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Working Together for a Better Environment!

E.J. Harrison & Sons • Newbury Disposal • Santa Clara Valley Disposal

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March 2016

E.J. and Myra Harrison Inducted into Founders’ Society

It was honor for Harrison Industries Vice Presidents Jim and Myron Harrison to represent their late parents E.J. and Myra at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura’s inaugural Founders’ Society induction ceremony on Feb. 26.

E.J. and Myra, who co-founded Harrison Industries in 1932, were recognized posthumously for their longtime involvement and fi nancial support for the club which was established in 1938 and housed in the historic Ortega Adobe. Th e B&G Club of Greater Ventura now has four clubs, including the E.J. Harrison Family Youth Center in Saticoy, and provides services to approximately 2,000 kids per year, with 1,200 of them being members. Th e clubs have an average daily attendance of 500 kids per day.

Other inductees were: Spencer Garrett, Bill Hicks, John Brant, Richard Buchanan, Joe Carmody, Melvyn Fowler, Susanne Lammot, M.D., Gary Nasalroad and Larry Rasmussen, in addition to posthumous inductees Jymmye Hitch and G. David Sherrill, M.D.

“Th ese individuals have not only seen the value of the club but have sealed its success by greatly giving of their time, talent and treasure,” said Patti Birmingham, CEO of the B&G Club of Greater Ventura. “It is their desire, and mine, that others will follow suit so that the club can continue to provide great futures for the youth of our community. Th e need is great, but so are the outcomes!”

Inductees into the Founders’ Society have demonstrated one or more of the following criteria: they have given 20 years or more of sustained service to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura; they have demonstrated over a period of time a contribution that created capacity building for the organization; and established a new program, network or facet of the organization that has moved the organization forward for a period of 10 years or more.

Harrison Industries joins Birmingham in congratulating the fellow inductees and thanks George and Debbie Fox of Fox Fine Jewelry for hosting this wonderful event. Th e store was packed with current and former board members, inductee family members and staff who wanted to give honor and show their appreciation to these great individuals.

To fi nd out how you can become involved, visit the club website at www.bgclubventura.org or call the Administrative Offi ce at (805) 641-5585.

Jim and Myron Harrison (far right), representing their parents E.J. and Myra, with other inductees into the Founders’ Society.



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March 2016

Harrison Donates to the Nyeland Acres Community Center

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St. Patrick’s Day Parade Celebrates Ventura’s 150th Birthday

It was an honor to receive a certifi cate of appreciation from Supervisor John Zaragoza on behalf of Harrison Industries at the Feb. 23 Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting. He recognized Harrison for our $25,000 donation to the Nyeland Acres Community Center.

Th e center is vital to the Nyeland Acres community as the site of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme’s Nyeland Acres clubhouse. Opened in September 2014, Club Nyeland is the only supervised site for area boys and girls in fi rst through twelft h grades to come aft er school.

Each day, between 40 and 65 kids come to the club. Students are off ered a wide range of services, including athletics, life skills classes, Voices of Hope music program, arts and design groups, community service programs, Signs in Motion sign language performance teams, reading clubs, science groups and more.

Club Nyeland also off ers STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programming. In these programs, students have the opportunity to use a laptop to do research and reports. Th e laptops are also used for other club groups and programs, such as Torch Club, Smart Girls, Street Smart, Triple Play, Healthy Habits and, most importantly, Power Hour homework time. Club high school students can use the computers for goal planning, researching colleges and career opportunities, too.

Harrison Industries considers its donation as an investment in the future of Nyeland Acres’ kids and the community as a whole. It is money well spent!

Supervisor John Zaragoza and Nan Drake.

It’s always a thrill to serve as co-chairman of the annual Ventura County St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Th is year’s theme was, “Celebrating 150 Years of Ventura History,” commemorating the city’s incorporation on April 2, 1866.

Th e organizing committee lined up an impressive group of Grand Marshals for the parade: descendants of some of Ventura’s historic families, including members of the E.J. Harrison family, descendants of Lt. Juan Moraga, a member of the DeAnza party which founded the San Buenaventura Mission in 1782.

Other Grand Marshals were: Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, a Chumash Elder representing the native people of the area; descendants of Don Raymundo Olivas, who built Ventura County’s only remaining Monterey-style adobe home from the Rancho era; descendants of the Smith-Hobson and Petit families (William Dewey Hobson is called “Th e Father of Ventura County” for his

Having fun at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade!



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March 2016

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Celebrates Ventura’s 150th Birthday - continued from page 2

Ventura Mayor Says City Needs Half-Cent Sales Tax Increase

eff orts to form the county in 1873); and descendants of E.P. Foster, who donated funds in 1921 for a building that originally housed both the public library and Ventura City Hall; and the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Th is year’s parade drew over 75 entries, including fl oats sponsored by civic groups, nonprofi ts and local businesses and restaurants; marching bands; car clubs; horses; clowns and the Biggest Green Pig in the World. Th ere also were high school pep bands, youth groups and fun-loving adult groups parading down Main Street. Danny Harrison did a great job driving one of Harrison’s new compressed natural gas trucks down the parade route, with his son Jack riding shotgun and waving to the crowd.

Th e Claddagh Dancers won the Mayor’s trophy and the Arnold Hubbard Trophy went to the Seaside Highland Games. Th e Claddagh Dancers received a $1,000 check from the organizing committee to help defray the expenses defending their world title at the World Championships of Irish Dancing in Glasgow, Scotland. Imagine a dance group in Ventura being Champion Irish dancers and beating out the Irish dancers.

Harrison Vice President Jim Harrison attended the Grand Marshals’ party at the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach hotel following the parade and also was in the audience at the Ventura City Council meeting celebrating the Grand Marshals’ families.

I would like to thank co-chairs Jim Monahan and Brian Brennan and the remaining members of the St. Patrick’s Day Committee as well as Art Amelia and 70 members of Ventura Elks Lodge No. 1430 for help putting on such a great show. It was a lot of hard work, but also a lot of fun!

Erik Nasarenko gave his fi rst Ventura Chamber of Commerce State of the City address as Ventura’s mayor on March 11.

He focused on the need to raise the city’s sale tax by a half of a cent to address major infrastructure issues.

Ventura’s current sales tax is 7.5 percent, and Nasarenko said putting the sales tax at 8 percent would add about $11 million to the city coff ers, with the money to be used to help repair our aging sewer systems, water systems, roads, sidewalks and buildings. Th e Ventura City Council plans to vote in June offi cially to get the measure on the November ballot.

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March 2016

Ventura Mayor Says City Needs Half-Cent Sales Tax Increase - continued from page 3

Ojai Chamber Celebrates Best Businesses at Annual Gala

Harrison Industries Vice President Jim Harrison and I attended the address and we were very inspired by Nasarenko’s message. I think he reached out in a very clear and precise presentation of just what an older city needs to do to keep up with the infrastructure needs of a 150-year-old city. Th e mayor used the other mission cities as an example to show where they were on the sales tax in their cities.

Nasarenko also reported that the city’s independent auditor gave Ventura a “clean” opinion for the fi scal year that ended June 30. To balance the budget, Nasarenko added, the city no longer transfers money from internal accounts to the general fund.

Harrison Industries was a sponsor of the State of the City address held at the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach hotel. Th e new mayor did very well in his fi rst address, and we are confi dent that he is leading Ventura in the right direction.

Th e Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce celebrated its best businesses at its annual gala on Feb. 25 at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa.

Harrison Industries, a gala sponsor, congratulates the winners: Small Business of the Year - Ojai Olive Oil; Customer Satisfaction Leader of the Year Award - Livingston Memorial VNA & Hospice; Spirit of the Ojai Valley - Th e Ojai Retreat; Best New Chamber Member - Made In Ojai; Health and Lifestyle Award - Enhanced Day Spa & Boutique; and Taste of the Town - Hip Vegan.

Raffl e prizes included three nights for two the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua-Maui (with airfare); three nights for two at the New Orleans Marriot (with airfare); two nights for two at the Solage Calistoga Resort in Napa Valley; three nights for up to four people in a beautiful coastal home in Cambria; and a four-person Ojai Valley Wine Tasting Tour at three Ojai Wineries, dinner voucher at the Deer Lodge, transportation via Ojai Limousine Service, and a two-room suite for one night at the Emerald Iguana Inn in Ojai.

Th e evening also included cocktails, dinner, dessert and wonderful singing and guitar music from the Ojai Valley’s own Alan Th ornhill and Martin Young. And, of course, you can’t beat the venue: the beautiful Ojai Valley Inn & Spa.

Join in on Ojai’s and Ventura’s Earth Day Celebrations on April 23

Earth Day is Saturday, April 23. Both the cities of Ojai and Ventura are celebrating our planet that day, and Harrison Industries joins in on the fun.

Ojai’s celebration will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Oak Grove School, 220 W. Lomita Ave. Th is year’s theme is “Trees for Our Valley,” and the folks at the Ojai Valley Green Coalition are pinching themselves that Vandana Shiva, a world-renowned Indian scholar and environmental activist, will speak and have a booth at the event. Th e day also will include live entertainment, world food, environmental presentations, and art and education exhibits.

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March 2016

Join in on Ojai’s and Ventura’s Earth Day Celebrations on April 23 - continued from page 4

Sincerely,

Nan Drake, Harrison Industries

email: [email protected]

phone: 805-701-9809

web: http://www.ejharrison.com

Meanwhile, the Ventura Earth Day Eco Fest brings fun, musical entertainment, children’s activities, exhibitors, education and a Green Auto Expo to Promenade Park. Th e event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each year this successful community event is attended by over 5,000 people.

Harrison Industries is manning booths at both Earth Day events, so drop by, say hello and learn more about the latest in residential curbside and commercial trash and recycling information.

See you at either – or both – Earth Day celebrations!

Benefactors’ Ball on April 16 Raises Funds for the New CMH

Th e Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation is holding its 43rd Benefactors’ Ball on Saturday, April 16, with proceeds benefi tting the new Community Memorial Hospital.

At this event, three notable individuals will be recognized with the prestigious Cephas Bard Award, named aft er the founder of the fi rst Community Memorial Hospital. Awardees to be recognized at this event are: CMH Physician – Dr. Th omas F. Golden, CMH Retired Physician – Dr. William L. Hart, and Community Member of the Year – Barbara Meister.

Festivities begin at 6 p.m. at O’Brien Hall at historic Mission San Buenaventura. Dinner is set for 7 p.m., with dancing and music at 8 p.m. Th e evening is black tie optional.

Th e event represents an opportunity for residents to support community-based healthcare. Th e new Community Memorial Hospital will feature advanced medical technology, all private rooms and a considerably larger emergency department.

Th e Harrison brothers are major donors to CMH and support the wonderful medical services CMH provides the community. Many members of the Harrison family have been in the hospital and know how great the CMH medical staff is and how current the staff is in the now- technical world of medicine. Th eir late mother Myra was an enthusiastic supporter of the hospital for decades.

We hope you will join us at the Benefactors’ Ball on April 16. Tickets can be bought individually or by table of eight. For more information, visit www.cmhfventura.org, or call 805-667-2881.

working together for a better environment! · working together for a better environment! e.j....

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