Civic Engagement
Recycle Right! Boot Camp
Resource Recovery Facility 605 Dimeo Lane, Santa Cruz, CAThe Recycle Right! Boot Camp is back and better than ever! For the first time we are hosting this class in-person, on-site at our Resource Recovery Facility. Saturday March 16th, 2024 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. Come join us if you can! Class is limited to 25 people. Children must be at least 8 years old. Youth ages 8 -18 must be accompanied by an adult. All participants must wear closed-toe shoes and long pants. Come prepared for the weather. Carpooling/biking is encouraged as parking is limited. You will learn about the history of recycling, what happens with your recycling, and how to move beyond the blue bin! Plus a lengthy Q&A session (come prepared with all your waste reduction questions.) Visitors will see what happens to the 30 to 50 tons of material that Santa Cruzians place into their blue recycle bins every single day. They will learn why it is important to “recycle right” and avoid “wish-cycling.” Visitors will also see a mountain of scrap metal, learn about the facility’s Household Hazardous Waste Program and see the Food Scrap Pre-Processor Machine. Pre-registration is required. No drop-ins. All participants must sign the waiver to go on the tour.
Francisco Jiménez’s La Mariposa and Breaking Through
Mexican Heritage Plaza 1700 Alum Rock Ave., San JoseTeatro Visión presents Francisco Jiménez’s La Mariposa and Breaking Through, adapted for the stage by Leo Cortez. Jiménez’s memoirs have resonated across generations, in their message of love, determination, and the importance of one’s mentors. In La Mariposa, a young Panchito arrives in the U.S. with his family, and finds his way amid a life of constant moving and in a school where he doesn’t understand a word his teacher says. As he watches his classroom caterpillar transform into a butterfly, he too begins to learn to spread his wings. Breaking Through follows him to his teenage years, where Panchito comes to love school and reading. A dream to become a teacher awakens in him. But when his responsibility to his family clashes against his own desires, he must navigate the competing priorities that face him. The novels are presented as two one-act plays performed together—La Mariposa in Spanish and Breaking Through in English. Both plays include projected supertitles in English and in Spanish.
Stroll to Aptos VIllage
Aptos Village Green Aptos Village Way, AptosFriends and neighbors, join us for a Stroll to Aptos Village! It's easy to participate! Just pick your starting point, choose your route, then walk or bike safely to the Aptos Village Green. When you arrive, we invite you to take a brief survey, meet with representatives from local pedestrian safety agencies, enjoy a snack from our event sponsor, New Leaf Community Market, and win prizes from Aptos Village merchants. We’ll send you home with information to audit your return trip and future walks you take so you can report pedestrian, bike and road hazards. We are excited to announce that this year’s stroll is being funded by a generous grant from America Walks. https://americawalks.org/ Welcome at 10:00 am, prize drawing at 11:00! The goal of the stroll is to increase awareness and accessibility for all non-drivers, and specifically students, seniors, transit riders, families, and those with mobility impairments. Commuters face a very challenging drive as traffic backs up through the Aptos choke point on both sides of Highway 1. Those who opt to use Soquel Drive through Aptos Village add to the congestion of locals trying to reach village businesses. Each of us who chooses to take our car off the road want drivers to appreciate this by respecting pedestrians and cyclists who use much less road space than a vehicle. Increased safety measures will help remind them to do so. Aptos residents love to walk and ride bikes and we want to do it safely. Please join us!
Central Fire District Annual Open House
Bring your family and friends for a day of fun, learning, and community. Meet your Central firefighters, as well as representatives from American Red Cross, Capitola PD, Santa Cruz FireSafe Council, AMR, State Parks/Lifeguards, Monterey Search Dogs, Santa Cruz County CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams), and more! We have lots of fun activities for all ages, live demonstrations, food trucks, and a wealth of educational information for you and your families. Hope to see you there!