Recent major earthquakes in Chile and Haiti are a reminder that disaster preparedness is essential.

The City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department wants to assist you in being prepared for a major disaster by offering the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. Over 700 graduates have completed the training in the last 10 years.

CERT training is a 19 hour course that teaches you to be better prepared in the event of a major disaster and to form CERT graduates into effective neighborhood teams to assist others.

Plans for an estimated $39 million expansion and redesign for French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo will bring increased patient capacity, needed upgrades and leading-edge technology to the now 40-year-old facility.

"As the hospital’s reputation for excellence grows, so does demand for increased patient capacity, especially in cardiac care. We’ve experienced significant increases in admits, daily census, and ER visits during the past five years," said French Hospital Medical Center’s (FHMC) President and CEO, Alan Iftiniuk.

"A major transformation is critically needed to support state-of-the-art health care delivery, as well as prepare for future innovations in medicine and technology."

Projections predict admissions will grow by another 35 percent by 2015, with changing needs and technological advances also growing steadily.

Larry Ward, president and CEO of Heritage Oaks Bank, has been named the new chairman of the board for the 2010-2011 Western Independent Bankers (WIB).

The WIB, established in 1937, is a trade association and provider of endorsed products and services, and peer networking opportunities for community banks.

"I am honored to have been chosen to lead the WIB as Chairman of the Board," says Ward. "The WIB is without a doubt the leading educational resource for bankers and bank directors in the Western United States.”

Ward, who has been the president and CEO of Heritage Oaks Bank since 1993, is only one of eight California CEO’s on the board of the non-profit association which represents 250 banks.

Raymond Earl Motivational Instruction celebrated its San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce membership with a ribbon cutting presented by the SLO Chamber on April 7 at Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo.

Raymond Earl Motivational Instruction believes that success in business can always be traced back to motivated management and employees.

This company’s goal is to immediately increase its client's profitability by providing employees with the tools that can motivate them to greater performance and professionalism, both in business and in life. 

Members of Quota International of Atascadero donated $2,500 to the Adult Day Services Program of Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc. (CAPSLO) at Trivia Brain Challenge 2010.

Trivia Brain Challenge is an annual fundraiser held to supplement funding for the Adult Day Services program.

The program is a licensed adult day facility that provides a caring, supportive environment for the elderly, including those with Alzheimer’s and dementia-related illnesses. 

Representative Lois Capps recently toured the home of local resident Mary Nichols to see firsthand the results of American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars at work in the community. 

The Energy Program of the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc. (CAPSLO) was able to provide Nichols with a number of energy-saving repairs that will help her to stay safely in her home. 

Two of the mandates of the ARRA funds are to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery, and to assist those most impacted by the recession.

United Staffing Associates’ Corporate Manager of Training and Development Mark Montanez recently received the 2010 Suggs Award from the Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo for demonstrating the highest level of ethical standards and professionalism throughout 2009-2010.  

The rotary club's annual Suggs Outstanding Employee recognition award was established in honor of the award program’s founder and former San Luis Obispo Rotary Club President, Gary Suggs, to recognize Rotarians’ superior employees.

Picking Daisies of San Luis Obispo has been manufacturing and selling beautiful and unique cotton napkins in their retail space located at The Creamery in Downtown San Luis Obispo since 2008. 

Effective April 2010, Picking Daisies has put together a rental collection available for weddings and events all around the Central Coast. 

Now available for rent are both cloth dinner napkins and cloth cocktail napkins in an array of colors and patterns. 

Visit www.pickingdaisiesinslo.com for more information.

San Luis Obispo County was awarded $176,477 to support emergency and crisis services in 2010. This amount is directly related to the number of unemployed individuals in the county.

Local priorities for funding emphasize keeping people in their homes, agency collaboration to prevent duplication of efforts, and supplement feeding and sheltering efforts in ways that make a difference.

For the 28th year, the Emergency Food and Shelter National Program has allocated funds to supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food, and supportive services for the nation’s hungry, homeless, and people in economic crisis.