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An event intended to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern-day slavery is coming to the Santa Ynez Valley.

Pong vs. Slavery, a “ping pong-a-thon,” will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Los Olivos Elementary School Gym, 2540 Alamo Pintado Ave.

“It’s a fun and funky way to address a dark topic,” explained event organizer Ceci Stenger.

The event is being sponsored by Ranch Church.

Ceci Stenger feels she has been led to fight human trafficking since she visited Ethiopia on a mission trip in 2014.

According to the Global Slavery Index, there are more than 40 million people in modern-day slavery.

When Stenger went to Ethiopia in 2014 on a mission trip with Ranch Church, she worked with an organization that teaches women trade skills to help them escape lives of prostitution. She went to the Philippines the following year for a similar trip and began extensively reading and researching the issue of human trafficking.

“Surprisingly enough, some people think it’s not happening here in the U.S.,” Stenger said.

This spring, Stenger was connected with the Australian organization Ping Pong-A-Thon and felt as though this type of community-focused event would be a great educational opportunity and also could help others to “become advocates for the most exploited people in the world.”

The Ping Pong-A-Thon organization combats human trafficking and exploitation of young people in Southeast Asia, where two-thirds of the world’s slaves live, through table tennis events held around the world every fall. Churches, schools, businesses, sporting clubs and pubs host events that last anywhere from three to 24 hours. Participants are asked to gather sponsors to raise funds to support the work of eight organizations who combat human trafficking.

People can be trafficked or exploited for a number of reasons such as forced labor, commercial sexual exploitation, domestic slavery, forced marriage or child labor.

“People feel uncomfortable or indifferent often, until it happens close to home,” Stenger explained.

The annual events began in 2011 when an Australian man gathered 15 friends for a 24-hour marathon. The group raised $10,000 that year. In 2018, the organization estimates that more than 5,000 people will participate in Pong vs. Slavery events as they try to raise $1 million for their partner organizations. This is the first year that Pong vs. Slavery has come to the United States.

Though the local event is being hosted by Ranch Church, the entire community is invited to participate as either a player or a spectator. The event has a fundraising goal of $10,000.

“These are humans not being treated as humans,” Stenger said. “We all have a right to live a life that’s free.”

For more information, visit www.pingpongathon.com/theranchchurch or email cs_0821@yahoo.com.

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Staff Report

Circle V Ranch Camp alumni and current staff members as well as family and friends participated in the inaugural Hike4Kids event at the camp on May 20.

Circle V Wrangler Alumni Co-chairs Vicky Lopez and Jasmine Anguiano coordinated the Hike4Kids, raising almost $13,000 so far with donations still welcome.

This first-ever “friendraiser” has raised almost $13,000 to date to help send kids to Circle V Ranch Camp this summer.

More than 180 people have given funds, and more donations are still welcome.

According to event co-chairs Vicky Lopez and Jasmine Anguiano, more than 55 participants of all ages hiked two, four or eight miles starting at the “Circle V blue rock” along the Tequepis Trail in Los Padres National Forest with scenic views of nearby mountains and Cachuma Lake, totaling more than 200 miles as a group.

Participants in Hike4Kids enjoyed sack lunches, a barbeque dinner, movie under the stars and the opportunity for those who wished to camp overnight while enjoying a reunion and fellowship.

The Circle V Ranch Camp fee for six days five nights including lodging, all meals, activities, recreation and supervised fun is $450 per child, and “camperships” (scholarship funds made by individuals and groups’ donations such as from Hike4Kids) are available for qualified campers.

“On behalf of everyone here at Circle V, we are beyond grateful for the efforts of so many who came together and worked so hard to raise funds at Hike4Kids. What a blessing to be able to help make this first-ever alumni friendrasier a reality,” said Camp Director Ray Lopez.

Circle V Ranch Camp Hike4Kids participants gather in front of the cherished “blue rock” before the event.

Founded by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles Council in 1945, Circle V is accepting applications and scholarship requests for the 2017 summer camp season. Each of the eight sessions is six days and five nights of traditional, supervised activities for boys and girls ages 7 to 13; and for ages 14-17, a Camper in Leadership Training (CILT) program is available.

2017 Summer session dates and themes are:

– Session One: June 27- July 2 – Pirate Week

– Session Two: July 5-10 – Holiday Week

– Session Three: July 11-16 – Space Week

– Session Four: July 19-24 – Talent Show Week

– Session Five: July 25 -30 – Carnival Week

– Session Six: August 2 -7 – International Week

– Session Seven: August 9-14 – Medieval Week

– Session Eight: August 15 -20 – Adventure Week

Circle V campers enjoy activities including archery, arts and crafts, hiking, swimming in the pool, learning about nature, reading skills, painting, photography, playing baseball, basketball, ping pong, foosball, soccer, miniature golf and campfires, skits and singing.

There is no TV, radio or Internet access to affect the experience. Campers stay in wooden cabins or traditional canvas tents. Three nutritious daily meals served family-style in the Dining Lodge are not only for food but also for more camaraderie and fellowship. For more info, visit www.CircleVRanchCamp.org

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