Editorial: Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up to Habitat for Humanity Fresno for turning over the keys to Carlos and Ana Flores and their family recently. It was the 131st home built here for a fortunate family. The house is in the Hope Village subdivision at Church and Laval avenues in southeast Fresno. The home, sponsored by Wells Fargo, has 1,300 square feet, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It is a big step up from their current housing, which the parents say is so unsafe they don’t let their little girls, ages 3 and 5, go outside to play. The experience has inspired the parents to learn to do more lucrative jobs so they can meet their financial needs and repair their own home.
Thumbs up to former Fresno State and nine-year NFL veteran Richard Marshall for handing out 300 turkeys and hot chocolate Tuesday at the West Fresno Family Resource Center. Marshall, who grew up in Los Angeles, explains the importance of giving back to the community in this video.
Thumbs up to Fresno State for its Helping Hams food drive to feed the hungry during the holidays. The campaign will run through Dec. 4 to raise money to donate student-produced holiday hams to charitable organizations affiliated with the university. Donations in increments of $5 will be collected at the Gibson Farm Market. Six donations will purchase one ham for a family in need. Donations can be made at the Gibson Farm Market or by mailing a check to 2385 E. Barstow Ave., AG85, Fresno, CA 93740.
Thumbs up to the Saint Agnes Women’s Club for raising nearly $60,000 for homeless and underserved women at its Cirque de Fashion Show. Proceeds will benefit the Saint Agnes Holy Cross Center for Women, which provides daytime shelter, counseling and referral services, educational facilities and areas for baithing and washing clothes.
Thumbs Up to Table Mountain Rancheria for continuing its tradition of donating turkeys to organizations that feed those in need. This week, Table Mountain delivered more than 1,300 turkeys to nine local nonprofits throughout Madera and Fresno counties, including the Madera County Food Bank, the Pinedale Boys and Girls Club, Poverello House, the Fresno Rescue Mission and Catholic Charities.
Thumbs up to the Fresno Housing Authority for opening its first development in Kingsburg called Marion Villas and its third housing project for seniors. The affordable senior housing complex, decorated in the theme of the town’s Swedish culture, has one- and two-bedroom apartments and has turned a blighted area into a “beautiful project,” according to City Council Member Michelle Roman. More and more of these developments will be needed as the Baby Boomers downsize from their family homes and look for residences with less upkeep. Win-win for all.
Thumbs up to the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation for its $1 million donation for a Center on Aging at the University of California San Francisco Fresno. The underserved Valley is expected to experience a sharp demand for physicians and others trained to care for aging people. The university medical school will host a ceremony Tuesday at 10 a.m., 2335 E. Kashian Lane on the third floor of the East Medical Plaza, which is adjacent to the UCSF medical center in downtown Fresno. Hillblom, the co-founder of DHL Worldwide Express and a respected international businessman, grew up on his family’s farm in Kingsburg. The Hillblom Foundation was established in 1996 and supports medical research within California. Details: https://www.llhf.org/
Thumbs up to the Ruff Ryders MC 8 and its community partners, including Assemblymember Henry T. Perea and Save Mart Supermarkets, for providing a Thanksgiving feed for nearly 400 people at the Zimmerman Boys & Girls Clubs at Belmont and Fresno streets Tuesday. The families not only were fed, but entertained by amateur magicians.
This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Editorial: Thumbs up, thumbs down."