Did you miss out on the Amazing Race? Or maybe you just want to relive the fun? This video will take you through the amazing course from the perspectives of a Level 1 and Level 3 team. Congrats again to all who participated in the race!
Cathi Palatella, acting director child welfare services, Toni Torres and Nick Macchione, HHSA director.
Three HHSA social workers were among the honorees at this year’s STARS Awards from the Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council, including Toni Torres, a supervisor in the Indian Specialty Unit in North Region, who won the STARS social worker award.
Veronica Perez-Ramirez from South Region and Neda Rivera from East Region were honored as nominees for a STARS Award.
The STARS Awards are handed out annually and honor efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect and promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families in our community.
Under Torres’ leadership, the Indian Specialty Unit had a 60 percent decrease of removals and children lingering in foster care since 2011. Torres has a reputation of being inclusive in working with all the diverse local tribal agencies and Tribes.
According to her nomination, she conducts her unit in a way that is non-threatening and works with Indian families to build trust and inclusion. Recently retired Appellate Court Judge Thorn recognized her unit for working with Tribal Star and the Public Child Welfare Training Academy (PCWTA).
Perez-Ramirez is the Incredible Families Program South Region liaison is described as friendly, kind, culturally sensitive, collaborative, trauma-informed and a problem solver. She’s often called on by other regions for advice and the schedule she developed for social workers to attend visitations for the program have been adopted by other regions as well.
Rivera specializes in working with immigrant communities and is a recognized leader on issues important to that community. She speaks both Arabic and Chaldean and is works with immigrants to educate them on United States laws and culture.
Jacqueline Vorhies, HSS, dressed as "Regina Wentworth" in front of Black Spot Pyracy.She did not want to go to the Renaissance faire, but her cousin pushed her to do it.
Her cousin even helped her to dress up in period garb.
Twenty-six years later, Jacqueline Vorhies is “Regina Wentworth.”
“I didn’t understand why [my cousin] wanted me to dress up, but I’m glad I did,” the Human Services Specialist said of her participation in the 1990 faire. “I felt like I was part of the faire just by walking around in period clothes.”
Several years after her first taste of Renaissance culture, Jacqueline became a member of a guild of period re-enactors, along with her cousin, his wife and their three sons.
“I had been friends with the group for a few years before I joined. What drew me in was all the fun they had playing their characters and entertaining the patrons.”
Four years after joining that guild, Vorhies and her extended family left the group to form their own guild, Black Spot Pyracy, where Regina Wentworth is the tavern mistress.
Members of the Black Spot Pyracy
“Many guilds, including my own, portray fictional characters of the period and do our best to represent a character that acts and speaks of the period and has knowledge of the Golden Age,” Vorhies said. “My own character, Mistress Regina Wentworth, is saucy – prone to flirtation, silliness and random pranks. Although Regina is quite loveable, she is fierce as well. Regina will steal your heart as easily as your gold!”
The four-and-a-half year County employee said she makes some of her own garb for the Renaissance faires, but much of it has been made by other re-enactors or even purchased at the faire in Escondido.
“When it comes to props and garb, it is easy to want or buy more than you need. Our local faire is only four days, but there are different vendors to peruse and shop from there,” she said.
Vorhies encourages people to attend the local Renaissance Faire, which ran last weekend and will again April 30—May 1 at the County’s Felicita Park in Escondido.
“Attending a Renaissance faire is an opportunity to observe a demonstration of living history. It is an inexpensive trip to the past,” she said. “In the days of old, people would gather for seasonal markets or assemble for festivals or to take issues to magistrates as they came through town. A Renaissance faire recreates these days when people would gather for business and trade while minstrels and entertainers would perform for the crowds to earn their living.”
Jacqueline Vorhies, HSS, ECFRC as “Regina Wentworth” of Black Spot Pyracy and her nephew, Joseph Kramer, as “Atticus MacIntyre.”
At the Escondido faire, you can expect to see entertainers like the Bawdy Juggler, A Fool and His Family, Parrot Tales (trained parrots), and listen to the music of Gallows Humour. And, of course, there’s the parade of guilds that march behind Queen Elizabeth. There are plenty of meat pies and turkey legs to go around and the kids can stay busy with a treasure map.
“There are free games to play as well,” she said. “If you make it out, be sure to stop by Pirate’s Cove and say hello to Regina at the Black Spot Pyracy encampment!”
The Queen's Procession at the Escondido Renaissance Faire at Felicita County Park.
Several Parks and Recreation Department administrative office employees celebrated Earth Day by purchasing and wearing special matching Parks Earth Day T-shirts. Proceeds from the sales of the shirts benefit the Parks general fund which pays for park operations and maintenance. You can buy your own Parks swag online.
From left in the top photo: Wesley Maddocks, Angelique Davidson, Carlos Renstrom, Kristen Marino, Mae Buenaventura and Connie Salcido.
We're entering the second quarter of the Employee Wellness Program and there is a lot to look forward to: new food challenges, cooking competitions and the first ever employee bike program. More on wellness
Happy Earth Day! While sustainability and being earth-conscious should always be on our minds, today is a good reminder of ways we can be going green – and saving green! Charles Marchesano over at General Services is the Energy and Sustainability Chief. Here are five of his tips that you can do at home to help out the environment.
1. Get a free water audit
Visit WaterSmart Checkup and follow the easy steps to schedule your free audit. You’ll also be able to find rebates and incentive programs when available.
2. Get a free energy audit
SDG&E offers a free home audit that will reveal many simple changes you can make to quickly save, as well as more extensive improvements, like additional insulation. They offer up nice rebates and incentives when available, as well as low- to zero-interest loan programs, so take a look.
3. Sign up for a carpool
Do your part for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – and maybe just meet some new co-workers! The County partners with iCommute, where you can sign up on an interest list to be connected to other people who have similar commutes to yours. The program even offers some financial incentives.
4. Get free compost and mulch
If you find yourself doing yard work during the spring weekends, take advantage of free compost and mulch available at your local waste disposal facility. You’ll be helping divert these materials from our landfills. Plus, mulch helps keep the soil moist longer, which means water savings.
5. Ditch the gas guzzler
Sign up for Bike to Work day. May 20 is National Bike to Work Day and the County is sponsoring two aide stations for the event (one at the COC and one at the CAC). Challenge yourself and sign up now.
Hope these ideas help you to continue along your path of sustainability!
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The County kicked off its annual campaign to prevent mosquitos from breeding and spreading disease. Watch and learn more about protecting yourself at
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San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization and the Padres celebrated a win at Petco Park on Saturday. County employees stepped up to the plate and supported CECO through a fundraiser that sold over 100 tickets and raised a total of $1,083!
CECO, funded through County employee and retiree donations, was also recognized at the Padres vs. Diamondbacks game for 60 years of giving—it has distributed more than $6.7 million to local non-profit organizations and employees in crisis since its founding in 1956.
CECO extends a heartfelt thank you to all the County employees who supported the fundraiser and encourages them to send their pictures to sdceco@sdcounty.ca.gov for its 60th anniversary archive.
