PerkSpot: Get Discounted Gym Memberships and Home Equipment

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3 people working out in a gym

If your New Year’s resolutions including getting more exercise and saving money – we have a deal for you! Find discounted gym memberships and home equipment deals through PerkSpot.

Perks range from waived registration fees to discounted monthly membership dues at 24-Hour Fitness, Equinox and LA Fitness. Plus, find sales on everything from yoga mats to exercise bikes to make the most of your workout at home.

PerkSpot offers benefits and discounts through more than 400 service providers and retailers. Go to SDCounty.PerkSpot.com and shop. If you are new, click on “Create an Account” to register.

Public Health Team Deliver Vaccines

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It was a beautiful Day on the bayfront for our county public health team who delivered information and vaccines at an event last year.

Epidemiology and Immunization Services Chief Jeffrey Johnson shared this photo of some of his team providing information and vaccines at one of the Monkey Pox vaccine events in the South Bay area last year.  

Share your fabulous photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. One image will be posted to InSite every week and may be shared on social media.

See more of Your View photos.

D&I Executive Council to Host Second Listening Session on Equity and Belonging

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The Diversity & Inclusion Executive Council invites you to continue the conversation on equity and belonging on Feb. 2 from noon to 1 p.m. The Council was encouraged by the depth and breadth of employee participation in the session that took place on Jan. 19.  

During this second session you will have a chance to hear the results of the suggestions your colleagues shared in Part 1 of listening session and join in the discussion of what is next.

“We need and want input so that we can maintain and enhance a workplace where everyone feels like they have a place and belong. Where each person feels they can be true to all the layers of their  identity,” said Natalia Bravo, Chief of Staff and D&I Executive Council member.

Join in the discussion in one of two ways:

Resources and Support in Trying Times

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This week’s events around the country are undoubtedly upsetting – two shootings in our Asian communities in California and video of the deadly arrest of Tyre Nichols in Tennessee. They’re the latest in a string of endless incidents in the news, from the LGBTQ+ nightclub tragedy to the senseless shooting of a first-grade teacher in her classroom, and this week is unfortunately no exception. Exposure to news about violence and hate can be traumatizing and getting support when you need it is critical.

Start by supporting each other. Listen to your co-workers, talk to a supervisor, tell your supervisor if someone appears to be in distress. Take advantage of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion activities, like a listening session, or join one of the County’s 11 Employee Resource Groups. Consider participating in one of our Wellness Program activities. They can help reduce stress.

Also, you can take advantage of the no-cost confidential counseling and referral services our Employee Assistance Program, or EAP, provides. In-person and virtual access is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering a range of services, including managing stress, finding work-life balance, parenting and eldercare issues, and wellness benefits.

In addition, the County’s Behavioral Health Services offers resources, programs and crisis support.

We care about you. Be sure to make the health of your mind and body a priority, especially in trying times.

Mark Your Calendar for Demonstration Garden Events at COC

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hands wearing gardening gloves planting flowers

Join the Master Gardeners at the County Operations Center Demonstration Garden for monthly gardening and sustainability talks on the first Wednesday of every month from noon to 12:30 p.m. and enjoy some of the seasonal harvest available.

Feb. 1 - Microgreens

Join Master Gardener Dawn Standke as she shows you how to grow tasty microgreens in a matter of days with just a few items from your kitchen, potting soil and seeds. Microgreens are easy to grow and are fun for kids to watch and learn from. You can harvest microgreens when they are 3 to 4 inches tall. Sprinkle them on salad, add them to a sandwich, or blend in a smoothie.

March 1 - Pollinators

Experts DeLayne Harmon and Marsha Cook will teach you about our local pollinator population and the plants we can incorporate to help them flourish. From bees to butterflies and the plants themselves, they will cover all your questions. And they’ll offer planting suggestions to help creatures great and small.

April 5 - Friendly Inclusive Gardening

Join Master Gardener Stephen Cantú as he shows you how gardening is inclusive, friendly, and accessible for all ages and abilities.

May 3 - Summer Container Gardening

Get your hands dirty planting your own summer container garden. Master Gardener Heather Holland will give you all the water-saving tips to keep your plants thriving through the hot season.

June 7 - Trees

Trees are “AC” and can shade your home, reducing the need to crank that electricity. Learn about trees that grow well in San Diego region and determine where a tree will grow best in your yard.

The Demonstration Garden is the courtyard outside 5520 Overland Ave., San Diego.

What is Lunar New Year?

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The County Administration Center was lit in Celebration of Lunar New Year on Sunday.

In celebration of Lunar New Year, the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees (APACE) shared the following message:

The Lunar New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, which corresponds with the phases of the moon. According to this lunar calendar, Lunar New Year begins on the first day of the first lunar month. This year, Lunar New Year falls on Jan. 22 and is observed for 15 days, meaning it will run through Feb. 5. 

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are traditionally celebrated with family and can include religious ceremonies honoring ancestors. 

On New Year’s Day, family members receive red envelopes with money that symbolize good wishes and luck for the year ahead. 

In addition, the holiday is celebrated with fireworks, lion dances, colorful lanterns and by eating what are considered auspicious foods like fish, dumplings, noodles, glutinous rice balls, spring rolls, rice cakes, rice cake soup and tangerines.

Origins

The origins of Lunar New Year are thousands of years old and are steeped in legend. One legend is that thousands of years ago a monster named Nian (year) would attack villagers at the beginning of each year.

Because the monster feared loud noises, bright lights and the color red, red paper decorations were pasted on doors, lanterns were burned all night and firecrackers were lit to keep him away.

Who celebrates it?

Today, Lunar New Year is celebrated in China, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia and other countries. Lunar New Year goes by many names including, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Chūnjié (in Mandarin), Seollal (in Korean) and Tết (Vietnamese).

Year of the Water Rabbit

2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, or more specifically the Water Rabbit. People born in these years (1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023) are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious. Lucky numbers for rabbits are: 3, 4 and 6. Lucky colors are pink, red, purple and blue. And lucky days are the 26th, 27th and 29th. The year 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. The luckiest Chinese zodiac signs this year are oxen, tigers and snakes.

Upcoming Events (free to public)

  • San Diego Tết Festival in Mira Mesa:
    Jan. 27 at 5-10 p.m., Jan. 28 at 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Jan. 29 at 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Mira Mesa Community Park, 8575 New Salem St. This three-day celebration will have a night market, lion dancing, cultural village, food vendors, beer garden, live entertainment, carnival rides, contests, games, prizes and more.

  • Celebrate Lunar New Year at the Poway Library:
    Jan. 28, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at 13137 Poway Rd. Enjoy fun for the whole family with balloon animals, crafts and entertainment. A special Lion Dancers performance will begin at 3pm.

  • Crafting Culture: Traditions of the Chinese Lunar New Year at College-Rolando Library:
    Jan. 28, 1-2:30 p.m. at 6600 Montezuma Rd. Presented by the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum. Learn the tale of how the Chinese zodiac came to be. We will also discuss the Chinese tradition of having a New Year’s Eve dinner, placing a couplet at the door, using firecrackers, and saying auspicious phrases during the Chinese New Year period.  

  • San Diego Chinese New Year Fair at Gaslamp Quarter:
    Feb 4-5 at 428 Third Ave. A two-day event celebrating the Lunar New Year, showcasing exciting performances, Asian Art and culture, an array of delicious Chinese and Asian food, and much more. 

Resources

254 County Employees Volunteered for Homeless Count

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A big shout out to the 254 County employees that helped in the annual Point-in-Time homeless count in the early morning hours Thursday.

The Point-in-Time Count is spearheaded by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless and provides a one-day snapshot of people living on the streets or in short-term shelters.

The results are used to apply for federal and state funding to help homeless people and find solutions on how to best serve this vulnerable population.

This year, about 1,456 people volunteered for the count. Volunteers gathered in different locations throughout the region where they are separated into teams, and they walk or drive the streets, parks, beaches and valleys looking for people who are experiencing homelessness.

Share your photos from the event. Email them to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. A gallery will post here.

Structural Racism Explained

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By the Office of Equity and Racial Justice

When community and County representatives co-created the mission statement for the Office of Equity and Racial Justice, they were intentional about the role of the office in ushering structural and systemic change. But what is structural racism, and how does it differ from systemic racism? The above video from the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley provides a definition and explanation of what these terms mean and how they might show up in everyday actions.