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SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CV, NO. XLIV
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2021
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VETERANS DAY
Mighty Oaks Warrior Program Serves U.S. Veterans Suffering From PTSD
The Mighty Oaks Foundation is committed to serving the broken-hearted by providing intensive peer-based discipleship through a series of programs, outpost meetings, and speaking events. Contributed Photos
Sky Rose Ranch has hosted the Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs since 2012
The day the world thought would be the end of the war to end all wars would become a national holiday in 1938. Later in 1954, Nov. 11 was proclaimed Veteran’s Day to honor all Veterans. By CAMILLE DeVAUL We know now that WWI was not the camille@atascaderonews.com war to end all wars. And even when soldiers do come home, their war isn’t always over. n Nov. 11, 1918, at 11 a.m., the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) world celebrated the end of was first used as a diagnostic term in 1980. World War I, which would be Prior to that, symptoms of PTSD were later known as Armistice Day. known as “shell shock.”
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Since then, PTSD has been prevalent out of every 100 Gulf War Veterans (or among 13.8 percent of Iraq and Afghan12 percent) have PTSD in a given year. istan veterans. • Vietnam War: About 15 out of According to the U.S. Department of every 100 Vietnam Veterans (or 15 Veteran affairs: percent) were currently diagnosed with • Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and PTSD at the time of the most recent Enduring Freedom (OEF): About study in the late 1980s, the National 11-20 out of every 100 Veterans (or Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study between 11-20 percent) who served in (NVVRS). It is estimated that about OIF or OEF have PTSD in a given 30 out of every 100 (or 30 percent) of year. Vietnam Veterans have had PTSD in • Gulf War (Desert Storm): About 12 their lifetime.
NON-PROFIT
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CONSTRUCTION
Lights of Hope Returns to Paso Robles City Park for 10th Anniversary
Groundbreaking News For Templeton’s New Library The new library hopes to be operational by Spring 2022
Candice Sanders named new Executive Director of CSCC
By CHRISTIANNA MARKS For the Atascadero News
By CAMILLE DeVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
PASO ROBLES — The Cancer Support Community California Central Coast (CSC-CCC) has announced Candice Sanders as their new Executive Director. Sanders is an Ovarian Cancer survivor and served as former Development Director at CSC-CCC. CSC-CCC is a local non-profit, supporting the social and emotional needs of cancer patients and their families at no charge. They offer services to the whole family, no matter what stage of cancer or recovery. “I am absolutely thrilled. I am so happy to be here. The Cancer Support Community means so much to me. To come and serve as executive director is a dream come true,” says Sanders. Sanders hopes to lead CSC-CCC in reaching further into the community, especially the underserved, which their new virtual services can hopefully help with. She explains, “There is a lot that I want to do. Specifically, some of the things I would love to do is to garner more brand awareness and let people
SPORTS
• The average number of Veteran suicides per day was 17.6 in 2018. After Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Chad Robichaux served eight tours of duty as a United States Marine Corps Force Recon, he was diagnosed with PTSD. His diagnosis led him on a journey to create the Mighty Oaks Foundation, a non-profit committed to serving veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD.
Each year, the City of Paso Robles collaborates with CSC-CCC to light up the Downtown City Park trees to kick off the holiday season. Contributed Photos
know that we are here and we are a resource for them.” Sanders also looks forward to expanding its Hispanic programs and availability. The CSC-CCC Lights of Hope fundraiser is also returning to the Downtown City Park for its tenth anniversary. Last year’s Lights of Hope event was canceled due to COVID restrictions. “This year, we are excited to be able to gather together to serve our community to light up the trees in the downtown City Park, and those lights will sparkle through the winter season,” says Sanders. On Friday, Nov. 26, the Paso Robles
EVENT
City Park trees will be lit for Lights of Hope in honor of those affected by cancer. Each year, the City of Paso Robles collaborates with CSC-CCC to light up the Downtown City Park trees to kick off the holiday season. The lights are put up and sponsored by the Cancer Support Community as a fundraising opportunity to support their mission “so that no one faces cancer alone.” CSC-CCC is currently looking for sponsors to light up the trees this holiday season. Members of the community can sponsor a tree, branch, limb, CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
COVID-19 UPDATE
TEMPLETON — A local crowd gathered at the Templeton High School Parking Lot on Nov. 9 for a “bring your own shovel” groundbreaking. The reason, Templeton is finally getting a library! Josh Gibson, a former Boy Scout, who had the original idea to build a Templeton library for his Eagle Scout project, was the first to take a shovel to the ground. Alongside him, with shovels in hand, were Templeton Community Library Associations’s President, Melinda Reed, and Gibson’s sons Grant and Colton. Gibson reminisced about his Boy Scout days, “I
Former Boy Scout Josh Gibson alongside his sons Grant and Colton with TCLA President Melissa Reed. Photos by Christianna Marks/ATN
started kicking around the idea when I was about 13, so it was about 23 years ago. I started reaching out to the community, doing my research, and just trying to find out how to get this [library] started. [I had] never done it before, obviously, so it’s like CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
GOVERNMENT
City Council Drafts Resolution to Remain With IWMA Chamber of Commerce contract from 1992 is getting renewed and updated By PATRICK PATTON patrick@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — Atascadero City Council met on Tuesday, Nov. 9, for their regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m., following a closed session with nothing to report. Mayor Pro-Tem Newsom was absent. The agenda and the consent calendar were both approved 4-0.
SOCIETY
The City Manager’s report was presented by Deputy City Manager Terrie Banish, who provided the following updates: • City staff has been working hard on vegetation management for the past few weeks, and the work is now completed. • Downtown Trick or Treat was a hit! Thanks to the Downtown Business Improvement District, and especially to Roxy Bragg of Indigo Clothing for taking the lead on coordinating all of the festivities. CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
WEATHER
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GREYHOUND FOUNDATION Hosts 15th Induction of Honorees to Hall of Fame | A3
ATASCADERO FALL FESTIVAL ROBUST VAX PROGRAM HOW DID WE GET HERE? A portion of profits will benefit Friends Allocates More Than 1.2 Million Call Pimping and Trafficking What It Is: of the Charles Paddock Zoo | A4 Vaccines for the 5-11 Age Group | A5 Abuse and Oppression | A13
High 75° | Low 49°
The City of Atascadero presents its
Annual Outdoor
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67808 24135
Sat, Nov 13, 2021 10 am - 3 pm
Holiday Boutique Unique handmade items!
Local craft vendors!
Atascadero Lake Park • 9100 Morro Rd., Atascadero, CA
FREiE on Admiss
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