Calling all Scarecrows
Businesses get your donations in for the Cambria Scarecrow Festival and be one of the first to have a scarecrow made to be placed in front of your location.
“We have already heard of many bus tours that will be coming to town, so you want a scarecrow in front of your businesses for them to stop to look at and then come in to see what you have to offer,” said Paulla Ufferheide, president of the Cambria Scarecrow Festival in a press release. “All you must do is go to our website, www.cambriascarecrows.com, and click on the donate page. This festival has been very important to our town, but we can’t put it on without your support.”
Folks who don’t have business and just love the festival can donate and the scarecrow will be put in front of your business of choice, or the festival will place it for you with your name on it.
For a little preview of the festival this year, Cambria Scarecrow Festival committee has offered more scarecrow making workshops than ever before to showcase more unique scarecrow displays with fun themes. Some of these include a large display featuring a knockoff of the Netflix series Wednesday, a display of the bar scene from the first Star Wars movie along with a takeoff of the movie Encanto being displayed in San Simeon. The new Woodland Animals Sculpture Workshop taught scarecrow makers how to sculpture animals for the Wildlife of Cambria display. Other workshops include our “Make It In A Day” Workshop, where the public can come and try their hand at making scarecrows. At the Children’s Workshop, the children will be making crows to fly all around Cambria. The Friends of the Scarecrows program began in May and our Dr. Crow volunteers have been busy making scarecrows to be put in front of local businesses who are part of the “Friends” program.
To learn more about this multi-tier donation opportunity, go to www.cambriascarecrows.com. Make note that a special display is being planned to celebrate the festival’s 15 years of scarecrow whimsy. Scarecrows are on display throughout the month of October.
SLO City Council Backs Diversity in Business
The City of San Luis Obispo has awarded $150,000 in grant funding to 10 local businesses seeking to foster a thriving and diverse economy and create a welcoming community for all.
The purpose of this grant program is to address equity gaps within the San Luis Obispo community and enhance the sense of belonging for those most disenfranchised. Grant recipients include:
• Alpenglow Industries, $18,353 for six workshops to help underrepresented groups learn skills to seek entry level tech or manufacturing employment.
• Banchan Foods, $25,000 to increase culinary diversity and promote Korean culture in San Luis Obispo.
• Certified Auto Repair, $10,000 to cover vehicle repair mini-grants for diverse communities members experiencing a lack of or no transportation.
• Concussion Navigation Services, $10,000 for a program to provide specialty concussion rehab care to those who are uninsured, underinsured, marginalized, or economically insecure.
• Corazón Café, $9,011 to showcase and create a safe cultural space for underrepresented artwork, while giving back to the community through a donation system and be a hub for cultural exchanges.
• Mission Headstrong, $23,336 to ensure that 15 coaches get certified by Autism Fitness and provide coaching for the autistic and neurodivergent community.
• Seeds, $14,800 for part of a program that will include community events advancing DEI through wellness and environmental awareness.
• Ten Over Studio, $15,000 for 5 affordable housing feasibility studies to local nonprofit developers.
• Texture, $12,000 to provide product inventory for hair care needs of underserved and underrepresented communities.
• Twig & Arrow Salon, $12,500 to educate and train salon staff on diverse and multicultural hair and makeup types, styles, and colors.
The City received 32 grant applications in March requesting a total of nearly $1 million. This grant program is administered by the City’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, in partnership with the Office of Economic Development and Tourism. Funds will be distributed in the fall.
Deadline Approaches to Crowdfund Film
A crowdfunding page has been set up for the film “Toledo” that was, in part, filmed on the Central Coast.
“We are currently in post-production of the film which includes pulling together final funding before we submit to film festivals,” said Molly Radabaugh, marketing manager.
“Toldeo” is a latinx short film following the struggle against ingrained expectations and testing the boundaries of love and identity. Set amidst the hot summer cilantro fields in California, a brooding teenage cowboy works tirelessly, his heart entangled with unrequited love for a local girl who speaks a different language. With an impending departure back to Mexico, our hero, Santos Toledo, must confess his feelings before it’s too late.
“I wrote the script in early 2019, struggling still to find my voice as an artist and blend experiences of my own as a Mexican/American and LGBTQ+ female and the experiences of someone so close and yet to mysterious to me,” writer-director Alyssa Toledo said. “It’s a story I’ve re-written and re-structured many time and let simmer for years until finally I landed on something that felt very much my own, something I hadn’t seen before within Latinx films.”
Filmakers are hoping to reach $9,000. As of press time, a little over $3,000 had been donated. The project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by Wed, August 9 2023. For more information or to become a financial supporter of the film, go to Kickstarter.com and search for Toledo.
Senior Dogs at Woods Humane Society Fetch $7,500 Grant
Old dogs have something to wag their tails about this summer as The Grey Muzzle Organization announced the recipients of its annual grants, and dogs at Woods Humane Society are among the winners.
Woods in San Luis Obispo is one of 90 animal welfare groups chosen from 370 applicants to receive a grant to help local senior dogs. The winning groups received $848,000 in grants to help save or improve the lives of at-risk old dogs in their communities. Woods Humane Society was awarded $7,500 to help 18 senior dogs (over seven years of age) receive pre-adoption veterinary care.
“No one is more grateful or loving than an old dog,” said Emily L’Heureux, CEO of Woods Humane Society. “We’re looking forward to helping more senior dogs get the second chance they all deserve, with the support of Grey Muzzle.”
Over the past 15 years, the national nonprofit Grey Muzzle Organization has provided more than $4.6 million in grants to support its vision of “a world where no old dog dies alone and afraid.”
“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we’re delighted to help deserving organizations like Woods Humane Society make a difference in the lives of dogs and people in their communities,” Grey Muzzle’s Executive Director Lisa Lunghofer said. “Many senior dogs in San Luis Obispo County are enjoying their golden years in loving homes thanks to the wonderful work of Woods Humane Society.”
The adoption fee for senior dogs at Woods Humane Society is $100 and includes a spay/neuter surgery, microchip, license, vaccines, parasite treatment, collar and Woods tag, temporary leash, and free wellness exam with a local veterinarian.
Woods Humane Society is located at 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 and at 2300 Ramona Rd., Atascadero, CA 93422, and is open to the public daily from 12-5 p.m., with adoption hours from 12-4 p.m. For more information about Woods, visit www.WoodsHumane.org or call (805) 543-9316.
Are you or a neighbor Taking Care of Business. Is your business, including non-profits, supporting our community? Maybe you’re launching a new business, or you’re making updates to your current business model, or re-opening. Perhaps you have a job opportunity, or have been doing some volunteer work, or are collaborating with another business or a non-profit. Or maybe you know someone who is. Submit your awesome local efforts for publication to Editor@EsteroBayNews.com.
