As we continue to move forward to improve the quality of life for the families and youth of District 2, we hope to keep you engaged and fully informed. This week, we will host a town hall on the Tennyson Corridor Initiative, where we hope to hear from South Hayward residents, neighbors, and all those interested in improving the neighborhood.
  
The town hall will be an informational and interactive discussion regarding the plans for the new Youth & Family Center. The new center will be at the current location of Eden Youth & Family Center. Give your input on the programs and needs that would be best suited for the new facility.
  

Join Us!
Thursday, March 26 at 6 p.m.
Location: Palma Ceia Baptist Church
(Bennett Hall)
28605 Ruus Rd, Hayward

  
The new Hayward Youth & Family Center will serve as a resourceful location for family services, employment opportunities, educational resources and much more. The South Hayward community’s input is essential in these early stages of planning.
  
Please feel free to contact our office if you have questions at (510) 272-6692 or visit our website for additional information regarding our initiatives at www.acgov.org/board/district2. 
  
Thank you,

This month's spotlight we highlight Viola Blythe Community Services in Newark for serving those in need for over 25 years.
  
Viola Freeman was born in Oklahoma in 1916, the ninth of ten children. At the age of four, she was orphaned when her mother died while giving birth. In the 1940’s she moved to California, where she met up with her childhood friend Stanley Blythe while working at the Alameda Naval Shipyard. They were married in 1946 and moved to Newark the same year.
  
Soon after moving to Newark, Viola began to help those less fortunate than she after feeling a need to do this because of her upbringing in the orphanage. In 1953, Viola had her only child, Debbie. For years, Viola ran this service from her garage, having people pick up food and clothing, take showers, and even to sleep on makeshift beds in the Blythe living room. For the next twenty years, Viola worked with the Salvation Army and for five of those years she worked as their Welfare Chairman.
  
In 1989, the City of Newark offered Viola the chance to provide the services from a building at Ash Street Park from which to operate. At that point, the Viola Blythe Community Service Center was born. With the help from the City, churches, schools, businesses, individuals and volunteers, the Center continues to provide emergency services to approximately 6,000 people each year. This includes Thanksgiving and Christmas programs and a Children’s Christmas party for approximately 300 children.
  
Viola passed away in 2002, but her legacy is continued thanks to the inherited dedication for those in need by Debbie. Debbie has been the Executive Director of Viola Blythe Community Services for 22 years.
  
As a token of our appreciation for the work Viola Blythe Community Services continues to provide, our office will be donating $5,000 to the organization. We thank Debbie and all the volunteers of Viola Blythe for selflessly helping those in need.
  
To learn more about Viola Blythe Community Services, and ways to volunteer, please visit www.violablythe.org.

Celebrate Earth Day with our office, Dig Deep Farms, the City of Union City, and Masonic Homes as we announce an exciting collaboration in Union City, and give back to the community.
  

Saturday, April 18 at Masonic Homes of California
34400 Mission Boulevard in Union City
Please meet at Dry Creek Park staging area at the end of Whipple Road in Union City.

  
8 a.m. – Welcome & Introduction of “Digging Deep in Union City”
9 a.m. – Work Session- building a picnic area
11 a.m. - Free lunch, courtesy of Masonic Homes and IAFF Local 55
  
Parking is available at Dry Creek Park & Mission Boulevard. Please carpool if possible!
  
Please wear appropriate work attire (jeans, sneakers, hat, etc.)
  
RSVP to Nancy at District2@acgov.org or call (510) 272-6692.

Join Hayward Area Recreation & Park District for its 70th Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Bonnet Parade! The free event will be on Saturday, April 4 at Kennedy Park in Hayward.
  
There are four egg hunt age categories:

• 1-2 year olds
• 3-4 year olds
• 5-6 year olds
• 7-9 year olds

  
The event will be held rain or shine!
  
Bonnet parade registration begins at 9 a.m. with the egg hunt following immediately. For more information call (510) 881-6700.

Chabot College is offering three scholarships, ranging from $500 to $5,000, to student veterans. Thanks to the efforts of The Friends of Chabot College Foundation, the $5,000 scholarship could cover the majority of a student’s college expenses for two years. The deadline to submit an application is March 27.
  
General Rules and Requirements:

• Completed 12 units as of Fall 2014
• Minimum 2.0 GPA
• Application and letters of reference must be typed
• You may apply for multiple scholarships on a single application
• Unless otherwise noted, scholarships are for educational expenses for the 2015-2016 academic year and will be paid upon proof of enrollment for the Fall 2015 semester.

 Marylou Cisneros Memorial Veterans Scholarship – $500 
  

• Honorably discharged veteran or active member of the U.S. Armed Forces 
• Minimum GPA of 2.50
• Currently enrolled in at least 6 units at Chabot College at the time of the application 
• Has never received this award
• Two letters of recommendation
• Additional requirements listed on the Chabot Scholarship application. 

  
Student Veteran Scholarship – $1,000

• Minimum overall GPA of 2.5
• U.S. Military discharge document or letter from the Chabot Veterans Office verifying Veteran status.
• Additional requirements listed on the Chabot scholarship application. 

  
Peter Sategna Veterans Scholarship – $5,000

• Must be a Chabot College student enrolled in 12 units or more
• Must substantiate financial need as documented by Chabot College Office of Financial Aid
• Must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher
• Must be a veteran with preference for student veterans who served in active combat
• Must provide transcripts (unofficial accepted)
• Additional requirements listed on the Chabot Scholarship application. 

  
Additional scholarships are also available, and can be found by visiting the Chabot College Student Life page for more information.

When a disaster strikes, do you know what to do before professional help arrives?
The Hayward Fire Department is providing a free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Program which will consist of four evening indoor classes and one outdoor "hands-on" skills class. Participants learn skills that will enable them to provide emergency assistance to their families and immediate neighbors, as well as, organize a neighborhood team response.
  
Training will begin in April, at Hayward City Hall and will be from 6 to 9:30 p.m.:
• Class #1- Monday, April 6
• Class #2- Monday, April 13 
• Class #3- Monday, April 20 
• Class #4- Monday, April 27 
• Skills #5- Monday, May 4 (Location: Fire Station #6 on West Winton) 

You must attend all classes in order to receive certification. CERT training is for all City of Hayward and Fairview residents. Residential verification will be required during the final application process and all applicants must be 18 years-of-age or older.
  
Residents who are interested in this free training can sign-up by emailing their name, phone number and address to Hayward.CERT@hayward-ca.gov. Space is limited. Successful applicants will receive notification by email acknowledging enrollment into the program and further directions.
  
If you do not have internet access or to request further information, call the Hayward Fire Department's Public Education Officer at (510) 583-4948.

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a program that enables local governments to aggregate electricity demand within their jurisdictions, in order to procure electricity for its customers while maintaining the existing electricity provider, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, for customer billing, transmission and distribution services. The State of California passed legislation in 2002 that permits local agencies to form CCA programs for their communities. In California, CCAs are striving to provide competitive pricing, an increasing percentage of electricity generated by renewable energy sources, local economic development benefits, and tailored energy efficiency programs.
  
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in June 2014 authorizing the Community Development Agency to investigate the implementation of a CCA program for Alameda County and its cities. In 2015, Alameda County has accelerated its efforts to establish a CCA program by launching a technical study and formally announcing the creation of a county-wide Steering Committee.
  
To this end, the County and Community Development Agency (CDA) are seeking members for a Steering Committee to advise the County during the entire formation process. The Committee will continue in that role if the County, and its cities, decide that a CCA program is viable and can deliver significant benefits to residents and businesses.
  
Any member of the interested public may apply for a membership on the Steering Committee. Qualifications and instructions for the applications may be found on the application forms. Applications must be completed and submitted by April 7, 2015 either by email or by mail to:

Alameda County Planning Department
c/o Bruce Jensen
224 West Winton Avenue, Room 111
Hayward, CA 94544

  
Download the application here CCA_SteeringCommittee_Application_DraftV3 (2).pdf). Steering Committee applications are also available on the County’s CCA website at http://www.acgov.org/cda/planning/cca/index.htm or requested from County CDA staff by sending an email to Bruce Jensen at CCA@acgov.org .
  
The County will also soon release a Request for Proposals for a consultant to conduct the technical study. The study will assess the potential impacts of a CCA program on electricity rates, GHG emissions, and local employment opportunities.
  
For more information contact Bruce Jensen, Senior Planner-Alameda County Planning Department at Bruce.Jensen@acgov.org or (510) 670-6527.