HOLDBLACKHISTORY

Bethe Match sends out requestsfor couriers about two to three weeks before scheduledtransplants,with the goalofbooking a courier wholives eitherclose to the hospital ofthedonororthe transplantpatient to reduce travel time.Bethe Match organizesand coversalltravel expenses andoffers couriers smalldaily per diem.These expensesare allbilled to the transplantpatient’s insurance company. Patrick saidshetakes couriertrips about twicea month.Earlier this week, shepickedupbloodproductsinFlorida on Tuesday morningand flew withthem to a hospitalinLosAngeles thatsame day. Shesaid mostofher trips take about two daysandherideal goalis toget thebloodproducts to the transplant teamwithin five to 10 hours.She said that overthepast two yearsshe’s beenimpressedbyhow well Be the Match coordinates travel,butshehasencountered someunexpected challenges.

Onetimeshe got strandedinthemiddleofthe night at a small airport in Arkansas and couldn’t finda carservice toget her delivery to thehospital.Another time,a security screener at anairport in New Yorkrefused to acceptherBethe Match paperwork soshe had to stay overnightat a hotel and try againthenext morning.Andonone flight, she couldn’t fit thebluecanvas coolerbagunderher seatorinan overheadbin,so shehad to strapitinto the seatbelt on an empty seat to ensure itssafepassage.

Evenwiththeoccasional travel snafus,Patricksaid shelovesthe work.Theonly thing thatmaystopher somedayiswhenshe gets too old to lift the coolerbag, which can weightup to 40 pounds, depending onits contents.

“It’s still a pretty new thing formebutit’s a great way to give back, especially for someonewho’s retired andlookingfor things to do. It’s been very rewarding.” pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com

TheLyrical Groovewill perform Feb. 9atCuyamacaCollege Theateras partofBlack History Month.

COURTESY OF THE LYRICAL GROOVE

•Barriers to beinga First-GenerationBlackCollegeStudent workshop,9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Feb. 17

•In His Words:DissectingTruth, Justiceand MartinLutherKingJr presentation, 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 23 ledby Yaa Faraji,a LosAngelesscreenwriter, spoken word poetandauthor.

•AfricanAmericanSoldiers inPhilippineAmerican War (1899-1902) workshop, 10 to 11 a.m. Feb. 25.

•MentalHealthStigma in the BlackCommunity workshopwithdiscussion, noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 28

GrossmontCollege

•SoundBites – Rap and

Citycouncils

ElCajon, 3p.m. Tuesday; La Mesa, 6p.m. Tuesday; Santee, 6:30p.m. Wednesday

School boards

AlpineUnion School District, 5:15p.m. Wednesday; Cajon ValleyUnion School District (El Cajon), 5:30p.m. Tuesday; GrossmontUnionHigh SchoolDistrict, 6 p.m. Tuesday; Jamul-Dulzura Union SchoolDistrict, 6:30p.m. Tuesday; Lakeside Union Elementary SchoolDistrict, 6 p.m. Thursday; LemonGrove SchoolDistrict, 6 p.m. Tuesday; MountainEmpire Unified SchoolDistrict, 6 p.m. Tuesday

LaMesacommunity discussioncomingup

TheLaMesaCommunity Relationsand VeteransCommissionandthe Advancing HealthLiteracy Programare hostingavirtualCommunity Conversation at 6p.m. Feb. 23 to discussthechallenges, successes,andopportunities sincethebeginning of the pandemicastheyaffectaccess to healthcare and resources. The eventisfreeand open to thepublic. Register at https://bit.ly/3Hd2m8c to receivethelink.

Santeechurchgroup holds fooddrive today

HipHopandthe Worldseries withdiscussion, noon weekdaysthrough Feb. 28on history ofrapmusic.Register attinyurl.com/ myyb8ybe.

•Afro-LatinXConnection, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

•AfricanandAfrican AmericanArt Display, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 21-25 at HydeGallery inthePerformingandVisualArts Center, byappointment only atalex.decosta@gcccd.edu.

•BlackHistory Month Celebration, 9 to 11 a.m. Feb. 22, followed byAfrican American Lit Readings, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., MainQuad. Visit gcccd.edu. linda.mcintosh @sduniontribune.com

ASEZ WAO, aninternational volunteerservicegroupfrom the WorldMissionSociety Church of God,is holdinga fooddrivefrom 10 a.m.-4p.m. todayat 9230 Prospect Ave., Santee, to benefit TheJacobs and CushmanSanDiego Foodbank. Thechurchis aiming to collectenough food tofeedaminimum of 2,000 families.Nonperishable food items only:cannedfruits, vegetables,soups,beans, meatsand fish; pastaandrice; cookingoils;crackers;peanut butter;instantmashedpotatoes. ASEZ WAOstands for “Save the Earth fromA to Z” and“WeAre One.” Theinternational volunteerservice groupconsists of Church of God youngadult workersfrom 7,500churches worldwide. Visitsdwmscog.org.

Fooddistribution inSpring Valley

FeedingSanDiegoishostinga drive-through fooddistribution from 10 a.m.-noonMondayat FaithChapel, 9400 Campo Road,Spring Valley. Register at https://feedingsandiegofeb7.rsvpify.com. Every registered attendeewill receive about50pounds of dry goods, freshproduce,andafrozen meatprotein. Visit feedingsandiego.org/together-tour. Senditems to fyi.east@sduniontribune.com at least two weeksbefore events.