We got word from Jeff Dixon, who runs SV5 NFL FLAG Football — The Five! that he is hosting a free SF 49ers Prep Girls Flag Football Camp for all South Valley girls from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 14, at the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center. Activities include flag football training sessions, and an Empowerment Center, Community Village and Gear Store where they can learn about health and fitness from local female professionals, take part in fun activities and buy NFL FLAG gear for their favorite teams. Lunch is provided. Registration is open at www.sv5nflflag.com.
Girls flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. Fueled by flag football’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, girls flag football is now a sanctioned high school sport, recognized by the NAIA and a marquee part of flag football programs around the country.
NFL FLAG, the NFL sponsored national youth flag football program, has added a high school girls flag division to the National Championship Tournament and that is where the fun starts. NFL FLAG recently moved their championship tournament to the NFL Hall of Fame Village in Canton, OH. You might have seen it on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network in July.
Now, thanks to the SF 49ers and The Five!, girls in South Valley have an opportunity to become part of the action.
A new project will bring more living options to some of South County’s most underserved, low-income residents. Royal Oak Village supports one of the most vulnerable segments of the community, South County farm workers, offering a safe and affordable place to live.
The residential community is located on a 3.7-acre site at 15480 Watsonville Road, west of the intersection of Monterey Road and Watsonville Road.
Morgan Hill currently has 3,138 apartment units citywide, of which about 1,900 are affordable. Royal Oak Village consists of 73 affordable apartment units, with 30 units dedicated for farmworker families, 18 units set aside as Rapid Rehousing (RRH) units for homeless individuals and families, 24 units designated for individuals and families earning up to 50 percent of Area Median Income, and one on-site manager unit. The residential community also offers amenities, including a clubhouse, outdoor tot-lot playground, and a dog park.
Royal Oak Village received more than $8 million from the County Measure A affordable housing bond approved by voters in 2016 and $400,000 in support from the city of Morgan Hill.
The agricultural industry in Santa Clara County employs more than 8,000 residents and contributes about $830 million annually to the economy. Despite this, there is an estimated shortfall of 1,400 seasonal and 700 long-term housing units to support the employment demands of the industry.
“California’s farmworkers struggle with housing insecurity with families often being left with no choice but to sleep in their vehicles, in overcrowded conditions or outdoors,” said Morgan Hill Assistant City Manager Edith Ramirez. “The Royal Oak Village will deliver much-needed affordable housing units to South County’s agricultural workforce and our unhoused families.”
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The seaweed is always greener in somebody else’s ocean . . . or is it? This idea resonates deeply in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid Jr.,” a tale that explores the longing for a different life, the struggle to accept one’s circumstances and the pursuit of curiosity.
Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories, “The Little Mermaid Jr.” — as embodied onstage by Mount Madonna School’s middle school cast — is an enchanting look at the sacrifices we all make for love and acceptance.
In a magical underwater kingdom, a young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home – and her fins – behind and live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and convince the human Prince Eric that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been seeking.
Performances are 2 p.m. Dec. 14 and 15 at Mount Madonna School’s Hawks’ Nest Theater. Tickets on sale at mms-thelittlemermaid.brownpapertickets.com. Adult tickets are $20; seniors are $15 and $10 for 18 and younger; all seats are reserved. This production is designed for children and families of all ages.
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We must apologize for inadvertently omitting the honoree for the Susan and Charles Berghoff Foundation at the 2024 Morgan Hill Community Foundation Philanthropy Night event in this column in the last issue.
The foundation honored Courtney Jaffe, a geriatric nurse practitioner who donates her time to guide monthly meetings of the South County Dementia Caregivers Support Group, hosted by the Berghoff Foundation at the Morgan Hill Centennial Recreation Center’s Senior Center.
