corporate madness

I've lived in a handful of cities in my life, but traveled quite a bit and I've never come across a series of events quite like these.

I think they are fun and in good-spirit which is nice to see. I'm glad this event has seemed to survive so far in our less-than-stellar economy. Hope I just didn't jinx them.

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No stuffiness about these Corporate Games

By Rebecca Wicks

Apr. 21, 2010

Ventura Breeze

This year, more than 66 companies are facing off at the 21^st annual Corporate Games. Put on by the City of Ventura, events range from the traditional softball and 5K run to those sports less covered by ESPN including dominos, Texas Hold’em and Frisbee golf.

According to city event planners the six-week competition which ends May 15 is designed for companies to get outside and to get to know each other.

This year’s games include 29 different sports. Rowing is this year’s demonstration event.

“We had 16 companies compete [in rowing] this year with four other companies on a waiting list,” said Chip Tarleton a supervisor for the City of Ventura. “It will probably be a full event next year.”

Scott Powers, a four-year veteran of the Games will be competing in tennis, badminton and table tennis.

“The games are very well organized by the City and allow for a respectable level of competition without going overboard,” said Powers a budget analyst for the County of Ventura. “The atmosphere created allows for people to partake in a sport that may not be in one’s comfort zone but seems fun and entertaining to try.”

Powers who considers himself a novice at tennis will, in his first match, play one of the finalists who competed in the gold medal match last year.

“I am completely overmatched,” said Powers who was able to keep a sense of humor about the impending match. “The game starts at 8 a.m. and I plan on being home for breakfast that morning.”

The Games opening event reception took place earlier this month at the Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo where a mix of sponsors, city officials and some participants mingled.

While sports like basketball, soccer and surfing are all part of the Games, the most popular games may better reflect the prevailing attitude of having fun. According to Tarleton, the most popular sport this year is bowling with 75 teams entered followed by miniature golf where 59 teams are registered. The next three most popular sports: board games including spades, dominos and Texas Hold’em; billiards and finally bocce ball which was last year’s demonstration sport.

Competition is divided into divisions based on the size of each company. After the first week of competition in the Division A category Naval Base Ventura County was in the lead with the County of Ventura in second and Amgen in third. In Division B Nusil Technology edged out Patagonia for the number one spot by one point, with Proctor & Gamble in third.

In Division C Northrop Grumman stood in first place with Dairy Farmers of America and Dako following. In Division D Limoneria was in the lead with Crescendo Interactive in second and Calavo Growers in third.

Tammy Butterworth, a management assistant for the watershed protection district has been competing in volleyball since 2002. She says meeting new people and the memories are both great aspects about the Games.

“My best memory is when our women’s beach volleyball team won first place against the Navy one year,” said Butterworth. “It was a great feeling.”

On Apr. 17 participants joined an Earth day beach cleanup event which also honored Jacob Dole Prosbasco, a former city of Ventura employee who competed in the games and passed away in 2008.

The Games conclude on May 15 with closing ceremonies events at San Buenaventura State Beach. Events for the day include the mandatory tug-of-war contest, live music, a sandcastle contest and award ceremonies.

Ventura Music Festival

Family accessible live music seems to be more and more difficult to find in smaller towns. There is one concert that happens every year as part of the Ventura Music Festival that takes place on the local college's baseball field. I really like that it's something that children of all ages can go to.

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Musicians Bring Classics from Vienna to Ventura

By Rebecca Wicks

Mar. 24, 2010; Ventura Breeze

Vienna may seemingly sit in the shadow of bigger European cities like Paris, London and Rome but when it comes to classical music it holds its rightful place near – if not at – the top. This year the Ventura Music Festival will celebrate music from the humble city of Vienna featuring famous composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and Strauss.

Cheryl Heitmann, executive director for the festival calls the season’s lineup “incredible and amazing.”

“No one would be disappointed with any concert they chose,” insists Heitmann.

Heitmann believes music is a gift to any community calling it something “good for the soul, especially in these stressful times.”

The festival begins on April 29 with the annual Tea and Trumpets event where music goers are treated to a traditional English tea while being entertained by Festival Brass. The festival continues through May 8 with a concert by pianist Yeol Eum Son.

Two major highlights will include the Grammy-decorated Herbie Hancock who will perform on Ventura College’s athletic field and world-renown violinist Itzhak Perlman.

“Herbie Hancock is simply a legend,” said Heitmann. “The concert at the college is one of the most popular we have each year.”

Heitmann describes the outdoor concert event as family-friendly where even small children can attend.

Perlman, who will perform at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, the only concert taking place outside Ventura has stirred excitement in the classical community in Ventura.

“He’s hands-down the best violinist alive right now,” said Tiffany Cho, an amateur violinist in Ventura.

“He’s just who he is – the world’s leading violinist,” said Heitmann who notes the venue makes the performance even more special. “You’ll be able to see and hear him well which is sometimes difficult at his often large concerts.”

For one member of the Escher String Quartet it will be a homecoming of sorts. Originally from Thousand Oaks, cellist Andrew Janss is more than excited about the Viennese-themed event.

“When it comes to a Viennese program, your mind goes straight to Schubert,” said Janss whose group will also be playing pieces by Beethoven and Mozart on May 7 at the Community Presbyterian Church in Ventura

The group is named for M.C. Escher the mathematically inspired artist famous for works such as graphically interlocking birds and hands.

“Escher believed art is a series of interconnected pieces,” said Janss. “It’s basically how a string quartet works, separate voices are not interesting, but together the interaction makes it interesting.”

The group, which came together at the Manhattan School of Music has been playing together for five years and has toured around the country and the world.

Janss and the Escher Group will likely draw a large crowd in Ventura with many members and followers of the New West Symphony, the Thousand Oaks-based group Janss started with in attendance.

“The Escher Group has a wonderful career,” said Heitmann. “We are more than excited to have them.”

Heitmann who has been the executive director of the Ventura Music Festival for four years expresses as much excitement if not more when talking about the group’s youth outreach programs.

“These days, there are so many budgets being cut especially arts programs,” said Heitmann. “Anything we can do to increase music’s presence we see as a win.”

The group’s programs reach elementary through high school students and include general exposure to instruments all the way through sponsored competitions.

Other groups performing at this year’s festival include Grammy-award winning guitarist Sharon Isbin, the Celefax Reed Quintet from the Netherlands and the Rising Stars who will perform with the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic.