Richmond Roundup

Free guide for lead prevention
The SF Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Prevention Program recently distributed a free 16-page guide to 55,000 City property owners to prevent lead hazards on their properties and lead exposure in children.

The publication is intended to help owners avoid code violations and lawsuits, while reinforcing their legal obligation to rent housing free of lead hazards. In addition, a new four-hour awareness class is offered by Rhapsody Green, a state-accredited lead training provider, to teach SF property owners and maintenance workers how to comply with local lead laws.

The Mayor's Office of Housing Lead Hazard Reduction Program also offers free lead hazard fixes to low-income property owners.

For more information, contact the Childhood Lead Prevention Program at 554-8930, ext. 11, or ext. 16. To access the guide online, visit the Web site at www.sfdph.org/cehp/Lead.

New trail starts at YMCA
A special grand opening celebration was held recently at the Richmond District YMCA for the opening of a new fitness trail that starts at the Y.

From the trail's start at the Y, there are new trailhead signs that lead walkers to some of the Presidio and Lands End's most easily-reached, but unknown, sites. The project intends to promote enjoyable fitness opportunities for city-dwellers, who can now use the trail to relieve stress, reduce the risks of heart disease and high blood pressure, and stay active.

New signs feature scenic photos, a selection of recommended walks, ranging from easy to moderate in difficulty, and statistics about the estimated calories burned, numbers of steps, and distance traveled for each path. Free trail maps are available to the public.

For more information about the new walk and others that are available, pick up a trail map at the YMCA or visit www.nps.gov/goga or www.presidio.gov.

Argonne arising
On Feb. 3, the SF Recreation and Park Department held a grand re-opening celebration for the Argonne Playground. In addition to Mayor Gavin Newsom, other guests attending included Rec. and Park Commissioner David Lee. A dragonfly sculpture, designed by Oakland artist Joyce Hsu, graces the new playground.

CCSF's Project Shine helps immigrants
Project SHINE (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders), a national service-learning initiative that builds partnerships among colleges, universities and community-based organizations to benefit older immigrants, refugees, and college students, has a thriving and growing chapter at City College of San Francisco.

Through this program, CCSF students bring essential services directly to immigrant communities by visiting non-credit ESL (English as a Second Language) and citizenship classes, coaching adult immigrants in learning English and preparing for their interviews and citizenship exams, and providing translation materials and tutoring services.

Project SHINE invites more CCSF students to learn about its efforts and to get involved, and also welcomes locals to take advantage of their services. Hundreds of free, non-credit ESL and citizenship test preparation courses are offered each semester for members of the immigrant community, and comfortable learning environments include one-on-one or small group lessons.

For more information, call Project Coordinator Ann Fontanella at 239-3405, e-mail shine@ccsf.edu, or visit http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~shinesf.

New bilingual elections dept.
Mayor Gavin Newsom recently signed legislation to make the SF Department of Elections more culturally competent.

The legislation creates two new positions - one Chinese-speaking and one Spanish-speaking - to help foster greater voter participation, awareness of the electoral process, and informed voting in the City's Asian-American and Latino communities where English may not be the primary language.

The legislation is in line with the mayor's pledge to provide programs and services that are accessible to all residents regardless of language capability.