Happy New Year to all!
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Valley Home PTC meets on January 6th at 3 p.m. and asks you to join them and help plan the remaining events for the school year.
Start off the New Year by dropping by the school gym and enjoying breakfast hosted by PTC members on Saturday, January 8th from 6-11 a.m. Adults prices at $6 with children up to 12 years old at $3. Reserve your tickets today, E-mail vhsptc@sbcglobal.net or call 847-5423. Thanks for your support!
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With excitement of the Holidays over, we reflect back on some of the past year’s highlights!
In January, Valley Home 4-H members, Jenna Heaton, Garrett and Justin Martin attended the Arizona National Livestock Show and had a great showing. As the old year ended we took the opportunity to thank V.H. PTA president, Lisa Jones and members for their dedicated work throughout 2009.
Stanislaus County honored 4-H leader, Diane Hougland in February for 20 years of service to our community. She was escorted by husband, Jerry, also a long time 4-H volunteer. Jenna Heaton attended the Red Wave Classic at Fresno State and came away with the Overall Supreme Champion Meat goat Award, a buckle, a jacket and cash prize. There were lots of fun and treats to be had at the annual 4-H Valentine Box Social.
In March, Natalie Thompson won the Jog-A-Thon drawing contest with her “turtle” design. Harlee Burtchi and Denise Thompson were awarded 2nd place and Melissa Thompson 3rd. The Valley Home 4-H sponsored Spaghetti dinner and silent Auction proved very successful! 4-H’ers Dan Fletcher, Nathan Soares, T.J. Verdegaal, Halley Smith and Cody Bartholomew attended Stanislaus County Livestock Proficiency Day at the fairgrounds.
In April, Mary Beth Carpenter chaired the annual 4-H fun filled Easter Egg Hunt. The annual Valley Home School Jog-A-Thon proved successful and fun for all! We all enjoyed an afternoon of Silent Movie Fun featuring Buster Keaton sponsored by ST. John’s/St. Luke’s Church.
May found residents bidding 8th graders farewell at graduation ceremonies and welcoming summer with a picnic. Residents, Glenn and Laura Burghardt with grandsons Ryan and Mitchell, helped to place flags and participate in Memorial Services at the Oakdale Cemetery.
June rewarded us with a new cement patio floor poured at the Valley Home Community Center Park and plans for landscaping the area continued.
In July we saluted 4-H’ers Kiley Rinna, Ben Fletcher, Cody Soares, Macy Soares, Wyatt and Emma Woenschil, Callie Christmas, Halley Smith, Aaron Soares, Mike Verdegaal, Nathan Soares, T.J. Verdegaal, Jessica Hatfield, Kinsey Ollis, Cody Bartholomew, Scott Heaton, Katie Schwandt, Jenna Heaton, Sierra Hayes, Heidi Schaefle and Luke Pounsey. All brought home ribbons for their County Fair entries!
We congratulated Alanna Jones when she shared the news she had accepted an Academic/Athletic Scholarship to Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia and left on August 26 to begin her studies.
Landscaping at Valley Home Community Park begins to take shape as volunteers planted trees and plants, and boulders were put into place in September.
We were excited to learn that Joe Perez placed second at the Monterey Golf tournament held in Carmel in October, only missing first place by one point! There were lots of fun things to see and do at the Annual Valley Home Harvest Festival. Winners in the Pumpkin Contest were Angel Soto’s monster 1st place entry weighing in at 132 ½ lbs. Alex Halsy’s 125 lb. beauty placed 2nd and Cody Bartholomew’s 61 lb. 3rd.
November found our Valley Home 4-H’ers helping to clear rubble and smooth dirt at Valley Home Park in preparation for lawn seeding.
Jerry and Diane Hougland were crowned Grand Marshals for the Annual Lighted Christmas Parade and traveled the parade distance in a colorfully lighted float. After the parade, we all ambled over to the school multi-purpose room for a great potluck dinner! Lighting the way we saw the wonderful sight of our lighted National flag proudly flying on the newly erected park flagpole thanks to Joe Perez. The Annual PTC sponsored School Christmas Store provided a nice way to close the season at school and prepare for the holidays.
