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A resource for families in Santa Cruz County |
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Please forward this email to friends,
or invite them to sign up here:
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Acorns in brown shades, rough and smooth bark, bent twigs, colorful leaves, anything nature has left for your attention awaits you as you walk in forests, parks, your backyard, the neighborhood. Gather them on a walk, take them home and make a village of forest people.
Have fun! Parmalee
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"Banned Book Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools." Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
The Santa Cruz Public Library's policy, last updated 8/2022, is impressive, for it goes way beyond banning books. PLEASE read it! FREEDOM TO READ
“The freedom to view, along with the freedom to speak, to hear, and to read is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. In a free society, there is no place for censorship of any medium of expression.” The Freedom to View Statement
The library's message also applies to our high-tech-age entities which ban suppress, and propagandize. We have the right to unfettered access to read, view or listen to ALL information and perspectives and to speak our ideas… or we used to. . .
Is there a parallel position by the 21st century’s ubiquitous, private, quasi-public social media and news entities? No. Do they violate the First Amendment? Yes. They practice censorship, suppression, banning opinions with which they disagree and pushing opinions they favor. Has technology grown so fast that we have lost sight of protecting our most essential First Amendment Rights?
If you ban, suppress or prevaricate about anything, you cause me to question what you are hiding and why. If you support unfettered access to ALL perspectives, I, John Q. Citizen, am willing and able to sift through it all, sort facts from lies, formulate opinions, engage in reasonable discussions with my family, friends, students, teachers and fellow travelers in this world. I have faith that when all ideas are aired, ultimately the best ideas will win the hearts and minds of good people.
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Recommended Articles
from Common Sense Media
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K-12 Santa Cruz County Computer Science and Information Technology Initiative offers links to some excellent articles for us. No matter how computer savvy we are, it's always wise to be up on the latest. When it comes to our children we need to be vigilant.
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Favorite Kids' Series Books |
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Book Series in Order - Mostly adult series (I use it all the time!), but check out the site owner's kids top 10 favorites. Here
Kids Book Series - Here - Category lists by holidays, topics, authors...
It's Always Autumn - Here - Eclectic, favorites to newer...
LitWits - Here- The best list in town, not series, but traditional classics and more! Every school and home school in the county should utilize this local treasure.
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Plan ahead!
For example: Santa Cruz Holiday Parade Registration Open Details
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Sculpture IS In the Garden, Daily through October 31, View over ninety sculptures created by forty-eight artists and collaborators at Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens in Watsonville. Enjoy the stunning two-acre demonstration garden and relax under the umbrellas. Details
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Civil War Re-enactment, Saturday & Sunday, September 17 & 18, 9am – 4pm, Come talk with Union and Confederate Civil War soldiers and civilians. Walk around camp and see how life was during the Civil War. Watch as the soldiers march and go through drills. Witness live battles with cannons and muskets. See the historical town with historic saloon, one room school building, houses and farm implements. Great BBQ food will be available and vendors will be selling lots of cool stuff. Details
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Water’s Extreme Journey, Wednesday–Sunday, 10am – 4pm, September 3 – December 31, The Water’s Extreme Journey maze takes visitors on a wild role-playing adventure where you are transformed into a raindrop and challenged to stay clean. Visitors are sent on a journey through mountains, streams, and even their own backyards, where everyday decisions impact your chance of staying clean and reaching a healthy ocean. Details
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Santa Cruz SPCA Rescue Readers, Thursdays 3:30 – 4pm, Sometimes the ideal audience for a new reader is a doting dog or cat who hangs on every word. Rescue Readers, gives young readers a chance to practice and enhance their literacy in the comfortable presence of cute, cuddly, judgment-free listeners who enjoy the extra TLC while they wait for their forever homes. Details
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Santa Cruz County Fair, Wednesday – Sunday, September 14 – 18, “A Country Fair with Ocean Air” - The showstopping Santa Cruz County fair returns for family fun, great entertainment, live shows, animal displays and more! Details
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Common Ground Festival, September 16–25, The MAH is proud to present Common Ground: a new biennial festival of place-inspired, outdoor work hosted in locations throughout Santa Cruz County. Focused on temporary and performative public art projects in rural, urban, and architectural space, the 10-day event features site-responsive installations and interventions across our area’s natural and built environments, connecting people, stories, and landscapes. Details
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Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival, September 17 – 18, Join us for the 7th annual Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival. The weekend welcomes a variety of artists, multiple stages, camping, train rides including the ‘Sol Train’ shuttle from the Boardwalk and back again in the evening, craft beer, wine, vendors and gourmet food. Details
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Rusty Roots Show, Saturday 9am & Sunday 10am, September 17 – 18, Crafts, Vintage treasures, Some Antiques, Garden art, Seasonal gifts, Pre-Packaged food such as Jams & Jellies, Farmers Dried fruit and vegetables, Re-purposed items, furniture, farmhouse, Industrial, handmade, jewelry, art,food so much more. Details
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Renaissance Faire, Saturdays & Sundays 10am – 6pm: Sept. 17-18; 24-25, Oct. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16 & 22-23, Come Join the Fun, in costume if you like! “Theme Weekends, Games & Activities, Shakespeare’s Dream, Rules of the Duel, Twelfth Night, Details
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Many Threads One Cloth, August 24 – October 2, Pajaro Valley Arts, Come see beautiful "threads" turned into art! Threads, made from a variety of plant or animal fibers, are universal. Cloth, made from various fibers utilizing unique methods, is universal. Diversity of threads making diverse cloth for diverse purposes is the theme of Many Threads – One Cloth. Details
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Triple P Parenting Workshops
Virtual Parenting Group (for families with children 2 – 12 years old) Thursdays, September 15 – November 3, at 6 – 7:30 pm,
Attend this 8-week virtual Triple P Group to meet other families and learn simple strategies to help you strengthen relationships in your family and... Details
Stepping Stones Workshop: Handling Disruptive Behaviors (for families with children with special needs), Thursday, September 15, 6 – 7:30pm, Attend this FREE virtual parenting workshop to learn how to respond calmly when your child refuses to follow directions and... Details
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Sanctuary Fest: 30th anniversary celebration! Sunday, September 18, 10am – 3pm, Join Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary as we celebrate the 30th anniversary, as well as the 50th anniversary of NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary System! Come enjoy, experience ocean recreation activities, and learn how you can help protect Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Details
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30th Annual Aloha Outrigger Races, Sunday, September 18, 8am – 2pm, The Pu Pu ‘O Hawaii Outrigger Club is back and ready to race! These short-course outrigger races are designed especially for the new or novice paddlers. Details
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Kendal Mountain Tour – Santa Cruz, Monday, September 19, 7 – 10pm, Join us in Santa Cruz for the inaugural season of the Kendal Mountain Tour presented by Montane and OS Maps. Unleash your adventurous side… Details
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Santa Cruz City Schools Job Fair, Tuesday, September 20, 5 – 7pm, Santa Cruz City Schools will be having a Job Fair at Westlake Elementary School. Please bring copies of your resumes! Details
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Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks - State parks and beaches offer interpretive events throughout the year. These programs are free and family-friendly. Park events include campfires, guided hikes, Junior Rangers, history talks and more. Details
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ALL Farmers Markets and farm activities! Details
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