The donations that lined up the toy drive included 10 bikes this year.
Atherton Police Department School Resource Officer Dimitri Andruha works closely with the immersion school and gathers participation for this very popular event, according to the town.
Toys that were not picked up went to the school for distribution to families who were unable to attend.
Former 49er player to attend film screening on mental health
The Menlo Park City School District (MPCSD) Speaker Series will return on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. with a special screening of the short film "Be A Man." The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on mental health, which will include former Stanford University and San Francisco 49ers football player John Paye, who is also a Menlo School alumnus.
The film was made by SafeSpace, a local mental health organization, and addresses pressures that young men and boys may feel regarding the stigma surrounding mental health discussions.
The screening will take place at Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave. in Menlo Park. Organizers will also provide free childcare.
More information can be found at the Speaker Series website at district.mpcsd.org.
Local girls fundraise for grandmother battling dementia
Two girls from Menlo Park have started a fundraiser in honor of their grandmother who is battling dementia.
Charlotte, a high school sophomore, and her sister, Alexandra, who is in the seventh grade, created "Once Upon a Bottle" in an effort to raise at least $2,000 for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America during the holiday season.
The funds will go toward programs and services for others impacted by Alzheimer's disease. The project consists of the girls collecting empty wine bottles, cutting them on one side, and upcycling them to create succulent planters. With a donation of $50 or more, donors can receive one of these planters.
Their grandmother, Oma, who resides in Germany, lives with dementia.
You can donate at tinyurl.com/Alzheimersfundraiser2023.
Senator Becker launches 'There Oughta Be a Law' contest
If you have ever thought to yourself "there oughta be a law," you have a chance to convince others. People living in Senate District 13 can now enter a contest where their ideas could lead to a new law.
"Well-researched ideas that come with plenty of information about the problem, the proposed solution, and why current law is insufficient are highly encouraged," the announcement of the contest reads.
The district includes the San Mateo coastline from Pacifica to the Ano Nuevo State Reserve and Peninsula cities from South San Francisco to Sunnyvale together.
All entries must be submitted using a form that can be found at inmenlo.com by Monday, Jan. 8, at 5 p.m. state Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, will then select the winning entry, which will be introduced as a Senate bill by March 2024.
Submit your entry at tinyurl.com/oughtabealaw2024.
Menlo Oaks resident Melina Gehring honored by YMCA
Melina Gehring, a Menlo Oaks resident, was among the 12 volunteers recognized at the Silicon Valley YMCA's Red Triangle Dinner this winter. The award acknowledges adults who have positively impacted the lives of young people, adults, and families through their volunteer efforts at local YMCA locations.
According to a statement from the Silicon Valley chapter of the YMCA, Gehring has successfully fostered collaboration between Stanford University and the Palo Alto Family YMCA.
Reflecting on her experience with the YMCA, Gehring stated, "I was able to enroll my two young boys in camps and after-school programs, which meant the world to me as a working mom."
She also expressed gratitude for the Y's Parents' Night Out program before the pandemic, noting that it allowed her and her husband, Peter, to enjoy a night out while ensuring their sons, David and Daniel, were well cared for.
Gehring shared her enthusiasm for giving back to the Palo Alto YMCA.
During the pandemic, Gehring initiated a partnership between the YMCA and "Beyond the Book," a Palo Alto-based, teen-run nonprofit providing free one-to-one virtual tutoring to elementary school-aged children. With support from the YMCA, the program expanded to include children of essential workers.
Highlighting Gehring's unique contribution, the statement emphasized her influence in building bridges within the local community alongside the YMCA.
— Joshua Picazo
New cash-for-bottles rules take effect Jan. 1
Starting Jan. 1, Californians can redeem empty wine and liquor bottles, as well as empty boxed wine, for cash.
At the beginning of the New Year, people will start paying 5, 10 or 25 cent California Redemption Value deposits on wine and liquor containers, including boxed wine and certain kinds of large juice containers, according to CalRecycle.
The newly added redemption system is expected to add more than 1 billion wine and liquor containers to the state's recycling program every year.
Containers are not required to have CRV labeling until July 1, 2025 and bag-in-box containers must be intact to be redeemed for cash.
For more information visit RecycleCRV.com.
— Bay City News Service
Learn how to prepare for an earthquake
Atherton's disaster preparedness group (A.D.A.P.T.) will host a community meeting with a seismologist to teach residents about earth quake preparedness on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 9 a.m. in Council Chambers, 90 Fair Oaks Lane.
— Angela Swartz
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