Health & Well Being Magazine South Santa Clara Valley & San Benito County 2021.pdf

Page 1

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA VALLEY & SAN BENITO COUNTY 2021

PUBLISHED BY SOUTH VALLEY & SAN BENITO MAGAZINES

Health&WellBeing SVM-SBM2122 Cover.indd 1

5/27/21 5:09 PM


Thank you Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and Hollister for allowing us to take care of your eye health for the past 5 years. We are a state-of-the-art, 5000-square-foot regional eye center specializing in cataract surgery, Lasik, glaucoma, diabetic eye exams, and other eye conditions. HERE TO CARE FOR YOUR EYES Dr. Harrup Kaur Dr. Christine Langell Dr. Irene Hsu-Dresden Dr. Linh Vu Dr. Jill Fajardo

7652 Monterey St, Suite B GILROY, CA 95020

5330 Camden Ave. SAN JOSE, CA 95124

Tel: 408-842-2500 | Fax: 408-940-3945

Tel: 408-940-3930 | Fax: 408-940-3945

SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 2

5/27/21 11:20 AM


SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 3

5/27/21 11:21 AM


24580 Silver Cloud Court Monterey, CA 93940 (831) 647-9411

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

SOUTH SANTA CLARA VALLEY & SAN BENITO COUNTY 2021

FITNESS

WINE

EATING

MEDICINE

FINDING RESILIENCE 6

LA VIE DANSANTE 22 DOCTOR RETIRES 24

FERMENTED FOODS 12

SPOKING MY MIND

FOOD

SALUTING CYCLISTS 26

FARMERS MARKETS 18 GARDENING

RHUBARB LEAVES 20 PUBLISHER

DESIGN DIRECTOR

Dan Pulcrano

Kara Brown

EDITOR

PRODUCTION OPERATIONS MANAGER

Erik Chalhoub CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Emanuel Lee Laura Ness Kate Russell

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Carrie Bonato Cynthia Runyon

Sean George GENERAL MANAGER

Harry Allison

ON THE COVER Valerie Poynor lifting weights at XIOS Strength & Conditioning. Photo by Tarmo Hannula PUBLISHED BY SOUTH VALLEY & SAN BENITO MAGAZINES

Published by New SV Media Inc., Gilroy, CA Entire contents © 2021. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form prohibited without publisher’s written permission. 7455 Monterey St, Gilroy, CA | Mailing address: P.O. Box 516, Gilroy, CA 95021 Phone: 408-842-6400

SVM/SBM June SVM-SBM 2122.indd Base Edition.indd 4 4

5/27/21 5/27/21 11:21 5:05 PM AM


SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 5

5/27/21 11:21 AM


COMPETITION PREP Crystal Dela Cruz

trains at XIOS Strength & Conditioning in downtown Gilroy.

FINDING RESILIENCE Bodybuilders describe life-changing benefits of fitness BY ERIK CHALHOUB or nearly a decade, Crystal Dela Cruz has tried to get on a bodybuilding stage. After years of stops and starts, she committed herself to the sport

6

in January 2020. Of course, two months later, the Covid-19 pandemic changed the world, forcing numerous competitions to be canceled. But she remained resilient. “I had to really double down on

the work,” Dela Cruz said. “The uncertainty, having to start over and keep going, it was a really confusing situation and frustrating.” Dela Cruz, who owns XIOS Strength & Conditioning in downtown ➝ 8

TARMO HANNULA

F

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 6

5/27/21 5:05 PM


SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 7

5/27/21 1:49 PM


DECISIONS Valerie Poynor chooses weights as she prepares to work out at XIOS Strength & Conditioning.

8

discouraged in their path to fitness because they don’t see immediate results. While falling into that same trap in her journey, Dela Cruz said she learned that it takes time in small, but steady, steps forward. “The smallest amount you can do every day can make a difference,” she said. “As long as you work it into your life and not get frustrated. Tomorrow’s a new day. Try again.”

AN EVENTFUL TIME The Dela Cruz’s opened XIOS in 2018 shortly after they \ to Gilroy.

Andrew, a personal trainer who coaches various sports at Archbishop Mitty in San Jose, had always dreamed of opening his own gym and helping young athletes take their educational and fitness goals to the next level. Today, XIOS’ client base has grown through word-of-mouth, especially among high school and collegiate athletes, many of whom have earned scholarships and enjoyed success in their sporting careers. The gym has had quite an eventful couple of years. A fire at its previous downtown Gilroy location near the end of 2019 forced it to move just down ➝ 10

TARMO HANNULA

6 Gilroy with her husband Andrew, said bodybuilding has changed her life. Staying active has not only helped with her depression and anxiety, but it’s also taught her resilience and goal-setting that she said carries over to other aspects of her life. “It really taught me what I’m capable of,” she said. “To not give up no matter what, that I can overcome things that are really difficult.” Dela Cruz competed in a bodybuilding competition in Sacramento in December, and is shooting for more competitions later this year. She said many people get

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 8

5/27/21 5:05 PM


SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 9

5/27/21 11:24 AM


STAYING ACTIVE Valerie Poynor credits bodybuilding for turning her health around.

10

ROAD TO FITNESS Valerie Poynor, who was working out at XIOS on a recent morning, has her own story of resilience. Poynor suffers from endometriosis, a disorder that causes the abnormal growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. The disorder is not wellunderstood, Poynor said, adding that she was under a lot of pain when she was first diagnosed. A doctor told her that exercise was a good way to alleviate the pain, which led Poynor to yoga and later bodybuilding. That, coupled with a specific diet, helped. But after landing a job as a mathematics professor at CSU Fullerton, in addition to other life events, Poynor’s fitness routines took

TARMO HANNULA

8 the road at 7387 Monterey St., where it was only open briefly before it had to shut down due to Covid-19 public health orders. During the shutdown, the coaches offered virtual and outdoor workouts, allowing clients to rent equipment for their homes. In addition to the fundamentals, the gym specializes in Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting, with its athletes competing in events across the nation. In honor of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, XIOS plans on hosting its own Olympic weightlifting competition in July called the Garlic City Classic. “It’s been a crazy couple of years for us and for everybody,” Crystal Dela Cruz said. “We’re very thankful to still be here supporting our athletes and our clients. We have so much going on.”

a side role, and the pain returned. “It was hard for me to move,” she said. “I didn’t realize how much I was avoiding movement in my life because of the pain.” Not wanting to live her life in pain, Poynor recommitted herself to fitness, and began what she called serious research into the benefits exercise and diet can have on endometriosis. She joined a bodybuilding team, and surrounded by a supportive network, began competing once again. “My friends have watched this transition of me being so humbled by the pain and feeling weak to now slowly taking those baby steps toward health,” she said. “My muscles grew, my body responded way better than it had ever responded before.” Poynor stresses the need for patience for those on their fitness journeys, and listening to their own bodies. “A lot of people think they can’t do these things when they have a chronic illness,” she said. “You have to make sure your priorities are straight. There will be days when you will be taken out. You just have to accept that. Those sort of things happen.” Poynor added that she enjoys sharing her story to inspire others. “It’s not easy, it’s not easy at all,” she said. “It’s so worth it. I wake up happy, I feel good about my body and I feel that I look good.” 

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 10

5/27/21 5:06 PM


XIOS will give you the tools and the support to help you crush your health and fitness goals. We’re a home of like-minded individuals who want to be the best we can be in our daily life and when competing. Services Offered: Functional Fitness • Mobility And Recovery • Olympic Weightlifting •Powerlifting • Bodybuilding • Personal/Group Training • Fitness And Wellness Coaching • Strength And Conditioning • Workout Programming High School/College Sports Training • Youth Fitness Find us on social media @xiosfitness

7387 Monterey Rd Gilroy • 669.286.7180 • xiosfitness.com

AD SIZE

1/2h MAG 8X8

7.875" X 3.8175"

SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 11

PUBLICATION: NAME HERE ADVERTISER: NAME HERE ACCOUNT EXEC: NAME HERE DESIGNER: NAME HERE

DESIGN DEPARTMENT weeklys.com

5/27/21 1:51 PM


LOCALLY MADE

Wise Goat Organics, which specializes in gut health foods like sauerkraut, has a variety of flavors in said food, including pickle relish, spicy garlic and borscht, which is made of beetroot.

FERMENTED FOODS

Business owner touts gut-health benefits of products

M

12

Bertuccio’s Manager Grant Hughes said the Wise Goat Organics products he carries are popular with customers. “The (vegan) kimchi is probably our best seller,” he said, referring to the fermented Korean dish that is made up of cabbage, radish and spices. While the term gut health only recently became a buzzword in food industry circles, Risavi saw the writing on the wall a while ago. Having grown up around horses, Risavi moved to Santa Cruz to continue her career as a natural horsemanship trainer. She met the wife of Grant Brians of Heirloom Organic Gardens in Hollister at a horse show, which eventually led her to helping out at their stand at farmers markets.

“I fell in love with farmers markets that way,” Risavi said. Customers would routinely ask her about the nutritional value of certain foods, which motivated Risavi to take courses on the subject. After that, she supplemented her nutritionist credentials by taking classes in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, at which point a common theme started emerging with her clients—a number of them were suffering from gut issues. Risavi knew she was onto something. “All health issues start with the gut,” she said. And obtaining superior gut ➝ 16 health requires eating a

ROBERT ELIASON

ary Risavi moved from Colorado to Santa Cruz in 2008 with the intention of staying in the area for “only a couple of years.” Thirteen years later, Risavi is still here, having settled in Hollister. The owner of Wise Goat Organics, a small-food business that specializes in sauerkraut and dozens of guthealthy items, Risavi’s products are available at eight different farmers markets and speciality stores such as Bertuccio’s, Lolla in San Juan Bautista and the Smoke Point BBQ, which she co-owns with chef Jarad Gallagher.

BY EMANUEL LEE

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 12

5/27/21 5:06 PM


SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 13

5/27/21 1:52 PM



STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES Emergency Department with 16 private treatment rooms and 3 trauma bays  Ambulatory Surgery Center 

Women’s Center with private, spacious birthing suites  Technologically advanced Diagnostic Imaging Center 

SPECIALTY SERVICES 

Hollister Orthopedic Specialty Center

Barragan Family Diabetes Center  Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine 

Hollister Multi-Specialty Center  Skilled Nursing Facilities 

Home Health Agency


PROMOTING GUT HEALTH Wise Goat Organics owner Mary Risavi believes

in the nutritional aspects of sauerkraut, pickle relish and other fermented foods.

16

of Risavi’s deep belief—and those of her growing customer base—that fermented foods lead to great digestive health. Their motto? Taking care of your gut will help take care of you. Risavi said her drive to make wholesome, quality products is a big reason why she focuses on sourcing from local, organic and sustainable farmers, including Coke, Pinnacle, Heirloom, Lakeside and Jade Coast. “The cool part about that is I’m picking up something like cabbage and we’ll start processing it the same day or following day so everything is still fresh and the nutritional value is preserved,” Risavi said. “When you’re harvesting veggies—say broccoli or cabbage—the Vitamin C content starts dropping the second you harvest it. So by processing

ROBERT ELIASON

12 variety of vegetables, including kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir, which boost the number of beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, found in the gut. Probiotics, or good bacteria, are thought to help a multitude of health issues, specifically digestive health. Risavi started making sauerkraut for her clients, and the demand became so great that Risavi launched Wise Goat Organics seven years ago. Risavi’s product line goes beyond krauts and includes herbal tea, hot sauce, stoneground tahini, matcha powder, almond butter and kvass, a traditional fermented Slavic beverage commonly made from rye bread. Although Wise Goat Organics has a variety of products, the fact that all of them are fermented speaks volumes

it on the same day you’re preserving the vitamins in it and they don’t degrade.” Having raised horses for the better part of two decades, Risavi bought goats 12 years ago with the intention of milking them. As time went on, she noticed something rather remarkable about the animals, which is why she named her business Wise Goat Organics. “I noticed they were very selective on what weeds, trees and grasses they would eat,” she said. “They would even be selective on the specific part of the plant they wanted. This seemed to vary with the time of day, season, age and any health problems they were facing. I thought this was very wise of them and felt as humans we should do our best to follow this approach.” Hughes raves about the Wise Goat Organic products, which is ironic considering he is not a sauerkraut fan. “It’s just not my deal, but people love it for the probiotic factor and all the amazing things it does for gut health,” he said. “There was a young lady who came in, a German exchange-student, who saw the kraut and bought it because she needed something from home. The next time she came into the store, she said the sauerkraut was amazing, that it was literally a slice of home for her.” Risavi makes sauerkraut by shredding cabbage and depending on the product—she makes different flavors of kraut including purple cabbage, green garden, jalapeno, borscht, spicy garlic, golden and supergreen—combines it with garlic and salt before putting it in glass jars where it ferments for a month. “We try to maximize the flavors and nutritional value without compromising anything,” she said. “The No. 1 goal is to keep the health value of the foods we sell and support local farmers. We’re trying to do everything right.” 

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 16

5/27/21 5:06 PM


SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 17

5/27/21 11:28 AM


HEALTHY FOODS A vendor puts together baskets of strawberries at the Farmers Market in Morgan Hill. The South Santa Clara Valley and San Benito County area has plenty of opportunities for residents to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables. The Morgan Hill Farmers Market takes place Saturdays from 9am to 1pm on Depot Street downtown. The Gilroy Farmers Market is held Saturdays from 10am-4pm at the Gilroy Premium Outlets, 681 Leavesley Road, parking lot C. The Hollister Certified Farmers’ Market runs Wednesdays from 3-7:30pm through Sept. 29 on Sixth Street between San Benito and East streets. Power Broadcasting and Medina Farms host a farmers market Sundays from 9am-1pm, weather permitting, at Bolado Park, 9000 Airline Highway in Tres Pinos. 

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 18

JUAN REYES

18

5/27/21 5:07 PM


G

A

L

L

E

R

Y

1

2

0

2

7 3 6 3 M O N T E R E Y S T R E E T, G I L R O Y C A 9 5 0 2 0 • 4 0 8 . 2 0 6 . 0 0 1 8 •I N F O @ G A L L E R Y 1 2 0 2 . C O M • W W W . G A L L E R Y 1 2 0 2 . C O M

AMY HIBBS

ADELE DELORIS RILEY

&

P A P E R F I B E R

OPENING RECEPTION: JUNE 26TH 6-8PM

N ATA L I E C I C C O R I C C O LUCHA RODRIGUEZ DANI VINOKUROV

• CLOSING RECEPTION: AUGUST 1ST 11-5PM

S H E LT E R E D L E G A C I E S

B Y M A R I LY N N H O S T

JUNE 4 - JUNE 30 IN THE WINDOW FRONT GALLERY 64 W 6TH STREET, GILROY CA 95020

SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 19

WH IMSICAL PAR A SOL INSTALL ATION EXH IBIT

5/27/21 11:28 AM


GARDENING problems. Bottom line, a 150-pound person would need to eat approximately 12 pounds of rhubarb leaves for it to be dangerous. And spinach leaves contain more oxalic acid than rhubarb leaves. That’s why your teeth may feel funny after eating spinach. It’s oxalic acid crystals binding with any nearby calcium to create calcium oxalate crystals. These crystals stick to your teeth for several minutes to an hour.

OXALIC ACID IN NATURE

TOXINS AMONG US Certain plant leaves including rhubarb, cabbage, spinach and beet tops, contain oxalic acid.

GARDEN MYTHS Are rhubarb leaves deadly? BY KATE RUSSELL

O

xalic acid—you’ve heard the warnings, telling how rhubarb leaves and other plant parts that contain oxalic acid should not be eaten. But that’s not entirely accurate. Let’s learn the truth about oxalic acid in the garden.

THE CHEMISTRY BEHIND OXALIC ACID As an acid, oxalic acid is corrosive. It is used as an industrial bleaching agent and heavy duty cleaning product. Apparently, it works especially well

20

on removing rust. Oxalic acid is also classified as nephrotoxin, which means it can damage your kidneys. Oxalic acid, in the form of calcium oxalate, is the most common ingredient of kidney and urinary tract stones. Oxalic acid can also cause joint pain. At high concentrations, oxalic acid really is deadly. According to the National Institutes of Health, lethal doses range from 15 to 30 mg, though an oral dose of 5 mg has been fatal. In each of these cases, it is the amount of oxalic acid being ingested that is the problem. The levels found in many foods are too low to cause

Oxalic acid is found in a surprising number of food plants that we eat every day. The trick is in the concentration. In fact, oxalates can be toxic to plants, too, but plants bind those oxalates up in crystals that they then use as tiny spears to defend themselves against herbivores. These specialized cells are called idioblasts. Oxalic acid is formed when plants burn sugars and carbohydrates as fuel. Oxalates are also used to balance calcium levels, within the plant, by binding to calcium molecules. This is why some people say eating high levels of oxalic acid can interfere with healthy bones and teeth, but, again, you would have to eat an awful lot—over a long period of time— to cause any real problems. By the way, our bodies produce oxalic acid out of Vitamin C, on purpose. Also, cooking plants that contain oxalic acid has not been shown to reduce oxalate levels. Armed with this information, I went out to my rhubarb plant and broke off a young leaf and ate it. The flavor was actually pretty nice, something akin to spinach, but lighter. And I lived to tell about it. Kate Russell is a UCCE Master Gardener in Santa Clara County.

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

➝ 22 SVM-SBM 2122.indd 20

5/27/21 5:07 PM


FRAMES

EYE EXAM

100 OFF $ 69!

$

PLUS, 2ND PAIR

FREE*

FASHION FOR EVERYONE

MORGAN HILL | 1049 Cochrane Rd. | near Target | 408.778.4633 | SiteforSoreEyes.com The safety and health of our staff and community is our top priority. Please follow our safety protocols during your visit. Call for details. *Must purchase frames and lenses. Free second pair from large selection of frames with single-vision lenses. Not combinable with insurance or other offers. Some restrictions may apply. See store for details. Limited time offer. †Contact lens exam additional. Eye exams available by an Independent Doctor of Optometry, conveniently located at Site for Sore Eyes.

SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 21

5/27/21 11:29 AM


WINE

LA VIE DANSANTE Winemaker Jeff Fadness pours a glass of Perry Cider.

DANCING INTO 2021 La Vie Dansante reflects on changes

W

inemaker Jeff Fadness was thrilled to see a familiar face approaching the recently reopened La Vie Dansante tasting room out on Dryden Road in Gilroy, in April. It was none other than the local legend Tom Kruse, who began making wine in the Santa Clara Valley in 1971.

22

century-old bottling tools like a French dosage machine, a Swiss bottling filler, a French cage and capsule applicator for sparkling and a beautifully simple hand corker made in San Francisco back in the late 19th century that once belonged to the Mirassou family. Kruse sold the property in 2015 to Fadness and his business partners at the time, who created the concept of Blended, a joint tasting room between La Vie Dansante, Medeiros Family and TASS. It operated until Fadness took it over in 2019, after Ted and Tammie Medeiros headed to Fairplay and Ron Mosley took over Cinnabar in Saratoga. Fadness said 2020 brought a lot

CONTRIBUTED

In 1993, Kruse purchased the 20-acre plot on Dryden Road where he planted 12 acres of grapes at what would become the new home of the Thomas Kruse Winery. Preserving history and making it at the same time was Kruse’s modus operandi. He proudly employed

BY LAURA NESS

of changes, with more to come in 2021. One of them is his popular Frosé, based on a 2018 Grenache Rosé, of which he says, “We might have made way too much!” Fadness is most excited about his first-ever release of Carignane. The 2017 La Vie Dansante Carignane is made from vines that were planted in 1889. Carignane is one of those grapes that most people don’t know, but there’s actually a fair bit of it in the Santa Clara Valley, and folks like the Guglielmos and Dan Martin of Martin Ranch are pretty keen on the varietal. How was vintage 2020 overall? Well, suffice it to say that not everyone escaped the scourge of smoke taint. Fadness said they only processed about six tons of fruit, enough for roughly 350 cases. So, 2020 will be a short vintage, but that will give some breathing room to sell through previous bottlings. The way people are enjoying wine has significantly changed due to the pandemic. Fadness said that wineries have essentially replaced bars as social gathering places, at least until the economy fully opens up. But, beyond that, the seated, by-reservation-only policies that tasting rooms were forced to employ during Covid, have impacted the way people approach winetasting. “In a nutshell, people aren’t spending a day travelling to multiple wineries,” he said. “Instead, they’re choosing one and spending the whole day there. They want to be entertained, they want food, and they want something besides wine to drink.” 

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 22

5/27/21 5:07 PM


Unplug San Benito National Trail Days June 6 Go on a hike Take notice of nature Turn off cellphone SAN BENITO COUNTY: 831.636.7500

RECOLOGY.COM

You’ve Come to the Right Place.

66 1st Street, Suite A, Gilroy, CA 95020 | (408) 847-8880 | informed-choices.org

SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 23

5/27/21 1:43 PM


FOUR-DECADE CAREER Roger Lucero served Gilroy and Morgan Hill since 1983 BY ERIK CHALHOUB Dr. Roger Lucero

D

r. Roger Lucero can’t say how many times he’s been called at 2 in the morning to give medical advice. He also can’t quantify the number of people he has helped throughout his career, only to estimate it in the “thousands and thousands.”

But that is to be expected when one has had a 38-year career such as Lucero. Lucero, a family doctor serving Gilroy and Morgan Hill since 1983, retired earlier this year. “I feel so honored to be able to be a part of this medical community and do my little part in trying to help people in the community for these last 38 years,” he said. “It’s been my pleasure. I feel very honored that the community embraced me as their medical doctor.” Lucero, who grew up in a rural community in New Mexico, said he decided at an early age that he wanted

24

to become a family practice doctor. He worked at a nursing home to help pay his way through college, and found that he enjoyed helping others. He earned his medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of California DavisContra Costa County Medical Services. Lucero moved to Gilroy in 1983, where he purchased a family practice. His original office was located in the former Wheeler Hospital, and he served as chief of staff during the last year of its operation. He eventually relocated to the campus of now-St. Louise Regional Hospital and later joined the El Camino Health Medical Network. Lucero said the most rewarding part of his career comes from serving families. “I really attach to my patients and their families,” he said. “You become a semi-family member. You deal with

the trials and tribulations, and you get to help guide them through these various hurdles life throws at us.” Now living in Morgan Hill, Lucero said he plans to pursue his hobbies, many of which had fallen by the wayside as he was focused on his career. He intends to pick up his flamenco guitar after 15 years and get back to his “mediocre” skill level, he noted, as well as travel and grow his woodworking knowledge. “Up until about age 60, retirement was something other people did,” he said. “At age 60, you start looking at your fellow doctors and patients and realize the end is coming. You start asking questions, what am I going to do? If you are not a family doctor, who are you and what do you do? “It was a switch that clicked off, and I realized I’ve done what I needed to do and now it’s time to do something else. I’ve got a lot of plans.” 

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 24

5/27/21 5:08 PM


Quality Antiques, Clothing & Jewelry

She’s Consignment 731 San Benito St Hollister • 831-630-5810

AD SIZE

1/2h MAG 8X8

7.875" X 3.8175"

SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 25

PUBLICATION: NAME HERE ADVERTISER: NAME HERE ACCOUNT EXEC: NAME HERE DESIGNER: NAME HERE

DESIGN DEPARTMENT weeklys.com

5/27/21 1:47 PM


SPOKING MY MIND GROWING SKILLS The Coyotes, aka the South County Composite High School Mountain Bike Team, are shown with Coach Sean Fissel.

SALUTING CYCLISTS Time to go outdoors on two wheels BY CURT HENTSCHKE

I

26

SAVE THE DATES Santa Cruz Mountains Challenge is going virtual this summer, while other seasonal favorites (like the Marin Century and Martinez’s Bike the Bridges & BrewFest) are moving to the fall, hoping that we’ll be further out of the pandemic by then. I don’t have to tell you that summer also means that school’s out! Besides reminding you to watch out for more kids riding bikes, this is a perfect opportunity to give a huge, end-ofseason shout out to the South County Composite High School Mountain Bike Team, aka, the Coyotes! This grinding group of South County high schoolers just wrapped its second

June 10-13: CalBike’s Dream Ride Summer Extravaganza, calbike.org Devil’s Slide Ride, Pacifica

CANCELLED Santa Cruz Mountains Challenge, Santa Cruz

VIRTUAL Marin Century/Mt. Tam Double

MOVING TO OCTOBER Bike the Bridges & BrewFest, Martinez Curt “Cycle Guy” Hentschke is a cyclist, seeker, song farmer and scribe. Send your cycle celebrations to heycycleguy@gmail.com.

SEAN FISSEL

t’s summer! If you’re like me, you’re crawling out of your soon-to-be-sunburnt-skin. Sure, you’re still riding, but you’ve totally missed the Tierra Bella, the I Care Classic, and your other favorite event rides. Fear not, CalBike is offering up its Dream Ride Summer Extravaganza on June 10-13. That means four days of self-guided scavenger hunts and other cycle challenges, all while raising funds and awareness for the California Bicycle Coalition.

year in the NorCal High School Cycling League, the founding league in the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). My “Coyote Connection” is their Level 1 Coach Sean Fissel. Sean tells me the team has done well this year, and that “…it’s been awesome to watch everyone’s skills and fitness levels grow throughout the season.” Sean also gives kudos and thanks to this year’s Head Coach Chris Hauge and to Team Director Doug Hall for helping everyone grow as riders and racers!

HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

SVM-SBM 2122.indd 26

5/27/21 5:08 PM


As your preferred South County Agent, I strive to listen to your needs and achieve your real estate goals! Gar y Palacios voted Volunteer of the Year, 2021! Gary Palacios is a real estate leader, CFO, and founder of The Palacios Group, the #1 real estate team in South County. Named “BEST Realtor of Morgan Hill” & “Volunteer of the Year” in Morgan Hill, he uses his 18 years of experience and over 432 million dollars in sales to help you achieve your goals. For more information on Gary Palacios visit: GaryPalacios.com

For the past 10 years, Gary Palacios has been the man behind the scenes and the success of feeding, clothing and gifting holiday toys to thousands of people in need in Morgan Hill. He says that he “saw the need” early on during his time as Cathedral of Faith Morgan Hill’s Campus Pastor. After designing a monthly food donation program through the church, in 2012 Gary and volunteers began serving meals to those most in need. The program started out feeding 15 people and quickly grew to 75 thanks to Gary’s outreach efforts which also included the creation of a program at Village Avanti Apartments called “It’s a new day at the village,” providing hot meals, groceries and games to apartment residents. However, for Gary Palacios it wasn’t enough. With the help of Martha’s Kitchen and Cathedral of Faith, the initial food service program was relocated to the Community and Cultural Center where it quickly expanded to serve 500+ people every quarter. Gary created the popular “I Love Morgan Hill” social media page in 2010 encouraging the entire community to become involved and play a role in feeding and clothing those in need in Morgan Hill. Above and beyond the efforts listed above, Gary spearheads a “Summer Backpack and Hot Meal Drive” through “I Love Morgan Hill” and a “Family Harvest Meal,” in conjunction with Cathedral of Faith/Reaching Out/2nd Harvest Food Bank, the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month which feeds over 200 families. In 2019 during Christmastime alone, Gary’s program served 1,500 people with toys, jackets, a hot meal and a bag of groceries. He loves Morgan Hill and encourages our entire community to not only “see the need” but be a part of meeting it.

GARY PALACIOS The Palacios Group 408.623.5209 | gary.palacios@compass.com thepalaciosgroup.com DRE 01396802 Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate.

SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 27

5/27/21 1:42 PM


SVM/SBM June Base Edition.indd 28

5/27/21 11:30 AM


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.