As spring approaches, many home gardeners are unpacking their trowels, planning their seed rows and stocking up on potting soil. But some diligent gardeners work year-round, scattering seeds to the wind to create cheerful bursts of color wherever they go. These environmental activists, known as “guerrilla gardeners,” have gained popularity in recent years on social media, creating videos showcasing how to start a guerrilla garden, how to “seed bomb” empty lots, and more.

@treasurewellwisher Noninvasive species only #planttok #guerillagardening ♬ Fairy Fountain – Mikel & GameChops

But these videos have left viewers with numerous questions about the controversial practice: what is guerrilla gardening? Is it even legal? When did it start? Should I get involved? Consider this your friendly primer to this long-standing activist practice.

What Is Guerrilla Gardening?

Guerrilla gardening is the practice of planting the seeds of edible plants or flowers on unused or aesthetically unpleasing land. It may be done with or without the consent of the property owner. Guerrilla gardening can take a variety of forms, from designing and planting traditional garden plots for an underserved community to “seed bombing,” or throwing balls of seeds out of a car window into a lot.

How Did Guerrilla Gardening Start?

miriam-doerr/Getty Images

According to DenGarden.com, guerrilla gardening “has its roots in the 1970s in New York City and has since spread to other cities around the world.” The beginning of the movement is largely credited to activist Liz Kristy and the Green Guerrilla group. From there, guerrilla gardening has spread globally, and many key figures are continuing Kristy’s work. Richard Reynolds, for example, is a British activist whose guerrilla gardening efforts have been memorialized in South London. Additionally, Ron Finley of south central LA founded the Ron Finley Project to help teach guerrilla gardening techniques.

What Are Some Examples of Guerrilla Gardening?

Numerous established community gardens across America originally started as guerrilla gardens. The Liz Kristy Community Garden in Manhattan is an obvious tribute to guerrilla gardeners, but you may have also encountered other guerrilla gardens, such as the Garden of Hope in Philadelphia, the Green Street Community Garden in Chicago, or the Phoenix Community Garden in San Francisco.

Is Guerrilla Gardening Legal?

Not exactly. Guerrilla gardening was inherently envisioned as an illegal, anarchistic act, as it depended upon planting without permission and cultivating others’ land. However, in recent years, the definition has expanded, and now the term also gestures towards those gardening on public land, often with permission. In short, the legality of your guerrilla gardening practice depends on how exactly you pursue it.

How Can I Guerrilla Garden Legally?

Liliya Filakhtova/Getty Images

If you’re a nature lover, you may be considering starting your own guerrilla gardening practice. While growing more plants is not typically a bad endeavor, it is worth considering a few factors before you start chucking seeds about.

First, as this TikToker explains, you must choose plants that are appropriate for your area. Opt for native, noninvasive varietals that will not choke out the area’s other plants.

Additionally, select your spot incredibly carefully. Choose a small, untended plot that is not owned by anyone. Discuss your gardening decision with any nearby stores or residents (yes, this takes away a little bit of the anarchist appeal, but it also ensures you are accurately supporting the community you’re aiming to help).

@octaviachill Part 2 will be choosing what to plant! #guerrillagardening #guerillagardening #anarchy #activism #environmentalist ♬ original sound – Ellen Miles

Finally, call your local government to ensure you are not unknowingly breaking any municipal laws. And if guerrilla gardening still feels a little too risky, you can always volunteer with or start a community garden, or simply share the fruits of your own labor with food pantries or others in need.

The post What Is Guerrilla Gardening? | Household Handyman appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Landowners in Stinson Beach, California, are in dispute with local authorities over trying to build home on the beach. Neighbours are concerned about the project

Sea levels in the area are expected to rise(Getty Images)

A family is gearing up for a battle with their future neighbours because they want to stop them renovating and old shack, even though they have owned the land for nearly nine decades.

The shack is located on a popular and picturesque part of Stinson Beach, California where Brian Johnson, 65, hopes to build a two-storey, 1,488-square-foot house on the plot on 21 Calle del Onda. Now consisting of a chimney surrounded by overgrown plants, the shack is a relic of the Smith family’s summer getaway spot built in the 1930s.

Its descendants, including Johnson, have run headlong into a legal dispute despite the approval of the Marin County Planning Commission in an August decision. Neighbours are concerned about the project and people in government at the state and local levels are concerned about the changing environment.

READ MORE Taylor Swift attends Travis Kelce NFL game after sharing picture inside his family home

The plans are up for a review on Tuesday(MarinCounty.org)

Johnson says the development of the project has cost $335,000 and it passed a number of environmental reviews. “It’s not like we’re building an oil refinery or a nuclear power plant on the coast,” he said to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Consultant to the owners – Brian is a majority owner – Steven Kinsey said it was odd the ” last 80 feet” of the beachfront were being “treated differently” in the area where houses line up along the sand dunes.

Some view the area as environmentally important and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy calls it one of the “best swimming beaches in northern California.” Marin County is also considering a dune restoration project in the area costing a possible $50 million.

The shack is located on a popular and picturesque part of Stinson Beach, California where Brian Johnson, 65, hopes to build a new house(Gado via Getty Images)

“This is an environment that is changing,” commission member Don Dickinson said. Dickinson, who voted against the proposal, added: “Maybe it’s changing more rapidly than some people thought.”

Rising sea levels now threaten the historic community along with flooding from a creek nearby and there are further concerns around the septic tank needed at the property after storms damaged the area last winter. Now, a decision by the Marin County Board of Supervisors is due on Tuesday.

Opposition to the project can be found among locals like Scott Tye, the Vice Chair of the Marin chapter of the conservation group Surfrider Foundation. “The (California) Coastal Act says you don’t sacrifice important natural habitat for the development of the property for a commercial residential structure… Particularly if it’s one of the few left standing,” he said.

The California Coastal Commission has also said in a letter to the Marin County Planning Commission that it has “significant concerns regarding potential impacts to environmentally sensitive habitat areas, including dune habitat; (and) siting this development in such a hazardous area”.

For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US

The post Neighbours block shack renovation plans regardless of household proudly owning land for 90 years appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

When San Francisco–based AD100 designer Charles de Lisle first met his would-be client, tech CEO Yishai Lerner, he thought he was signing on to decorate a Silicon Valley bachelor pad. Yishai had just landed his dream home, a quaint two-story fixer-upper on the crest of a hill in central San Francisco with impressive 180-degree views across the bay. And as the son of three architects—his mother, father, and stepmother are all in the profession—it had always been the dream to create his very own space from scratch.

Things, however, quickly changed. Shortly after commissioning de Lisle, Yishai met his now wife, Sabrina, and it wasn’t long before the two were married. Naturally, the scope of the project shifted. In fact, from the time they began planning the interiors in 2016 to when the paint was dry in 2022, his clients had multiplied from one to four when the couple’s two young sons arrived in fast succession.

Before de Lisle was brought on board, the home was largely a monochromatic shell. Yishai had worked closely with Ross Levy of Levy Art + Architecture to bring the house to life and, in doing so, had rendered a decidedly minimal aesthetic. They built out an extension in the back, adding extra square footage while simultaneously allowing the architect and client to engineer the home’s smallest details—for instance, installing invisible air conditioning vents in the seam of the living room’s gabled ceiling, or custom-designing the winding iron staircase so it appears to be floating independently of the walls. “I’ve built software my whole life,” Yishai explains. “So I’m always thinking about the user experience.”

De Lisle welcomed the family-friendly pivot. “I wanted to take his very masculine, slick sensibility,” he explains, “and add layers to it that felt very Northern California—a bit hippie and handmade but in a way that fit the space.” But de Lisle credits Sabrina with adding a real sense of vibrancy. “She took one look at the house and was like, ‘I don’t want to live in a bachelor pad,’” he jokes. “She has the most amazing wardrobe and loves color. She wanted the space to be really happy and bright.”

Together the Lerners and de Lisle pulled together references that ranged from midcentury Italian interiors to cozy Scandinavian homes: ideas easily legible in details like a custom console in the entranceway, creamy Nordic-inspired Douglas Fir wall paneling in the TV room, and Ceppo de Gre Stone in the guest suite (the very same that clads the gray facades of Milanese apartment buildings).

The post Tour a Beautiful San Francisco Household Dwelling That Used to Be a Complete Bachelor Pad appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Peter Owen Shea Sr., whose family construction firm helped build Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge, U.S. freeways and tens of thousands of homes in 11 states, has died. He was 88.

The last survivor of three engineers who built a multibillion-dollar construction and homebuilding business in their grandfather’s name passed away Monday at his home in Newport Beach after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease, the Orange County Register reported.

Shea had served as vice president of Walnut-based J.F. Shea, the successor to a plumbing and heavy construction empire founded in 1881 by his grandfather, John Francis Shea, in Portland, Oregon. 

The original company helped erect the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, Hoover Dam and the Interstate Highway System.

In 1961, Shea joined his cousin John Shea and older brother Edmund Shea Jr. as co-owner of the newly dissolved and reincorporated J.F. Shea. He later served as president of J.F. Shea Construction.

J.F. Shea soon expanded into homebuilding, commercial real estate development and venture capital investing. 

Its Shea Homes, founded in 1968, built more than 123,000 homes in 11 states, according to the company. Builder Magazine ranked it as the nation’s 27th biggest home builder last year, with 3,428 homes sold and $2.98 billion in revenue.

Shea Properties, based in Aliso Viejo, now owns and manages 10,000 apartments and 6 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space in California, Colorado, and Washington, according to its website.

In 2015, Forbes estimated the Shea family fortune at $2.5 billion.

Shea was born on May 29, 1935, in Los Angeles. His father, Edmund Sr., had just overseen construction on the piers for the Golden Gate Bridge. He attended Loyola High School, earned a degree in business at UC Berkeley and an engineering degree at USC.

He grew up around construction sites, and held a life-long love of khaki pants, a buttoned-down blue shirt and muddy boots, according to the company.

He served on the Association of General Contractors board and the board for the Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine.

“Peter was a very kind, smart, and humble man,” Shea Homes President and CEO Bert Selva told the Register. “He was also very quiet, but when he did share his thoughts, it was always incredibly valuable insight that was spot on.”

Peter Shea outlived his two founding partners. Edmund Shea died at his San Marino home in 2010 at age 80. John, of Pasadena, served as J.F. Shea’s CEO, then as board chair until he died at age 96 in October last year. 

Shea’s son, Peter O. Shea Jr., succeeded John as company CEO.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; daughters Sarah and Catherine Shea Johnson; son Peter Jr.; sister Mary Elizabeth Callaghan; brother Henry; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Nov. 11 at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach.

— Dana Bartholomew

Read more

The post Peter Shea, Whose Household Agency Constructed 123K Houses, Dies at 88 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

By Ishita Srivastava For Dailymail.Com

16:59 28 Oct 2023, updated 17:16 28 Oct 2023

• Robin Williams ‘ seven-bedroom family mansion in Sea Cliff was built in 1926 
• The Italian Renaissance-style villa boasts seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms on 17,149 square feet of land
• It is the city’s largest and most private walled gated residential lots 
• Breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands can be seen from the house 

Robin Williams’ seven-bedroom family mansion in San Francisco has been put up for sale for almost $25 million. 

The villa, located in the exclusive Sea Cliff neighborhood in El Camino Del Mar, was initially built by architect Earle B. Bertz in 1926.

Williams bought the villa while shooting for Steven Spielberg’s movie, Hook in 1991.

His then-wife Marsha and three kids lived there with him till the pair’s divorce in 2010. 

Now Marsha is selling the sprawling property to downsize as all their kids have ‘grown up’. 

She told the Wall Street Journal: ‘It’s a beautiful, happy house. We had many, many fantastic years of fun and play and joy there.’

The villa, which is located in El Camino Del Mar, the exclusive Sea Cliff neighborhood, was initially built by architect Earle B. Bertz in 1926 The Italian Renaissance-style villa boasts seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms on 17,149 square feet of land, making it among the city’s largest and most private walled gated residential lots Compass agent Steven Mavromihalis explained that while renovating the house to modern standards, the pair made great effort to preserve the original rare and valuable building materials

The Italian Renaissance-style villa boasts seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms on 17,149 square feet of land, making it among the city’s largest and most private walled gated residential lots.

The house’s true value is found in its details, such as ornate moldings, wide plank hardwood flooring, patterned terracotta tiles, and exposed beams.

Right before the pair divorced, they renovated the home. 

The new updates included a movie theatre with a drop-down projector, an eat-in kitchen, a ‘prohibition-era’ bar hidden behind wood wall paneling and a secret passageway connecting the children’s bedrooms.

Compass agent Steven Mavromihalis explained that while renovating the house to modern standards, the pair made great effort to preserve the original rare and valuable building materials. 

‘It is everything you imagine Robin Williams to be,’ said Mavromihalis.

‘True master chefs will appreciate the spectacular eat-in Kitchen and adjoining Butler’s Pantry, with a center island, triple sinks, abundant counter space and the finest quality materials and appliances including brands such as La Cornue, Sub-Zero, Miele and timelessly designed Custom cabinets with intricate wood inlay, by Britain’s Smallbone Design Studio.’

Wooden beams line the ceiling in the living area, which also includes a wood-burning fireplace and French doors with access to the terrace The house’s true value is found in its details, such as ornate moldings, wide plank hardwood flooring, patterned terracotta tiles, and exposed beams New updates include a movie theatre with a drop-down projector, an eat-in kitchen, a Prohibition-era bar hidden behind wood wall paneling and a secret passageway connecting the children’s bedrooms An all-wood dining table with wooden tiles and wood-paneled French doors also make up a critical part of the house. True master chefs will appreciate the spectacular eat-in Kitchen and adjoining Butler’s Pantry, with a center island, triple sinks and abundant counter space

Wooden beams line the ceiling in the living area, which also includes a wood-burning fireplace and French doors with access to the terrace. 

The primary bedroom features panoramic views of the ocean and bridge, a Japanese-inspired bathroom, built-in vanities and a walk-in shower with decorative glass.

The listing reads: ‘The Japanese themed Primary Bath also features direct Golden Gate Bridge views, with an enormous dressing room, custom made built-in vanities and furniture pieces and a platform soaking tub with separate walk-in shower enclosed with decorative glass paneling.

‘On the garden level there is a one bedroom Guest Apartment with separate entrance, as well as a Fitness Center with a Full Bath and Helo Sauna made in Finland.

‘Also located on the garden level is the Wine Cellar, Pantry, and inexhaustible Storage Closets.’

The property listing also states that breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands can be seen from the house. 

‘In the immediate vicinity of China Beach and in close proximity to Baker Beach. Minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio of San Francisco with its nearly 1500 acres of open space, hiking trails, bike paths, and other attractions; as well as being just minutes away from Land’s End, the renowned Lincoln Park Golf Course, The Legion of Honor Museum, and neighborhood shops and restaurants just blocks to the South.

The primary bedroom features panoramic views of the ocean and bridge, a Japanese-inspired bathroom, built-in vanities, and a walk-in shower with decorative glass The Japanese themed Primary Bath also features direct Golden Gate Bridge views, with an enormous dressing room, custom made built-in vanities and furniture pieces The walk-in closet, a crucial part of the primary bedroom The property listing also states that breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands can be seen from the bathroom On the garden level there is a one bedroom Guest Apartment with separate entrance, as well as a Fitness Center with a Full Bath and Helo Sauna made in Finland

‘With easy access to the Peninsula and Silicon Valley, the Sea Cliff neighborhood also boasts many of San Francisco’s finest public and private schools,’ the listing reads. 

Williams’ son Cody married Maria Flores at this villa on his father’s birthday in 2019.

The couple had guests hold up yellow roses and a candle with three wicks was lit in honor of his dad and other family members who had passed away.  

A recording of Maria singing ‘Never Enough’ played in the background. 

The Oscar-winning actor and comedian lost his battle with depression and took his own life at his home in Tiburon on August 11, 2014. 

His wife Susan Schneider revealed after his death that he had been suffering from the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. 

The incurable disease causes brain nerve cell damage, leading to a drop in dopamine levels. It can affect movement and often includes tremors.

The post Robin Williams’ former San Francisco household mansion hits the marketplace for $25million as his ex-wife displays the ‘on improbable years of enjoyable and pleasure’ within the seven-bedroom property appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Sometimes, what’s beautiful about Sonoma can be found outside of Sonoma. Consider, for example, all the local bottles that grace dining tables and wine cellars around the world.

An elegant and modern Colorado home, designed by Sonoma-based architect Brit Epperson, is another example of a locally designed gem found outside of this region.

Epperson, along with the team at her design firm Studio Plow, created the dwelling at the foot of the Rocky Mountains for a very special client: her parents. She says that her design firm’s ethos is to”tell our client’s story, not our own.” To design her parents’ home, she spent several holidays perusing architectural plans together with her family. 

Epperson also attempts to the tell the story of the place through each design project. The “place” in this case was the base of a 14,000-foot mountain range. The 3000-square foot home sits on a forested ridge and has views of snow-capped peaks, ancient red rock formations and Colorado Springs’ skyline.

The home has exceptional design details, like this organically shaped wood doorknob. (Nicole Franzen)
A bathroom stunningly rich in shapes and textures. (Nicole Franzen)

“The rolling hills and dramatic sunsets of Sonoma Wine Country play differently than the pines and granite, quartz, and mica of Colorado,” Epperson says, adding, “We actually had the client gather rock from the site and mail them to us in San Francisco.” 

The interior color palette takes inspiration from the hues of the natural setting. Epperson lists the “soft greens of the native junipers and sagebrush; the fall colors of the aspen trees; and the soft pinks, browns and ivory of the native limestone and sandstone.” 

The result is an impressive property that is a study in contrasts. The warm-white exterior, clad in slate-colored vertical siding, is both soft and angular. The interior offers additional contrast; it is at once serene and plush. It is nature-focused and authentic, yet in spots it is saturated in colors and patterns. 

Light-filtering linen curtains create a diffused glow from the floor-to-ceiling windows, which allow the views to be the star of the home, while the rich design also catches the eye, including low-hanging lamps, skillfully placed plants, organically shaped design elements and heavily patterned wallpaper. 

Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home.

Interiors and architecture by Studio Plow, studioplow.com 

The post Sonoma Design Agency Creates Gorgeous Household Residence in Colorado appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich (WOOD) – As the temperatures cool down outside, you may want to start a fire in the fireplace or turn on the furnace to stay warm, but is your chimney ready to handle the heat Where You Live?

National Chimney Safety Week 2020 (September 27 – October 3) is designed to educate homeowners on the inherent dangers of fireplaces and provide them with tips to reduce their risk of suffering a chimney fire or carbon monoxide-related health emergency.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC), an average of 17,600 chimney fires occurred annually in the United States between 2015 and 2017, and although this represents a significant drop from previous years, the Chimney Safety Institute of America believes there’s still much room for improvement. CSIA’s vision is that every family enjoys a safe, warm home.

The Facts About Chimney Fires:

Your chimney–and the flue that lines it–adds architectural interest to your home, but its’ real function is to carry dangerous flue gases from your fireplace, wood stove or furnace safely out of your home.  As you relax in front of your fireplace or bask in the warmth of your wood stove, the last thing you are likely to be thinking about is the condition of your chimney.  However, if you don’t give some thought to it before you light those winter fires, your enjoyment may be very short-lived.

Why?

Dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires, which damage structures, destroy homes and injure or kill people. ​

Indications of a chimney fire have been described as creating:

• Loud cracking and popping noise
• A lot of dense smoke
• An intense, hot smell

Chimney fires can burn explosively – noisy and dramatic enough to be detected by neighbors or people passing by.  Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of the chimney.  Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane.  However, those are only the chimney fires you know about.

Chimney fires are preventable.  When burning wood, only use dry, seasoned wood.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends chimneys be inspected annually and cleaned as-needed.  Having your chimney inspected by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep before lighting your first fire of the season, is the number one way to prevent potential damage to your home or even the loss of life that may result from a damaged or blocked chimney.

E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety reminds you with more than 1,800 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps located across the United States, it has never been easier to find one near you.  To locate your nearest CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep, visit www.csia.org/search and enter your zip code into the locator search tool.

Article by Firefighter Michael McLeieer, President – E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc.

The post Nationwide Chimney Security Week: Put together your chimney now to maintain your loved ones secure this winter appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

THE family of an Irishman who has been missing abroad for almost a week are becoming increasingly concerned for his safety.

Galway man James Gleeson has been missing from California, in the USA, since Thursday, September 28.

James has been missing from the Parkside area of San Fran since September 28

The 35-year-old was last seen five days ago in the Parkside area of San Francisco wearing a maroon flannel jumper, a high-vis vest and carrying a backpack.

He has been described by worried family as of a slim build, approximately 6ft 1in with light brown hair and brown eyes.

James, who is originally from Dunmore, recently moved to San Francisco in California.

In the days since he has gone missing, family have become increasingly concerned about his whereabouts.

One person said: “Please God you will be found safe and well.”

Another added: “Please be found safe and well James. If anyone knows people over there please keep a massive look out.”

Police in the US have issued an appeal for his whereabouts and a notice reads: “Missing: James Gleeson, last seen in the Parkside/Sunset area near Sloat.

“Wearing a maroon checkered flannel jumper with a reflective vest carrying a backpack. Irish male, ‘6″1, light brown hair, brown eyes, 35 years.

Most read in The Irish Sun

“If seen please contact us on his whereabouts (914) 294-8949.”

Separately, the devastated mum of a teenager missing for nine days has appealed to the public to help find her son, saying: “I want my boy back.”

Worried Kelly Smith urged anyone with information about the whereabouts of her 18-year-old son Josh Markey to contact her or the police immediately. 

She told in a poignant Facebook post that she has suffered nothing but torment and despair over the past week after Josh vanished off the face of the earth from the Rathmullen Park housing estate in Drogheda.

Gardai have categorised his disappearance as “high risk” and believe his life could be in danger.

There are unconfirmed reports that he may have been abducted.

‘HEART OF GOLD’

The heartbroken mother said: “All these days gone and not one single person has heard or seen my son. 

“Someone knows something. He didn’t just walk into the middle of Rathmullen and a UFO came down and beamed him up Scottie.

“He was no angel, far from it, and was easily led but underneath it all he had a heart of gold.

“Someone knows something, I want my boy back.

“I am begging anyone that knows anything about my son or his whereabouts whether it is good or bad news, please tell me.”

TEXT ALERT

Drogheda Sinn Fein TD Imelda Munster has called on anyone with information about Josh to use the new garda confidential text alert service See Something, Say Something, to pass on whatever they know.

They can free text DROGHEDA and send their message to 50555.

She said: “If they don’t want to contact the gardai directly they can use this text line to pass on information and no one will know where it came from.

“Your number is scrambled so it will not show up. 

Read more on the Irish Sun

“This is another avenue for people to pass on information if they don’t want to have to deal with the gardai themselves.

“The fact no one has heard from Josh is extremely worrying.”

The post Pressing hunt for Irishman lacking after shifting to America as household develop more and more involved for security appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Volunteers are making sure a few local families “Feel The Love” by installing new HVAC units before winter approaches.

Alex Simon has been installing heating and air conditioning systems for Kettle Moraine Heating & Air Conditioning for three years.

He joined other volunteers on Saturday as a part of the “Feel The Love” campaign, a program by the HVAC systems company, Lennox, where volunteers install free HVAC units for families in need.

“We are in the industry of helping people and especially like today, where we are helping someone who really does need it. It makes you feel good,” said Simon.

(Spectrum News 1/Phillip Boudreaux)

Since the program began, Lennox has provided more than 1,000 furnaces to families.

On Saturday, some of those units went to the Voss family.

As their medical bills piled up, Diane Voss said they found out they needed to replace their HVAC unit.

And they didn’t know how they were going to get the money to pay for the new equipment and installation. Then, the “Feel The Love” campaign came in to answer their prayer, Diane Voss said.

“I was hoping and doing lots of praying. I talked to my daughters, and they did lots of praying. When they came out and interviewed us, they said that we can get one. I’m just ecstatic, overwhelmed and so thankful for everybody,” said Diane Voss.

“They really brought the people, a big crew of people, to install it,” her husband, Greg Voss added.

(Spectrum News 1/Phillip Boudreaux)

Lennox chooses families and individuals based on their commitment and service to those around them.

Simon said it brings him great joy to give people, like the Voss family, the proper heating system when the temperature drops.

“It’s definitely a lot of hard work and plus, it’s long and you gotta like what you do,” he said.

Marc Marchillo of Kettle Moraine Heating & Air Conditioning said he’s appreciative that their customers, and the company owner Bill Brink and Lennox, allow them to give back to the community.

“You can just feel the good vibes and the happiness. You can ‘Feel The Love.’ That’s where the name came from,” said Marchillo. “When you talk to the homeowners, recipients, you can see it in their eyes. They are so grateful. It’s good vibes, and that’s why we do it.”

The post West Allis household receives new HVAC system appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

On Saturday, August 19, from 12 to 2 pm, bring the whole family to a free “Family Day” event and come see what Sarasota Youth Opera is all about! The Sarasota Opera House will be abuzz with activities – you can hear the Youth Opera sing, attend a “Find Your Own Opera Voice” singing session, join in fun acting games, and stand on the opera stage when you take a tour of the opera house. You can even get creative and make some props, have fun at the wig and makeup demonstration, explore the beautiful costumes, and more!

This fall Sarasota Youth Opera will present Benjamin Britten’s The Little Sweep on the Sarasota Opera House stage, complete with professional sets, costumes, and orchestra. The opera tells the charming story about a group of children who join together to free a young chimney sweep apprentice from his cruel master and send him back to his family. 

The fall program starts up on August 15th, and auditions for the lead roles will be held on August 22 and 24.  No prior experience is necessary, all skill levels are welcome! To learn more about Youth Opera visit https://www.sarasotaopera.org/youth-opera-program.
 

What: Sarasota Youth Opera Family Day
When: Saturday, August 19, 2022, from 12 to 2 pm
Where: Sarasota Opera House: 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236
Tickets: This is a FREE event and no tickets are necessary. 

Details for the event can be found at Click Here

ABOUT SARASOTA YOUTH OPERA 

Since 1984, Sarasota Youth Opera has given thousands of young people ages 8 to 18 an opportunity to experience the joy of opera firsthand through participation in fully staged Youth Opera productions, Sarasota Opera main stage productions, summer camps, and concerts throughout the community.

Sarasota Youth Opera is the only program in the United States committed to both presenting an annual full-scale opera production for young voices, as well as accepting all who wish to participate regardless of skill level or ability to pay.
 

Youth Opera Choruses: Beginning at age 8, singers are placed in one of two chorus levels. Each chorus provides a setting for everyone to participate and progress at their own level as they gain greater skills and experience. Selections performed are made up of classical music, which includes opera and choral pieces in different languages. The choruses perform throughout the community in formal concerts and outreach events.
 

Opera Mainstage Season: Members of the Youth Opera are selected to join Sarasota Opera’s Winter Festival season, appearing in the mainstage children’s chorus, as supernumeraries (extras who perform non-singing roles) and for special roles written by the composer for children’s voices. In recent seasons these have included roles in La bohème, Tosca, and Carmen. Singers are involved in the complete production process – from early music and dramatic rehearsals to performing alongside opera professionals. 

Youth Opera Productions: Part of Sarasota Opera’s commitment to young people includes the commissioning of new operatic works written for children and young adults. Six new works have been presented as part of this mission: Deadline (1989), Polly Pen’s Her Lightness (1993), Tom Suta’s Eye of Ra (1998), John Kennedy’s The Language of Birds (2004), Daron Hagen’s Little Nemo in Slumberland (2012) and Rachel J. Peters’ Rootabaga Country (2017). Members take part in the making of each opera, complete with professional staging, costumes, lighting, sound, and orchestral accompaniment.

The post Sarasota Youth Opera Hosts a FREE FAMILY DAY on the Opera Home appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.