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Yolanda Holder at the Boston Marathon

By Yolanda Holder

I grew up watching the Boston Marathon on TV and thought to myself, I will never be able to go to Boston because I’m not a runner and I’m not an athlete. Five years ago for my 50^th birthday I power walked 65 marathons/ultras in 52 weeks which started my journey as a Power Walking Diva. Being a 2x Guinness World Record holder for the “Most Marathons Run in a Calendar Year” has opened up many doors.  I have power walked over 471 marathons which included the LA Marathon, San Francisco , San Diego, Seattle, Honolulu and the New York Marathon just to name a few, but never the Boston Marathon. Losing both my parents to diabetes complications and wanting to honor my mom I founded Extreme Walk 4 Diabetes.  I power walked from Corona to Oakland, 521 miles in 15 days, spreading the word about the benefits of walking and diabetes.  After completing EW4D I was invited to be on a relay team mini “Run for Tomorrow” Ottawa, Canada to New York City Marathon.  Being a member on the R4T team we were invited to run the Boston Marathon.

I had never been to Boston and I was excited for two reasons.  One I’m power walking a marathon in every state and Boston would be state #30 and I’m power walking the Boston Marathon a dream come true!

I arrived at the expo and met for the first time a few of my R4T team members and took lots of pictures with my marathon friends.  What I love about marathoning is that you get to meet people from around the world and you get to travel to places you only dream of and the Boston Marathon was one of my dreams.  The Boston expo had legend runner speakers and I got to hear some of them speak and I met some of my Facebook friends as well.

On the morning of the Marathon, I was  excited and I had been training to set a personal record (PR) at Boston.  My PR for a marathon is 5:26 and my goal was 5:19. I was on pace and feeling good.  I was coming up on mile 20 and I could hear sirens and usually when we hear a siren we say a prayer and hope that the runner is okay, but these sirens didn’t stop and my cell phone started ringing and beeping with texts asking me if I was okay.  I took my brothers call and said, “What do you want? I’m at the Boston Marathon trying to set a PR and you keep calling me!”  My brother said “a bomb went off at the finish line are you near there?”  As I was approaching mile 20 a volunteer approached me and said the race has been cancelled and you need to go inside the medical tent.

There were about 15 of us in the medical tent and we were taken to Newton City Hall.  The Mayor and his staff took very good care of us and kept us safe.  I didn’t know the magnitude of this horrible act of violence until I arrived at my hotel room around 10 p.m. that night and I broke down and cried.  I couldn’t believe that I was that close to the bombing and I felt awful for the families that were affected by this terrible act of terrorism.

I practice what I preach walking 30 minutes a day, but now after the bombing I don’t take my life for granted. Every day is a gift from God and I’m blessed to wake up every morning and able to do what I love, Walking.  I’m headed back to Boston not to set a PR, but to finish with a smile on my face, I’m Boston Strong!

www.yolandaholder.com

Orphan Boy

FONTANA, CA- Bethel AME Church in Fontana will be presenting a Resurrection Play Production entitled “The Boy Who Believed”. This play is about a young orphan boy who wanted to be a part of a real family. The boy who believed was taught and BELIEVED in the Prophecy of Jesus by an old Inn Keeper. The play gives you a sense of awareness of how Jesus suffered from His death to His Resurrection, and what it was like to be a disciple. The play is FREE of charge and everyone is welcome to attend. The show will begin at 6 p.m. Bethel AME Church is located at 16262 Baseline Avenue in Fontana (92336). For more information call (909) 350-9401.

Jessica Reedy

LOS ANGELES, CA- Gospel recording artist Jessica Reedy will perform live at the Kirk Franklin Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues Los Angeles, 8430 Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood (90069), on Sunday, April 20 at 1 p.m.  As part of a year-long 20^th anniversary celebration, Reedy was selected by Grammy-Award winning star Kirk Franklin as one of the featured artists to join him in a showcase of gospel and contemporary music spectacular.  Best known for her success as the runner-up on Season 2 of the BET hit show “Sunday Best,” Reedy’s debut album “From the Heart” reached the top of the Billboard Chart at number one.  Reedy is preparing for the release of her second album “Transparent” under her own label Purity Records. Her unique sound is positioning her current single “Better” to become number one on the radio.

A true gospel phenomenon, Reedy has also appeared on The BET Awards, BET’s Celebration of Gospel, CBS’s Christmas Special, The Stellar Awards, Bobby Jones Gospel, BET’s 106 and Park, Sheryl Lee Ralph’s “Divas Simply Singing,” TCT Network, and The Word Network, singing along side of Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurken, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, James Fortune and many other gospel legends.

Prince

NEW ORLEANS, LA- The annual ESSENCE Festival, now among the largest consumer live events in the country serving a community of 543,000, is excited to announce the all-star night-by-night line-up of performers for its 20th anniversary celebration in New Orleans, LA from Thursday, July 3 to Sunday, July 6. The A-list nighttime concerts will take place across five stages in the Superdome throughout the weekend, on the Festival’s legendary Mainstage and within the intimate Superlounges.

This year, ESSENCE plans to kick off the festivities on its Mainstage with an electrifying performance by renowned musician and international superstar PRINCE along with special guest performers (Friday, July 4th); followed by celebrated artists MARY J. BLIGE, JILL SCOTT, THE ROOTS Presents Hip Hop, LEDISI and TANK (Saturday, July 5th); and will close the celebration with a special performance by music icon LIONEL RICHIE, who will share the stage with powerhouse performer CHARLIE WILSON, and fan favorites ERYKAH BADU and TAMAR BRAXTON (Sunday, July 6th). NEPHEW TOMMY from The Steve Harvey Morning Show will return as the Mainstage host.

Festival attendees are guaranteed an unforgettable 4-day weekend experience as ESSENCE celebrates such an important milestone. For additional information and to get tickets, visit www.essence.com/festival.

ONTARIO, CA- Ontario, CA – An amazing 238 youth and their families came to Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park for the annual Trout Derby for Kids on Saturday, March 29. The event was organized by San Bernardino County’s Regional Park Department along with Friends of Regional Parks and Bass Pro Shop in Rancho Cucamonga. This event was a great opportunity for young fishing enthusiast to show off their skills and try to catch the biggest fish in the lake. However this derby also offered a prize for the smallest trout caught.

Just about every participant caught something with over 250 trout getting weighed in. An excited 13 year old Lathan Mallory from Bloomington reeled in the winning trout that came in at an impressive 1.05 pounds. Lathan took home a wagon full of fishing supplies and a trophy for his worthy performance. The smallest trout was rewarded to Raychel Leal of La Quinta who caught a whopping 2 oz. beast. It was a great day of fishing and fun for the families that came out for the derby. Congrats to Lathan and Raychel for their great work! For more information on our other events, visit http://www.sbcounty.gov/parks

It’s ya’ girl Ms. LUE and this week this is “What It Do”! I would like to highlight an important event happening in our city this Saturday, April 12. Blaim Society Nation presents: “The Give Back”.  A local community event giving back to the city of San Bernardino, hosted by Slappers on Deck, Heartbreak, and Roc Star BBZ.

In light of all the recent killings, community members young and old are fed up! Several entities have come together to take a stand against VIOLENCE through the sound of music. The event will take place this Saturday, April 12 at Wildwood Park on the corner of 40th street and Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Event coordinator, professional boxer and Mixed Martial Arts Fighter, Trevaugn Moore stated that, “A great community event featuring a positive movement for the city of San Bernardino including all ages from the past, present, and future is needed. Too much negativity has been spread throughout our city long enough. It’s now time for something positive to come about. This is a start to stop the violence, killings, and corruption in our city.”

The day will consist of performances from local artists and artists from surrounding cities. Families will be able to participate in the free activities, food, and fun. There will be special appearances by professional UFC Fighters, World Class Boxing coaches, and Boxers. Please jump in the fight and help promote and bring PEACE to the City of San Bernardino. Until next time take care and let someone know how much you care. The world needs more LOVE!

President, Annette Wealthington graciously receives the certificate of recognition on behalf of the Eta Nu Omega Chapter.

RIVERSIDE, CA- On Sunday, April 6, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Eta Nu Omega Chapter of the Inland Empire was among several organizations recognized and honored with a certificate of recognition by Rev. Marrix D. Seymore, Pastor at Amos Temple Methodist Episcopal Church in Riverside. The sorority was acknowledged during morning worship for providing excellent community service for those in need. Members of organization are known for serving beyond themselves as they provide service to all mankind. Women of A.K.A. addressed concerns of people in need through various community service projects recognizing that people would live better if they could. For upcoming community service events, please visit www.etanuomega.org.

Youth attendees shared educational aspirations during the Wells Fargo and First Generation Films Go College! red carpet community screening of the award-winning documentary, First Generation at LA Live in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES, CA- Wells Fargo Education Financial Services and First Generation Films recently  kicked-off the “Go College!” tour, a national education initiative launching in Los Angeles with screenings of the award-winning documentary First Generation at six Los Angeles Unified School District high schools and culminated with a red-carpet screening at L.A. Live. Go College! Los Angeles was the first of 70 film screenings and a 10-city tour bringing together filmmakers, educators, subject matter experts, civic and community leaders for panel discussions to encourage a national conversation on how students and parents can make attending college a reality.

Filmed over the course of three years, the First Generation documentary is narrated by two-time Golden Globe Award nominee Blair Underwood and explores the problem of college access faced by first generation and low income students. The documentary profiles the journey of four students attempting to break the cycle of poverty and bring hope to their communities as they pursue their college dreams.

The Go College! tour features free screenings for students and educators at local high schools and other locations in select cities. At each screening attendees will have the opportunity to engage the filmmaking team of Adam and Jaye Fenderson, cast members, Wells Fargo private student lending experts and local educational leaders in a dialogue focused on how to make attending college a reality. Free information packets on college application processes, scholarship opportunities, tips to estimate college costs, and how to capitalize on various funding sources to pay for college will be provided at all screenings.

Go College! next tour stops include Las Vegas, Phoenix, Oakland and Washington DC in Spring 2014. In Fall 2014, the campaign will visit the cities of Atlanta, Miami, Minneapolis, Houston, and Dallas. For tour information, please visit www.FirstGenerationFilm.com/gocollege.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- During a 2013 mission trip to West Africa, local non-profit, Women’s Resurrection Ministry (WRM), helped bring electricity to a remote village in Ghana for the first time. Having rallied with government and city officials for over 17 years to bring power to poor communities in West Africa, WRM founder Cassandra Walker was excited to finally see their persistence pay off. In addition to expanding access to electricity in remote villages in Ghana, proceeds from the fundraising breakfast will benefit additional humanitarian efforts such as feeding programs for children and elderly, church planting and transportation in the village.

The 19th Annual Women’s Resurrection Breakfast, will be held Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the Hilton Hotel, 285 E. Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino. Registration begins at 8am. Advanced tickets are $30 for single admission, or two for $55 through March 17th. Groups may reserve a table of 10 for $250. Program features guest speaker, Evangelist Marie “Mom” Brewington, Dr. Reginald Woods of Life Changing Ministries, and gospel singer Leon Hawley. Enjoy special performances, experiences and stories from missionary travelers and learn how the local community can become involved in international humanitarian projects.

To register for the Women’s Resurrection Breakfast, or make a donation to the organization, please visit www.womensresurrectionministry.org, or call 909-965-7878 or (909) 547-5572.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) honored groundbreaking women from the 47th Assembly District at her annual Women of Distinction event on Saturday, March 29, at the Sierra Lakes Country Club in Fontana. The 2014 honorees were (L to R): City Clerk Eileen Gomez, City of Colton; Jasmine Hall, a member of the board of directors at the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (pictured is her daughter accepting the award on her behalf); Sally McGuire, a business owner and president of the Grand Terrace Chamber of Commerce; Marge Mendoza-Ware, a longtime school board member of the Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD); the Honorable Grace Vargas, City of Rialto; and Vicki Lee, a homeless student liaison at the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD)

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – In recognition of Women’s History Month, Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) honored groundbreaking women from the 47th Assembly District at her annual Women of Distinction event on Saturday, March 29, at the Sierra Lakes Country Club in Fontana.

The recognition event was attended by the honorees and their family members and included special guest appearances from Supervisor Janice Rutherford, chair of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors; Mayor Acquanetta Warren, City of Fontana; and Mayor Carey Davis, City of San Bernardino.

The 2014 honorees were: City Clerk Eileen Gomez, City of Colton; the Honorable Grace Vargas, former mayor of the City of Rialto; Jasmine Hall, a member of the board of directors at the Inland Empire Utilities Agency; Vicki Lee, a homeless student liaison at the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD); Sally McGuire, a business owner and president of the Grand Terrace Chamber of Commerce; and Marge Mendoza-Ware, a resident of Bloomington and longtime school board member of the Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD).

City Clerk Eileen Gomez, a long time Colton resident, was first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. As the Colton city clerk, she provides quality public service to her constituents by accurately recording and maintaining the proceedings of the Colton City Council and providing accessibility to official records. As a community leader, she serves as a board member for various community service oriented groups such as the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio, the Inland Empire Scholarship Fund, Youth for C.H.A.N.G.E., and Seeds of Hope, Inc., based in Colton.

Honorable Grace Vargas made history when she became Rialto’s first female mayor in 2000. She was later re-elected in 2004 and 2008. Born in Yuma, Arizona, Ms. Vargas moved to California in 1959 as a 22 year old single mother of seven children. While residing with her sister in the city of Fontana, she joined the California Employment Training Act (CETA) program, which became a major turning point in her life. She landed a job as a clerk for the City of Rialto and that position led her to several other promotions within the city’s administration. She was first elected to the Rialto City Council in 1998 before her election as Rialto’s first female mayor in 2000.

Jasmine Hall, a resident of Fontana, was recently appointed to serve as a member of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency board of directors in 2013. She was employed at Southern California Edison (SCE) for over 27 years as a business and utilities analyst. During her tenure at SCE, she promoted energy conservation initiatives to businesses and community members in the Inland Empire. She has also served on various boards and commissions including the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) Commission, the California Association of Sanitation Agencies and the Association of California Water Agencies.

Vicki Lee, a native of San Bernardino, serves as a mentor to at-risk youth as the homeless liaison for the SBCUSD. Prior to this position, she worked with homeless youth and young adults as an evening manager at the Covenant House California for ten years. Ms. Lee is the coordinator of “Our Children Sing,” an annual program that’s held in San Bernardino around September 11. The program seeks to promote peace, unity and commemorate those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Ms. Lee is also an active member at her church, New Hope Missionary Baptist, where she serves as the director of the Drama Ministry.

Sally McGuire, a longtime Grand Terrace resident, currently serves as president of the Grand Terrace Chamber of Commerce. After 25 years of working at General Electric (GE) as a sales executive, Ms. McGuire decided to become a certified senior advisor and open her own business, Helping Hands Companion Care, to provide non-medical in-home support services to seniors. As a community leader, Ms. McGuire is greatly involved in the Grand Terrace Woman’s Club, the Foundation of Grand Terrace and the CJUSD Community Cabinet focusing on students’ mental and physical health.

Marge Mendoza-Ware, a Bloomington resident, is one of the longest serving school board members of the CJUSD. Her most notable accomplishment during her fifteen year tenure includes organizing the ROTC programs for the area high schools. Ms. Mendoza-Ware also worked in various leadership positions at the County of San Bernardino, Harvey Mudd College, the Claremont Colleges, and Bright Beginnings Preschool. As an active community member, she founded the Bloomington After School Program, which provides tutoring assistance to students. She also served on the CJUSD Health Advisory Committee, the Bloomington Save Our Youth, the Bloomington Municipal Advisory Committee, the Bloomington Woman’s Club, and the Republican Women Federated.

For more information, contact Ashley Jones at (909) 381-3238.