2018 December Colony Magazine

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ROUND TOWN The PERFECT GIFT starts with Love & Thought the most wonderful time of the year!” There’s nothing like chilly night parades “It’s with hot cocoa in hand, picking out the perfect Christmas tree as a family and anticipating your first visit from that silly elf! The minute that Target Holiday Catalog hits the mailbox (before Halloween) the boys start clipping and pasting their Christmas wishes for Santa and are eager to get the Christmas lights hung. I just love these traditions we have created as a family and look forward to them each year. One tradition we have continued is making the majority of our gifts at home. Coming up with something unique and meaningful each year is so much fun. Teaching the kids that giving is just as fun as getting is important. And seeing the looks of excitement as their grandma opens something that they had worked so hard on is priceless. One year we poured paint colors into the inside of clear Christmas tree bulbs and personalized each and every one with sticker monograms. They came out amazing! Or the cool mosaic stepping stones we made with chipped dishes and outdoor pots that were a hit! My oldest son’s preschool teacher still proudly has hers displayed right outside her classroom door. But I’m pretty sure the snow globes we made out of salt and pepper shakers were number one! Gifts made with love and thought mean more than any pair of slippers or collared shirt… guaranteed! This year is all about pampering and self care, because everyone loves to feel their best. To By Sarah Pope add a holiday feel to our gifts we decided to go with a peppermint scent for our Lip Balm and Sugar Scrub. So far, my (11, 9 and 3 year old) helpers haven’t lost interest! WHIPPED PEPPERMINT SUGAR SCRUB • ½ cup coconut oil • ¼ cup sugar • ¼ cup pink sugar (sugar + 1 drop of red food coloring) • 6 drops peppermint essential oil • Air-tight jars (Amazon.com) DIRECTIONS 1. Mix sugar and one drop of red food coloring to make pink sugar (set aside). 2. Combine white sugar and coconut oil. Beat together until it becomes light and fluffy. 3. Mix in pink sugar. 4. Scoop into jars. PEPPERMINT LIP BALM 1 ½ tbsp natural beeswax 1 tbsp coconut oil 1 tbsp shea butter 2 tbsp sweet almond oil (or olive oil) 20 drops peppermint essential oil Tins with lids (Amazon.com) DIRECTIONS 1. Boil water 2. In a separate glass measuring cup mix beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil and sweet almond oil. 3. Place glass inside pot of boiling water and melt ingredients while stirring. 4. Remove from heat and add 20 drops of peppermint essential oil and stir. 5. Pour into tins right away. Super easy, right? Now add your own personal touch with a label or some colored twine and a candy cane! Ta-Da! Christmas shopping DONE! Be sure to make a little extra to pamper yourself during the chilly holiday season. Have the happiest of holidays. A reverse mortgage loan could help you live more comfortably. Call today to learn more about this HECM loan program* for accessing your home’s equity. Bob Gayle Reverse Mortgage Specialist 805/772-3658 Real Estate Broker, California Bureau of Real Estate, License 00466813 • NMLS License. 582948 Division of Aegean Financial, CA BRE #01478751, NMLS #157935 Owner must be 62, maintain property as primary residence and must also remain current on property taxes, any fees and homeowners insurance. Other conditions may apply. *THIS PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR ENDORSED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND THIS OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE BY AN AGENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT. 17-013 12 | colonymagazine.com COLONY Magazine, December 2018
Remembering SLO Stringer By Melissa Chavez Highway memorial sign honors photojournalist Matthew Frank When Matthew Frank died in a car accident on his way to a twoalarm fire during the wee hours of March 21, 2017, it seemed as if all of San Luis Obispo County reeled at the news. As more information became known about the anonymous local photojournalist known as SLOStringer, the loss became even more inconceivable. He had just turned 30. How could someone so young, vibrant, and integral to the daily lives of so many people be gone so soon? SLOStringer was esteemed by citizens and first responders alike for accurate, time-sensitive reporting of traffic accidents, fires and other incidents. Hundreds attended his funeral. To this day, people who have never met Matthew still mention on social media the loss of his presence. On November 2, a ceremony was held to dedicate a stretch of Highway 101 between Avila Beach Drive and Spyglass Drive as Matthew “SLOStringer” Frank Memorial Highway. The proposal, introduced by 35th District Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, was made official last August. Flanked by fire trucks and rescue units, a large crowd witnessed the ribbon-cutting at Madonna Meadow, approximately ten miles from where Matthew died. A VIBRANT YOUNG MAN Mila Vujovich-LaBarre, one of Matthew’s teachers at San Luis Obispo High School, remembers him well. Matthew also babysat for her daughters, Danica and Jorja. “He was enthusiastic, smart, compassionate and had a sense of humor,” Mila said. “Matt dutifully transported my precious daughters to and from school and helped with other daily chores of running a household. Matt was a champion in that he was always upbeat around the children and had high standards for their behavior. My children would always share Matt’s ‘Lesson of the Day’ at our dinner table about road safety or life in general. I can see the future SLOStringer’s smiling face and hear his charming voice like it was yesterday. His early passing was so very tragic. He served our community well with such a humble demeanor. My prayers and good thoughts are with his family and close friends. May he rest in peace.” A CONTINUAL OUTPOURING The day after Matthew died, Coast 104.5 FM radio produced a tribute to him in the form of a compilation of music and statements by the community who shared stories of the direct impact that he had on their lives. One man described his encounter with Matthew after learning that his father committed suicide. When he saw inquiries about police and coroner activity posted on the SLOStringer Facebook page, he contacted Matthew with a request to keep details of his father’s death private as he returned to the Central Coast. Matthew honored his request, replied with condolences, and gave him his phone number. When they met over coffee three days later, Matthew presented him flowers for the man’s mother. “The respect that he had and the integrity that he had was something that had out-matured his age,” the man said.. “I’ll always remember meeting him… he wasn’t doing anything for pride, for ego boost or for money; he was just doing it because it was the right thing to do. He was doing it out of the kindness of his heart.” From August 13 to September 6, 2016, Matthew provided roundthe-clock coverage of the 46,344- acre Chimney Fire stretching from Lake Nacimiento to Ft. Hunter Liggett in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties. One woman’s family in Bryson was evacuated for ten days. When she realized that Matthew was reporting near her home, she asked if he could check on the chickens and cats on her property. When Matthew complied and contacted her the following day, she was amazed. Not only did Matthew send photos, he even fed her animals. Along with the public, firefighters’ family members expressed thanks on Matthew’s Facebook page for his posts, photos and video reports, which often surpassed those of the area’s most sophisticated media outlets, and for providing real-time information about the record-breaking inferno that destroyed 70 homes and structures. One woman, who preferred not to be named, saw Matthew almost daily when she worked nights as a Chimney Fire command post volunteer with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff ’s Search and Rescue Unit. “He had more information than we had, but we gave him burritos,” the volunteer said. “Our job was to keep the generator going and the radios up. National media outlets were at the fairgrounds with Cal Fire. Where was Matthew? At the fire. It became erratic at one point, but he was the direct line to all of us. Matthew was there to help, not hinder, and he did so in more ways than people ever could. From the frontline, his information was invaluable. Matthew respected, honored, and helped us do our job as a third responder. He was truly respected and earned the trust of everybody, including kids. At the memorial last month, this little gal named Mercy carried a flag in her hand. Before he died, she’d told her mom that she was going to marry SLOStringer. “While Matthew’s mother spoke at the podium, CHP helicopter H70 had to respond to a call,” said the volunteer. “As it flew up, the crowd was awestruck as it hovered there for a moment before it took off. I like to think that was to honor Matthew. He’s such a loss. There’s never going to be another SLOStringer. I’ve never met somebody who had so much compassion for our community. He truly was an amazing angel and we were gifted by him.” December 2018, COLONY Magazine colonymagazine.com | 13
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