The Dig Deep Pumpkin Festival 2022!

Mark your calendars for the Dig Deep Farms Pumpkin Patch at Ardenwood Historic Farm!

The Pumpkin Patch takes place on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., starting on Saturday, October 8th, and ending on Sunday, October 30th, at 24600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont, CA.

Admission is $2.00 per person, and half-price - $1.00 per person - for youth under the age of 12.

This community event will feature pumpkins for purchase, pumpkin carving and decorating, games, food & drinks, crafts, and more!

We are looking for volunteers aged 16 and up to help make the Annual Pumpkin Patch Festival at Ardenwood Historic Farm a fun and successful event for our community!.  Sign up below for a volunteer shift.
 

Congratulations to Nezam Etemadi,
DSAL’s new Athletics Director

Congratulations to Nezam Etemadi, on his promotion from Soccer Director to Athletics Director. Nezam will oversee all aspects of DSAL’s Health and Recreation departments.

Nezam is an East Bay native with more than 20 years of experience in sports and community recreation. He started his career at the Fremont/Newark YMCA and has since worked in the Union City, Oakland, and Emeryville communities. In addition to his responsibilities for DSAL, Nezam is also the Flag Football Manager for the San Francisco 49ers and was instrumental in launching DSAL's 49ers PREP Flag Football program earlier this year. 

“DSAL’s Health and Fitness department is growing by leaps and bounds, and we are thrilled to have someone with Nezam’s background and experience in this vital position,” said Hilary Bass, Crime Prevention Sr. Program Specialist, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. “DSAL’s free Health and Fitness activities have improved thousands of lives by providing healthy alternatives for youth and families in Alameda County’s underinvested, unincorporated communities. Nezam’s deep roots in the East Bay, combined with his two decades of experience in sports and recreation, make him an ideal choice for this important role.”
 

DSAL Athletes of the Month

A healthy community is made up of individuals, and we recognize those who go above and beyond. DSAL’s Health and Fitness department announces our first Athletes of the Month! Thank you to everyone for your dedication, respect, and contributions!
 

Recreational Soccer

Aiden Valenzuela is the athlete of the month in DSAL’s recreational soccer program. Aiden participated in DSAL’s Summer 4v4 and Summer Pick-up programs where he demonstrated great sportsmanship, was always respectful, and became an amazing team player. Aiden consistently attended our summer soccer programs and thoughtfully stayed to help with clean up after every session.
 

Boxing and Fitness

Boxers Isaiah Lane and Emmanuel Hernandez are our featured athletes of the month for DSAL’s boxing program. Isaiah has been training in our boxing program since 2016, and Emmanuel has been training since 2017. Coaches nominated Isaiah and Emmanuel because of their dedication, respect, loyalty, and consistency to the DSAL Boxing Academy. Coaches say that Isaiah and Emmanuel are both very soft spoken until they enter the ring and then everything changes. “Their boxing skills speak louder than words.” 
 

Muevete

Victoria Vivaldo is the Athlete of the Month Victoria for our Muevete dance program. Victoria is not only a dedicated dance program participant, she has also been helping the Eden Church at Hayward with COVID vaccine and COVID testing. Additionally, Victoria volunteers at Cherryland Elementary School. She has been a dedicated volunteer for the community for the past 15 years!

Funder Spotlight:
Latino Community Foundation

DSAL’s Dig Deep Farms Food Hub is grateful to the Latino Community Foundation for providing a grant to support Latino entrepreneurs. The funds will be divided into 10 mini-grants to Latino food vendors to strengthen their businesses. The funds will also go toward a partnership with Centro Community Partners to establish a curriculum for Latino entrepreneurs. The DDF Food Hub will work with the Latino Community Foundation to change a historically exclusionary narrative and elevate the voice and impact of Latino entrepreneurs and businesses.
 
Stay tuned for news about our amazing Latino food vendors as they are elevated by the Latino Community Foundation’s generosity and support.

Watch! San Jose Earthquakes PayPal Pro Experience

Many thanks to the San Jose Earthquakes and Pay Pal for welcoming players from DSAL and the Sheriffs’ FC soccer teams to Pay Pal Park for a chance to experience a fun, free event with professional soccer and football players. Giving kids a chance to see a day in the life of professional athletes impacts them in a variety of ways, including strengthening community bonds, increasing awareness of the possibilities in life, and instilling a sense of pride and importance while visiting a world-class facility.
 

Watch! 49ers PREP, Juneteenth Bay Bowl

Earlier this summer, DSAL joined the San Francisco Police Activities League (SF PAL) for the first-ever Bay Bowl Flag Football Tournament presented by US Bank. The 12-14-year-old divisions of the DSAL and SF PAL flag football programs faced off in a fun competition in an event that featured food, games, and entertainment. 

The Bay Bowl was DSAL’s first Cultural Connect Series event, which recognizes the importance of creating safe spaces to help people from diverse backgrounds and cultures feel recognized and accepted.
Watch now: 
 

Work for us!

Find out more about the proud work we've been doing on our blog.
 

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