LAKEPORT, Calif. – The community is invited to the Lake County Library’s Book-to-Action: Cooked series of free events, featuring “Cooked: A natural history of transformation” by Michael Pollan, to be held during April and May at library branches and other venues around Lake County.

Sign up to participate and get a free copy of Pollan’s book, as long as supplies last.

Participants will be asked to challenge themselves to get into the kitchen and cook meals themselves during the program and discuss their experiences at the program's conclusion on May 30.

Pollan is the author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” “The Botany of Desire,” “Food Rules” and other books about food, cooking and plants.

“Cooked” is Pollan’s exploration into the four classical elements – fire, air, water and earth – and how they intersect with cooking. Fire is barbecue, air is bread, water is braising and earth is fermentation.

Through these elements Pollan explores the philosophical side of cooking and eating. He contends that not only has modern food taken us away from eating properly, but that our modern life takes us away from eating with family and community.

Pollan believes that reclaiming control of cooking is an important step in improving one’s life

The Book-to-Action program is a variation on the traditional library book group – it offers participants not only the opportunity to collectively read and discuss a book and meet an author, but also to put their newfound knowledge into action by engaging in a community service project or activity related to the book's topic

Book-to-Action is a project of the California State Library in partnership with the California Center for the Book, and it is being implemented in libraries throughout the state.

The project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

The Lake County Library, in collaboration with the Lake County Hunger Task Force and the Lake County Public Health Department’s SNAP-Ed program, is sponsoring Book-to-Action: Cooked with an array of events.

Readers can read Cooked, join a book discussion, create a meal for themselves and volunteer at one of Lake County’s agencies that fight hunger. The library will have a list of agencies where people can volunteer such as food banks and free kitchens

Volunteers will participate in an array of free events around Lake County during Book-to-Action: Cooked.

April 15 at Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road in Clearlake, at 5 p.m. Dana Kent of SNAP-Ed will present a healthful recipe demonstration and product sampling.

April 22 at Lakeport Library, 1425 N. High St., at 5 p.m. Amy Patton from the library will demonstrate Michael Pollan’s sourdough bread recipe.

April 25 at Lakeport Library, at 2 p.m. Desiree Todd of the StableFood Farm Buyers Club will demonstrate how to make soft cheeses.

April 29 at Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St., at 2:30 p.m. Dana Kent from SNAP-Ed will demonstrate how to “Rethink your drink.”

May 2 at Lakeport Library, the Lake County Hunger Task Force at 2 p.m. will demonstrate nutritious crockpot cooking.

May 6 at Lakeport Library, the library’s book club invites the public to discuss Pollan’s book “Cooked” from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. with book club members and other local residents. The book tells the story of Pollan’s exploration into the previously uncharted territory of his own kitchen and how he learned to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things. Share with other readers your favorite aspects of the book, and pose questions you'd like to discuss.

May 9 at Lakeport Library author Claire Splan will be at Lakeport Library at  2 p.m. to present her books “California Fruit and Vegetable Gardening” and “California Month-by-month Gardening.”

May 13 at the Lakeport Senior Center 527 Konocti Avenue in Lakeport at 5 p.m. Dana Kent from SNAP-Ed will present “Healthy options away from home.”

May 20 at the Lakeport Senior Center at 5 p.m. “Grow your own salsa garden” and recipe demonstration.

May 23 at the Steele Wines Farmers’ Market, Thomas Drive and Highway 29 between Kelseyville and Lakeport 8:30 a.m. to noon the Hunger Task Force will offer tips on shopping wisely at the farmers’ market.

May 27 at Lakeport Library Amy Patton will demonstrate Pollan’s sauerkraut recipe at 5 p.m.

May 30 at the Lakeport Senior Cooked culminates in a community meal where participants come together to share a meal and a discussion of their cooking experiences.

A printable list of Book-to-Action: Cooked events can be found on the library’s Web site at http://library.lakecountyca.gov .

For more information about the Book-to-Action: Cooked program and events contact Lakeport Library.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and at www.facebook.com/lakecountylibrary .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – When Laisné Hamilton says she loves volunteering, brain chemistry is at work literally producing a pleasure chemical in the body called dopamine.

According to David J. Linden, professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University, “Your brain’s pleasure circuits are activated by acts of charity.”

The London School of Economics examined the relationship between volunteering and measures of happiness in a large group of American adults. They found the more people volunteered, the happier they were.

“If I can help people feel they are not alone and feel valued, I will be happy,” said Hamilton.

A retired school teacher, Hamilton makes time in her life to give back to the community she loves by volunteering.

She is one of a group of singers who entertains the residents of Rocky Point Care Center in Lakeport weekly.

She volunteers to work at bereavement camps and visits home bound patients for Hospice Services of Lake County. She is active in her church, sings in the choir and likes to garden.

Hamilton finds that her efforts to give back have become a “paying it forward” experience.

“It is amazing that with all the volunteering with clients, office help and camps, the more I give, the more full I feel,” said Hamilton. “My fellow volunteers are encouraging and uplifting.”

And that’s another benefit of volunteering: the interaction with others helps develop a solid support system, which in turn protects against stress and anxiety.

In addition to the happiness effect, the act of volunteering has multiple mental and physical health benefits.

Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to self-confidence and life satisfaction. In doing good for others and the community it makes a person feel better about themselves and more likely to have a positive view of life and future goals.

Having regular activities with other people also prevents social isolation which is a key risk factor in the development of depression.

Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and develop new ones.

Doing volunteer work that you find meaningful and interesting can be relaxing and an energizing escape from your day-to-day routine.

You will have a richer and more enjoyable experience if you take some time to identify what you enjoy doing and are capable of doing.

A good match benefits both the volunteer and the organization, and you don’t have to limit yourself to one organization.

At Hospice Services of Lake County there are many volunteer opportunities. Our volunteers donate their valuable time making it possible to hold family bereavement camps and bereavement groups that benefit the community.

Volunteers provide home visits to patients to give caregivers a break, many times developing lasting relationships with the families.

Our thrift store volunteers help process donations, stock shelves and make change at the cash register.

The staff at Hospice values and appreciates Hamilton and all its volunteers.

April 12 to 18 is National Volunteer Week. If you know someone who is retired and happy, chances are he or she is a volunteer. Thank them. They deserve it.

Christine Hutt works for Hospice Services of Lake County, www.lakecountyhospice.org .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Senior Center has been donated a carved wooden Meals on Wheels perpetual plaque in memory of Bernie Darms.

It was carved and donated by Dayle Marshall of 2 Women Traders in Middletown, with materials paid for by Tom and Linda Darms of Tom’s Auto Dynamic in memory of Tom’s mother, Bernie.

For anyone interested in making a donation to have their name or a loved one’s name engraved on the plaque, donations start at $250.

All proceeds benefit the Meals on Wheels program at the center.

The Meals on Wheels Program delivers balanced nourishing meals each day to homebound seniors ages 60 and older.

Middletown delivers more than 800 meals per month to housebound seniors in Hidden Valley, Middletown and Cobb, and the need continues to grow. 

Although partial funding comes from the Area Agency on Aging and Redbud Healthcare District, subsidization from the community in the amount of about $28,000 per year is required to fully fund this expanding need. That’s why the senior center has fundraisers year-round.

Middletown Senior Center is located at 21256 Washington St.

For more information about center activities and menus, call 707-987-3113 or go to the center’s Web site at www.middletownseniorcenter.org .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Protect yourself from identity theft by safely and securely destroying documents in the “Info-Shred” truck sponsored by Umpqua Bank and Strong Financial Network on Monday, April 27.

Invite friends and family to take advantage of this free shredding service.

You may bring up to three boxes/bags of documents for destruction.

The service will be provided from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, April 27, at Umpqua Bank, 805 11th St. in Lakeport.

Please be sure documents are free from binders, although staples and paper clips are acceptable.

Assistance to unload your documents will be available and you are welcome to stay and watch the actual shredding of your documents.

Immediately following the shredding, there will be an identity theft workshop from 6 to 7 p.m. inside Umpqua Bank.

Seating is limited and reservations are required, please call 707-262-1880.

If you are unable to attend on April 27, Umpqua Bank locations in Lakeport and Kelseyville, 4280 Main St., will have shred bins available during the month of April until they are filled.

Please limit your deposit to three boxes/bags per drop off.

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – At the May 11 meeting of the Hidden Valley Lake Garden Club, Paulette Jasmine will give a presentation that will show you how you can prepare your garden and the exterior of your home to resist the effects of a wildfire event.

She will remind the club that your garden is your first defense against a wildfire engulfing and destroying your home.

It is not a matter of if a major wildfire event will happen here, but a matter of when.

Jasmine will show a 15-minute video and then open up the topic up to discussion. 

Meetings of the Hidden Valley Lake Garden Club are free and open to the public on the second Monday of each month.

They are held in the activities room of the HVL Association administration building, 18174 Hidden Valley Road.

A social gathering with refreshments begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by a business meeting and program at 10 a.m.

For further information, contact Cheryl Crawford at 707-987-8254 or e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee will hold its annual Treasures & Trash Sale on Saturday, May 2.

The sale will take place from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum, 16435 Main St.

This event will occur rain or shine.

Donations are now being accepted for the sale during the museum’s regular business hours, 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Please, no large appliances or clothing.

For more information or to arrange for pick up of items, please call the museum at 707-995-3565.