know it wasn’t the pizza. You can only 
handle something for so long.

 Finally, I said, “What are you tired of?”

 “I’m tired,” she said most exasperatingly, “of all those 
commercials. I'm tired of them all. I want them to go 
away.”

 I had to agree with her at this point. I am so tired 
of commercials. I am dreaming of some world where 
there are no commercials.

 While watching this movie we decided to do a little 
bit of research. After every part of the movie, it came 
to commercial time. When the commercials started 
coming we started counting them. Between every 
segment, there were 117 commercials. It seemed that 
way at least.

 The worst part of these commercials was the fact that 
most of them were political commercials. Personally, I 
think that should be against the law. And the Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage agrees with me. So, if she 
agrees with me it must be something of consequence.

 If I want to see a commercial, I will go and watch a 
commercial. After all, I do have a computer. But please, 
do not splatter my TV screen with commercial after 
commercial after commercial.

 When a commercial comes on I can get up, go take 
a shower, shave and practice my Yogi Berra before the 
next part of the movie begins.

 I have noticed that if I am watching TV while 
eating something they always have commercials about 
diarrhea. Why do I want to know about that while I am 
eating? That is most disgusting.

 Even more disgusting are political commercials. 
Again, I think it should be against the law for any 
political commercials to be on my television. They 
should set aside one TV station that runs nothing 
but commercials 24/7. Then, if I want to watch a 
commercial, I know where to go.

 If a political candidate wants to run for some office, 
they should write an essay about what they believe 
and post it on their website. Then, if I want to know 
anything about them, I know where to go. Only please, 
stay off my TV set.

 While watching our movie, it became very 
confusing. It is hard to leap across the commercials to 
follow the story line. We decided to time things. The 
movie part would last about eight minutes and the 
commercial part would last over 10 minutes.

 Talk about being unfair. I never turn the TV on to 
watch a commercial. It would be hard for me to find a 
commercial that I have any interest in whatsoever.

 The only place I can find a commercial free 
environment is the Bible. “All scripture is given by 
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for 
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly 
furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 The one pleasure in reading the Bible is that there are 
no distractions. 

 (I’m James Snyder and I approve this message.)

 Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God 
Fellowship, PO Box 831313, Ocala, FL 34483. He lives 
with his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores. Call him 
at 1-866-552-2543 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. His 
web site is www.jamessnyderministries.com.

[Nyerges is the author of 
several books including 
“How to Survive 
Anywhere,” “Extreme Simplicity,” and “Enter the 
Forest.” He can be reached at www.SchoolofSelf-
Reliance.com or Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041] 

 A small group of us were discussing the 
upcoming Hallowe’en event, this coming 
Wednesday. Everyone present had already 
expressed their ambivalence about costumes, 
candies, and parties in a wild night of frenzied 
festivity. Was there a better way to commemorate 
this uniquely ancient festival?

 One of our group pointed out that this day had 
long been a special time to remember the dead. 
The eating of lots of candy and trying to scare 
others was a modern invention. In the olden days, 
this was probably more of a private home event, 
rather than a public activity. According to some 
records, there were public fires on this feast of 
Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”), and people went 
out and visited friends. But the real essence of the 
day was simply to remember those who have died. 

 Our small group wondered what a more 
thoughtful alternative to the day might look like. 
We determined that if we wanted to treat the day 
as a special day of remembrance, we could gather 
and just sit quietly, and “be with” a chosen loved 
one who has passed away.

 We generally thought that such a 
commemoration would be best outdoors, probably 
in someone’s back yard, and there could be a safe 
fire in one of those stand-alone fire pits. Then, we’d 
bring some appropriate refreshments. The main 
part would be that each of us would sit quietly in 
the yard for awhile, and recall a departed loved 
one. This could be a parent, a child, a spouse, a 
close friend. We could talk out loud or silently to 
this departed one. No, we wouldn’t expect an 
answer, but we’d listen for “responses” nevertheless 
– a bird squacking, a rustling of leaves, unusual 
lights, a loud distant noise. 

 Mostly, we saw ourselves remembering the 
departed one, and recalling who they were, and 
what they meant to us, and how they changed our 
lives. 

 Then, after each of us did this with one or two 
people, we’d all re-gather, share some tea and 
squash soup, and talk about our experiences 
around the fire. 

 It’s only Friday as I write this so we will see how 
this turns out and what sort of experience we’ll all 
have. We know that schools and parks have all 
sorts of family activities going on, as well as 
neighborhood activities. But conducting a more 
thoughtful commemoration in one’s home seems 
to be a step in the right direction of taking back 
control of our lives, away from the merchants who 
sell us the holidays.

 If any of you are inspired to try this more 
thoughtful approach to this ancient festival, 
please write to this paper and let me know how it 
turned out.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com