Claremont Fair Trade to screen documentary film

Claremont Fair Trade will host a documentary screening of The Dark Side of Chocolate this Wednesday, September 19, at 7 p.m. at the Claremont Forum, 586 W. First St., in the Packing House.

The 45-minute documentary follows award-winning Danish journalist Miki Mistrati’s investigation into child labor in the chocolate industry. Footage within the film reveals illegal trafficking of small children in the cocoa fields of the Ivory Coast.

Discussion and a fair trade chocolate tasting provided by local Claremont retailers will follow the screening.

Community sale, luau, car wash to benefit CHS class of 2013

The Claremont High School Cheer Squad is hosting a community sale and car wash Sunday, September 23 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the CHS parking lot.

New and used items may be donated for the sale up to Sunday’s event. Spaces are available to residents and businesses for rent to sell wares and services.  Call Lora Moore at 228-4561 or email inspecmore@ yahoo.com.

Also on Saturday, September 22, the CHS Class of 2013 is hosting an end-of-summer luau from 5 to 8 p.m. at 637 Alamosa Dr. An evening of fun, authentic Hawaiian food, Polynesian dancers, a steel drummer and raffles is planned.

Advanced tickets for the luau can be purchased for $15 by email to Joanne Williams at joanne.gonzalez@ aa.com Drop-ins are welcome. The door ticket price is $20.

Capture the essence of Claremont through photography

The Claremont Community and Human Services Department is looking for original photos from parks and recreation program users demonstrating the theme, “Parks Make Life Better.” Selected photos may be included as a supplement to the Winter Claremont Recreation & Activities Guide.

The California Parks and Recreation Society created the “Parks Make Life Better” branding campaign to be used by local parks and recreation agencies across the State. The program hopes to bring awareness to the benefits of parks and recreation throughout California. Contest categories include play, nature, exercise, positive spaces (socializing and learning) as well as forever (valued today and always). Participants in the Claremont contest are asked to keep submissions to one per category.

To submit your photo(s), email parks@ci.claremont.ca.us by Sunday, September 30, with “PMLB Photo Submission” in the subject line.

Participants are asked to include the location of the photo along with the photographer’s first and last name for photo credit. Photos must be 150 DPI or greater in JPEG format and emails must be less than 3MB. Participants submitting photography in several categories should use separate emails for each.

The city reminds the public that by submitting your photo, you agree that all photographed subjects have given their consent and that you authorize the city of Claremont to use your photo to publicize its programs and services without compensation and without further permission.

For more information, please contact Jason Lass, community and human services supervisor, at 399-5488.  

Fr. Charles Ramirez celebrates 25 years at OLA

A 25th anniversary of ordination will be celebrated on Saturday, September 22 for Fr. Charles Ramirez, pastor at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Claremont.

Festivities will begin with a tri-lingual Mass at 5:30 p.m, celebrated in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. The mass will be attended by Cardinal Roger Mahony, parishioners, family and friends. An outdoor reception on the church grounds is planned that evening. Tickets include a buffet dinner and entertainment, and are available through the parish office at 626-3596.

PVHMC to expand service for at-risk mothers

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center is expanding its emergency maternal-fetal transport service to include air transportation with the help of Mercy Air. Using Brackett Field in La Verne, PVHMC will offer the only helicopter transport service from the east end of LA County to the Arizona border. The coverage area will include more than 25 hospitals in 7 counties. For more information, visit www.pvhmc.org.

Author to discuss ways to keep the fun in kids sports

Bob Bigelow, author of Just Let Kids Play: How to Stop other Adults from Ruining Your Child’s Fun and Success in Youth Sports,  will present at the Rose Hills Theater at Pomona College on Wednesday, September 19 at 7 p.m. All are invited to the free public event sponsored by the Claremont Youth Sports Committee.

Mr. Bigelow is a former Ivy League and NBA Player and one of the foremost youth sports speakers in the country. He advocates meeting the needs of children as the top priority in youth sports programs, and provides new approaches for positive change in youth sports. For more information, contact the Community and Human Services Department at 399-5490.

Local musicians take top honors at Indian Summer Music Awards

Steve Rushingwind and Michael Mucklow’s song Cahuilla Sunrise—off their 2011 album Among the Ancients—won Best Native American Flute Song at the 9th Annual 2012 Indian Summer Music Awards held in Milwaukee recently.

The song Spirit of the Wolf, from the same album, took the Best Traditional Instrumental Song at the award ceremony.

The Indian Summer Music Awards were presented September 8 at the annual ISMA ceremony in Milwaukee, during the Indian Summer Festival at the grounds of the nationally-known Summerfest. The Indian Summer Music Awards (ISMA) recognizes and promotes the very best in Native American music created by both established and emerging artists. The entries were judged by a panel of respected professionals from across the music and entertainment industries.

Da Lion in concert with Leon Mobley at Folk ?Music Center

Leon Mobley, the founder and artistic and musical director of Da Lion, a West African drumming and dance troupe, and currently the percussionist for Damien Marley, will perform tonight, Saturday, September 15, at  7:30 p.m. at the Folk Music Center. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $10.

Da Lion encompasses traditional African rhythyms and songs with a twist of funk, jazz and hip-hop. Leon Mobley will also give a drumming workshop tomorrow, Sunday, September 16, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The cost of the workshop is $20.

For more information or to sign up for the workshop, call 624-2928. The Folk Music Center is located at 220 Yale Ave., Claremont.