Hometown Heroes Mystic Roots Return to Benefit Community Center

Transcription

Summer 2010
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The Journal of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center
Hometown Heroes Mystic Roots Return
to Benefit Community Center
The last time the Valley gathered to rock with the Mystic Roots Band (MRB) it was 9 years ago
at the youth-run Bean Fest. Today the band has scaled the heights of the music business — sharing the stage with top acts like Jimmy Cliff, The Wailers, Pato Banton, Sir Mix-a-Lot and Digital
Underground, and continues to climb, but without ever forgetting where they came from. Coot
Wyman hails from the Valley and is looking forward to coming back with a splash with an outdoor
concert to benefit the Community Center on Saturday August 21. Tickets are on sale at sgvcc.org
and advance tickets are discounted.
Mystic Roots: (left to right) Scott Schipper, Alec Wheatley, Dane-Jah Lundy, Coot
“cootdog” Wyman, Katherine Ramirez.
“I love the Valley
with all of my
bleeding heart,”
says Wyman, “I
can’t live there
now with my
touring but I plan
on coming back
to retire. Not to
sound morbid, but
I honestly hope I
die in the Valley;
I hope to go back
through the portal
I came through in
the same room I
was born in, when
it’s my time.”
Wyman remembers fondly, “You can sit out in the still of the night and not hear anything. Nearly
everywhere we are used to that common hum, electricty. If a car comes over the hill, you hear it in
Forest Knolls. It gets you in touch with your senses.“
Gym and Loft Are Cooking
By Dave Cort
The Bestival Festival which took place
in early May, was our first major event
at the new San Geronimo Valley
Community Gym and Loft Teen Center.
The Festival was a celebration of Youth
Culture at our new community treasure.
At the event, five bands played on an
outdoor stage next to the building on
the field, folks played ping pong and
basketball in the gym, and up in the Loft
there was high energy air hockey and
foosball, along with tee shirt printing
and quality hanging out. The possibilities for more events like this are very exciting.
From the moment the Gym and Loft opened their doors, children, youth, and adults
have been actively involved in school and out of school community activities. During the
winter months hundreds of people from throughout the County visited the Gym as we
hosted CYO league games on weekends. It was great to stand by the Gym door as players and their families walked into the Gym for the first time. People commented on the
beauty of the Gym with the views of the hills through the windows on the north side of
the building. It was exciting to see the Gym packed with local fans watching our local
Middle School and St. Cecilia’s Teams playing their first home games after a 40 year road
trip. Lagunitas School students are enjoying their PE classes and elective classes along
with large group activities in the Gym during the school day.
(continued on page 2)
Wyman’s senses are fully engaged with MRB, a band Wyman describes as “like the Black Eyed Peas
meets Bob Marley and the Wailers….” MRB won the LA Music Award for Best Reggae/Pop Album,
“Constant Struggle;” has starred in their own reality TV episode on The Learning Channel; and
toured for 2½ years as reggae legend Pato Banton’s official band. Having independently sold close
to 10,000 albums, topping Amazon’s chart of independent artist sales, it’s no wonder why Mystic
Roots Band has been top ranked in both Reggae and Hip-Hop categories on myspace. With stellar
musicianship the band has also been successful at appealing to a wide range of age groups from the
college crowd to their parents’ generation — not an easy feat for a band with a strong emphasis on
hip hop. Wyman points out the strong influence of Bob Marley on MRB, “What we’re playing isn’t
too far off from what (my mom’s generation) listened to.”
Inside!
Performing Arts & Events Valley Resource Center
Spring Art Show, Pages 8-9
Napoleon Dynamite, Page 10
SF Mime Troupe Page 10
Walter Strauss & Mamadou Sidibe, Page 11
Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad, Page 11
Three Generations of Printmakers, Page 11
Mystic Roots, Page 11
WALL-E, Page 11
Gallery Art Shows, Page 16
Horizons, Page 4
Women’s Health Screenings, Page 4
School Readiness Program, Page 5
Food Bank Banter, Page 5
Community News
Healthy Community Collaborative, Page 6
SGV Planning Group, Page 6
SEP Update, Page 6
Spirit Rock, St. Cecilia’s, Gan HaLev,
Presbyterian Church, Page 7
4th of July Parade, Page 15
San Geronimo Valley Community Center
PO Box 194, San Geronimo, CA 94963
Jela performs at the Bestival Festival.
Save the Date!
5th Annual Community Center Gala
Saturday, September 11
Under the Stars at San Geronimo Golf Course
Featuring Superb Cuisine from many of our local restaurants, fine
wines, local oysters, and beer!
Mark your calendar now and watch your Valley mailbox for your
invitation.
The Usual
Rolling Stones, Page 2
Resource Guide Update, Page 2
Volunteer Profile: Jack & Dahlia Kamesar,
Page 3
Volunteers, Page 3
Senior Profile: Al Ardelle, Page 4
Fund Development, Page 8
Thank You, Donors, Page 8
Alphabet Soup, Page 12
The Loft Page, Page 13
Milestones, Page 13
ECR WSS
Postal Customer
Wilderness Calls, Page 14
Community Wellness, Page 14
Valley Environmental News, Page 14
Movie Muse, Page 15
School Update, Page 16
Gym Schedule, Page 16
Community Calendar, Page 20
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Lagunitas, CA
Permit No. 1
Rolling Stones
By Dave Cort, Executive Director
It has happened to me twice in the past couple of months.
The first time it happened I looked in the mirror to brush
my teeth. OMG! The second time was when I saw a picture that I was in. I thought it was my dad in the mirror
and in the picture. That was weird. When I told my wife
about my experience she said that she didn’t even want to
hear about it as it freaked her out. I spoke to a few friends
about it and they told me not to worry because my dad
was a pretty good-looking guy even as he got older.
Aging is quite interesting and often confusing. But the
most important piece that my dad shared with me was
that no matter how much your knees hurt or how sore
your back is, keep working out. With the opening of the gym, I have been overdoing it and
have had to take a break from basketball in May to heal up. I’m trying to keep a good balance and do my best to make it to the Corematics class every Tuesday and Thursday morning, which is taught by College of Marin coach George Adams. I also try to get in a walk
every night with my dog Reggie.
Gym and Loft Are Cooking (continued from page 1)
Community programs in the
Gym include: Table Tennis
for adults and kids on Sunday
from 3:00 to 6:00 pm, Women’s
pickup basketball on Monday
from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, High
School pickup basketball on
Monday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm,
Volleyball on Tuesday from
6:30 to 8:30 pm, Buck Chavez’s
Sports Playdate for Kids of All
Ages on Wednesday from 2:00
to 3:30 pm, and Men’s pickup
basketball on Wednesday from
7:00 to 9:00 pm. New gym pro- Anny Owen & Alexander McQuilken jam with Tony Owen
gramming that includes dance and Green Room at the Bestival Festival.
and drumming is in the works.
On page 13 of Stone Soup you can read about
all of the great activities that are going on
after school and on weekends in the Loft
Teen Center. Our dream for the Loft was
that the space would be a place that kids
made their home. I’m proud to say that this
is happening. From groups of kids cooking
together, doing homework, playing Dungeons
and Dragons, vibrant air hockey, and just
good old hanging out, the Loft is the place to
be for kids 10 and up.
I have no idea where I’m going with this Rolling Stones column, but I know that I like to
share different items that are going on in my personal and my work life at the Community
Center. Every now and then someone will stop me in the post office or the market and will
talk to me about something that I wrote about in a recent issue or even an issue from a
couple of years ago. I always enjoy those conversations, especially if it’s with someone that
I never spoke to before. I really love living here in the San Geronimo Valley and feel so
blessed that I landed here almost 32 years ago.
I’m looking forward to the summer. Read through Stone Soup to learn more about our
fantastic Summer Camp, our Loft Teen summer intern program, our summer movie nights
and musical events. In August my family has plans to travel back east to spend time with
our friends on Cape Cod and to visit my in-laws in New Hampshire. If you see me around
the Valley, be sure to say hello and if you see my dad make sure it’s not me.
Hometown Heroes Mystic Roots (continued from page 1)
Wyman, his band, and production company have a motto, “Stay Positive”: a mission to “…
get out there and … give people a really good time as well as instilling … a better outlook. A
lot of music is negative to women and we try to put more substance into our show … we want
people to walk away a little better than they arrived.”
Wyman’s story demonstrates the importance of family encouragement and community opportunities for youth to perform. “I have been doing music as long as I can remember. My biological father was a touring musician; he made music his life’s work. He got me a little guitar
and a little keyboard and he always encouraged me, and my mom (Elizabeth Ayers) always
pushed me in that direction with talent shows and things.” In high-school Wyman produced
and recorded hip-hop albums with locally successful groups Coco-Flip, TFC, 51-50, 2HP, and
The Sac. His song “Let It Go” won him a college scholarship from the late Coretta Scott King.
Some other talented Valley musicians are important to the story of Mystic Roots. Coot grew
up with former band member Shayne Tolchin and studied piano with Shayne’s father, Talc.
Shayne and Coot went on to form a hip-hop/R&B group called The Next Dope Generation.
Together they went to Chico State to study Recording Arts where Shayne introduced Coot to
the original members of MRB and was a member of the group until 4 years ago. These days
Shayne is pursing solo projects and sits in from time to time with MRB.
Reflecting on his experience, Wyman says, “The best thing you can do if you are young and
want to succeed [in a musical career] is finish school — you need a fall back. Get your degree
in something; it will also help your music career later. The biggest advice — I didn’t follow
and it hindered my progress — is immediately after you finish school go for it — move back
into your parents’ house, or figure out a place where you don’t have bills. Those day jobs we
took ended up stealing half the members of the band. So go for it, get your songs together, get
a little presence on the internet, set up your own tour diy [do it yourself ] style and try it out!
With all the excitement of the touring circuit Wyman holds a special place in his heart for
community centers, “That’s our favorite kind of gig — you’re there to provide good music
and celebrate community and people can bring their family out and enjoy a nice experience
that isn’t focused on drinking.… The best thing we can hear about a show is that it is all ages.”
Wyman joins someone important in his life in supporting the Community Center, “My mom
spends at least a day or so a week volunteering at the Community Center. My dad goes swimming every day at the WIC; community is important to my family.”
Facility Rentals Available
For gatherings large and small, consider holding your next event
at the Community Center!
◆◆ Option A: Four-hour minimum rental of Valley Room, West Room, Lobby and
Kitchen starting at $250.
◆◆ Option B: Individual room rentals $30/hr, $25 each additional hour.
For more information, contact Jenny at 488-8888, #250, or admin@sgvcc.org.
Page 2 SGV Community Center Stone Soup
We welcome everyone in the community to
participate in activities in the Community
Capoeira Mandiga perform at Bestival Festival.
Gym and Loft. If you have an idea for an
activity that you’d like to organize please
email us at youthprograms@sgvcc.org or call the Gym office at 488-4118 ext 219.
2011 Resource Guide
Calling all Valley businesses
and artists!
Valley artists and Valley businesses are invited
to receive a free listing in the 2011 edition of
the San Geronimo Valley Community Center’s
Resource Guide, to be published March 1, 2011.
FAQ:
Q: What information goes in the listing?
A: Listings are for businesses and artists only and limited to 120 characters (including
spaces). Give your name, contact information (website, email, phone, etc.) and description
(“watercolors” “plumbing”).
Q. What if I live in the Valley and have a business or studio located outside the Valley? Can I still get
a free listing?
A. Yes. We hope you’ll buy a display ad, too.
Q. I’m not a business owner or artist. Can I just list my phone number?
A. No. Due to the increasing use of cellular phones and the fact that 488 is no longer the only
prefix used for Valley numbers, residence phone numbers will no longer be listed.
Q. If I have more than one Valley business or service, can I list each one?
A. Yes, but be sure to limit each listing to 120 characters or less.
Look for the postcard arriving soon! A postcard will arrive in your mailbox in June with
instructions on providing a listing. Email: ResourceGuide@sgvcc.org or fill in the postcard and
mail to: San Geronimo Valley Community Center, PO Box 194, San Geronimo, CA 94963.
Display ads available: The free listings are limited to 120 characters (including spaces). If you
would like to share more information about your business or art, please lend your support by
buying a display ad in the San Geronimo Valley Community Center Resource Guide.
All listings due by October 31, 2010.
Volunteer Profile:
Jack & Dahlia Kamesar
by Don Holmlund
In a community with many interesting and involved people, Jack
and Dahlia Kamesar stand out.
Both of them volunteer in numerous Valley activities. Jack oversees
the hanging and arrangement of
the artwork for the Center’s annual
Spring Art Show. In the days before
the show, he is at the Community
Center for many long hours. He
also has been an active member on
the Community Center’s Facilities
and Valley Resource Committees.
Dahlia has been a Board member of the Community Center since 1995, and has been on a
number of committees. She was also a Board member of the Gan Halev Jewish Community; is
a MALT volunteer; and is a past Board member of MAITRI Residence for People Living with
AIDS. She was in the initial training of the Hospice Movement in response to the AIDS epidemic in 1984 and was a Hospice Volunteer for over 8 years.
In addition to volunteering, the Kamesars lead very active professional lives. Jack is a life-long
sculptor of metal abstract figures (many of them quite heavy!); his work has been exhibited at the
DeYoung Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as well as galleries in the Bay
Area. Enthusiastic about whatever he does, at the age of 80, he started playing the cello again
after a 65 year time out for other activities. He is also known for giving great hugs.
Dahlia has been a Certified Income Tax Preparer for the past 35 years and has many clients in
the Valley. She shares Jack’s enthusiasm for life. Together, Jack and Dahlia are currently Life-Time
members of the S.F. Bay Dolphin Club and have swum from Alcatraz and across the Golden
Gate Bridge. They have been beekeepers for over 35 years. They lived at the Tassajara Zen
Monastery (part of the San Francisco Zen Center) with their young son Elan in the early 80’s
and continue to volunteer there. They have been leading a Winter Solstice sunrise gathering on
Mount Tam for many years. Most importantly, they make time to nurture many close friends
and maintain a beautiful Woodacre home and garden.
Become an SGVCC volunteer!
Thousands of people enjoy the services provided at San Geronimo Valley Community
Center and we need volunteers to help us keep our programs running smoothly. We love
working with youth and adults who have community service hours as well as others who
like to volunteer on a one-time or ongoing basis. Below is a list of some of the volunteer
opportunities that we provide. If you have any other questions about volunteer opportunities at the Center, please call 488-8888 and just ask. We always could use a hand around the
center whether it’s light maintenance, organization duties or just lending a hand with daily
activities.
Food Bank
We can use a hand on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. At 10:30 we receive
our food deliveries. This opportunity requires heavy lifting and a good back.
SENIOR LUNCH
Come help set-up, serve, and enjoy “old” friends, or come and play music, read your poettry, or share your life story.
Facilities
We always need a little help keeping the Center beautiful! There are landscaping, light carpentry, and general maintenance needs that are always cropping up.
SEE AN EVENT YOU ESPECIALLY LIKE?
We are always looking for people to help with events. We need community hosts to email
your network (personally invite 10 friends to come), we need volunteers to set up chairs,
design and/or hand out flyers, sell cookies, run sound, etc., etc. If you see an event you are
especially excited about and want to get involved, we would love to hear from you!
MEET NEW PEOPLE FOR A GOOD CAUSE
The Arts & Events department is looking for friendly, outgoing people who like to meet new
people and go to events — to hand out flyers about the Community Center’s upcoming events.
This is a great way to get out in the community, attend interesting events, and meet new, exciting
people. All ages and types of people are welcome to participate. Let us know what kinds of events
you like to attend. Hannah has met hundreds of interesting people flyering and met her spouse
while ushering!
STROLL IN POINT REYES STATION AND WEST MARIN FOR A GOOD CAUSE
We are looking for people who like to walk and enjoy window shopping or actual shopping
to help us get our event posters up in store windows in Marin. Let us know the neighborhood you enjoy and get some exercise, find cool finds and meet interesting shop-owners and
workers while helping the Community Center and independent artists!
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS
Help with tutoring or drive for field trips.
Asked why he volunteers, Jack said that it helps him connect with new people, old friends, and
fellow artists in a new way. “To get to know others on a deeper level, you need to reduce your
own ego and working as a volunteer helps to accomplish this.” Dahlia responded in a slightly different, yet similar way. She has learned throughout her life that we are all part of a community
and we all have to do our part toward the “common good.” She stated that it is important to
“give back” to the community which has nurtured her.
VOLUNTEERS
Our community is extremely fortunate to have Jack and Dahlia as neighbors; their work has
greatly benefitted our lives.
Kristy Arroyo
Betsy Ayers
Cathy Baily
Ginny Baldwin
Bev Barrisch
Kathy & John Beckerely
Abraham Bender-Doress
Zoila Berardi
Julina Berardi
Bev Berrish
Amanda Brown
Joe Brown
Veronica Buros Kleinberg
Tom Carmody
Josh Carter
Penny Cavanaugh
Buck Chavez
EJ Chavez
Howie Cort
Janet Cort
Mike Davidson
Donn DeAngelo
Gaetano DeFelice
Sean Dodd
Fitz Gary
Dave Glaubinger
Kathleen Glaubinger
Ginny Graves
Cullen Gray
Duncan Gray
The Community Center needs volunteers on committees and in other areas. If you would like to volunteer on a committee or elsewhere at the Center, contact Dave Cort at 488-8888.
Community Center Wish List
Why not help your favorite local nonprofit bloom with a tax deductible contribution of one
of these greatly needed items!
The After School Programs:
Our kids would greatly appreciate these items which would enrich their time with us!
• Basketballs, soccer balls, kick balls — in excellent condition, please!
The Office:
• Copy paper is always welcome, recycled if you can • Pens • Tape • Pencils
• Feng Shui consultant or organizer
• Volunteers, web designers, events planners, special guest hosts!
• Air Purifier with ultraviolet capacity
The Arts/Events Department:
• A Power Amplifier • A-frame signs • Monitors • Wireless mic
The Kitchen:
• Strong volunteers to help move food at the Food Bank second and fourth Thursdays each month
• Teachers for a one-time cooking class! • Food Bank Volunteers, skilled and unskilled.
The Loft
• Pool Table • Cookie sheets • Large area rug • Coat rack & storage bench
• Event Volunteers
The following people volunteered in the Community Center’s Food Bank, Senior Lunch, Arts
Events, School Readiness, School Dances, Gardening and Maintenance. Thank you!!! We apologize if anyone was accidentally left off the list. Please let us know and we will add your name!
Rich Greenberg Jan Gross
Zoe Harris
Shirley Holmund
Sarah Illbeg
Kyle Isaacs
Mark Jackson
Maddie Julin
Kyle Julin
Mika Kakin
Jack Kamesar
David Kitts
Gary Kleiman
Marshall Krause
Liz Lauter
Skye LePonto
Pranava Levine
Lisbeth
Al Lubow
Diana McNeil
Alexander McQuilkin
Bud Meade
Marty Meade
Lori Morford
Erika Nielson
Anny Owen
Ang Papia
Pricilla Patey
Andy Peri
Molly Rea
Carol Rebscher
Rhiannon Reeder
Nancy Roen
Michael Ruggles
Claudia Ruggles
David Sallinger
Victoria Saxe
Jack Sayers
Jessica Shepherd Scott
Lynn Scott
Debbie Seymour
Christy Sloan
Nanci Smith
Mark Solomons
Brian Staley
Rose Steiner
Sean Sullivan
Kathy Sullivan
Richard Sun
Heather Swain
Sophia Tolbert
Gretchen Treuting
Joe Vigneri
Philip Wadsworth
Jean A Warner
Sandy White
Sarah Wilds
Louise Yost
Luisa Young
Audrey Zavell
Don’t forget that donations of food are always welcome at the Food Bank, so organize a food
drive at your church, community or youth group today, and we’ll specially thank you in the
next issue of Stone Soup!
If you would like to help the Center by donating any of these items or becoming a volunteer, please
call Jenny at the new Loft Teen Center, 488-8888, ext. #250 or email admin@sgvcc.org. We look
forward to thanking you in the next issue of Stone Soup!
SGV Community Center Stone Soup Page 3
ValleyResource
Horizons
Center
by Suzanne Sadowsky
Director, Valley Resource Center
Family Secrets
My parents were immigrants who came to this country as very
young children 100 years ago during the early part of the 20th
Century. Like many of today’s immigrant families, the children
learned the language before their parents and were often put in
the position of negotiating their families’ lives — talking with
school teachers, doctors, landlords or with others about the day to
day matters of life. Like many of today’s immigrant families, my
parents moved to neighborhoods where there were other families from similar backgrounds,
and they formed strong neighborhood communities. The grocery stores stocked familiar products, the public schools were very good, and served these highly motivated youngsters very
well. Our families felt proud to be American citizens and thankful that we had been able to
escape from Europe before the Holocaust. Many of us went on to college, the first members
of our families who had that opportunity.
But when I was growing up, there were a lot of things that weren’t talked about around the
children. It was their way of protecting us. But as a child, these things took on a great importance. What were they talking about? Why weren’t we supposed to know about them?
Some of the secrets had to do with the War. But once my Uncle Harry got drafted and was
subsequently killed in the Allied invasion of Italy, the war was no longer a secret. Since we
were avid movie goers, the newsreels of the liberation of the concentration camps and the
explosions of the A-Bombs in Japan entered the forefront of my consciousness when I was 10
years old in 1945. These horrors were no longer secrets and they shaped my formative years
and early adulthood. But the explanations of how the world could allow these unspeakable
things to happen are still things about which we grapple for explanations. We are still searching for explanations to give our children about the genocide and human trafficking that happened then and that is still happening in parts of the world today.
The other secrets that we didn’t discuss had to do with illness — two especially: cancer and alcoholism. Cancer, if mentioned at all, was always talked about in hushed tones. If I asked what was wrong
with my Grandma Rachel after she came home from the hospital and stayed with us for a few weeks
before she died, I was told that she had stomach problems. Or my Aunt Ruth who died unexpectedly in her 50’s when I was a teenager, of something (which we now expect was uterine cancer) was
also not talked about. Cancer, or as we came to call it, “the Big C.” was so frightening, that it was
not to be mentioned, or if it was, only in whispers. And there were two or three cousins who had
other kinds of “trouble,” troubles that I now know were associated with drug abuse or alcoholism. It
affected their lives and the lives of their families.
The fear about talking about cancer was that it was considered to be incurable — and it still
is for many sufferers. But nowadays cancer, like many other illnesses, is often treatable, if not
always curable. The more we are able to talk about cancer the more likely we are to face it
head on, seek early diagnosis, and look for treatments that will extend our lives and provide
quality time for ourselves and our families. Now that I am being treated, once again, for cancer after a reprieve of 29 years, I continue to understand once again that it doesn’t have to be a
secret clothed in fear.
Alcoholism is another illness fraught with fear, shame and secrets. It is an illness that affects
the sufferer as well as family members. Like cancer, it is not always diagnosed until it is in its
later stages. Some people are not able to find their way to treatment programs and for some,
the treatment programs are not successful. Many sufferers may succumb to the illness even if
they have sought treatment.
I recently was privileged to attend the World Premiere of the the new movie, Touching Home, a
remarkable independent movie made by two extraordinary young men who grew up here in the
Valley, Nicasio and Fairfax: Logan and Noah Miller. Many of you may know them. The movie is a
tribute to their father who suffered and eventually succumbed to alcoholism. After the movie, those
of us in the audience had an opportunity to ask Noah and Logan, and Ed Harris, who starred in the
movie playing the boys’ dad, some questions. This is what I remember asking: “What advice would
you give young people who are in families who are suffering from alcoholism to help them find the
courage, determination, creativity and forgiveness that you found and that enabled you to write your
story and make the movie?” They responded that it was a hard question, but one thing that they
said was that it was important to recognize that alcoholism is a disease, like cancer; it’s an illness, and
people and families who suffer from it ought not to be stigmatized. Ed Harris added that for young
people, it’s important for them to learn and know more about the illness and be able to talk about it.
Both these answers rang true for me, whether it’s talking about cancer, about alcoholism, the
Holocaust, mental illness, learning differences, gender differences, any of these things — the
more we are able to talk about them, the better able we will be to dispel the myths and fears
that we experience around them. And the better able we will be to live our lives to their fullness for as much time as we are given. No more secrets. L’Chaim! To Life!
Women’s Health —
Cancer Detection, Prevention
and Screening
August 12, 10:30 am
West Room
A special Health Day sponsored by the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, TAPS and the
California Health Collaborative
Carrie Chase is a nurse practitioner coming to us from the Coastal Health Alliance. Carrie has
been working with TAPS (Tina Caring Program) for the past 6 years, providing expert clinical breast exams and breast health education to women in West Marin. Carrie will speak about
breast health and risk factors for breast cancer, as well as tips on making safe choices when buying skin products and sun screens. Some free samples will be given out.
Two breast cancer survivors will also be in attendance, and will share their stories after lunch
with anyone who wants to know more personally.
Anya Gutman is a Health Educator for the California Health Collaborative and represents the
Cancer Detection Program: Every Woman Counts. The Every Woman Counts program is a
state-wide program that provides free breast and cervical cancer screening services to those who
qualify. Anya will share information about how to access these essential services, and will provide pertinent information about cervical (and breast) cancer.
Free Legal Clinic on
June 24
The San Geronimo Valley Community Center in collaboration with Legal Aid of Marin will be
offering a free Legal Clinic on Thursday, June 24 between 12:30 and 4:30 pm.
The Silicon Valley law firm of McDermott, Will & Emery will be staffing the clinic with Legal
Aid of Marin concerning almost any civil legal matter. Those that they cannot handle, they will
refer to the best of their ability.
Last year, we served 32 households in a single afternoon. The participant evaluations were very
positive. We hope for a similar success this year.
Appointments will need to be scheduled in advance. Call the Community Center to find out
about scheduling an appointment with Legal Aid of Marin.
Valley Senior Profile:
Al Ardelle
A Forest Knolls resident since 1995, Al (pictured at right with
his art during the recent Spring Art Show) is currently involved
in media production for his company, LifeStoriesDVD as director and videographer. He is also producing a new TV show to
be shown on channel 26 (Community Media Center of Marin)
called “Marin Art Focus” starting in June.
Al retired from the ad agency business in New Jersey (owner
and creative director) in 1982 to pursue a full time fine
art career in Seattle with a focus on video art. This pursuit
eventually led to an MFA (1990) program in “new genre”
arts at the San Francisco Art Institute.
Volunteer activities include Project Independence (Dept. of Aging) and a couple of video tapings
of SGVCC productions.
Valley School Readiness Food Bank Banter
Program
by Joseph Piekutoski
Programs, Events, Resources, Classes for
Families with Children Ages 0-5
By Alexandra Cusick
The School Readiness Program had a very busy Spring! Our Tuesday and Thursday playgroups have
continued to have fun with dedicated participants and with new families. This Spring ‘s events were
bustling with a Parent Education night on Childhood Behavior and Discipline and we offered a Teen
CPR and First Aid class. The Grandparents’ Valentine’s Day Tea party was a delightful event as well as
the Spring Baby Blessing and the Spring Clothing Swap.
Our Health Days have been successful with Diane Holzer, Nurse Practioner from Coastal Health
Alliance, giving great advice and free screenings. Our last Health Day was Thursday, May 27 and it
was on Summer Health.
Yes, our Spring has been such a delight that we have decided to run playgroup throughout summer,
except in August. So come join us for fun! Some days we may meet at a park, go for a hike, or go
to the beach. Other upcoming Summer activities to look out for are: free swim lessons, the Summer
Bridge program, special eco-friendly activities for the children at the Fairfax Festival. Watch for
announcement emails and event flyers for these special events’ dates and times.
Summer Bridge
During the summer the School Readiness Program is busy with the Summer Bridge Program – a
five week, free pre-kindergarten summer program. There is still space available for children who are
entering Kindergarten for this Fall 2010. This is a great opportunity for your child to gain school
readiness emotionally, socially, and physically before entering Kindergarten. For more information call
488-8888 or email Jennifer at jjusticeca@hotmail.com. Dates: June 28- July 30, 9:00 am – Noon,
Monday – Friday at San Geronimo Valley Community Center.
Valley Rainbow Playgroup
Valley Rainbow Playgroup is for families and caregivers with children 0-5 years old. Free play, art
projects, books, music, and FUN!!! Come and meet your Valley neighbors and have your kids socialize and have fun! Please look for email announcements and flyers for special events at Playgroup this
summer. Tuesday and Thursdays 10:00 am – Noon, Room 9 on Lagunitas lower campus and outside on the playground.
Swim Lessons
This is a wonderful, free opportunity for 14 children ages 3-5 years old to learn how to swim. Classes
are 3 times a week for two weeks. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, June 14–June 24. 10:00
– 10:45 am or 11:00 –11:45 am. Space is limited. Contact Heather Richardson at heatherrichardson@comcast.net if interested.
(Left) Ian who just celebrated his
1st birthday was with mommy,
Rae Turner, who is a teacher at the
Lagunitas Montessori program.
(Below)Dottie Escue and Mary
Elizabeth a.k.a. “MiMi” 3
months. Proud parents: Brian
and Willow of San Geronimo
with son Cody Tucker 6 weeks.
Kia Schloenbohm 3 months and
mommy Megan Anderson of
Fairfax.
I have been reflecting lately on the economic crisis and how it
has had an effect on Marin and the Valley in particular. The
Community Center is one of the Valley’s frontline agencies
providing services to those in need. Since the economy turned,
we have introduced new programming and expanded existing
programming to meet these challenges. Now the news is the
economy is picking up and we are still seeing people come in for
assistance who did not need it before. The number of visits to the
Food Pantry is still increasing but at a much slower rate. We continue to change as the situation mandates, so we can provide what we can with what resources
we have.
We have seen an increase of 60% in visits to the food pantry from two years ago when the
“crisis” started. The two previous years we actually had a slight decrease in food pantry visits
indicating people were in less need. As we saw the writing on the wall when the numbers
were just starting to increase, we started meeting with Marin Food Bank, the County of
Marin and other agencies that were providing for those who needed help. All parties involved
started to collaborate to meet the incoming tide. There were many changes being made as we
all struggled to meet growing demand. At times these changes did not always come easily as
we were grappling with and facing the stresses of rapid growth, budget cuts and uncertainty.
What is important and speaks so highly of all involved is we all continued to stick together,
meet and discuss ways to meet the situation head on.
One of the first things to happen was the Marin Food Bank started getting more produce. It is
great having more fresh fruits and vegetables for the food pantry clients. We need to start picking up food once a week to meet the increased demand. The county helps us with financial
resources to make these extra pick-ups. Valley residents Sean Sullivan and E J Chavez volunteer
their time to get this extra food to the Community Center. Other community members and
organizations have started donating more food at local religious services. Our Thanksgiving
and Christmas donations have also increased. Thank you!
As part of the national recovery act, Marin County got a federal grant to help people
in need get more food. They decided to fund Marin Organics to provide fresh organic
produce. This is great as people are getting incredibly healthy food. The Marin Food
Bank has also recently started to deliver to the Valley Food Pantry so we do not need to
drive to Novato every week to pick up food. This gives us much more time to devote to
other programs, such as the Senior Lunch. We also got a grant from CDBG to expand
the food storage capacity and refurbish the Valley Food Pantry. This has all been very
exciting. It is great to have so much focus on helping people get the food they need. I do
wonder as we move beyond this crisis if people will lose focus on this important service.
The Senior Lunch program was moved to the Community Center in February 2009.
The lunch program is sponsored by and supported in part by Marin County Division of
Aging. It has been an overwhelming success. We are serving over 50 seniors a week. We
have been able to contract Good Earth to provide wonderful organic lunches at a reasonable cost. The program has also received support from West Marin Senior Services and
the West Marin Community Resource Center. All of these partners have been essential
in helping us to sustain the program. The weekly donations from seniors and guests are
also an important part of the financial picture. No one is turned away for lack of funds.
The Community Center’s in-kind support for the program is the staff time, the space,
the administrative support and, of course, the wonderful volunteers. At one o’clock we
open the food pantry early for those seniors who attended the lunch.
We have expanded our soup program to every week. Kathleen Glaubinger still provides
some of the best tasting and nutritious soup for our clients and now they can get it every
week on Thursday afternoon starting at 1:30.
We have also increased our Health Fairs to six a year. We have a special Women’s Health Day
dealing with women and cancer, scheduled for the morning of August 12, with speakers from
the Coastal Health Alliance, TAPS and Every Woman Counts, Cancer Detection Program,
and we have started exploring the possibility of establishing a Wellness Center in the Valley!
It has been reassuring to see all the support we have gotten to help the Valley through
the economic crisis and how all the agencies in Marin are helping each other get through
these difficult times. The challenge facing us in the near future is how we will continue
offering the great programming that evolved out of the crisis as the focus on those in
need wanes and funding moves to other projects. I have faith we will find our way.
Food Bank
Emergency food distribution is offered two days a week, year round to needy Valley families. Staffed by local volunteers, the Food Bank is supported by the Marin Community
Food Bank and by generous donations from local Valley people and service organizations.
Information is provided on nutrition and healthy eating, and, when available, fresh surplus
produce from the School-Community Garden is offered to Food Bank clients.
The Community Center Food Bank is open Monday from
9: 00 am – 5:00 pm and Thursday afternoons from 2:00–5:00 pm.
San Geronimo Valley Healthy Community
Collaborative
The San Geronimo Valley Healthy Community Collaborative is now celebrating its 15th year
of working together as partners. The Collaborative meets monthly at the Community Center
on the second Wednesday at 3:30 pm.
The Collaborative will be holding its annual celebration on Monday, June 7, 2010 at 5:30
pm at the San Geronimo Valley Presbyterian Church. The collaborative will provide delicious
BBQ and drinks. Salads, appetizers, and desserts are potluck. All Collaborative partners’ staff
members, Board members, volunteers, and their families are invited.
Updates from our partners are on pages 6 and 7.
San Geronimo Valley Stewards say Thank You to Valley Community
With your support and involvement we have accomplished much of what you told us you
wanted.
◆◆ The County now communicates with the Valley.
◆◆ The SEP has community-based modifications.
Healthy Community Collaborative meets with Supervisor Steve Kinsey.
Front Row: Tina Whyte, Wilderness Way; Dave Cort, Community Center; Alexander
McQuilkin, Teen Advisory Committee; Captain Ben Ghisletta, Marin County Fire Dept.
Back Row: Cio Hernandez, Marin County Community Prevention Services; Carrie Sendak,
SPAWN; Supervisor Steve Kinsey; Angelo Sachelli, West Marin County Service Center; Eric
Fimbres, Coastal Health Alliance; Michelle Clein, West Marin Rotary; Suzanne Sadowsky,
Community Center; Donna McQuinn, Valley Stewards; Laurie Chorna, Gan Halev; Laura
Sherman, West Marin Senior Services. (Photo by Liora Soliday)
◆◆ We got lower permit fees for the Valley.
◆◆ We are developing programs to assist homeowners.
◆◆ We are reviewing and commenting on the County’s proposed Riparian Buffer Ordinance.
◆◆ We lead community task force groups researching solutions and engaging the County
Watch for the next Community Workshop. Contact: info@stewards.org
SGV Planning Group
Leading the Way!
The Valley Planning Group is a Family — A group of supporters that has been working to
protect and preserve the San Geronimo Valley since 1972 when they organized to prevent
the Valley from having 20,000 people and 5,000 homes. That’s been 38 years!
Recent Accomplishments & Activities
Wilderness Way: The New Environmental Ed Center Finally!
Wilderness Way (WW) is an Environmental Education organization founded by the Berensmeier
family serving four programs in the Lagunitas School District. In 2007, WW received a three year
grant from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to expand teaching about
salmonids and the watershed at no cost to the school district. Soon, WW outgrew its small classroom/storage space and was presented the opportunity to relocate to an unused portable off campus.
Complications as a result of the building’s location took one and a half years to resolve. Done! WW
is now turning its attention to raising funds for the foundation, a roof and electricity. Watch for the
Grand Opening! info@sgvwildernessway.org.
◆◆ Marin Clean Energy (MCE) is committed to
promoting environmentally sustainable and
renewable energy resources with a goal
of providing local green economic growth.
This meets goals of the SGV Community
Plan. The PG became a Founding Member
and was honored as one of the many leaders
at the May 7 launch event.
◆◆ Salmon Enhancement Plan (SEP): Urged the
Board of Supervisors to accept and fund the
SEP. Participated in community meetings
hosted by the County. Interest at the first
community meeting about habitat restoration
prompted the PG to partner with DPW and
within 3 weeks submitted a grant application
that included 47 residents who signed on to
participate in the program. Provided input
regarding the proposed Riparian Habitat
The PG celebrating the grant submittal to Dept. of Fish
Interim Ordinance.
& Game. Front (left to right.): Paul Berensmeier, Tina
◆◆ SGV Land Trust: Partnered to explore the Whyte; sitting: Eric Morey, Phil Sotter, Fred Mundy, Taylor
acquisition of Blueberry Ridge.
Hamblett, Tammy Marden; kneeling: Jean Berensmeier,
◆◆ County Parks and Open Space: Met with Liza Crosse, David Bernard, Helayna Taylor; standing: Mel
County reps to discuss trail issues and
Wright, Sarah Wright, David Fisher, Dan McKenna and
review funded sediment control plans in
Marie Dhority. (Photo by Fred Berensmeier)
Woodacre and San Geronimo. Participated
in the Vegetation Management meeting.
◆◆ FK Park: Lions Club donation will help fund final landscaping plan.
◆◆ Weed Wrench’s: Residents can now get a loan of these tools to eliminate scotch broom and other
noxious plants.
◆◆ Meetings: PG representatives at MMWD Technical Advisory Committee and Citizen’s Climate Lobby.
Planning Group Committee Chairs
Here are your neighbors taking active leadership to protect the Valley.
SEP — David Fisher & Dan McKenna
Forest Knolls Park — Fred Mundy
Trails Committee — Eric Morey
Marin Clean Energy — Linda Nave
MMWD/PG Task Force — Ken Naffziger
Weed Wrench’s — David Bernard
Web Site — David Fisher & Dan McKenna
The PG’s membership is growing and now over the 200 mark. Join us!
$15 Single; $25 Family. Please make check out to SGVPG and mail with your email address to:
SGVPG, P.O. Box 57, Forest Knolls, CA 94933
Thank You For Your Support!
Salmon Enhancement
Plan Update
by Don Holmlund
The San Geronimo Valley Salmon Enhancement Plan was published in late December,
2009 and accepted by the Board of Supervisors in early February. This document contains
142 pages of detailed information about salmon, their habitat, and specific recommendations for preserving and improving habitat conditions. After several meetings last year and
early this year to discuss and offer revisions and refinements to the plan, a community
workshop meeting was held on March 7 at the San Geronimo Golf Course to develop
specific ways to enhance salmon protection in San Geronimo Valley. At that well attended
workshop, participants volunteered to work on specific task forces. Although it has been
a challenge, each task force has been meeting, carrying out research, and working on recommendations in order to make a detailed report to a second community workshop on
May 16. The task forces and their Chairpeople are listed below:
Property Rights and Values: Rick Seramin (rseramin@comcast.net) and John
Smithyman (smith4sg@aol.com)
Salmon Habitat: Mike Snyder (StangerSnyder@aol.com)
Septic and Greywater: Judith Champagne (champagne158@comcast.net)
35’ Riparian Zone: Mary Webster (morecargo@comcast.net)
Ordinance v. Voluntary: Steve Tognini (Steve.Tognini@kp.org)
Many at the meeting expressed concern about habitat restoration. Within a week, the
SGV Planning Group had partnered with the Marin County Dept. of Public Works
and submitted a habitat restoration grant to the State Dept. of Fish & Game by the
April deadline with 47 residents signed on.
At the May 16 meeting, each task force presented well organized and clear reports with
many good ideas. The meeting was applauded by most attendees for being very helpful in
attempting to resolve complex issues. Further meetings are scheduled. On June 16, there
will be a round table discussion about a possible riparian ordinance, and on July 24, there
will be a community meeting to further discuss the ongoing work of the task forces. You
are welcome to contact committee chairs for further information or to share your concerns.
Reports from the committees as well as the entire Salmon Enhancement Plan are available
at this website: www.marinwatersheds.org.
Another plan for our watershed is being preparred by the National Marine Fisheries
Service, and a draft of this plan is available at this website:
http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/recovery/Coho[Recovery]Plan031810.htm.
Everyone involved has been assured by Supervisor Kinsey that input from the task
forces will be considered before any County regulations or ordinances are passed. It
is important that all residents continue to be involved in this important Plan and the
environmental and property issues related to it.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Spirit Rock Meditation Center is a spiritual education and training institution whose purpose is to:
◆◆ Bring people to a depth of realization of the Buddha’s path of liberation through direct
experience.
◆◆ Provide the community of practitioners with inspiration and teachings to integrate and
manifest wisdom and compassion in all aspects of their lives, for the benefit of all beings.
We achieve this purpose primarily by providing silent meditation retreats, and also through
classes, trainings, and Dharma study opportunities for new and experienced students from
diverse backgrounds. Our programs are grounded in the essence of the Buddha’s teachings in
the Pali discourses.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center is intended to be a place that always looks in two directions:
inward and outward.
Inwardly, as human beings we need settings where we can renew our connection to ourselves, to
nature, and to life itself through silence and mindful attention. Outwardly, the modern world is in
crisis on many fronts: environmental, economic, political, and psychological. Today, as always, the
world needs more voices of understanding, more acts of generosity, and more of the spirit of peace.
The purpose of Spirit Rock is to help each individual find within himself or herself peace, compassion, and wisdom, through the practice of mindfulness and insight meditation (vipassana), and to
support the individual in taking those qualities into the world.
We see Spirit Rock as a living mandala (a circle) whose central inspiration is the dharma, the
deepest truth of life, beyond words and concepts. The outer expressions of the mandala are
both reflections of the dharma and paths leading back to the dharma. The outer expressions,
which are interdependent and support one another, include our programs and trainings in
retreats, wise relationship, study, hermitage, service, and spiritual practices, in the world.
St. Cecilia’s / St. Mary's
By Rev. Cyril O’Sullivan
It is amazing what was spoken thousands of years ago still speaks relevant to us today. Nearly
three thousand years ago the prophet Isaiah set forth God’s vision of a good society (Isaiah
65:20-25). It included fair and good wages, housing and health, safety and security.
In America today we have people who work who should not be poor, but many are, struggling
to feed their families, or to afford decent housing, or walk their streets without fear, or health
access, and the gap between the very wealthy and poor hard to justify. Whose vision represents
the good society.
Upcoming event
St. Cecilia’s Annual Golf Tournament, San Geronimo Golf Course, Friday, June 11, 10:30 am.
Any Questions call Ginny, 488-9694.
For other events, please check bulletins on the website: http//www.stcecilia-lagunitas.org.
Sunday Mass is at 9:30 am at St. Cecilia’s and 11:15 am at St. Mary’s.
Daily mass is 8:00 am Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at. St. Cecilia’s and
Thursday at 8:00 am at St. Mary’s.
Gan HaLev, The Jewish Congregation
of the San Geronimo Valley
The Gan Halev Summer Report
By Heather Richardson
Here at Gan Halev, the Jewish Congregation of the San Geronimo Valley, we make being
Jewish extra fun! Let me just say that as one of Gan Halev’s Hebrew School teachers, I, along
with co-teachers Susan Tacherra and Andreas Wittenstein, do our absolute best to make learning each Sunday as much fun as we can — which is way more than I can say for my own
Jewish school experience as a kid. As a teacher, my main focus is to teach our kids the songs of
our ancestors, along with the seasonal rhythms of our unique and vibrant calendar. I love that
our kids get to know some Hebrew, sing a lot of songs, and learn to make a mean matzo brei.
During the summer, and before the High Holidays, we take a break from Sunday school which
gives everyone much needed family time for rest and relaxation, time when we hopefully can
ease into what should be the summer’s slower paced time of year. It’s during the summer that I
hope you will join us for one of our summertime Shabbats held at different Gan Halev members’ homes.
I love Shabbats. I love going to someone’s house and getting to know them. I love the mellow, fun,
nonstructured time of a fun Shabbat. I love the kids lighting candles and saying the brucha (blessings) over the grape juice and challah. In other words, I love watching the kids being Jewish! This
summer, I hope you come or even host a Friday night in your home and know it’s gonna be a great
time! So far, we have Jay and Liora Soladay hosting in July, and Jodie and Danny Cohen hosting in
August. Both homes have pools, so make sure you bring your bathing suit, along with your potluck
dish to share. And you don’t have to have kids to come. The Shabbat gatherings are for everybody!
A Shabbat is what you make of it. So really, feel free to do just that. For me, being Jewish is
about having a good time, making the world a better place, and teaching our kids to be tolerant of everyone else in the world. I hope to see you and really, bring a piñata, because in my
world, being Jewish is all about having a good time! For more information and to be added to
Gan HaLev’s e-mail list, call 488-4524 or e-mail suzanne@ganhalev.org.
P.S. The High Holidays are early this year. Rosh Hashanah starts on Wednesday evening,
September 8, so be sure to get your name on our mailing list to get an invitation! The Sunday
School Open House will be on August 29.
San Geronimo Community
Presbyterian Church
By Reverend Dr. John G. Scott, Pastor
A wonderful highlight of our spring season was the presence of St. Cecilia’s and St. Mary’s
Church members on Easter morning at 6:30….a relatively dry moment in a season when the
rain seemed never-ending. Old friendships were renewed, Father Cyril delighted the crowd
with his brogue and his high spirit, and worshippers bravely sang the good news of resurrection into the threatening sky. By mid-morning, of course, it again was pouring, but our spirits
were soaring.
With the onset of true summer not long after this issue comes out, we’re considering changing
our normal worship hour from 11:00 am to 10:00 am for two or three months. Best to call
ahead to be certain of the time: 488-9318. In any case, we’ll be featuring a variety of musicians
and music styles throughout the summer, and some services may be held outside. Whether
inside or out , it’s always informal….join us!
Fund Development
Spring Art Show
The following people and businesses made generous donations to the Community Center from
February 1, 2010 to May 1, 2010. These contributions go directly to support the Community
Center’s programs in the areas of Human Services, Children, Youth and Teen Services, Senior
Services, Arts and Events, and activities in our new Community Gym. We deeply appreciate the
support that we receive. We could not achieve our mission without these generous contributions.
The 20th Annual Spring Art Show was another tremendous success.
THANK YOU!
Individual & Business Donors
Mohammed & Huda Al-Jamal
Debra Amerson & Barbara Hoefle
Dana Rose Arevalo
John & Kathy Beckerley
Beverly Berrish
Martha Cederstrom
John & Denise Colwell
Janet Cort
Lyda Cort & Andy Stadler
Sean Daunt
Albert DeSilver & Marian Cremin
Naomi & Duncan Draper
Nancy & Chris Ducey
Skag Dukkers & Anne McClain
Jane Fernandes
Gerald & Jerry Fleming
Claude & Lynn Dobrin Frat
Lila Friday
Anthony & Teupoko Giacomini
Gary & Linda Giacomini
Gary & Linda Gomez
Nancy & Dean Hanson
Hanson Bridgett Law Firm
Vlatka Herzberg
Muniera Kadrie & James Griffiths
Jack & Liana Kornfield
Marshall Krause
Patricia Kriegler-Dols & Jim Paullin
Bud & Marty Meade
Kelly Lawson & Kelly Hunt-Miceli
Diane & Ian Matthew
Michael & Catherine McQuilkin
Bud & Marty Meade
Michael & Louise Neustadt
Priscilla Patey
Anne Pennypacker
David Van Peursen DDS
Joseph Piekutoski & Kyle Isaacs
Peggy Rathman & John Putnam Wick
Larry Rippee & Molly Rea
Robert Schiff
Serenity Knolls
John & Anita Severson
Robert & Jessie Sherratt
Liora & Jay Soladay
St. Cecilia’s
Brian Staley
Richard Stubblefield
Tamalpais Bank
Dennis & Jody Thompson
Gretchen Treuting
Walter Pack Trustees
West Bay Builders
Grantors
Burkhart Fund
Community Development Block
Grant
County of Marin
Endurance Fund
Freitas Foundation
Hilda V. Thompson Fund
Marin Charitable Trust
Marin Community Foundation
Marin First 5 Children’s and Families
Commission
Middle School Parent Group
Montessori Parent Group
Open Classroom Parent Group
Presbytery of the Redwoods
Reliance Fund
United Way of the Bay Area
Waldorf Inspired Parent Group
West Marin Resource Center
Patty & Jack Wright Foundation
Youth Leadership Institute
Join our email list via our website to stay tuned for some very exciting
developments for the summer and fall. Because Stone Soup is published
quarterly, please keep in touch online for updates and new additions to
our programs. Please visit http://www.sgvcc.org and click on “weekly
events email list” at the bottom of the page. This will keep you informed
of all the Community Center’s diverse offerings from performing arts to
films to visual arts to clothing swaps to food bank to classes and teen,
senior, children’s and other gatherings.
A special appreciation is in
order to the Spring Art Show
Committee: Donn DeAngelo,
Jack Kamesar, JeanA Warner,
Verona Buros Kleinberg,
Molly Rea, Marshall Krause
and Gaetano DeFelice; Marty
Meade for the art labels and
patience; Kristy Arroyo for
supervising school art tours;
Philip Wadsworth for another
marathon gallery painting job.
Additional acknowledgement
goes to Donn DeAngelo for
photography support, poster design and production, and Jean A for the floral displays. Also to
the “Thursday Nighters” for a pickin’ and a grinnin’.
Thanks to the excellent hanging crew, all the artist-volunteers who made telephone calls,
distributed posters, received the art, worked the reception, and sat the galleries and countless
other tasks.
Finally, thank you to the Center staff for support: Hannah Doress for reception coordination,
SGVCC’s J-team (Jennifer, Joseph and Julie) and everyone else who provided support insuring
the success of this year’s Spring Art Show.
Thank you all,
Larry Rippee
Visual Arts Coordinator
Marcus Uzilevsky.
Cathryn Bailey.
Debra Amerson.
Leonard Leinow.
Richard James.
Laura Kradjan-Cronin.
Jean A Warner.
Rose Steiner.
Thursday Nighters.
Photos by Donn DeAngelo
Anne McClain.
Gaetano DeFelice.
Gretchen Treuting.
Huda Al- Jamal.
Michelle Allen.
Amin Al-Jamal.
Brian Staley.
Liana Kornfield.
Bev Berrish.
Marianne Hale.
Martha Cederstrom.
Marty Meade.
Donn DeAngelo.
Veronica Buros Kleinberg.
Bud Meade.
Mallory Geitheim.
Cornelia Nevitt.
Sandy White.
Connie Smith Siegel.
Jack Kamesar.
Parra O’Siochain.
Liz Lauter.
Nanci Smith.
Joe Thibodeau.
Dava Sheridan.
Live! At the Center
Hannah Doress,
Arts & Events Coordinator & Larry Rippee,
Dear Community Friends,
Whoo hoo summer is here! This is the season we can
enjoy great
events and the outdoors at the same time — a great environment for the whole family
and multiple generations to gather together.
This summer we have some great movies, stellar music and the SF Mime Troupe too.
For example don’t miss internationally-accoladed finger picking guitar wizard Walter Strauss and
Hunter’s Harp (kamal’ngoni) legend Mamadou Sidibe from Mail. Their unique blend of contemporary and traditional world music is a treasure unequaled anywhere!
Visual Arts Coordinator
Friday, June 4, 7:30 pm
Film Night in the Park and the Community
Center present
Napoleon Dynamite
$6 adults, $3 kids
Then come and see one of the most exciting live outdoor shows you have ever seen at the
Community Center with the top notch music and showmanship of Mystic Roots — with
their catchy positive messages delivered via outstanding roots reggae, smooth harmonies,
energetic freestyles and beat-boxing, and a solid groove. Their original style is based in
reggae, hip-hop, and dancehall (with overtones of rock, funk, and ska). Winners of the
LA Music Award for Best Reggae/Pop Album, signed to the same label as the legendary
Public Enemy, touring internationally with top names in Reggae and seen in their own
one-hour episode of reality TV (aired nationwide on The Learning Channel), this band
knows how to put on a show! So with a wink I’ll tell you this concert will be high quality
enough for those unfamiliar with all the genres while cool and contemporary enough for
our youth. As always the show will welcome families by providing an alcohol-free space
with toys for younger kids to play with and delicious affordable food.
Don’t miss this super-kitschy cult favorite that won Teen Choice
Awards two years running and an MTV Movie Award, among others.
You have many choices for your entertainment and activities, and we are always working
hard to give you lots of good reasons to choose the Community Center. On top of the
stellar offerings here are some other reasons to mark up your calendar, buy those advance
tickets, and come be part of it at the Community Center:
Common Sense Media recommends for ages 11 and up.
The Environment: Spending time at the Community Center is also good for the environment,
preventing climate change and saving on gas. Check out the world class entertainment next
door before hauling everyone into the City or elsewhere. Consider biking over to shows and
carpooling to increase the fun and decrease the carbon. You can feel great knowing a large portion of our electricity is coming from the solar panels we share with the school.
Community: Gathering in groups is one of the most fundamental human experiences —
one that is good for our spirits, health, quality of life and which provides many of the
unanticipated magical things that come from community — a tip for a new job, finding
out about your new favorite book, hearing news of an old friend, making new friends,
meeting someone special (I’m married today because I volunteered at a Theater event),
sharing culture and community with our children and lots more.
Supporting Musicians: In a time when the music industry is being profoundly
challenged we know our musicians and performers are also being challenged. Please help
the Community Center support performing artists to survive and thrive.
Keeping Spirits Up in Hard Times: Just a reminder that we have sliding scale ticket
prices and volunteer opportunities so that economic hard times need not prevent you
or your friends from experiencing the arts. We are happy to make these arrangements in
advance or at the door and you are welcome to inquire at arts@sgvcc.org.
Helping Those Less Fortunate: Each time you attend a show at the Community Center you
are supporting our emergency food bank, subsidized lunch for seniors, and other great community supporting programs. We also welcome those who are doing well to make the arts and
community experiences we offer here accessible to all our neighbors and friends — especially
those who are in a tight spot — with a personal donation or with a sponsorship that will bring
visibility to your business. And a report about our sliding scale program — we are finding that
the people using it are truly people in need who sincerely wish they could pay full price. If you
have ever lost your job or had a tight month yourself, you know the value of friends, community gathering and inspirational arts experiences to helping people stay balanced and get inspired
to get to the next level in their lives.
Being on the Cutting Edge: We have one of the most arts-sophisticated communities around.
At the Community Center, we go out of our way to present the best quality and to introduce
you to exciting new acts that will enhance your life. Think of your 5 favorite acts – what if you
never encountered them? What if smaller venues like ours never supported them?
Let’s keep our community strong, engaged, culturally savvy and compassionate for the
long haul.
Read on and see you there!
Hannah
“Preston, Idaho, the present. After their tough grandmother (Sandy
Martin) is injured in a dune-buggy accident, nerdy Napoleon
Dynamite (Jon Heder) and his even nerdier 32-year old brother Kip
(Aaron Ruell) are left in the dubious care of Uncle Rico (Jon Gries), a
sleazy door-to-door salesman who is “living too much in ’82.” Almost
by default, Napoleon meets and befriends new socially-excluded
Mexican student Pedro (Efren Ramirez) and geeky amateur photographer Deb (Tina Majorino),
and the odd trio manage, against all probability, to have something like a good time together at the
school dance. So when hangdog Pedro decides to run in the election for school president against the
popular Summer (Haylie Duff ), Napoleon offers to help using all his special skills. (Movie Gazette)
Film Night in the Park is a project of A.P.P.L.E. FamilyWorks.
San Francisco Mime Troupe
Sunday, June 20
3:30 pm music, 4:00 pm show on the Lagunitas Playing Field
Free – donations to the Mime Troupe welcome
Father’s Day on the Field!
Relax in the sun with the whole family – right next to the playground so
younger kids can play while others watch the show.
A beloved local tradition! Arguably the finest political theater troupe in the nation,
the Obie and Tony award-winning Troupe is famous for socially relevant theater
of the highest professional quality. The Troupe has a longstanding tradition of
providing sneak preview work-in-progress performances at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center.
They do it because of the high quality feedback they receive each year from our sophisticated and thoughtful audience members (that means you!) in discussion after the show. Everyone is welcome to participate.
This process will help them finalize their new show in time for the San Francisco premiere in July. Be part
of art in the making and enjoy the laughs!
The Mime Troupe’s work-in-progress for it’s 51st season is Posibilidad, or Death of the Worker. A small U.S.
factory is shutting down. All of the workers are losing their jobs, and to add insult to injury, they have
also lost their last two weeks of pay and retirement funds, which were raided over the years to pay stock
dividends. They are despondent, but feel there is nothing they can do, so they put in their last shift and
raise a glass to their years together. As they leave the Factory for the last time, one of the older Workers gets
snagged on a machine. Interpreting this as an act of defiance, the Boss calls security. The situation escalates
and before anyone has a chance to think, the Workers have accidentally occupied the Factory!
We need volunteers for this show — both to help with set up and break down and also to cook
food for the players. If you love that the Mime Troupe comes here year after year, please volunteer
to help us continue to make this free event possible.
Special note: for those who are not familiar with the Mime Troupe, come see what everyone is talking
about — they are a political theater comedy group; they do not do traditional mime performances.
Don’t be disappointed, order your tickets in advance
For convenient, secure online purchase go to
www.sgvcc.org/artsevents/centerevents.html
You may also write a check to “SGVCC” and mail it to Hannah
Doress, SGVCC Events, Box 194, San Geronimo, CA 94963.
Please include your full name, phone number, and the name of
the event you want to attend. You may also stop by the Community
Center to drop off your cash or check payment.
Three Generations of Printmakers
Lawrence Gilmour
In July, the Maurice Del Mue Galleries will highlight the work of three generations of printmakers: Leon, Lawrence and Zach Gilmour.
Lawrence: Yes, I saw my father working on his blocks from the early 1940’s on until the end of his life. In
the early years I did not see him print as he did not have his own press. Later, in the 1970’s and 80’s even
into the 90’s, he printed on an old proof press in his garage down in Burlingame CA. I never assisted my
father until very late in his life, when his back began to prevent him from cranking his stubborn old press.
by Larry Rippee
Leon Gilmour, born in Lativa in 1907, came to the United States in 1916 and did various jobs including working as a ranch hand, construction worker and gold miner while
continuing his art studies. He studied at the School of Practical Art and the Otis Art
Institute. During the depression he created wood engraving prints for the Federal Art
Project (a branch of the WPA). Gilmour’s wood engravings are in the Achenbach collection of the Palace of the Legion of Honor and Smithsonian Institution, and numerous
private collections. Last year his work was represented in the California in Relief exhibit
at the Hearst Art Gallery, St. Mary’s College. Leon Gilmour died in 1996.
Leon’s son, Lawrence Gilmour, is a Marin artist who has had numerous local exhibits
including work at the Falkirk Cultural Center and the College of Marin. His first forays
into printmaking began in the early 1970’s.
Zach Gilmour, a Forest Knolls resident, has taught printmaking at Marin School of the Arts.
He has exhibited at the Kala Art Institute, Artisans Gallery and the College of Marin.
I interviewed Lawrence and Zach about their work.
Saturday, July 24, 8:00 pm
Walter Strauss & Mamadou Sidibe
Live in Concert!
Adults $17 advance $20 door; Youth $8 advance; $10 door
A Transcultural Night of Rhythm and Inspiration
When American guitarist Walter Strauss
and Malian kamal’ngoni master Mamadou
Sidibe engage in a musical interplay
of finger-style guitar and West African
hunter’s harp, the result is a deep, soulful
music that is simultaneously ancient and
fresh. These two unique musicians from
distant origins create an intoxicating blend
of music in which they gracefully complement each other through intertwining
melodic grooves, spirited improvisation,
and songs in two languages.
Walter Strauss is a “wizard of the fingerstyle guitar” (Folk and Roots, UK). He masterfully
weaves together American roots and jazz with music of West Africa and other cultures layering highly articulated melodies, harmonies, rhythms and counter-rhythms in a way
that gives the impression he is playing several instruments at once. “Imagine blending
the beauty and strength of Bruce Cockburn’s fingerstyle guitar playing, the gravity of
Joni Mitchell’s jazz, and the elegant simplicity of American roots,” writes Folk & Acoustic
Music Exchange. Maverick Magazine (UK) calls him “a many-layered, multi-textured, oneman folk festival.”
Mamadou Sidibe played a groundbreaking role in transforming the popular Wassoulou
music of Mali. He was one of the first to break with tradition by creating the now widely used eight-string kamal’ngoni, a lute-harp-like instrument that exudes a deep, soulful
sound. He broadened the songs from sacred hunters melodies to a popular music of
philosophical observations, politics and daily African life. Stylus magazine calls his music,
“an almost seamless blend of blues licks and African rhythms. At the center of his music
is the same sensibility that you’ll find in Muddy Waters: a sense of music as a tool for the
re-creation of everyday life into something special, even magical.”
To hear these two musicians from far flung places collaborate is to take in two
souls, listening and greeting one another in a universal language — seamlessly interweaving two continents and two bright musical sensibilities.
Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad
Did you watch—or assist—your father making prints?
You’ve made etchings and monotypes. When did you begin making prints?
Lawrence: I started making prints during the 1970’s. There was a renewed interest in printmaking at
that time and I was given an opportunity to learn etching. Leon Gilmour worked with the WPA in the style associated with social realism. How would you describe
your work?
Lawrence: Leon was also inspired by his love for the High Sierras. He approached nature with an
analytic as well as poetic sensibility. As far as my work goes, I have not been as overtly political in my
work as my father was, but there are undercurrents of political and philosophical issues in much of
my imagery. I am experimental in much of my work and have not worked to establish a strong personal style; although themes and attitudes repeat throughout my work. Zach Gilmour
You were a baker and graduate of the California Culinary Academy before you turned to art. What caused
this change in direction in your life?
Zach: Well, in truth I have always made art and never stopped. However, when I was working as a baker and
commuting from Mill Valley to Sonoma each day, I found myself drawn to the ever-changing landscape I
would drive past. It made me want to make art to find a way to capture it. Not long after that I happened to
visit the San Francisco Art Institute, and it felt like a good place to be. So I decided I needed to go back to
school to study printmaking more seriously.
Both you and your father have made a form of print know as a monotype. Can you describe a monotype—
and
how it might differ from a monoprint?
Zach: Monotypes are made by applying ink to a plate that is smooth, traditionally copper, but most
people now use plexiglass. Then paper is laid over the plate and pressure is applied to create a one of
a kind image. Monoprints on the other hand use a plate that is not smooth. The plate will have some
sort of element, usually etched lines. And though the ink is applied in a unique way, that one part of
the image will show up the same each time.
I asked these questions of both Lawrence and Zach:
What is it about printmaking—why not painting or sculpture?
Lawrence: Printmaking is a natural extension of drawing, which is the core of my practice as an artist.
However, I do paint, and currently I am making ceramic sculptures as well.
Saturday, August 21
Outdoor Concert with Mystic Roots!
Exciting details to be announced!
6:00 –10:00 pm, family friendly all ages show
Serving up an original style based in reggae, hip-hop, and dancehall (with overtones of rock, funk, and ska), a Mystic Roots Band concert guarantees not just
great music, but also a high-energy show and powerful experience you’ll never
forget. This Chico-born, now San Diego-based group with strong San Geronimo
Valley roots, brings a brand new sound while embracing the nature of roots reggae wholeheartedly and performing it with smooth vocals/harmonies, energetic
freestyles and beat-boxing, all over a solid groove. The music and lyrics are catchy
and upbeat, with a powerful, positive message. The musicianship of the players
is top notch and arrangements are often complex and always interesting. They are LA Music Award winners
who have been compared to a cross between Bob Marley and Black Eyed Peas. Fans describe MRB’s music as
a refreshing, energetic, and cutting-edge sound that people are immediately drawn to. As a result, MRB has
developed an ever-growing legion of loyal fans. This fan base exists not only in the United States, Canada, and
Mexico, but also in Europe, Latin America, Australia, and even several regions of Asia.
With over 1,200 shows, a rapidly growing fan base, and scheduled release of the long-anticipated second
full-length album Cali-HI (Spring 2010), the Mystic Roots Band is working and touring harder than
ever and are on a mission to take their road-tested, fresh, new sound to audiences worldwide.
Wednesday, August 4 8:00 pm
Friday, September 24, 7:30 pm
The artists recommend this show for people 18+
Film Night in the Park and the Community
Center present WALL-E
Schticking it to the Man since 2003
Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad is a refreshing mix of comedy,
music, spoken-word and show-stopping burlesque, featuring
the gals who learned to smoke at Hebrew School, got drunk at
their Bat-Mitzvahs and would rather have more schtuppa than
the chupah, featuring performers seen on Comedy Central,
HBO and Late Night TV. These badass chosen chicks boldly
dare to deconstruct years of tradition, expectations and guilt in
a fast-paced vaudeville extravaganza. It’s ain’t yo’ mama’s Fiddler!
After cruising the US for 6 years, last year Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad opened at The Zipper Theater
in NYC with a brand new show which received rave reviews — 3 stars, NY Post, Backstage called
it “a spontaneous party” and the Village Voice said it was “super fun.” This rendition of mishagas
on wheels was directed by Michael Baron (Signature Theater, DC) and features “Bei Mir Bist Du
Schoen” gets remixed, Tumbalaika gets a makeover and we all find out what’s in Gefilte Fish...it’s
“Fear Factor” for Jews though you don’t have to be Jewish to love these broads.
Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad features comedian Cynthia Levin (Comedy Central) and booty
shakin’ by Sister Schmaltz and hosted by queen of the quick change, The Goddess Perlman
(Last Comic Standing).
$6 adults, $3 kids
“The late, great planet Earth, circa 2800 AD: Seven hundred years
have passed since earthlings abandoned their hopelessly polluted,
sun-scorched landfill of a planet and boarded the Axiom, an enormous ark/starship. While Earth’s citizens floated through space,
an army of solar-powered, trash-compacting androids known as
WALL-Es would swarm the planet, collecting and compressing all
the garbage, hopefully restoring Earth to a state capable of sustaining life. Seven centuries later earthlings still drift through space
while on Earth only one WALL-E (voice of Ben Burtt) seems to
be still functioning. WALL-E longs for companionship. He gets
more than he bargained for when a huge exploratory craft deposits a fetchingly sleek, piece of
glossy white high-tech robotics designed to test the Earth for life sustainability. Her name is EVE,
and for lonely WALL-E, it’s love at first sight. . . A masterpiece of feature-film animation for all
ages. — Ken Fox
Film Night in the Park is a project of A.P.P.L.E. FamilyWorks.
Alphabet Soup
by Sara Tolchin
Reading Veronica Buros’s poem below got me thinking about what a poet really is. I searched for some good definitions. OK, I’ll admit it, I looked up “Poetry” in
Wikipedia, too, but after the first two lines of a long description, I started to nod off. Try it next time you have insomnia. So what is that ineffable something special
you need to have to write a poem, I wondered? And then I read the poems from the kids below, and I remembered the words of Stephen Levine: “The heart, like the
sun, is always shining. We need do nothing to make it shine…All we need do is let go of what blocks it.”
Colors of the World
by Lavetta Poets
Special
You have to be someone special to write a poem
Someone who looks at a stream and sees a trail of tears
Not just anyone can write a poem
That elevates the
heart out of its blue despair
You have to be someone who can look at the moon
And reflect the sweet light
Even when it is hidden behind the clouds
by Sierra Salin
Tongue in cheeky, and foot in mouth.
There is plenty of room for both.
As I wander through this madhouse
Stirring the cages and rattling the pots
With my eyes crossed and dotted teas.
Stepped & Steeped in something
What is this place anyway
When I walk to school
the green of the trees grabs my eyes
It reminds me of summer time
and the blue like a dancer
her skirt blowing around while she dances
around the orange and yellow dance floor.
Black the night sky
angry at the moon and stars.
Red rampage stomping around
he wraps it around others
making them angry.
Purple the color of a blooming flower
who’s only seen the outside world.
Pink the happiness of children
dancing around in the rain.
Yellow the color of my never-stopping pencil
writing away.
Orange the color of the bright sand
being made into a sand castle.
Strawberry
by Elena Sayers
It seems only yesterday
The May I was seven
Believing I was a strawberry
Just a strawberry
Sitting there
Face painted red
Black dots and a stem
Hugging my knees
Thinking of the day being
Picked
My green stem
Flopping in my
Eyes
My red face
Dripping with
Perspiration
Green grass
Feet coming
Oh no!
The Wolf
by Anna Rebscher
The raging fire in your eyes
Tells me something about you,
But do you have a caring side,
I hope you do because I want you to be my friend,
My companion,
My buddy,
Your sleek beautiful body stuns me as you run by,
With you we could roam the forests,
Scaring other animals away,
You wolf,
are an amazing animal.
Silver Magic
by Anna Taylor
(Inspired by Emily Dickinson)
His brightness
a slice of moon
with silver mane of magic
The mystery of a slinking howl
sending chills deep
not to be forgotten
Darkness
by Jessica Mobley
(for my sister Lindsy)
Slinking through
the darkness
a crack in time
Darkness comes out
When lightness is
gone and hides
in a tree when
light comes.
He freezes
the world
and she waits for
his majestic body
to move on
Lightness and Darkness
by Katy Wearing
Darkness likes to creep in tight places,
she floods the night, whipping her black silk cloak around her.
Lightness loves to flit about
showering the earth with her love.
Darkness swoops in attics
she sneaks into basements.
Lightness sparkles on the sea’s surf
her golden hair flowing in the wind.
Darkness is perfect when you want to be alone.
Lightness can be the best when you sketch by a sunny window.
I love them both for different reasons.
Lightness greets me
in the morning when
the sun shines on me.
Darkness is a mystery
his shadows creep
around at midnight.
Lightness is a fairytale
she shines through
the trees and brings peace
and joy to the earth.
We welcome submissions of poetry or short prose
pieces for upcoming issues. Please send your work to
saratolchin@gmail.com, or P.O. Box 17,
San Geronimo 94963. The deadline for the Autumn
Issue is July 15, 2010. Thank you!
The Loft Summer 2010
by Heather Richardson
Summer here at the Loft is going to be
fabulous! With all the youth programming
coming out of the Community Center, you
are sure to find a spot or two to make your
summer extra fun!
Building on last year’s successful internship program, the Loft is offering numerous placements
for youth ages 12-17. Just like last year, we have internships available at our summer camp,
working alongside camp leader veterans Howie Cort and Julie Young. Camp interns will learn
the ins and outs of how to run a fun and successful camp for kids. Other placements through
the Community Center include working alongside Joseph Piekutoski, our Human Services
Program Manager. Here, interns will get hands-on experience working with our clients who
use both the Center’s food pantry and senior lunch programs, learning about data collection
and the details of human services in the non-profit world. Interested in learning about press
releases, marketing and program building? Come intern with Heather Richardson. Want to
know what goes into making sure everything we do in all our facilities operates without collisions or calamities? Come and intern with Jennifer Breen-Justice, our facilities manager.
Have an interest in interning away from the Center? We have connections to internship possibilities with SPAWN, Jayli Clothing Company, the California Film Institute, the art world
and more.
Have we sparked your interest? If so, just call Heather at 488.8888 x 209 or email
heatherrichardson@comcast.net
Internships will run from 6/15-8/1 so inquire now to get your spot!
Loft Summer Events!
Overnight in the Loft! Friday, July 9
This event is for all kids 12-15 years old
Cost is $10.00 cash or checks made out to SGVCC.
You’ve all been asking for it, so here you go, kids! We’ll have a movie and sleepover in the
Loft. Arrive at 7:00 pm, we’ll provide dinner and you bring dessert. Pick up will be 8:30 am
Saturday morning. You must RSVP to Heather at 488.8888 x 209 or email me at heatherrichardson@comcast.net
Deadline to RSVP is Wednesday, July 7.
Milestones
Loft Beach Day at Stinson
Tuesday July 27
for kids entering 6th grade and up. RSVP Deadline is Wednesday July 21.
Kids, it’s gonna be so fun! We’ll leave the Community Center at 10:00 am in a big Marin
Airporter bus and cruise to the beach. Cost will be $20.00, plus the cost of any food you want
to buy. We will return to the Center at 4:00 pm.
Looking Forward to the Fall
The High School Girl’s Supper Club will resume in September with a possible sailing day on the Bay!
Also, the Loft will be heading to Sea Trek Kayaking for a field trip as well!
Dungeons & Dragons Club in the Loft
One of the many fantastic parts of the Loft,
is our after-hours activities, put on by community volunteers. One of our ongoing
groups is the Valley Dungeons and Dragons
club which meets the 1st and 3rd Friday of
each month from 7:00–9:00 pm in the Loft
and sees an average of 10-12 kids at each
role playing soirée. D&D night is hosted by
Huda Al-Jamal, owner of Revolution 9 in
Fairfax and mother of two boys in the Open
Classroom. Huda says she started the club
as a way for parents, who were into the pop
culture game in the 1980’s to bond with
their kids over a fun and interactive game from their generation. “Each week we have 12 screaming
boys and the kids LOVE it,” says Huda who admits she would like to see more parent involvement
rather than a drop off for the kids. When I asked Huda what exactly is D&D, Huda explained it’s
a medieval, fantasy based, role playing game in which each player creates a character for a magical
world, wherein the cast is then led on missions and adventures, designed and created by the narrator
of the group, or “dungeon master.” “You need a well rounded cast for each game,”says Huda, “It’s
important to have healers, fighters, magicians etc” so everyone can work together to accomplish each
challenge set out by the Dungeon Master. Since its inception, the Club has seen both Jasper Thelin
and Jonathon Scopazzi act as dungeon masters, but the group needs more. “The group sometimes
becomes so large, we would like to separate everyone into two groups, but to do it, we need more
than one dungeon master at a time.”
Huda says the game is best suited for kids 10 years old and up and that she would love to see more
girls! Most importantly, Huda wants everyone to know you don’t need to have experience to join! So
come on down, bring a pot luck snack to share and play!
For more information, contact Huda at hudaj@earthlink.net.
If you know of any significant celebrations, births, deaths, achievements, etc.,
please forward them to donholmlund@yahoo.com for publication in Stone Soup.
Congratulations to the 8th grade graduates of Lagunitas Middle School.
They are: Omar Vicencio, Steven Bohman, Amanda Brown, Simone
Chavez, Kailash De Jager, Makenna Finch, Andrew Gardner, Olivia
Gray, Zoe Grubbs, Chloe Hult, Isabelle Louise, William Marriott, Sean
Morrison, Liam O’Neill, Forest Peri, Miles Phillips, Nicole Pineda,
Danielle Poppe, Rhiannon Reeder, Jasmine Sagebiel, Austen Sewell,
Ivan Snow, Andrea Talas, Marley Van Deusen, Kyla Vangelder, and
Joshua Witt. We will miss you, and we wish you continued success as you
continue your education over the hill.
Congratulations to all of the Drake High School Seniors who were raised
in the Valley and attended the Lagunitas School. We especially want to
acknowledge graduating senior Alexander McQuilkin who has been
volunteering at the Community Center since he was 10 years old. From
(assistant) Master of Ceremonies at the annual talent show and other
major events, to providing office support and serving on the Teen Advisory
Council, Alexander has been a cornerstone of the Community Center. We
look forward to Alexander’s continued work with the Community Center.
Congratulations to Sylvan Cambier, a graduate of Lagunitas School in
1994, who will be getting his Masters in Architecture from the University
of Oregon this June. He received his B.S. in Physics from UCSC in 2003.
The day before he graduates, his younger brother, Galen Licht, will be
graduating with his B.S. in Environmental Science from UCSC. Galen
graduated from Drake High School in 2006.
Another noted milestone for Galen is that on March 29 he won the Santa
Cruz Surf Kayak contest in the Men’s High Performance. What this means
is that he beat the best kayak surfers from all over the world in one of the
most prestigious competitions. It is Galen’s first win in this level of competition. Mom, Avis Licht, is rightfully very proud of her sons.
Congratulations to Kelly Jeanne Gualco who graduated on May 2 from the University of
Portland. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a double major in Social Work and Spanish.
She has volunteered in Mexico, Nicaragua, Louisiana, and Georgia, and has studied abroad
in Granada, Spain. She will be working for a nonprofit, “Seneca,” in San Francisco finding
resources for foster families with special needs children. Kelly was a graduate of Lagunitas
Open Classroom and Middle School as well as Drake High School. She loves her Woodacre
community and is thankful for all the support over the years.
Happy Birthday to Skyler Sabec of Woodacre who turned 6 on May 14 and her mom, Jacqueline,
who celebrates her birthday on June 6; to Sadie Carter who turned 8 on Mother’s Day, May 9; also
celebrating birthdays are Pat Brother’s grandsons Auggie who turns 3 on July 30, and Arjuna who is
one on May 30; and a happy birthday to all others celebrating right about now.
Deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Martha (Marty) Curtis who passed away on
March 5. She was a long time resident of Woodacre on Railroad Avenue and recently moved
back to her birthplace in Michigan. She will be missed by many.
Deepest sympathies to the family of Drake High School senior Jeremy Collins who passed away on
May 13.
Phyllis Ward peacefully passed away on May 1 with her family by her side, overlooking her b eautiful
canyon in Forest Knolls. In 1963 Phyllis married Elbert Ward and they settled in the Valley. Phyllis
received a degree in Expressive Arts from Sonoma State. She was an artist and poet throughout her
life and was an annual participant in the Community Center’s Spring Art Show. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Claudia Ward and her entire family.
Wilderness Calls
by Paul Berensmeier
Valley Environmental
News
Awareness
By Debra Amerson
My teacher gave instruction on “Awareness.” How our thought and
intention influence our surroundings, and, by being “aware,” how
we can observe this.
Renewable Energy — It’s Your Choice
I walked to a favorite place . . . the big pool at the end of Castro
Street in Forest Knolls. I was calm, peaceful. Grandpa alder’s twin
trunks towered above, extensive roots holding the bank together under my feet. The coho
wait here for the right moment before continuing their journey home. A large root curved
out, inviting me to sit. A perfect spot.
A mallard, brilliant green head, swam. He ran the riffle adjoining the pool. He looked me
in the eye, swimming only a few feet away. What would he do? He stopped, turned, and
swam toward me, pausing at a long limb that arched down into the water. Carefully inching himself up out of the water, he shook his body, picked his right foot up, shook that
off, and tucked it inside his warm feathers. We eyed one another . . . different worlds. . . .
May 7, 2010 Marin Clean Energy (MCE) launches a renewable energy
alternative to PG&E’s electric supply to Marin customers. MCE is
responsible for sourcing the power and purchases the energy supply
while PG&E continues to deliver the energy, maintain and repair transmission lines, provide customer service & billing.
The Marin Clean Energy Program supplies nearly twice the renewable energy content that you currently
receive — at the same rates you currently pay to PG&E!
MCE will create new local jobs, spur environmental sustainability iniatives and provide Marin
residents with safer and cleaner energy options. By supporting MCE, you can help to ensure the
stabilization of future clean energy prices. Please support Marin Clean Energy. Don’t be fooled, by
PG&E’s self-funded Prop 16 campaign. Your current electric rates will remain the same. VOTE NO
ON PROP 16.
Satisfied, he shook once more, stretched his neck, tucked his bill into his feathers, and
took a nap. I watched him luxuriating in utter peace, peeping at me occasionally, all the
while balancing on that one foot. Time passed. . . .
(A portion of this text was re-printed from the Marin Energy Authority website by permission of MCE
spokesperson Damon Connolly, Vice Mayor of San Rafael. More info http://marincleanenergy.info/)
Refreshed, he opened his eyes, shook his head and body, took a last long look at me, and
calmly swam downstream. I carefully balanced upon Grandpa alder’s roots, inscribed into
earth mother, imbued with understanding. What a beautiful, calm environment we created . . . for each other. A lesson. . .
Yikes, It’s Tick Season Again!
Community
Wellness
Christin Anderson, M.S.
USF Wellness
Quality of Life and Cell Phones or Mobile Devices
Many among us think we can’t live without them. They are so convenient. We can give a
play-by-play to anyone on where we are and what we are doing at any time. We can now
also take pictures, send text message and emails, and use applications to do our business,
banking, or surf the internet for messages from Lance Armstrong.
We can have our personal relationship with our cell phones so intimate that we do not
have to speak to a live person to set up a meeting or appointment, or even leave our
chairs all day.
This is an amazing technology, but what else is happening? Are we exposing ourselves to
high amounts of radiation? Some scientists say, “yes.”
Is our time with our family, friends, pets, and babies being fragmented by constant
mobile device use? Are we getting so much screen time that we are compromising our
ability to be more mobile and active because we simply don’t have to be? Is part of the
obesity problem related to too much electronic recreation time rather than physical or
outdoor recreation?
Are educators frustrated with distracted students who may be texting or browsing during
class? Have the roadways become more dangerous with drivers distracted while texting,
talking, or reading? And most importantly, what has happened to our civility and manners? Must we listen to other individuals broadcasting their lives while shopping in the
produce department, sitting at the airport, or while eating in a restaurant?
I honestly believe that quality of life has been greatly compromised by the advent of the
cell phone. They are also very expensive and old obsolete phones end up in a landfill.
What to do? Be aware of your personal relationship with your cell phone. Does it trump
all other conversations with human beings?
I still do not have a cell phone and do not plan to get one. I believe maximal freedom
without the tyranny of instant e-mails, cells, or computers is still important. Don’t get me
wrong, I am not anti-technology. I just believe that minimal technology benefits society
rather than more technology. Life, with time for reflection, less distraction, and civility,
has more value, giving us less junk input into our cognitive overload. Trust me — life is
better without Blackberry.
This year after so much rain, the hills and woods are really crawling with deer ticks. May to July is peak
tick season; however, in West Marin ticks are present most of the year. Any outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, biking, and gardening in or near tall grass makes us susceptible to tick bites. Wood
piles are tick habitats and many neighbors use wood for heat almost all year around, so you need to develop
a keen eye. The tiniest ticks, called nymphs, are the size of a pin head and often Lyme disease carriers,
although the larger ticks certainly harbor disease. I use tweezers to grab crawling ticks and then squash them
on a hard surface with my shoe. Red Hill Pet Center carries a new metal remover called a “Tick Key” to
remove embedded ticks from dogs and cats. For people with an embedded tick, saturate it with liquid dish
soap for 5-10 minutes. The detergent makes the tick release their bite for easier removal. When removing a
tick — pull it straight out, don’t twist or it may break under your skin. Save the specimen in a plastic bag
with a moist paper towel for Lyme Disease testing at the Public Health Laboratory Services 920 Grand Ave
(at 4th Street) San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 499-6849. For more Lyme Disease info www.lymedisease.org/
Under Our Skin DVD is now at Video West
I highly suggest that West Marin residents consider making your bedrooms pet-free zones for the health of
your entire family. Pets unknowingly carry live ticks onto your bedding. Last spring, after I had already tested positive for Lyme disease, we found three tiny nymph ticks in the sheets, delivered by our cat. CREEPY!
We now have a permanent “No Animals in the Bedroom” policy. If my story isn’t enough to convince you to
take Lyme Disease seriously, stop by Video West in Forest Knolls and rent my donated copy of Under Our
Skin, Academy Awards Semi-Finalist. This eye-opening film investigates the untold story of Lyme disease.
It’s a dramatic tale of microbes, medicine and money. www.underourskin.com/
Forest Knolls Beams at Night
An overdue congratulations goes out to Thomasina Wilson for trusting my color advice and painting the
Papermill Creek Saloon a vibrant shade of terra cotta. The paint restored the handsome landmark building
for a new era and earthy color complements Valley Venders’ own successful transformation. These positive
upgrades in tandem with the carved wooden bears, peace rallies and periodic visits by the bright red Chinese
Chuck Wagon have elevated the funky laidback country charm of downtown Forest Knolls. Way to go!
Men at Work
Are you familiar with the Marin Roadworks, whose crews are based in Nicascio? These guys work endlessly
year around on the roads we travel everyday, repairing potholes, paving streets, building or un-clogging
culverts, digging storm ditches to prepare our roads for safe passage during torrential winter rains, and when
the hills give way and the rocks slide down. These men do the
mowing of roadside grasses, trim trees and clear brush near
cable, phone and power lines. Often times, we drive by the yellow trucks while these men work hard in the elements using,
shovels, mowers, hand tools or bobcats to clear debris from the
road. These guys are unsung environmental heroes doing public service jobs that most of us would not — or could not even
perform. I recently pulled over on Arroyo Road and thanked a
single Marin Roadworks’ crew for fixing potholes, on the same
day that I called in a request. The very next day, the crew was
back on Arroyo Road doing tree and brush trimming. Once
again, I said, “thanks very much for everything you do for our
community.” The crew was surprised by my appreciation and
looked shell-shocked hearing my words. They said that nobody
EVER says thank you! I was shocked and saddened by fact. Later that day, I called their boss to thank him
and tell him that his crews are superstars! He was extremely appreciative to hear my comments and also was
quite surprised by my call. Again, I was perplexed. You, my wonderful Valley neighbors are kind and generous people. Please join me in appreciating Marin Roadworks at every opportunity. This will be fun. Let’s
kill these guys with kindness. When driving past a Marin Roadwork’s crew, roll your window down, smile
and say thank you to one — or all of the guys. Smiles are free and the words — Thank and You, cost nothing and yet, those two words hold untold value in peoples lives — including your own! Use them — or
lose them! Thanks, everybody.
Debra Amerson leads deeper greeN, using plants and art to create soulful interiors that connect people with the
spiritual aspects of nature and rejuvenate lives--at home and at work. (415) 267-7606 visit www.deepergreen.
org or email debra@deepergreen.org
Movie Muse
By Peter Oppenheimer
“My name is Salmon, like the fish. First name, Susie. I was 14 years old when
I was murdered on December 6, 1973.” Thus begins the outrageously ambitious, 2002 novel, The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. Sebold’s ambition is
nothing less than to create a story (i.e., vision of life and death) of delicate
beauty and indelible hope that looks squarely in the face of the ugliest aspects
of human nature and the most crushing of tragic circumstances. The great
critical acclaim heaped upon The Lovely Bones, as well as its commercial success (over 12 million copies sold), testifies to the degree to which those ambitions were achieved.
I was one of the millions of readers who were captivated by this story, which though often
creepy and even briefly gruesome, remained infused with the intense light of an innocence just
possibly incapable of degradation, corruption or extinction. Thus it was with great anticipation,
and no small amount of skepticism, that I approached the movie version of The Lovely Bones
directed by Oscar winner Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings). After my third viewing, I am fully
prepared to declare the film, too, as a stunning achievement.
The story is about the life and
afterlife, the murder and aftermath, of a 14-year-old girl, who
even in death remains its narrator and fulcrum. It is as if we are
taken by the hand and led by this
sweet, though initially perplexed,
adolescent girl through the outer
events and inner determinants
surrounding this tragedy and the
attempts to come to grips with
it on the part of the family and
friends left behind, the murderer himself and the victim herself, who finds herself in a sort of
In-Between zone connecting earth and heaven. Those left behind cannot truly go on living
until they can accept and make some kind of peace with what has happened, and Susie, too,
must somehow learn to let go of the world she is leaving behind before she can become free to
experience whatever unknown wonders may lie ahead for her.
It is certainly one of the great spiritual challenges of our time to be able to hold onto the flame
of love, and faith in the power of love, while at the same time remaining open and acknowledging of the persistence of death, tragedy and human evil. Then, too, perhaps there is no
greater spiritual challenge than that of facing, accepting, even somehow embracing, one’s own
death, the crowning “tragedy” awaiting each and every one of us. All of these issues are dealt
with explicitly and implicitly in a film, which at the same time is, in the director’s own words,
“a darkly comic, very fast-paced, crime thriller.”
At first, after the murder, Susie doesn’t know she is dead, because she is able to move around and
observe the lives of her family, as well as her murderer. Meanwhile as the living try to solve the mystery of her murder and Susie tries to solve the mystery of the In-Between where she finds herself,
the living to varying degrees remain vaguely aware of her presence and are still subtly affected by her
ardent feelings. In this telling, what is spooky about the nearness of the dead to the living is not the
presence of the dead, but that the living, for the most part, do not realize this proximity.
The film (as the book) has a very delicate way of posing the question, in what way do the living
remain connected to the departed and vice versa. How can such connections remain healthy and
conducive to life (and perhaps even an afterlife) rather than morbid and constricting? Heady
and hearty stuff, but dealt with in a very suspenseful and entertaining way.
Ultimately, The Lovely Bones is a thoughtful and tender supernatural thriller with mystical overtones and comic undertones. The always-beguiling Susan Sarandon, as a hard drinking, curler
wearing, smoking-in-bed, kitchen fire starting, trash-talking grandmother, provides some needed comic relief. But there are numerous other comic aspects to what could rather have been
a dark or demonic tale. Mention must also be made of Stanley Tucci’s chilling and nuanced,
Oscar-nominated performance as the murderer.
Saoirse Ronan (15), who already earned an Oscar nomination at the age of 13 for her supporting role in Atonement, deserves another one here,even if only for her expert voice over.
As Susie Salmon, she is the radiant heart of the film. During one moment of understandable
weakness, seeing the torment her murder is causing her family, she cries out to us, “Look at
what he’s done to me [referring to her murderer]. When I was alive I never hated anyone, but
now hate is all I have.” But when she sees that same hatred infect her father, debilitate, and lead
him astray, she searches for some entirely different resolution, a kind of innocence restored and
renewed.
Improbably bright and hopeful, The Lovely Bones has many profound things to teach us about
dealing with tragedy and accepting the death of dear ones, but what is most profound is that both
the book and the film of The Lovely Bones challenge us to face the inevitability of our own death
with grace, the grace that enables us to still hold, behold and love the world without us in it.
4th of July Parade, Flea
Market, BBQ, Music &
Games
Join the fun by celebrating the 4th
of July by cheering the parade,
finding treasures at the flea market,
enjoying the BBQ and Sky Blue
Band music at the Dickson Ranch
in Woodacre.
The San Geronimo Valley Lions
encourage family and friends to
create a fun float and cruise down
the candy strewn parade route. The
2010 4th of July Country Gardens
34th annual celebration begins at
San Geronimo Valley Lions Club members Dave O’Connor,
Noon with the Parade assembling
Bob Gardner, and Alison Rider cheerfully serve up refreshnear the Woodacre Improvement
ments to the 4th of July crowd.
Club (One Garden Way) and
marching down Railroad Avenue to
the Dickson Ranch for good ol’ country fun with horse & pony rides, contests, bingo, kids’
games, gunny sack races and a 2-man saw contest. Enjoy the BBQ, Flea Market, and music by
Sky Blue Band.
To participate in the parade and/or flea market, pick up applications at any post office in the
San Geronimo Valley. For flea market information call 415- 827-0518.
Free Disposal — Green
Waste Days
The Marin County Fire Department is sponsoring free disposal of green waste yard materials,
such as leaves, tree branches, grass, and light brush. No Poison Oak or building material or
general debris. Two locations: Nicasio (across from Nicasio Corp. Yard) on June 19 and 20; 26
and 27; July 10 and 11 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Olema (B.B. Ranch at intersection of
Highway 1 and Sir.Francis Drake) on July 17 and 18, July 31 and August 1, 7, and 8 from 9:00
am to 4:00 pm. Please tarp all loads.
Gym Schedule for June,
July, and August
By Dave Cort
Monday
4:30 pm to 6 pm: Women’s Open Gym
6 pm to 8 pm: Middle and High School student Open Gym w/Eddie Joe Chavez
Tuesday
6:30 pm to 8 pm: Volleyball Open Gym with Anny Owen
Wednesday
2 pm to 3:30 pm: Open Gym for kids of all ages with Buck Chavez (through June)
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Adult Open Gym
Thursday
To Be Decided
Friday
Loft events for Middle School and High Students
Saturday
To Be Decided
Sunday
4 pm to 7 pm: Ping Pong with Jack Sayers (We currently have 5 ping pong tables)
Lagunitas School
Update
For more information, see story on page 1.
2010 Gallery Art Shows at
the Maurice Del Mue Galleries
Valley Room — Enter through Lobby
West Room — Adjoining Valley Room
by Steve Rebscher
O.K. a school update. More bad news. Well, you’re half right. There seemed to be a light at
the end of the tunnel. For the past four months state revenues exceeded projected amounts.
It looked like the state’s financial crisis, and hard times for our schools, might be nearing
an end. Well, in April revenues fell off sharply so the light moved a little farther back in the
proverbial tunnel again and we’re hoping for better news by the next Stone Soup.
JUNE
So what is the bright side? In the past month two major renovation projects came to our
schools supported by outside funding. Using state “modernization” funds we have accepted
a bid to replace the windows and doors on the lower campus. The first phase of this project
will be completed this summer. When students come to school in August they will enjoy a
more efficient, comfortable and cleaner learning environment.
Valley Room
Three Generations of Printmakers
West Room
Printermakers Group Show
Opening reception on Sunday, July 11, 4:00–7:00 pm
Valley Room
Latino Photo Project group show
West Room
Fay Wyles
Opening reception on Sunday, June 13, 4:00–7:00 pm
JULY
AUGUST
Valley Room
West Room
TBA
Marsha Krebbs
Part two. On April 24, our campus received a one day “makeover” generously supported by
Comcast, Inc. The Lagunitas School District was chosen as a local recipient of this year’s Comcast
Care Day, a nationwide effort to improve appearance and safety in our public schools. More than
200 volunteers from Comcast, the SGV community, school staff and administration contributed
their Saturday to make our school shine. In addition to volunteers, Comcast supplied almost
$8,000 in materials for the work and brought breakfast and lunch for everyone! Work accomplished included refurbishing the baseball field dugouts, landscaping around the Montessori classrooms, administration building and gym, general maintenance, and new sand and equipment on
both playgrounds. At the upper campus, new life was given to the old concrete dragon, the garden
areas for both the Waldorf program and Open Classroom were weeded, planters replaced and
replanted, and new storage was built for sports equipment. Hundreds of small cleanup chores were
completed in addition to these major efforts.
Three Generations of Printmakers (continued from page 11)
Our deepest thanks goes to everyone that participated in the planning, organization and
hands-on work that made this workday a resounding success and, of course, to Comcast for
their sponsorship.
Lawrence: All the great draughtsmen, from the prehistoric animal drawing masters to the
generation just ahead of my own; Rivers, Kitaj, Baskin, Jim Dine, Oldenburg, and the masters
of sequential art, that would be comic book artists. Moebius was particularly influential during
the
late 70’s and early 80’s.
San Geronimo Valley
Emergency Fund
Zach: Sort of a random group: Russell Chatham, Nathan Oliveira, Egon Schiele, Degas, and
right now the person’s work that inspires me a great deal is a local painter named Kristen
Garneau. Lastly, both my parents have been the most influential as I have grown up watching
them
work.
Jazz on the Lawn
Watch for Jazz on the Lawn posters with information on our biggest event of the year.
Tons of Fun
Live Music
Oysters
Wine
Silent Auction
and the best company you can possibly imagine!
Opening Reception on Sunday, August 8, 4:00–7:00 pm
Zach: There’s something about the process of printmaking that forces you to step away from
your work as you make it. When you put the paper on the plate or block and put it through
the press there is a level of unknown ‘until you lift the paper back up and see the result. That
interaction
of hand, ink, plate, paper and pressure just works for me better than anything else.
What
artists or artworks have influenced your work?
Where
did you receive your training? Lawrence:
At the Art Center College of Design. I now take ceramic classes at College of Marin
Zach:
The San Francisco Art Institute and the California College of Arts and Crafts.
Is
it true all three generations of Gilmours have used the same press?
Lawrence: No. My father’s press was a proof-press used by typographers in the age of hand-set
metal type. His wood engravings were done on type-high blocks of boxwood and locked up on
the
press bed for inking and printing.
Zach: Though we still do have that press in storage, we just have not had the place/room to set
it
up.
Lawrence: Zach and I do share the etching press that I bought in the 1970’s. That press is now
in Zach’s studio in Forest Knolls. The Gilmour family exhibit will be held in July in conjunction with a group show of local
printmakers.
We encourage you to patronize our
advertisers— please let them know
you saw their ad in Stone Soup.
Advertise in Stone Soup!
Published quarterly, Stone Soup is distributed to every Valley post office box.
Stone Soup Display Ad Rates:
Business Rate
Formatted Unformatted
Business card (2" x 3.5") $55
$90
1/8 page (4-7/8"w x 2-7/8"h) $80
$115
¼ page (4-7/8"w x 6"h)@ $110
$145
½ page (10"w x 6"h) $210
$245
Non-Profit Rate
Business card (2" x 3.5") $40
1/8 page (4-7/8"w x 2-7/8"h) $60
¼ page (4-7/8"w x 6"h)
$90
½ page (10"w x 6"h)
$170
$75
$95
$125
$205
Full payment must accompany all ads.
For more information, please contact:
Larry Rippee
Stone Soup Ad Coordinator
488-8888 #252
Credits
Stone Soup is printed four times a year and reflects the diverse cultural
interests of the Community Center and the Valley. Though it is a publication of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, it is meant as
a journal for everyone in or around the Valley. We are interested in your
input. If you have any comments, ideas for articles or columns, news,
art, stories, poetry, photography, or information for the Milestones column, please forward them to: The Stone Soup Editorial Committee c/o
San Geronimo Valley Community Center, 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
P.O. Box 194, San Geronimo, CA 94963. Phone 415-488-8888 •
Fax: 488-9398 • email: admin@sgvcc.org, or visit www.sgvcc.org.
Stone Soup does not exercise editorial control on the content of
submissions by organizations, byline columnists, or display ads. We
reserve the right to refuse to publish ads or submissions.
Editorial Committee: Barbara & Larry Brauer, Dave Cort,
Don Holmlund
Proofreading: Dave Cort, Hannah Doress, Larry Rippee, Suzanne
Sadowsky
Production: Wordsworth
Printing: Marin Sun
Ads: Larry Rippee
Center Board of Directors:
Debra Amerson, President
Marian H. Cremin, LCSW
Anne McClain, Vice President Liza Crosse
Georgiana Hernandez, Treasurer Don Holmlund
Barbara Swift Brauer, Secretary Dahlia Kamesar
John Carroll
Helen Zucker
Jean Berensmeier, Founder
Community
Calendar
June
Community Center Staff Directory
and Phone Extensions
488-8888 (be sure to press # before dialing the ext.)
Fri
6/4 7:30 pm
Mon 6/75:00 pm
Wed 6/9 6:00 pm
Fri
6/11
11:00 am
Sat 6/12 all day
Wed 6/16 Thurs 6/17 9 am – 2 pm
Thurs 6/24 12:30–4:30 pm
Sun 6/20 3:30 pm
Sun 6/27 1:00 pm
Mon 6/28 9:00 am
9:00 am
Film Night: Napoleon Dynamite
Comm Center
HCC Community BBQ Presby Church
Lagunitas School Graduation
Lag School
Release of Draft Riparian Vegetation Protection Ordinance
Last day of school
St. Cecilia’s Annual Golf Tournament
SGV Golf Course
Fairfax Festival Fairfax
Draft Riparian Ordinance community meeting
Exploring San Geronimo Ridge Nature Walk W. Evans Trailhead
Free Legal Aid Clinic
Comm Center
SF Mime Troupe
Comm Center
St. Mary’s Family Picnic, Potluck & BBQ
SP Taylor
Summer Camp begins
Loft/Comm Center
Summer Bridge begins
Room 9
Sun 7/4 8:00 am
Noon
Fri
7/9 7:00 pm
Sun 7/11 4 – 7 pm
Sat 7/24 7/24 8:00 pm
Tues 7/27 10:00 am
Pancake Breakfast
4th of July Parade, Flea Market, BBQ
Overnight in the Loft
Three Generations of Printmakers & Group
Printermaking Show reception
SEP community meeting
Walter Strauss & Mamadou Sidibe Live
Loft Beach Day at Stinson
Woodacre FD
Woodacre
Loft
Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad
Art reception: Marsha Krebbs
Women’s Health Information Forum
Mystic Roots
Evening at Roy’s Redwoods Family Picnic
First day of school
Gan HaLev Sunday School Open House
Comm Center
Comm Cenet
Comm Center
Comm Center
Roys Redwoods
July
Regular Meetings and Events
Comm Center
Community Center Board mtg.
Healthy Comm. Collaborative
Lions Club Dinner
4-H Meeting
Nutrition Advisory Council
School Board mtg.
Lag. Ed. Foundation (LEAP) mtg.
F.L.A.G.ship Bookmobile
Serenity Knolls After Care mtg.
SGV Planning Group WIC Board Meeting
Rainbow Playgroup
Rainbow Playgroup
Senior Lunch
Artists' Receptions
Marin County Library Bookmobile
SGV Al-Anon Family Group
Comm Center
Comm Center
August
Wed 8/4 8:00 pm
Sun 8/8 4 – 7 pm
Thur 8/12 10:30 am
Sat 8/21 6 – 10 pm
5 – 8 pm
Tues 8/24
Sun 8/29 10:00 am
Comm Center
September
Wed
Sat
Sun Fri
Fri
9/5 7:00 pm
9/11 5:30 pm
9/12 4 – 7 pm
9/17 7:00 pm
9/24 7:30 pm
Adult
Classes
at the
Center
Rosh Hashana Begins
5th Annual Community Center Gala Art Reception: Griffe Griffith
Kol Nidre
Film Night: Wall-e
DAY
Mondays Mondays
Mondays
Tuesdays
Wednesdays
Wednesdays
Wednesdays
Thursdays
Thursdays
Thursdays
Thursdays Saturdays
Saturdays
Comm Center
SGV Golf Course
Comm Center
Comm Center
Comm Center
CLASS
T’ai Chi Chuan
Gentle Yoga
Total Body Sculpting Core Exercises
Corematics
Morning T'ai Chi Class
Family Dog 1
Corematics
Gentle Chair Yoga
Argentine Tango Fundamentals
Gentle Yoga
Cultivating Herbal Medicine Woman
Dave Cort, Center Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #224
director@sgvcc.org
Suzanne Sadowsky, Associate Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #251
valleyresourcecenter@sgvcc.org
Hannah Doress, Event Programmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #253
arts@sgvcc.org
Larry Rippee, Visual Arts Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #252
stonesoup@sgvcc.org
Susan Shannon, Youth Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #210
sshannon108@earthlink.net
Julie Young, Youth Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #210
classes@sgvcc.org
Lynn Charne, VAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #214
vasttutor@yahoo.com
Alison Pringle, VAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #214
pringle_alison@yahoo.com
Alex Cusick, School Readiness, First 5 Marin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #209
qsix@comcast.net
Heather Richardson, Youth Program, Family Advocate, First 5 . . . . #209
heatherrichardson@comcast.net
Jennifer B. Justice, Facilities Manager, Family Advocate, First 5. . . . . #250
admin@sgvcc.org
Joseph Piekutoski, Human Services Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #254
nutrition@sgvcc.org
The Loft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488-4118, ext. 218
Gym Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488-4118, ext. 219
2nd Thursday
2nd Wednesday
4th Thursday
2nd Wednesday
4th Thursday
3rd Tuesday
1st Monday
2nd/4thWednesday
Every Tuesday
2nd Monday 3rd Tuesday
Every Tuesday Every Thursday Every Thursday
2nd Sunday
2nd Thursday
Thursdays
6:00 pm
Com Center
3:30 pm
Com Center
7–9 pm
TBA
6:30 pm
Com Center
3:30 pm
Com Center
6:00 pm
Lag. School
7:00 pm
Lag. School
12:30 pm Com Center
7:00 pm
Com Center
7:30 pm
Com Center
7:00 pm
WIC
10–noon Room 9
10–noon Room 9
Noon
Com Center
4:00 pm
Com Center
1:15–2:15 pm Com Center
7–8 pm
Presby. Church
SGVCC Website
The San Geronimo Valley Community Center’s weekly listing of events
and activities is posted on our regularly updated website. Visit us at:
www.sgvcc.org. Email us at admin@sgvcc.org to join our email list.
TIME
8:30–9:30 am
10:00–11:15 am
6:30 pm
7:30–8:30 am
8:30–9:30 am
9:00 am
6:30–7:30 pm
7:30–8:30 am
9:00 am
11:00–11:50 am
6:30–8:00 pm
10:00–11:15 am
9:30 am–5:30 pm
TEACHER
CONTACT START DATE
Jacob Barnett 488-4458
Ongoing
Florence Schneider
488-4869 x 2 Ongoing
Suzanne Shelly
Ongoing
George Adams
488-1084
Ongoing
Kenn Chase
488-4213
Ongoing
Suzanne Shelly
Ongoing
Holly McArthur
259-9481
6/23-7/28
George Adams
488-1084
Ongoing
Suzanne Shelly
Ongoing
Florence Schneider
Janet Lott
272-4811
Ongoing
Florence Schneider
Kami McBride
707-446-1290 Monthly

Hometown Heroes Mystic Roots Return to Benefit Community Center

Transcription

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