The New Member Welcome will take place on Monday, January 11^th at 5:00pm in WARMC Professional Building #2 directly across the street from the hospital.  Please call Diane Schwartz,

Senior Circle Coordinator at (928) 763-0282 to register for this program.

Hillarie Allison of RUFFF Donates Stuffed Animals to KRMC

Kingman, Arizona – [December 30, 2009] On Wednesday, December 23rd, Rescued Unwanted Furry Friends Foundation (RUFFF) showed its holiday spirit by delivering stuffed animals to Kingman Regional Medical Center for the fifth year in a row.

According to Hillarie Allison, RUFFF President and Founder, the stuffed animals, donated by Palisades Amusement, are a way to share their love for the community with others this holiday season.

RUFFF is a 41-acre animal sanctuary in Golden Valley.   Since the sanctuary’s beginning ten years ago, foundation members have rescued over 10,000 animals.  Currently, they have over 600 dogs and cats needing adoption.  For more information call 565-BARK.

Photo: Hillarie Allison (RUFFF President and Founder) with stuffed animals for the patients at KRMC.

The contribution has been made to the Mohave County-based River Cities United Way on behalf of 87 Tri-State area doctors on Valley View’s medical staff.  United Way, in turn, will use 100 percent of the contribution for a program that buys fresh food for area families to supplement dried and non-perishable items at local food banks.

“We deeply appreciate the physicians of Valley View Medical Center in supporting this vital program,” said Penny Renfro, senior vice president of River Cities United Way.  “One of the great concerns for our area food banks is the lack of really fresh foods. It is such a health concern for growing children.”

Valley View CEO Allen Peters said the physicians with whom he has spoken continue to be supportive of the contribution, especially during a time of economic hardship for many in the area.

“It is always important for us to say ‘thank you’ to our physicians,” Peters said.  “What better way to do that than give back to the community in their names for a second year?”

According to United Way, Valley View’s $2,500 contribution will be divided into 100 $25 increments that can be used for items such as milk, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables.  The program will be administered through a food bank at Praise Chapel in Bullhead City, one of 19 different United Way-supported programs in this part of the Tri-State area.  Neither United Way nor Praise Chapel will use any of Valley View’s contribution for administrative costs.  River Cities United Way now serves all of Mohave and La Paz Counties as well as Laughlin and Needles.

“This grant enables us to supplement these important foods to families with babies and young children,” Renfro added.

Valley View is a 66-bed acute care hospital with all private rooms, two adjacent medical office buildings and an on-campus rehabilitation complex.  It is part of LifePoint Hospitals, Inc., a leading hospital company dedicated to providing quality healthcare in non-urban communities.

Class begins December 30^th and continues through January 27^th on Wednesdays from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm, at the Riviera Recreation Center, 2047 Commercial Way. Boroughf offers a fun, hands-on introduction to the multifaceted medium of acrylic painting and was one of Art in the Park’s most popular programs. A perfect family-friendly activity and Christmas gift suitable for all ages (children under 10 years of age must be accompanied by an adult); cost is $60 per person for the four-week session.

For more information, log on to the Bullhead City website at www.bullheadcity.com or call (928) 763-0158

The expo will feature gift ideas and resolution helpers from local area retailers including  Core4, Verve, Arbonne International, Cookie Lee Jewelry and Avon with a variety of products like cosmetics, skincare items, jewelry, clothing, health and weight loss products and much more.

Prize drawings will take place during the expo, with gifts and donations from expo participants and other local businesses. Raffle tickets will be available for $2 each or free tickets will be given to those donating a bag of dog food. Funds collected from the raffle will also be donated to RUFFF and additional donations will be accepted.

Cork and Beans is located at 1595 Mohave Drive in Bullhead City.

The Rescued Unwanted Furry Friends Foundations is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization providing sanctuary to countless homeless and unwanted cats, dogs and pot bellied pigs. For more information on the RUFFF, please call Hillarie Allison at 928-565-BARK or visit them online at http://www.rufffhouse.info.

For additional information on the Holiday Health and Beauty Expo, please contact Nikki Reagan at 928-444-6234.

WARMC’s Nurse Educator, Erin Healey, R.N. will provide excellent hands-on training so that you can perform life-saving techniques on infants, children and adults. You will learn to recognize when a victim needs help breathing. You will practice chest compressions, CPR and choking techniques. All who complete this class will receive a Certificate of Completion.

There is no charge for this class but space is limited and registration is required. Please call Diane Schwartz, Senior Circle Coordinator at (928) 763-0282 to register for this valuable class.

There is no entry fee but a donation of canned food or an unwrapped toy is appreciated to help support local families in need for the holidays.  There will be drop off points at the Bullhead Community Park and the River Walk casinos.  Donations will be distributed between food banks and children’s agencies on both sides of the river.

If you have no boat but would still like to be on the river that night you can come aboard the Del Rio Party Yacht.  Tickets are $35 all inclusive.  Keep an eye  out for the surprise they will have on the boat.  Or charter a pontoon boat captain included with 22 of your family and friends.  Cost is $300 for 3 hours.  Promote your business or decorate your boat for a chance to win best decorated!

Call Julie at 928-234-3075 or visit www.laughlinexperience.com for more details.

“Shop With A Cop is a way for us to give kids a positive experience with a police officer,” said BCPOA President Ed Arvizu. “A lot of them see us while we are working and are scared of police officers. This is a way to interact with children on a different level.”

Over 100 underprivileged children, who are chosen to be part of the program through the local school system, will start their morning by having breakfast with police officers at the Elks Lodge. The children then ride with officers to Wal-Mart in a parade of patrol cars with lights and sirens.

From 7 a.m. until 10 a.m., police officers from the Bullhead City Police Department, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Mojave Tribal Police Department, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Laughlin Substation, California Highway Patrol, Nevada Highway Patrol, Arizona Department of Public Safety and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office help each child spend a $100 gift card at Wal-Mart and get their picture taken with Santa.

“They can buy whatever they want; clothes, shoes or toys. Some children even buy presents for their family members,” Arvizu added.

To make this annual event possible; community members, organizations and businesses donate money to the BCPOA’s Shop With A Cop program. For more information or to donate please contact BCPOA President Ed Arvizu at (702) 808-6001.

On Tuesday, November 17, Joanie Madrid and Charlie Grimshaw, the owners of Cork and Beans, will be hosting the “Gooble Gooble Turkey Day Wine Tasting” with the help of Southern Wine and Spirits. The event will sample wines that compliment the traditional Thanksgiving Feast, featuring two white and two red wines along with a special surprise. Thanksgiving inspired appetizers will also be served.  Tickets are $20 and are available at Cork and Beans.

Wednesday, November 18^th, the Colorado River Line Dancers Club will be performing and everyone is invited to watch them perform and join in. The fun starts at 6 p.m.

On Thursday, November 19^th, Cork and Beans will be hosting its first Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce Mixer at 5 p.m.  All chamber members who attend will receive a complimentary beer or wine along with the hosted appetizers. Display tables are available for this event.

Cork and Beans will end the month with a bang, and possibly a disco ball. Club C&B, Cork and Beans’ monthly dance party will take place on Friday, November 27^th. Music and entertainment will be provided by Toonz DJ and will start at 6 p.m.

Along with all of the great special events, Cork and Beans also features fun daily events such as Martini Mondays and Wash Me Wednesdays, along with live music featuring talented local performers every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening.

Cork and Beans is located at 1595 Mohave Drive, across the street from Wal-Mart in Bullhead City, AZ.

For more information, contact Joanie Madrid or Charles Grimshaw by phone at (928) 758-2009 or visit the Cork and Beans website at www.CorkNBeans.biz

Lisa Brassard Mayer

Among the authors is Cork and Beans’ own Lisa Brassard Mayer.  Mayer, a former victim of domestic violence has channeled her knowledge into “Silent Victim Running Free” in the hopes of helping other women in similar situations as well as educate others about the seriousness of domestic violence.

“Silent Victim” is a true story about one woman’s struggle to survive the abuse, deception and cruel acts of one man and his family, and her quest to help her children and find happiness. It is available at www.outskirtspress.com/silentvictimrunningfree

Bill Westbrook

Bill Westbrook, a fiction writer, poet  and entertainer will be introducing his book, “Beyond Deceit: Legacy of a Madman”. “Beyond Deceit” is a fiction account of a young man’s quest to understand a mysterious nursing home patient’s state of mind. This quest will show him a terrifying world of Nazis, The Arab Nations and a radical group of Hispanics in the  United States bent on world domination.

“Beyond Deceit” is also available at Amazon.com, Borders.com and Vantage Press, Inc.

Dee Thompson

Dee Thompson wrote, directed, produced and appeared in the film “Barbed Wire” which premiered in the 2006 Spaghetti Junction Urban Film Festival.  His gift of bringing people together has been helpful in producing his film, documentary and television projects. He currently is co-producing the feature film “Black Wings,” a story about African-American aviators of the 1920’s.

He will be signing his new book, “Hw I went To The Oscars Without A Ticket”, a true story about faith and believing.  A trip to the 69th Academy Awards (Oscars) and Governor’ Ball is granted to a gentleman that prays and asks God to grant his wish to attend the event in true Cinderella-type fashion.  There is more information, including two chapters from the book available on his website at ww.myspace.com/deethompsonactor.

Cork and Beans is the only coffee and wine bistro in the Colorado River area and offers a large selection of specialty coffees and teas. The bistro does have a full bar and specializes in wines from all over the world. Wines are also available for purchase in their wine store. Cork and Beans is located at 1595 Mohave Drive, Suite 4 and 5 in Bullhead City, AZ.

For more information contact Joanie Madrid or Charlie Grimshaw by phone at (928) 758-2009 or visit the Cork and Beans website at www.CorkNBeans.biz