You should also know that Jeffrey Gitomer is going to be right here in Bellevue on March 22nd and 23rd.  It’s going to be a great event and I’m really looking forward to meeting Jeffrey and hope to get to interview him.  I’m also looking forward to seeing you there!

New this year, ParentMap will provide complimentary 10-minute information sessions with an American Camp Association representative to event attendees who pre-register online (parentmap.com/campfair). This is an opportunity for parents to ask questions of a camp specialist, free of charge. The American Camp Association (formerly known as the American Camping Association) is a community of camp professionals who, for 100 years, have joined together to share knowledge and experience with the community, and to ensure the quality of camp programs. Because of their diverse 9,000 plus membership and exceptional programming, children and adults have the opportunity to learn powerful lessons in community, character-building, skill development, and healthy living — lessons that can be learned nowhere else. Learn more: acacamps.org

RSVP to win! 

Those who RSVP and attend CampFair will be entered-to-win one FREE week of traditional Camp Orkila (valued at $949) orColeman (valued at $679), courtesy of the YMCA. Note: must attend event to be eligible to win.

About Camps Orkila and Coleman

With more than 100 years of experience each, Camps Orkila and Colman make overnight camp an amazing experience for all ages. Located on the northwest tip of Orcas Island,YMCA Camp Orkila has been beckoning kids and teens since 1906.  With 280 acres of private beach, pristine forest, and open fields, there’s plenty of space for an incredible array of programs.  YMCA Camp Colman has givenkids a rich environment to learn about themselves and their surroundings since 1912. With its gorgeous setting on Case Inlet in lower Puget Sound, Camp Colman offers a saltwater lagoon, 100 acres of dense forest, and an endless supply of opportunities for growth. Learn more:

For more event information about CampFair and to RSVP, visit parentmap.com/campfair. For a complete list of participating camp organizations, visit: parentmap.com/article/seattleeastside-campfair-participants

During a special Women Take Heart program, women can sip wine, tour the winery, sample chocolates and get tips and advice on how to live a heart healthy lifestyle from a cardiologist and a nutritionist.  The program, scheduled from 5:30-8 p.m., will be held at Januik Novelty Hill winery in Woodinville.  Pre-registration is required and may be made online with The Hope Heart Institute . The $29 fee includes wine and chocolate tasting, heart healthy appetizers, and the program.

Women Take Heart, a program developed by The Hope Heart Institute, creates awareness and provides tools for healthier living to combat heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women.  Hope Heart, a Washington-based heart-disease charity, was one of the beneficiaries of proceeds from the 2011 Golf Fore Red tournament for women; the two organizations are co-presenting the Feb. 29 event.

Golf Fore Red, founded in 2007 by two Seattle-area women who both lost their mothers to heart disease, combines education, fun and fund-raising for heart disease research.  Since inception, the annual tournament (which sold out 2011) has netted more than $33,000. This year’s annual event is scheduled for Saturday, July 28 at The Golf Club at Redmond Ridge.

Along with tasting wines from Januik Winery (named one of the top wineries of 2011 by Wine & Spirits Magazine), guests can sample artisan chocolates from award-winning Intrigue Chocolates Co.  Both the winery and chocolate company will offer special pricing on any purchases made that evening.  The evening also marks the first date of registration for the 2012 Golf Fore Red tournament.

A group of local food entrepreneurs and chefs will be available for questions and conversation in the lounge of the Palace Ballroom between 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

• Kathy Casey of Kathy Casey Food Studios Liquid Kitchen™, Dish D’Lish®  and cookbook Sips & Apps
• Kurt Beecher Dammeier of Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, Maximus / Minimus, Pasta & Co, Bennett’s Pure Food Bistro and cookbook Pure Flavor
• Jessie Oleson of CakeSpy.com, CakeSpy shop and cookbook CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life
• Lisa Dupar of Pomegranate Bistro, Lisa Dupar Catering and cookbook Fried, Chicken and Champagne

Northwest restaurateur Tom Douglas will provide his Palace Ballroom facilities to host the event and serve a selection of appetizers. Additional participating restaurants showcasing and serving bites at the event will include Rover’s and Luc, The Coterie Room, Local 360, The Inn at Langley, Il Corvo Pasta, Harborside ,Volunteer Park Café, and many more. For a complete list of participating companies, visit www.foodportunity.com.

Foodportunity, created by Seattle event planner and food blogger Keren Brown, is open to food journalists, bloggers, public relations professionals, restaurateurs, farmers, companies and all food-passionate people.

The event will be sponsored by Metropolitan Market, the area’s premier independent grocer. Its six locations in Seattle, Kirkland and

Tacoma provide one-stop shops for fresh, local, organic and hard-to find items, and monthly, complimentary tastings and events such as its Annual Wellness Fair, going on now through January 29.

Early admission is $25 (including booking fees; $30 at a later date), which includes bites from restaurants and companies. Tickets can be purchased through BrownPaperTickets.com.

The first 40 Foodportunity ticket-holders to send an email to info@foodportunity.com will get a seat at the 8:30 p.m. “speed networking” session led by Julien Perry, Seattle Weekly Food Writer, Chefs Feed Seattle editor and Q13’s Restaurant Correspondent.

WHEN:  Events take place the week of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, beginning Jan. 16 (see below). On Thursday, Jan. 19, Mr. Harrell will speak twice, at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., with a reception to follow at 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Bellevue College’s Carlson Theater (for Jan. 19 event) on Bellevue College’s campus; 3000 Landerholm Circle SE

OF INTEREST:

•  The Thursday event is part of a week-long celebration of Dr. King’s life, beginning with participation by students, faculty and staff in the 30th Annual MLK Rally and March in Seattle, on Monday, Jan. 16.

•  BC is honored to have Seattle City Councilmember, community leader and civil rights champion Bruch Harrell deliver this year’s keynote address on this year’s theme, “Dream with Vision, Live with Purpose,” on Thursday, Jan. 19.

•  Other events include:

o  Seminar titled, “Respect our Rights: Are We Living the MLK dream?” on Tuesday, Jan. 17 in room C130 o  Day of Creative Expression on Wednesday, Jan. 18 in room C130.

o  A Community Potluck and Dance, sponsored by the Black Student Union, will cap the week on Friday, Jan. 20.

•  All events are free and open to the public. For more information on the events, contact BC’s Office of Multicultural Services at (425) 564-4064.

About Bellevue College: Serving 38,000 people each year, Bellevue College (BC) is the third largest educational institution in Washington State. BC offers associate degree programs covering the first two years of a college education as well as four year bachelor’s degrees, certificates and continuing education programs in more than 90 professional and technical fields, such as information technology, telecommunications, business, education, health and public safety.

Visit Bellevue College on the web at www.bellevuecollege.edu

“We are committed to helping meet the growing community needs in this region,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Ford Motor Company has been investing in our communities for decades, and we plan to expand our community engagement efforts in the Northwest.”

The Ford Women’s Health Initiative Mobile Breast Imaging Tour will launch in Seattle in October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month), and travel throughout the Northwest. The tour will provide women with breast screening using a 40-foot, state-of-the-art mobile coach equipped with the latest technology in 3D breast cancer imaging from HealthFair.

The safe, comfortable ultrasound procedure provides consistent, accurate 3D images, regardless of breast density or implants. More than 40 percent of women have dense breasts, which increases their risk for breast cancer. Working with local health and community organizations, this service will be offered to participating women in need on a free or low-cost basis.

“We’re very pleased to provide this service to our Pacific Northwest community,” said Michael Doherty, chairman of the Northwest Ford Stores group. “Some of our local Ford members have been personally affected by breast cancer, so this effort is important to us.”

According to the Oregon Health Sciences University Knight Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, and – although researchers do not yet know why – the Pacific Northwest has the highest rate of breast cancer in the United States.

While mammograms are instrumental in detecting breast cancer, studies suggest 15.5 million breast cancer cases go undetected or under-diagnosed every year.

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and American heritage and community life. The Ford Motor Company Fund has operated for more than 60 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. The award-winning Ford Driving Skills for Life program teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through national programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, more than 27,000 Ford employees and retirees each year work on projects that better their communities in dozens of countries. For more information, visit http://community.ford.com.

The forum will explore the definitions of harassment, hate crimes and graffiti and will explain options and resources for preventing and reporting of these issues. It will also feature a facilitated discussion about how communities can build unity, increase cultural interaction and understanding.

The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 12 at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St. Admission is free, but reservations are requested by 12 noon on Jan. 11. To RSVP and for more information, contact Kevin Henry at khenry@bellevuewa.gov or 425-452-7886.

Speakers will include Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo and author Warren Read.

Bellevue Police Chief Pillo will discuss what individuals can do if they feel they have been harassed because of their cultural, social or religious background. She will also discuss appropriate reporting and responses to graffiti.

Read will examine the social and economic causes of discrimination and bias, and share what communities can do to build unity and address cultural and social conflict. Read is a popular keynote speaker and the author of the “Lyncher in Me” – a book about racial incidents in the US in the early 1920s. Find out more at http://www.warren-read.com/.

This program is part of an ongoing discussion series sponsored by the City of Bellevue Parks & Community Services Cultural Diversity Program called “Conversations about Race & Culture” that aims to build community and increase cultural appreciation and understanding in Bellevue.

For more information, contact Kevin P. Henry at khenry@bellevuewa.gov, 425-452-7886.

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Thursday 12/15 (today) 3-6pm, Kim Shea, the N.W. Manager for Oyster Bay Winery to be on hand to answer questions on food and wine pairings for the holidays as well to promote one of New Zealand’s leading Wineries.

Friday 12/16 from 11am to 1pm, BizEnrich will be holding a Flash Mob Food Drive to benefit families of Olive Crest.

from 3-7pm Wine tasting – items from Kendal Jackson Winery and La Crema Winery will be featured,

Thursday 12/22 from 3:30pm to 6:30pm, Mary Bellando, the N.W. Manager for Dobb’s Family Estates “Wine By Joe” will be on hand to discuss her wines as well as current events at the winery and food pairing ideas.

Friday 12/23 from 12 noon to 2pm, Eric Dunham of Dunham Estate Winery will be signing bottles.

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