Lafayette Today July 2016

[email protected]

Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center: Where the Past Informs the FutureBy Jody Morgan

Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center (315 Cortsen Road, Pleasant Hill) is tucked into a residential neighborhood developed on land once farmed by the Rodgers family. The ranch house, Pleasant Hill’s oldest extant structure, is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. The sloping ground surrounding the building is a vibrant urban farm where classes in the kind of sustainable practices pioneer families em-ployed are taught from the perspective of what will best sustain future generations. Seasonal festivals bring crowds of all ages to savor the experience, while neighbors gather regularly to enjoy connecting.

In 1987, 120 years after the structure was completed, the Pleasant Hill Historical Society succeeded in saving the ranch house from demolition by facilitating the transfer of ownership of the Rodgers’ home, original wheat barn, and 2+ acres to

the Pleasant Hill Park and Recreation District. Loved by many families over the years, the house was in a sorry state of disrepair and the barn was beyond redemp-tion. A non-profi t formed as the Friends of Rodgers Ranch in 1991 and renamed the Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center (RRHC) in 2014 took on the task of restoration. When fundraising permits, salvaged portions of the dismantled barn, supplemented by 19th century wood from an Alhambra Valley barn of similar vintage, will be in-corporated in a structure visually identical from the exterior. Modern interior space will include room for workshops.

Current President of RRHC Denise Koroslev noticed some raised beds on the site during her daily morning walk in 1996. People working on the beds invited her to a meeting. Soon she was immersed in more than just planting herbs. “Physically helping with the restoration,” she writes, “enabled me to see ‘within the walls’ how the house was built. It helped me get a feel for the evolution of the site and all of its occupants over the years.”

In 2008, the renovated farmhouse was ready to welcome visitors as well as to offer

The Urban FarmersBy Fran Miller

If your fruit trees are overfl owing and your neighbors greet your offer of yet another bag of lemons with a yawn, it might be time to call The Urban Farmers. No one enjoys seeing their ripened fruit go to waste, but most people don’t know what to do about it. The Urban Farmers can help. The volunteers from this Lafayette non-profi t organization harvest

excess backyard fruit and donate it to the needy. It’s a classic win-win. The organization’s goal is to build a community-based, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable model of hunger relief.

See Farmers continued on page 17

July 2016 Serving the Lafayette Community

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit 21

Lafayette, CA

ECRWSS

LocalPostal Customer

Volume X - Number 73000F DANVILLE BLVD #117

ALAMO, CA 94507Telephone (925) 405-6397

Fax (925) 406-0547 [email protected]

Alisa Corstorphine ~ PublisherThe opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily refl ect that of Lafayette Today. Lafayette Today is not responsible for the content of any of the ad-vertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.

Burton Valley Class Shoots High to Raise Money for the Hidden Genius ProjectThe Book Bonanza is an annual fundraiser that has been a long-standing tradition at Burton Valley Elementary School. Every year, the students from Ms. Martinsen’s 4/5 grade AIM class collect, price, and, of course, sell, books. . . at incredibly low prices (some books are as cheap as 10¢). All proceeds go to a charitable cause, and this year the students chose to support The Hidden Genius Project. Based in Oakland, this non-profi t organization provides Oakland (and surrounding area) black male youths with the knowledge, skills, mentors, and experiences to obtain and create technological jobs in this new, global, 21st-century economy. The whole class banded together to complete each step in the process, and after three weeks of collections and pricing, the two-day sale was on. Classes from the Burton Valley community came to support the AIM class, buying books and contributing donations to the donation jar. After the frenzy, the students counted their change bags and were thrilled to realize they had surpassed their goal and raised $1,439.21! The students presented a check to Brandon Nicholson of The Hidden Genius Project right after winter break and felt good knowing they had made a difference in many disadvantaged children’s lives.

See Observatory continued on page 21

See Troops cont. on page 2

Tribute to the Troops Concert and PicnicHonoring our Veterans and Saluting our Troops Saturday July 16th ~ 5:30PM to twilight

There was a day when veterans came home to their communities with arms wide open. Communities would organize, have a parade, and celebrate their return. These traditions, like our veterans, have been forgotten. So in the spirit of remembering our veterans, Lafayette Rotary will honor veterans of all wars, peacetime service, active reserves, and military. Along with the call out to veterans, active troops and families are invited to attend. Master of Ceremonies duties go to ABC News Anchor Dan Ashley. Each branch of military will be honored with their song, and small American fl ags will be distributed to veterans or their families.

Tribute to the troops

AT THE RESCONCERT

The culinary class runs sessions almost year round.

See Ranch continued on page 4

www.yourmonthlypaper.comPage 2 - July 2016 ~ Lafayette Today

3344 Mt. Diablo Blvd.Lafayette, CA925.284.4440

Family Owned BusinessSince 1989

• CARPET• HARDWOOD• RUGS• LINOLEUM

www.LamorindaFloors.comLicense# 708486

NEW YEARNEW FLOORS!• CARPET• HARDWOOD• RUGS• CUSTOM RUGS• LINOLEUM• TILE

ToastmastersDevelop Your Presentation Skills!

Goal Achievers Toastmasters meetings are held every Monday from 7:15 - 8:15pm at Atria Park Lafayette, located at 1545 Pleasant Hill Road. Become the speaker and leader you want to be. The group is open to everyone aged 18 and up. For more information, visit http://goalachievers.toastmastersclubs.org.

Search and RescueThe Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Search and

Rescue Team needs volunteer members to respond to missing person incidents, disasters, and other critical incidents. Team members are on call 24/7 year-round. The program provides required training; including wilderness traveling, fi rst aid, map and compass us-age, tracking disaster response, and search skills; and may also include special training for canine, eques-trian, technical, mountain bike, or other rescue skills.

For information and applications, visit www.contracostasar.org or call 925-646-4461.

Lamorinda Peace and JusticeThe Lamorinda Peace and Justice Group

meets the fourth Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9PM in the Fireside Room of Lafayette Methodist Church, 955 Moraga Road, Lafayette. The group is committed to working to support a healthy planet, a thriving local community, and a safe, equitable world for all. For information, call (925) 946-0563.

Bring a blanket, lawn chairs and a picnic, and join in the activities at the Lafayette Reservoir on Saturday, July 16th from 5:30pm to twilight, and honor our country’s heroes with your attendance at the free concert under the stars which includes:

• The Big Band of Rossmoor • Special Guests - Shakey Zimmerman Acoustic Trio • Program honoring veterans, active duty troops and reserves • Military vehicles from the Department of Defense • Historic Jeeps and equipment vehicles• The Mobile Vet Center with onsite counseling on veterans benefi ts,

healthcare, fi nances, education, and housing• Lafayette Rotary’s new stage and picnic area overlooking the lakeThe 32-piece Big Band of Rossmoor, fi rst established over 25 years ago, is

comprised of musicians ages 14 to 93. The goal of the group is to build community by providing educational and performance opportunities for all ages.

Shakey Zimmerman Acoustic Trio brings to you a set of unforgettable songs penned by Bob Dylan and Neil Young. The group performs the most famous numbers from the cannon of these two iconic legends, done true to form. Singer, guitarist, and harmonica player, Pat Nevins -- known by Lafayette Art & Wine Festival goers and Town Hall Theatre patrons for his uncanny ability to channel both Dylan and Young -- is supported here by Piedmont Style fi ngerpicking guitar ace, Jody Salino and Walnut Creek Orchestra bassist, Peter Ruszel. The trio is sheer magic. Don't miss this set. Satisfaction guaranteed!

The Big Band of Rossmoor is presented by Generations in Jazz.For more information, visit www.rotarylafayette.org.

Troops continued from front page

Lafayette Community Foundation’s Senior Symposium

The 8th Annual Senior Symposium “Aging by Design,” sponsored by the Lafayette Community Foundation, will be held on Saturday, August 6th, at 8:30AM to noon. This free event is a most informative resource fair for seniors in the Lamorinda community, with more than 40 booths sponsored by local vendors of services to seniors, as well as many non-profi t organizations that serve seniors in the community.

The event will be held in downtown Lafayette, at Lafayette Elementary School, 950 Moraga Road. There is plenty of parking in the back of the school on the black top in the play-area, across the street in the city lot, or in the lot of the old library.

Advanced registration qualifi es for a special raffl e prize. Either call (925) 284-8214 or visit the Lafayette Community Foundation’s website www.lafayettelcf.org. There is no charge for attendees. The vendors will set up the courtyard under the trees, and the speakers will be conveniently in the gymnasium.

Speakers will include Dr. Sandra Karpenko, John Muir Health’s Medical Director of Palliative Care, speaking on Palliative Care; Anne Ornelas, the Executive Director of the Lamorinda Village, with an update on this community based program to help seniors age in place, Lafayette Senior Commission, with programming for seniors available through the city of Lafayette and the work of the Commission; Ann Thomas, President of Hearing Loss Association of America Diablo Valley Chapter, speaking on Hearing Health; and Annie Goglia, of Life Fire Workshops and Coaching, presenting Laughter Yoga.

This free event provides the most up-to-date resources for Lamorinda seniors and helps to raise funds for the Lafayette Community Foundation, which has historically supported many local organizations since its inception in 1999 with “Excellence Grants” of over $370,000. Over the years, LCF has helped Meals on Wheels, Contra Costa Food Bank, Senior Helpline Services, and the Senior Transportation Program’s Spirit Van, among others. The LCF is best know for raising $14 million to build the new library, and more recently they worked with Rotary to build the stage at the reservoir.

School Board Positions AvailableAre you interested in becoming a School Board Member? The Lafayette

School District has two Governing Board positions up for election in November 2016. To learn more about the role of a Governing Board member, please attend an informational workshop on Thursday, July 14 th, at 1PM. in the Lafayette School District Board Room, 3477 School Street. Contact Sharon Carman at (925) 927-3502 for additional information.

Sons in Retirement Lamorinda Branch 174Sons in Retirement is a social organization of retired and semi-retired

men who enjoy spending leisure time with friends and activities. Activities include golf, bowling, bocce ball, table pool, travel, fi shing, computers & technology, bridge, poker, pinochle, investing, wine tasting, walking, astronomy, stamp collecting, etc.

The group meets for lunch at 11AM the second Wednesday monthly at Holy Trinity Culture Center, located at 1700 School Street in Moraga. The guest speaker on July 13th will be Amy Morosini. She is a survivor of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and now works with individuals with TBI.

For attendance and membership info, call Tyler at (925) 284-5561. Please visit the club’s website at www.branch174.sirinc2.org.

Calling all Makers, Tinkerers, Creators, DIYers: Celebrate a Summer of S.T.E.A.M.

Join in a FREE day of fun and discovery at the Lafayette Library & Learning Center’s third Annual MakerFest on Saturday July 30th from 10am-3pm. Spend a day at the Lafayette Library & Learning Center celebrating makers, creators, and the curious in our community! Demonstrations for all ages include 3D printing, Air-powered Rocketry, Programmable Microcontrollers, Lego Robotics, Cosplay, and much more. Hands-on projects inclue a DIY Beauty Bar, Scribble Bots, DIY Instruments, engineering/ building tinker area, photo booth, and computer programming for beginners. There's something for everyone. All ages are welcome. Come and create with us!

Special Guests include Cubit, plug and play programmable electronics, Lowell Richards, Drone Photography, Dave Briccetti, Computer Programming, Contra Costa Libraries 3D Printer Task Team, Republic Services Recycling, Ukrainian egg decorating demos by local crafter Evie Michon, and East Bay’s own Teren Clan of the Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club.

Register online at http://tinyurl.com/makerfestLAF2016

[email protected]

last a lifetime. The picture at left is on the wall in our home “hall of fame.” The kids were covered head to toe in paint and had a day they still fondly recall.

Help your kids be kids this summer. Switch off their devices and push them outside, and let them get dirty and enjoy it. There is an amazing world of imagina-tion and discovery just waiting, and it can’t be found on a screen.

Lafayette Today ~ July 2016 - Page 3

Boulevard View By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

When I grew up, we walked or rode bikes to school, and after-wards we played hide-n-go-seek and kick the can in the front yard together. We invented contraptions, neighborhood boys created jumps for their Sting-Ray bicycles, and we all stayed outside just as long

as possible before being called inside for dinner. When we got grimy while playing, it was accepted as the way kids are, and it was normal. That’s what the bath was for!

Our neighbors have amazing kids, and we love to hear them outside playing. Their parents have given them a love of all sports, but they have a special love of basketball. We hear them outside shooting hoops and playing around until the very last rays of light are gone and they can no longer see the basket. It’s especially heartwarming to hear their father playing with them, coaching them, and teaching them tricks, or competing with

them and w a t c h i n g his playing superiority fade more every day! I th ink I love watch-ing them s o m u c h b e c a u s e they’re out experienc-

ing life instead of huddling inside looking at a screen.When we held a recent graduation party for our daugh-

ter, we made it a point to have several outside lawn games for people to play including cornhole - a beanbag tossing game, Spikeball which is a modifi ed 2v2 volleyball game, a large-size Kerplunk game, a jumbo set of Jenga blocks made with cut 2x4’s instead of little wooden blocks, and another throwing gamed called Ladderball. All of these games got people of all ages moving and interacting to-gether, and they were having fun all afternoon.

When I was a little girl, I remember riding bikes down to the local creek to wade in the water to look for tadpoles and frogs. Wearing a ratty pair of Keds “tennies” we would splash and explore. We got wet and dirty, and we made messes and didn’t care, and neither did our moms, because that was what playing was supposed to be. Kids are always grimy little beasts, and we were just fulfi lling our roles!

I think being willing to get dirty is related to being willing to get involved in anything, no matter what it is nor how old you are. It’s about being willing to endure that messiness of the situation, look past momentary discomforts, and do whatever it takes to meet an objective. The goal can be about having some fun, or it can be about fi xing a tire, or mowing the lawn, or painting a room, or digging up the yard to plant a garden. But none of those things can happen without the messiness that comes with engaging in the process.

I have made a few trips with kids to the Adventure Playground in Berkeley (www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/adventureplayground). This free 37-year-old park is a great place to build, explore, get dirty, and have fun - if you go, don’t wear good clothes, and perhaps bring a change of clothes and a Hefty bag for dirty ones! The free park offers paints, tools, and nails in exchange for a few minutes of “work” tidying up the park. Not only can you build additions on to the park, but you can paint it as well. The last two groups of kids got carried away and painted each other as much as the playground but made memories that will

Some tools, some water, and some dirt made for an afternoon of mud-fun.

Berkeley’s Adventure Playground is a great place to spend the day.

Lic #079200358

Call today to schedule your personal visit and enjoy lunch on us!

Retirement Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care

Enjoy More Anytime Dining

A full life is a happy life. And nothing should keep you from enjoying a great meal. That’s why we created our Enjoy More Anytime Dining program – so you can dine on

your own schedule, whenever it works for you.

(925) 854-1858 1010 Second Street Lafayette, CA 94549 merrillgardens.com

at Merrill Gardens


If you fi nd him and your name is drawn!$50 REWARD

Lost Dog!

Send a letter telling us where you found him, along with your name and address to:

Lost Dog! Lafayette Today, 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo, CA 94507

He is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to fi nd him.

Joshua Champlin is our winner!Luther was hiding on page 15 last month!

Lafayette Luther is MissingHe has become lost in this paper.

Lafayette Juniors Raise $55,000 for Charity The Lafayette Juniors raised $55,000 in the last 12 months for local non-

profi t organizations. The funds were awarded on June 2nd by the Lafayette Juniors in a special ceremony at the Lafayette Community Center to Youth Homes, Diablo Ballet, Lamorinda Spirit Van, and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.

The Lafayette Juniors have a history of organizing fundraising events like the Rummage Sale in the Fall and the Kitchen Tour in the Spring to raise money for selected benefi ciaries. This year the Juniors chose Youth Homes, an agency dedicated to serving traumatized foster children and young adults in the San Francisco Bay Area, as their major benefi ciary. The Juniors donated $25,000 to support the work Youth Homes has been doing since 1965. As the oldest, continually operating children’s residential program in Contra Costa County, Youth Homes transforms the lives of young people through a comprehensive system of care that includes crisis shelters, community-based counseling, residential treatment homes, and private home placement.

“From the day Youth Homes was selected to be one of the benefi ciaries for the Lafayette Juniors fundraising efforts, they took earnest interest in our youth. They toured our homes, educated themselves about foster care, and became advocates for our kids. The donation of $25,000 will support our programs for transition-age youth to help them launch into adulthood. For young adults exiting the foster care system who often do not have family to turn to, these funds will help with expenses like a security deposit for housing, food, transportation, education courses, and other needs to assist them in the transition,” states Stuart McCullough, CEO of Youth Homes. “All of us at Youth Homes feel very fortunate to have the Lafayette Juniors dedicated to serving the community in which we all live and work.”

The Lafayette Juniors also donated $15,000 to Diablo Ballet’s PEEK Outreach Program and $7,500 each to Lamorinda Spirit Van and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.

The Lafayette Juniors are looking forward to continuing this tradition of giving and are accepting applications from now until July 31st from all non-profi ts in Contra Costa and neighboring counties in the San Francisco Bay Area who serve women, families, and seniors and others requiring assistance. The Juniors will select four organizations from the applicant pool to become their 2016–2017 benefi ciaries. Fundraising for these groups will begin this Fall. To obtain an application or learn more about the Lafayette Juniors, please visit www.lafayettejuniors.org.About the Lafayette Juniors

Founded in 1953, the Lafayette Juniors is a non-profi t organization made up of local women who come together to raise funds and offer service in support of other non-profi ts that serve women, families, and seniors as well as other people in need throughout Contra Costa and neighboring counties in the San Francisco area. Over the past 17 years, the Lafayette Juniors have raised more than $650,000 for Bay Area non-profi t groups.

meeting space for local organizations. Currently, the Northern California Unit of the Herb Society of America, the Pleasant Hill Historical Society, and the Contra Costa Succulent Garden Club meet regularly in the Rodgers House. Private tours are tailored for each group. “Sometimes it is just a tour, and sometimes it is several hours of hands-on activities such as doing wash in a washtub, churning butter, and playing old fashion games,” Koroslev explains.

Denise notes that scout contributions are most appreciated. “There have been many Eagle Scout projects at the ranch providing many beautiful addi-tions such as wooden benches, display cases, new rock walls, fences, and a pergola. Girl Scouts have helped develop some of the gardens, created signs, and sewn curtains for the house.”

In 2012, Master Gardener Marian Woodard and her husband John Mat-thesen successfully petitioned the Pleasant Hill Recreation and Park District for permission to develop an urban farm on the property. Marian writes: “For two years we scraped, borrowed, recycled, and chiseled ~ 3000 sq ft of beds out of sloping adobe clay. We built greenhouses and a tool shed, herb spirals and a keyhole bed, vermicomposting and composting stations.” The result is a vibrant place where best practices in growing delectable edibles in small spaces are taught in learn-by-doing lessons that can easily be translated to local home gardens. Sustainable stewardship of the land is stressed. The unusual, highly nutritious selections of open-pollinated vegetables grown are as alluring in sight and scent as they are tantalizing in taste. (Open-pollinated plants produce seed that will breed true and can be passed along for generations.)

The Urban Farm Meetup group comes regularly on Saturday mornings. During the week, John, assisted by Marian, teaches a popular DVC farm to table class. Artistic arrangements of produce grown at the farm are equally appealing to the palate. Matthesen explains, “None of the produce goes to waste. Everyone who works here eats here. We are working to increase our restaurant sales. The rest goes to the food bank. Anything that can’t be consumed goes to the compost pile.”

Ranch continued from front page

RRCH President Denise Koroslev welcomes visitors to Rodgers Ranch.


[email protected]

Local High School Juniors Honored for Achieving the Girl Scouts’ Gold Award

Three high school juniors, one from Acalanes High School in Lafayette and two from Campolindo High School in Moraga, were recently honored for achieving the Girl Scouts’ Gold Award.

The young women; Riley Felt, Olivia Price, and Adrielle Thorenfeldt; are part of Girl Scout Troop 32790 in Lafayette. Similar to the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Scout, the Gold Award is the Girl Scouts’ highest honor, focusing on excellence in leadership and community service.

Gold Award recipients work individually during high school to design and implement a project that solves a specifi c community need. They devote at least 80 hours to their projects and truly accomplish the Girl Scout Mission of developing courage, confi dence, and character to make the world a better place.

It is interesting to note that all three female United States Secretaries of State, all sitting female governors, and all female astronauts are Girl Scout Gold Award winners.

The Gold Award projects were as follows:Riley Felt ~ Gold star Soccer Clinic

Riley organized a two-week soccer camp that she coached herself for two hours a day. Geared towards eight to 11 year olds, the camp involved nutritional lessons, as well as soccer and fi tness instruction.Olivia Price ~ Get Hooked

Olivia worked with Happy Valley and Burton Valley elementary schools in Lafayette to install a total of almost 300 backpack hooks for students. The hooks, which are made of indestructible polycarbonate plastic, replaced existing metal hooks at one school and added hooks at the other school so students wouldn’t have to throw their backpacks on the ground.Adrielle Thorenfeldt ~ The Weed Wackers

With her Weed Wackers program, Adrielle went back to her elementary school to revive the school garden that had in recent years deteriorated due to budget cuts. As the project leader, she monitored 4th and 5th grade students as they spent their lunchtime hours eradicating invasive species without the use of chemicals.


Scottish Country Dancing Come dance every Thursday evening, year-round. No partner is

required and no Scottish ancestry is needed. This dancing is aerobic and very sociable. Adult beginners are welcome anytime. Classes take place each week at 8PM. More experienced dancers also begin at 8PM in a separate class. All classes are held at the Danville Grange, located at 743 Diablo Road in Danville. All dance nights are drop-in. The fi rst beginner lesson is free; afterwards the cost is $8/night or $6/night if attending a 10-week session paid in advance.

Call Witsie at (925) 676-3637 or Kathleen at (925) 934-6148 for more information. Classes for youth are also offered at a different location; please call Kathleen for dates and fees.

Diablo Choral Artists Seeks SingersLove to sing? Come join Diablo Choral Artists as they begin an exciting

new season! The group has openings for all voice parts (especially tenors/basses). Rehearsals are held on Mondays at 7PM at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, located at 1924 Trinity Ave. in Walnut Creek. Call (925) 670-7089, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.vmschorus.org for additional information.

Girl Scout Gold Award recipients (left to right): Adrielle Thorenfeldt, Olivia Price, Riley Felt

Magical Redfern Dr ~ English country with Carmel feel 35 Redfern Drive, Alamo

Beautiful home and setting, 200 year old oak trees, 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3,000 sq ft. private drive, located in the heart of Alamo.

Rare secluded estate sized property! 11 rooms, 3 car garage, plus 6 car parking.Gardener, pets on approval, minimum 1 year lease.

Available July 1 ~ $6,395Greenbrook Beauty ~ 37 Saint Mark Court, DanvilleImmaculate, much loved Greenbrook, large tri-level home. 4/5 bedrooms, 3 baths.Guest suite. Walk to school,park,pool.Ideal location with Mt.Diablo/LasTrampas views.A real family home, available in time for school!$5,500. Offered by the RHL Group, Alamo

Marsha J. Anderson, BRE 00964670 | 925-351-8188 [email protected] | 30 years local experience!

Local Homes for Lease

LEASEDLEASED

The Lafayette School District would like to extend itsdeepest appreciation to the community for your support of

Measure C.

Church Provides Community CareLafayette-Orinda Presbyterian’s Stephen Ministry has 25 trained lay

people who provide ongoing, one-on-one Christian care to those in our congregation and in the community who are experiencing transitions in their lives. LOPC Stephen Ministry is confi dential and is provided at no cost. A Stephen Minister is...

• A congregation member with a gift for listening,• A lay person who has received 50 hours training in providing

emotional and spiritual care,• A committed caregiver who listens, cares, prays, supports, and

encourages those who are hurting, and• Someone who will “be there” for his or her care receiver, meeting

faithfully for about an hour each week, for as long as there’s a need.Stephen Ministers are available for those who are dealing with

illness or hospitalization, loneliness, aging, being shut-in, separation due to military deployment, death or serious loss, separation or divorce, disabilities, or grief and anxiety.

If you know of someone who would benefit from the ongoing confidential, no cost, spiritual, and emotional support of a Stephen Minister, contact Jean Lee at (925) 943-2237, or visit www.lopc.org/care_stephen_ministry.asp.


www.yourmonthlySee Horse continued on page 21See Bags continued on page 18

The BookwormBy Joan Stevenson

While snooping around that Lafayette Library and Learning Center (that’s how bookworms fi nd out their scoops), I discovered a table manned by two young volunteers baring a sign reading S-T-E-A-M. When I inquired, they explained that STEAM is an acronym for science, technology,

engineering, art, and music. It is also the summer reading festival for everyone at the library. The volunteers were there to sign up participants. The goal is to earn 1,000 points in a wide variety of ways such as reading a science fi ction book, taking a friend to the library, visiting a science museum, or reading for twenty minutes which earns 20 points. There will be special challenges each week. All day Monday, July 11th will be an Engineering Challenge: Catapults. Come and build one, learn the concept, and add to your point total. Thank you to the Lawrence Hall of Science, one of the sponsors of STEAM. They have made available free youth passes to the museum.

Lamorinda Kids Summer Book Club pick for July is completely appropriate: Nick and Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Lab. Pick up a copy from the front desk, and join Joe C. on Thursday, July 14th at 2PM for a discussion and make an electromagnet to take home!

If you harbor a desire to write, here is a fantastic opportunity. Jill Morris (YourLifeYourWords.com) will present a memoir writing summer camp for adults at the library July 25-29th, 10AM- 1PM. It is open to all skill levels - pull up a chair, take out a pen and paper or laptop, and write! In a fun, supportive atmosphere the course will teach new writers how to write their life stories and help seasoned writers develop their writing skills. Author and memoir coach Jill Morris is passionate about what she does. It is her fi rm belief that everyone should write their life stories. Come and start writing yours at this special summer camp! Sign up at YourLifeYourWork.com.

The very popular Nature Journaling Workshop with Naturalist John Muir Laws will take place on a new day, new time, and new place - Wednesday, July 13th, 11:30AM - 1PM in the Community Hall. Nature Journaling makes

you a better observer, naturalist, and artist and opens a world of beauty and discovery. Do you want to keep a nature journal or bump your current practice to a higher orbit? Join us for a monthly nature journaling workshop series. See the possibilities of what a journal can be and how to make journaling and drawing a life-changing habit. If you already have a journal kit, bring it along plus any personal favorite sketching or nature study supplies. All ages and experience levels welcome.

What is better than a good mystery to pack in your bag for the beach? I’ve got one for you: Murder on the Quai. You can meet the author, Cara Black, bestselling author of sixteen books in the Private Investigator Aimée Leduc series. Cara will be with us on Wednesday July 27th as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series. She will discuss her latest books, Murder on the Champs de Mars (2015) and Murder on the Quai (June 2016). In her novel, sassy, openhearted Aimée Leduc fi nds herself investigating a murder linked to a transport truck of Nazi gold that disappeared in the French countryside during the height of World War II.

Registration is open for the Annual MakerFest at the library. This year’s date is Saturday, July 30th from 10AM-3PM. There will beakers, Tinkerers, Artists, Crafters, DIYers and over 20 activities / presentations arts, crafts, technology, computers, music, food, STEM, and fun. The event is FREE fun for all ages!

Are you sending your vacation postcards to the library? The cards you send will be part of our Centennial Celebration and will decorate our walls. You might want to stop by and pick up the booklist that has been created by our staff that lists and profi les books about the National Parks. There is also a local adventure booklist that includes such titles as Hiker’s Guide to Mt. Diablo and East Bay Bike Trails. Keep the post cards coming.

The Bookworm received a delightful email from Doris Duncan who is part of the Friday team at the Friends Corner Book Shop. While straightening up the books in the psychology/self-help section of the shelves, she became intrigued by the titles. How about, Are Men Cost Effective? or Are Men Necessary? and my favorite, The Stronger Women Become, the More Men Watch Football! Thanks, Doris, for the chuckle. Your insight demonstrates

[email protected] one day. After sampling the goods, he forgot to close the spigot, and when granddad went down the next time, the dirt fl oor was a gooey mess. That happened in the 1920s, but it remains a vivid memory for Bill, who still stops by the LHS.

Now, back to the barrel's saga. In 1968, Randall Davidson was an Acalanes student and worked part-time at the toy store that occupied the former Pioneer Store. He discovered an old barrel behind some lattice-work at the rear of the building, and with his friend, Ransom Anderson, Randall moved the barrel home. He cleaned out the remnants of syrup inside the barrel and varnished the outside.

For 40 years, Randall kept the barrel with him, through his marriage and fi ve residential moves. The biggest challenge was keeping his wife and mother-in-law from cutting the barrel in half and planting geraniums inside. Before one move, he suspected his wife might be paying the movers to “lose” the barrel, so he told the driver he would pay them more not to get rid of it. But time marches on, and the family recently made arrangements to move out of state, so he decided it was time for the barrel to go.

Through a coincidental set of circumstances, he got in touch with Mary McCosker and said he'd like to donate the barrel to the Historical Society, and that's where it sits today—visible through the window near the fi re engine. Come by and take a look, and then you can mosey on up the street to the new Sideboard Restaurant at 3535 Plaza Way, site of the former Pioneer Store. We're happy to have the barrel back in the neighborhood, and it's always fun to have Bill stop in to tell us stories of the town's early days.

We're Rolling Out the BarrelBy Ruth Bailey and Mary McCosker, Lafayette Historical Society

The newest addition to the Historical Society's collection of artifacts is, indeed, a barrel—a handsome full-sized barrel that has had an interesting life. Maybe it’s even a barrel a laughs, but we don't know.

Way back at the dawn of the Twentieth Century, there was a general store on the Plaza run by Robert Elam McNeil, Lafayette royalty. (He was the son of Jane Allen McNeil, who had been born to Margaret Allen on the wagon train that brought her and Elam

Brown to Lafayette in 1846. We'd go into the founding family's genealogy, but that's a story for another day. We're all about the barrel this week.)

While Robert McNeil owned the Pioneer Store, from 1902 until his death in 1935, he became a grandfather to William McNeil, among others. And young Bill was a frequent visitor to the store, for he grew up next door (in what's now the Wayside Inn Thrift Shop). Bill knew that his grandfather kept supplies below the store, on the dirt fl oor at the bottom of the stairs.

One of the items down there that particularly interested Bill was a large barrel full of corn syrup, with a spigot that made it easy to dispense syrup into a smaller container. It also made it easy to sneak a sweet mouthful every now and then, and that's what got Bill into


ypaper.com See Grants continued on page 19

Since 1973

Serving the Bay Area with honesty and integrity since 1973

3191-J Crow Canyon PlSan Ramon

(925) 866-2200In Loehmann’s Shopping Center (next to Lucky’s)

2395 Monument Blvd., Suite JConcord

(925) 680-4433(Across from Costco Gas Station, next to Harvest House)

www.MacFloor.com • info@macfl oor.comCarpets, Hardwood, Laminate & Stone

Bill McNeil and the barrel from his granddad's store have some history together. Photo by Mary McCosker.

San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society will hold a Mini-Seminar on

Tuesday, July 19th at 10am by Gena Philibert-Ortega. Gena will hold two free talks: “Her Name was Not Unknown: Finding Female Ancestors” and “That’s New to Me: Unfamiliar Websites for Your Genealogy.”

The talks will be held at the Danville Family History Center, located at 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo. For more information, visit www.srvgensoc.org.


How Contra Costa County is Working to Eradicate HomelessnessBy Supervisor Candace Andersen,

My offi ce recently received inquiries about a small homeless encampment that had developed in Alamo under a bridge near Stone Valley Road. When we receive such a call, Law Enforcement, the County’s Homeless Program, and our Public Works Depart-ment look at the safety of both the community and the homeless individuals.

In this instance, contact was made by one of our Alamo Sheriff Deputies with those who were living there, services were offered, and all but one decided to leave. Ultimately, after helping the remaining individual remove his personal belongings, the Deputy and staff from our Public Works Department cleaned up the area under the bridge. The man who hadn’t wanted to leave was previously associated with the Alamo community, and someone from Alamo came to pick him up.

There are a myriad reasons why a person becomes homeless, including a lack of affordable housing, loss of a job, domestic violence, divorce, sickness, mental illness, and substance abuse. Often times people will return to the community where they were raised, where they still have family and friends, and where they feel safe. Although not always seen, there are generally homeless living in every community in Contra Costa, including Lamorinda and San Ramon Valley cities.

Contra Costa County takes the issue of homelessness very seriously. Our Homeless Program’s mission is to ensure an integrated system of care, from prevention through intervention, for homeless individuals and families within our community. We strive to accomplish this through the development of policies and practices, community involvement, advocacy, and the coordination of services that respect human dignity, strengthen partnerships, and maximize resources. To learn more about the County’s program, go to cchealth.org/homeless/.

Each January, Contra Costa County conducts a comprehensive point-in time count of families and individuals experiencing homelessness. The annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to learn about homeless individuals and households across the country. The results help government and non-profi t agencies better understand needs and allocate resources to serve those affected.

The PIT Count tallies information about people sleeping in emergency shelters and transitional housing as well as people sleeping in cars, in abandoned properties, or in other places not meant for human habitation. It provides a one-day snapshot of homelessness and includes data about families, youth, chronically homeless, and veterans, as well as demographic data about gender, ethnicity, and race.

As of January 27, 2016, there were 3,500 individuals identifi ed as homeless or at risk of homelessness in Contra Costa County through the PIT Count. Slightly less than half (1,730) of these individuals were literally homeless and 1,770 were at risk of homelessness. Among the literally homeless, there were 620 people in shelters and another 1,110 sleeping on the streets. Youth under the age of 18 made up 11% of the homeless population, and two-thirds of those youth were residing in shelters the night of the count. Two-thirds of the population is male.

Of the 3,500 homeless or imminently at-risk individuals, approximately 34% have been identifi ed as having mental health issues, and 27% have substance abuse issues. The County offers a variety of mental health services for those needing assistance.

Overall, there has been a 28% decrease in the number of people that are homeless or at risk of homelessness since 2011, and a 26% decrease in literally homeless. Additionally, over the past fi ve years there has been a decrease in the number of unsheltered individuals identifi ed through the point-in-time count. Since 2011 there has been a 28% decrease in the number of people sleeping outside across the county. Central County has experienced 70% fewer people sleeping outside, and West County had 60% fewer since 2011. East County, though, has had a 30% increase.

One of the ways the County is bringing the community together to eradicate homelessness is through the Contra Costa Continuum of Care (CoC). It is a local planning body that organizes and delivers housing and support services for home-less individuals across the county. The CoC is comprised of service providers, members of the faith community, businesses, funders, education systems, as well as law enforcement, all working in partnership with consumers to fi nd stable housing.

The CoC is overseen by our Contra Costa Council on Homelessness, which is appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The Council meets monthly on the fi rst Thursday of the month from 2-3:30PM. More information about both the Contra Costa Council on Homelessness and the Continuum of Care can be found at cchealth.org/homeless/council.

What can you do to help eradicate homelessness? Volunteer! One Alamo

Alamo Ace Hardware |3211 Danville Blvd., Alamo | 925-837-2420 www.AlamoHardware.com

We hope to see you at our Kitchen Counter Events!Call the Kitchen at 925-837-2420 to reserve your seat!

Celebrate JULYJULY WithCookware~Bakeware~Gadgets

For all of your summer entertaining needs.

**Bring in this ad for 10% off of USA made kitchen items thru July19th **

Not good on sale merchandise.

neighborhood does something as simple as getting together once a month to prepare and serve a meal to those living in the County’s Adult shelter. For volunteer opportunities at our youth shelters, email [email protected]. For volunteer opportunities at our adult shelters, email [email protected], and if you are interested in sitting on the Continuum of Care advisory board, please email [email protected].

There are also many non-profi ts in our community that could use your volunteer efforts and fi nancial support in helping to fi ght homelessness. Some of our County partners include Anka Behavioral Health, GRIP, Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, Rubicon, Shelter, Inc., STAND!, Trinity Center, and Winter Nights Shelter.

Finally, if someone you know is homeless and needs services, please call 211 or Contra Costa County’s 24-hour homeless hotline (800-808-6444) to gain access to vital services.

My offi ce is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at [email protected] or (925) 957-8860.

Do you have a story idea, Do you have a story idea, photo,or sporting news to share?photo,or sporting news to share?

Contact us at 925.405.6397 or

editor@yourmonthlypapercom

Hair Care Professionals and Massage Therapists NeededHospice of the East Bay provides care to terminally ill patients and their

families in their homes or facilities throughout Contra Costa County. Many of our patients benefi t greatly from a haircut or hair set or from the gentle and compassionate touch of a massage therapist. Would you be interested in volunteering a few hours a month to provide comfort to our patients? If so, please call the Volunteer Department at Hospice of the East Bay, (925) 887-5678. (License/Massage Certifi cation Required).

[email protected] Lafayette Today ~ July 2016 - Page 9

Walking the ReservoirBy Jim Scala

Muhammad Ali’s spirit is here. One November afternoon in 2014, after my res-walk, I stopped at the bandstand to do yoga and Kat, the boxing-fi tness coach, was sparring with a tall lady who I could see was an accomplished boxer.

They stopped sparring and Kat said, “Jim, say hello to Muhammad Ali’s cousin.” I shook hands with a most gracious lady who had Muhammad’s warm smile and jovial personality. Let it be said that Ali’s spirit is at our Reservoir.

A friendly fox. June 11 dawned clear and cool, just right for a morning Rim Trail walk. Near the end, at the Westview turnoff to the paved trail, I saw a familiar big red fox. As usual, he looked at me and I heard him silently saying, “This place is mine; stay away.” Then he leisurely walked into the dense growth with his bushy tail straight out.

July 16’s twilight concert, a salute to our troops. Starting at 5:30PM, Rossmoor’s big band and two other bands will put on a concert. And, since the Moon will be almost 90% full, the rousing fi nale at 9PM will be by the light of the moon.

Reservoir turkeys do better than average. Our reservoir is an excellent wild-turkey environment. Adult wild turkeys survive about four years, which means they are effi cient and prolifi c. Most adult hens will hatch a brood of eight to fi fteen poults. In the wild, where predators abound, an average of 63 percent of turkey hatchlings will not make it through three weeks. However, at the reservoir it’s not uncommon to see the same brood several weeks in a row. It proves that we have an excellent habitat for our wild turkeys. The question many ask is, “Are they taking over?”

Helping western bluebirds thrive at the reservoir. Notice the nest boxes on poles in open areas on both trails. Their wire mesh covered openings stop predators and house the brilliant western bluebirds whose population has been declining. A type of thrush, they gather in small fl ocks to feed on insects and berries. Listen carefully and you’ll enjoy their quiet, chortling calls.

River otters thrive. Lynn, a res-photographer, recently posted a picture of two plump river otters sleeping together on a fi shing dock. They had enjoyed a nice meal and were simply sleeping it off like people do after a big holiday feast. When you spot an animal swimming in the res, or walking through the reeds, it’s a res otter. They have been known to jump on a dock and make off with a fi sherman’s catch.

Stocking makes for great fi shing at the reservoir. Fish stocked in the reservoir usually come from the Mt. Lassen fi sh farm. Among the rainbow trout is the lightening. This special breed’s name derives from the bright lightening yellow dorsal color set off by a red stripe along their side. The total amount of trout stocked in the 2016 spring stocking period was measured in tons. That’s a lot of good fi shing.

In June and July, about a thousand pounds of catfi sh will be stocked weekly. The stockings range in size from one-to-four pounds. Recently, I saw a fi sherman named Patrick carrying nine catfi sh he caught. One weighed four pounds. He uses a special bait he prepares from liver. In contrast, a young boy recently caught a four-pound largemouth bass using worms he had dug up in his backyard.

Senior Res-walkers, yoga and better health. Recent research in several international medical journals have focused on walking and yoga for seniors. Several fi ndings are clear and should be taken seriously. Blood pressure, a major risk factor, was lower in regular walkers. Those who also did simple yoga had better stride, hip joint extension, and balance. One study focused on fear of falling (FoF) which improved signifi cantly when people walk. In recent years FoF has become a scientifi c term in the medical literature.

If you are interested, join the senior walking group that meets Tuesday and

Thursday at 8:50AM on the dam’s center bench across from the fl agpole. At 9AM the walk begins, and yoga follows afterwards on the bandstand at about 10AM. We all enjoy great conversation and good fellowship.

All for the price of parking. Area walking groups often drive far to a scenic place. In contrast, the reservoir is a short distance from anywhere in the Lamorinda area. And where else can you get scenic trails, scenic picnic spots, fi shing, and three annual concerts for the price of parking?

Let me hear from you: [email protected].

Celebrate Eugene O’Neill at National Historic SiteIt promises to be a busy summer at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site

in Danville as the Eugene O’Neill Foundation moves forward on a number of events – including the 17th Annual Eugene O’Neill Festival – to celebrate the 100th

anniversary of the National Park Service as well as the centennial of production of the playwright’s fi rst play.

It was in July 1916 that playwright Eugene O’Neill saw his fi rst play performed. Bound East for Cardiff was presented on Lewis Wharf, in Provincetown, Massa-chusetts, in what was to become the beginning of a long and notable career for the writer. O’Neill went on to win four Pulitzer Prizes for his works and was honored as the only American dramatist to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of this fi rst play, the Eugene O’Neill Foun-dation will present a staged reading of Bound East for Cardiff on Saturday, July 30 at 8PM and Sunday, July-31 at 2PM in the Old Barn at the O’Neill National Historic Site. On Saturday, July 23, Eric Fraisher Hayes (Director of the Bound East performances) will speak on “Bound East for Cardiff, One Hundred Years at Sea.” This talk is scheduled for 10:30am at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville. Bound East for Cardiff was the fi rst of several “Sea Plays” by O’Neill refl ecting on his experiences as an able-bodied seaman in trips to South America and Europe. Augmenting the performance of the play will be the band Skip Henderson and the Starboard Watch performing sea chanteys appropriate to the play’s time and setting.

Tickets for Bound East for Cardiff are on sale at www.eugeneoneill.org. There is limited seating for the performances at the Old Barn performance space at Tao House. Tickets are $30 per person

The Eugene O’Neill Foundation is the not-for-profi t partner with the Na-tional Park Service, responsible for educational and community programs and performances at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. Information on the Eugene O’Neill Foundation, as well as updates on the summer of celebration productions, is available at www.eugeneoneill.org.


[email protected]@pcioit.com

www.pcioit.comwww.pcioit.com

Technology. Simplifi ed.Serving Bay Area businesses and residents since 2001

COMPUTER SERVICES: PCs/Macs/Tablets/Smartphones • Upgrades • Maintenance • Networking • Data Recovery • Virus/Malware Removal • Back-up Solutions • Email/Hosted Exchange IT DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION: IT Strategy Development • IT Infrastructure Assessment • Cloud ServicesIT INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT: Desktop, Server, & Network Monitoring and Management • Offi ce Move Management • Disaster Preparedness

Technology MattersBy Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO, Inc.

Since its inception in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, the World Wide Web has become synonymous with everyday life for those of us in the technology indus-try. We rely on the web for both work and pleasure, and countless companies and entire industries have been invented based upon its existence. The web has helped shine a bright light into the darkest corners of the world, helped oppressed peoples have a voice,

and indeed, it has helped topple entire governments. The web is powerful, ubiquitous, and here to stay. And, that is just the part you can see.

The internet is similar to an iceberg, and without considerable effort, you can only see the part above the waves, the parts of it that are published for commercial “B to B” or “B to C” use. What you don’t see is the seedy underbelly called the “Dark Web,” where criminals use the web to conceal illicit transactions from authorities and other prying eyes. This is the topic of today’s article, because I just had a brush with the Dark Web I wanted to tell you about.

Passwords are a required part of our computing experience. Until biometric readers become more reliable, we’re going to be typing in long passwords to keep our accounts secure. Let’s say that you’ve been paying close attention to my column and changed each of your passwords to be at least 12 characters long, using characters from each of the four sets (a-z, A-Z, 0-9, and punctuation/special characters.) You’re done and your accounts are safe...right? Unfortu-nately not. Password security is not an event; it’s a process.

If you shop online like me, you probably create an online account to avoid reentering personal information every time you check out. That means you are trusting someone to store that information on their server. But what if they actually aren’t storing it securely enough? What if the client info and account passwords aren’t encrypted? That’s what hackers always hope for, because it makes the server a juicy target. Just like credit card numbers, account passwords are valuable. Why? Because, if someone steals a list of known good passwords, they can be sold on the Dark Web, and the list of passwords becomes a com-

modity that all criminals may now purchase. Next time, instead of trying to guess a password to get into a website, they can turn to that list of known good passwords and run through that fi rst. This almost guarantees they’ll get into the site they’re targeting.

I brushed up against this situation last week, as my Uber account was hacked by someone in the Dominican Republic who accessed my account using my very unusual password, then took $150 of rides around the island nation before my credit card company stopped their shenanigans. Based upon the particulars of this event, I know there is absolutely no way they could have gotten into my account except by using my legitimate password which had been compromised somewhere, and which is now a part of the Global Password Library. As such, that password has been retired, and I am changing it everywhere it was used so I don’t get hacked again.

The Global Password Library is not actually one list, but a series of lists that keeps growing and changing as it is updated and refreshed by recent hacks into new servers. It’s defi nitely the Who’s Who list you don’t want to be on.

How to avoid this problem? You cannot control whether someone’s server is hacked, but you can make it unprofi table for them to have your info. Here’s how.

1) Always use good strong passwords as I have detailed above. 2) Use unique passwords for each and every site you visit. Try using the

Apps “1Password” or “MSecure” to manage your passwords and generate a new one for each new site. Managing a plethora of site passwords quickly becomes unmanageable without an app.

3) Change your passwords more often. I know it’s a pain, but it is important and effective. And, when a website or your IT department asks for a password change, be cooperative, because this is the problem they are trying to combat with your help.

4) If “Two-Factor Password Authentication” is available through any service you use, use it. It helps.

The consequences for mistakes are becoming increasingly more severe and there is more going on in technology than any normal person or business can possibly track without professional help. That’s why it helps to have your own IT department, and why we’re always available at [email protected], or 925-552-7953. Advertorial

[email protected] Reductions...That Can’t be True! By Erin Martin, Village Associates Real Estate

The number of price reductions for homes above $1.5 million has picked up in Lamorinda and is the likely result of the recent tempered Bay Area IPO market over the last 6 - 9 months. Historically, the tech IPO market has provided the fuel to drive real estate prices

higher in the Bay Area as employees trade their stock options for dream homes. In the past month my inbox has been fi lled with agents advertising price reductions in Lamorinda. While it is uncertain if this trend will continue (as in recent weeks pre-IPO companies like Uber have raised large sums of money), the recent price reduction trend has resulted in contentious escrows as sellers are reluctant to realize they have a little less leverage than in recent years.

Most sellers still feel that they are in control and can demand prices above last year’s levels, but today both buyers and sellers are fi guring out how leverage has shifted. A good example of this is when in mid-June I wrote an offer for clients on a house that had recently had a $25,000 price reduction. The new price was in my client’s price range, so they decided to write an offer at the new asking price. They wrote a clean offer with good terms without a loan contingency. The listing agent informed me that there were no competing offers. My clients were surprised when they received a counter offer asking for $10,000 more than the reduced asking price. After several discussions, my clients decided not to accept the counter in hopes that the seller would come around.

Unfortunately, the next day the seller received another offer and went into contract. The drama continued when two days later the listing agent called back to inform me that the current buyer backed out and asked if my clients were still interested. Not wanting to lose the house again, my clients agreed to pay the additional $10,000. In this particular case my clients accepted the seller’s terms, but the seller did not get his original asking price, leaving the seller disappointed and the buyers feeling that they had over-paid.

While our market continues to be a seller’s market because of the lack of inventory, sellers have less leverage as often there are not buyers in back-up position or because sellers have been forced to reduce their listing price to get buyers interested. If you are thinking about selling your home, make sure that you and your realtor look at the most recent comps. Prices from the beginning of the year for certain homes are very different from prices going into the summer months. Set realistic expectations and come up with a solid pricing strategy, especially if you are in a position where selling your home quickly is vital.

Please call or email me your real estate question. I can be reached at (925) 951-3817 or by email at [email protected]. Advertorial


What happens in between classes? John says, “You can’t turn the farm on and off. It’s a seven-day a week job.” Beyond the immediate reward of sharing knowledge with enthusiastic students, the project has yielded unexpected benefi ts. “The farm has become a social gathering place,” John proudly relates. “No matter what day or time I arrive to work, I can guarantee someone will come to visit within 15 minutes.” Marian agrees. “We grow community. The by-product is food.”

Each bed is intensively cultivated. Woodard describes the focus. “Every-thing we grow has to serve a minimum of two functions. Some crops serve up to fi ve. We are as effi cient as possible with our usage of time and space.” Heirloom squashes include Tromboncino, which can grow up to four feet long. Two of the beautiful lettuces high in anti-oxidants are “Merlot” and

Ranch continued from page 4 “Pinot Noir.” Charantais is a favorite among the fragrant miniature melons.Partnering with Sustainable Contra Costa, Rodgers Ranch hosts a variety

of courses. July 12th’s offering, “Beyond the Shower Bucket,” provides infor-mation on recapturing water at home, highlighting gray water and rainwater catchment systems. On August 9, Denise Koroslev presents “Kitchen Cosmet-ics.” After taking a class many years ago, she researched harmful chemicals in commercial products and began making her own alternatives. She will share recipes for easy to make lotions, lip balms, and facial cleansers.

Herb Day on July 10 from 10AM - 4PM features vendors, speakers, and ac-tivities such as making your own herbal blends and wreaths. Hot Peppers are the “herb of the year.” The Harvest Festival on October 8th from 10AM -4PM is fi lled with fun for the entire family. The Holiday Boutique on December 3rd and 4th offers unique handcrafted gifts.


www.yourmonthlypaper.com

upgrade. Rent a hybrid, perhaps.• Carry your reusable water

bottles with you, wherever you go. Unless the local water is unsafe, buying water in plastic bottles is a waste of resources and money.

• Book non-stop fl ights. A signifi cant percentage of a plane’s emissions come from take-off and landing.

• Buy local. Enjoy the home-grown fruits and veggies wherever you’re staying. You can eat California strawberries when you’re here at home, so don’t go away and pick out items that have been shipped hundreds or thousands of miles.

• Stay at a working farm that functions as an inn. It’s often cheaper than a hotel and enables you to understand the local agricultural heritage.

• If you’re hiking/backpacking/camping, stay on marked trails. Leave wildlife alone. Pack out your trash. Build fi res only in permitted areas, and make sure they’re totally extinguished when you leave.

For more ideas and specifi c strategies on environmentally responsible travel, check out this article on Lonely Planet’s website, www.lonelyplanet.com/ecotourism/best-of-ecotourism/content/travel-tips-and-articles/how-to-go-green-when-you-travel.

Sustainable Lafayette’s website, sustainablelafayette.org, is your local resource for helping transform your home and community into more sustainable places with enhanced quality of life for current and future residents.

Page 12 - July 2016 ~ Lafayette Today

Hidden Art Studios in AlamedaBy Linda Summers Pirkle

There is something special about visiting the studios where artists create their works. Les Colletes, located above the town Cagnes-sur Mer in the French Riviera-Cote d’Azur, was the home and studio of impressionist painter Pierre August Renoir. The beautiful home with tile roof and bright rooms is a treasure. My husband and I were fortunate to go in the spring when the weather was a perfect 75 degrees and fl owers were in bloom. It’s a steep trek to Les Col-letes but well worth it to see the sunlit room where the artist worked for the last 19 years of his life, the wheelchair he used as he painted his masterpieces, and a collection of his works. We walked among the ancient olive tree grove on the grounds where we enjoyed spectacular views

of the sea. One element that makes this place so special is that Renoir’s home and studio are under-the-radar for tourists. Two under-the-radar studios nearer to home, located in Alameda, are Wanda Fudge Studio (also known as Goose Cottage),

the quintessential small home that serves as a meeting place for a group of vibrant and talented artists; and Di Stefano Studio, where Joan Di Stefano paints, teaches Sacred Arts workshops, and creates and restores beautiful stained glass windows.

Artist Joan Di Stefano is an expert in the world of stained glass. She has exhibited her work in Venice, Brescia and Bologna, Italy as well as having installations of her glass and mosaics in Paris and Brux, France. On a trip to the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky (Cistercian Monastery where Thomas Merton lived), she discovered 125-year-old stained glass panels made in Germany that had been taken out of the Abbey chapel. The huge pieces of glass were stored in a barn, untouched and forgotten for years. She ended up repairing some of the works of art by shuttling back and forth from California to Kentucky. In the end, the decision was made to have Joan take the glass. Joan is in the process of restoring the historic and beautiful panels in her workshop in Alameda which is open the public the fi rst Sunday of the month from 1PM-6PM or by appointment.

Another local treasure is Wanda Fudge and Friends, a group of talented artists and friends who meet regularly at Wanda’s studio in Alameda. Before the “small home” phenomenon that is so popular now, Wanda Fudge, artist and costume designer in Hollywood and businesswoman (she has owned 16 retail stores throughout the years), moved into a small cottage that was built in 1880. This adorable, art fi lled home (it’s approximately 600 square feet) is a delight to the senses with its brightly painted walls, unique photos, and little touches such as tiny children’s chairs mounted on the walls. As with many artists, Wanda Fudge knows where to place just the right object at just the right angle. Behind the gorgeous little home, a tiny backyard is also a delight. Lush green succulents hang from brilliant red window boxes, and lace covered windows add to the beauty of this home.

Wanda Fudge studio recently held an open house with her friends: Bonnie Hoover, whimsical art doll artist; Peggy Anstrand, vintage button collector and jewelry maker; Rosie Dennis, art and jewelry maker; Suzanne Duran, mosaic artist; Donna Perry, doll artist as well as jewelry and card maker; Zanaib Nia Green, known for her knitted, crocheted and African art crafts; Kelly Mead, fi gurative artist with scarves made by silk screening or air-brushing; and Vicki Bliss Newcomer, sculptor who makes beautiful wedding cake toppers and garden art.

A list of Wanda Fudge and Friends events are found on their blog which can be reached by going to Google and entering “wanda fudge and friends.” Di Stefano Studio is located at 113 Ballena Blvd. in Alameda. Reach Joan at (510) 465-9031, [email protected], or visit distefanostudio.com. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has arranged and led tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired

by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. “What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do.” To share your “Quick Trips” ideas email [email protected].

Front door to “Goose Cottage” or Wanda Fudge Studio located in Alameda.

Sustainable Lafayette Tip of the MonthGreen Travel Tips

Summer is in full swing, and you’re ready to be off on vacation this year. Save a tree and send electronic postcards to your friends and family!

Here are some ideas on how to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling and to plan a more eco-friendly trip. Some of these suggestions might be too late for 2016, but you may be able to incorporate many of them into future excursions, whether they are road trips, airplane jaunts to faraway destinations, or lazy days at the beach.

• Choose a green hotel. There are many websites that list environmentally friendly hotels, B&B’s, and lodges around the world.

• Sort your trash at your hotel. If the hotel doesn’t recycle (shame! shame!), fi gure out a way to do so … even if it means bringing your empty bottles home with you. And follow hotel instructions about reusing your bathroom towels; many hotels say that if you hang up a towel after use, they will not replace it. You can also ask a hotel not to change your sheets.

• Keep your showers short, and shut off the water while you’re brushing your teeth. When you leave the room, turn off the air-conditioning, heat, television, lights, or any other electric devices. Bring your own toiletries and drinking cup rather than using the ones provided; if you use the hotel’s toiletries, take them with you and use them at home or during the rest of your trip.

• Bike, hike, or take public transit. Living in the suburbs, we are so reliant on our cars. Take a vacation from driving, if possible.

• If you have to rent a car, go for the smallest one that meets your needs…even if the rental car company offers you a free


D O O R S & W I N D O W Sp e l l a n o r c a l . c o m

Wood | Fiberglass | VinylDoors | Windows | Blinds & Shades | Home Automation

Visit Our Alamo Showroom

3221-B Danville BlvdAlamo, CA 94507By Appointment Only

(844) 877-3552www.PellaNorCal.com

Energy MattersBy Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar

Unfortunately, the subject matter of my articles doesn’t appear out of thin air. This month, while consid-ering ideas, I tapped into the most available resources present at the moment: my two teenage children. My daughter’s response was imme-diate and specifi c: “Talk about the

basics; you’re always talking about science stuff.” (She’s a much more creative writer than I by the way). My son’s response was a more typical teenage one: “Tell ‘em about solar” (as he barely looked up from his iPhone). Kids on summer vacation prefer to avoid topics that remind them too much of school and the bygone days of having eight weeks free from all responsibility! Thanks to their contributions, I’ll discuss two of my favorite topics, business and solar.

Oftentimes I’m solicited for business advice. I may not be the best person to provide this advice, but I’m always happy to share the business principles which have worked for GoSimpleSolar. The most simplistic tenant to follow, which I learned from my time spent as a U.S. Marine Corps Offi cer, is to take “ownership” of your responsibilities. Expect “ownership” from those in your charge in return. The Marine Corps serves our nation, but individual Marines serve each other in order to complete the Marine Corps mission. Hence, Marines are each other’s “customers.” My customers on the ground (the infantry) rightfully had a defi ned expectation of quality and accuracy of delivery of ordnance when supported by my AH-1W Cobra gunship squadron. The infantry defi ned a need, and we fulfi lled it. Military metaphors are often overused in business, but they actually can have useful meaning as long as one differenti-ates between the life and death aspects of the two. “On time, On target” was the gold standard for munitions delivery; loosely interpreted, it’s also a great goal to achieve when delivering goods and services in the world of business. In the military, as in business, a customer should have a high degree of confi dence that the service provider will deliver a product with precision and reliability when the time and place (and details) are well defi ned.

Business 101: Business should never be considered fl eet-ing; a business should be modeled to be able to remain in business in order to serve its customers for the long term. With this in mind, I provide the following advice for con-sumers and businesspersons alike.

A good “Business Model” identifi es a market need, typically, a problem that needs to be solved. In the solar business, the identifi ed problem is obvious; homeowners and business owners have no choice in their electricity provider. High cost “rental” of their electricity is the only option they previously had before solar PV.

Targeting and marketing to the proper demographic who desire resolution to the identifi ed problem is critical. In the contracting industry, there are consumers who rightfully expect (yet unfortunately are oftentimes short-changed) reliability in product and workmanship, excellent communication, strong product and workmanship warranties, and fi rm pricing. If you are buying or selling a service, a savvy consumer will consider a service providers differentiated offerings while also considering price. Products matter. The people who interact and perform the work matter. Trying to sell a service as a commodity has historically proven to be a short-term success story, with negative ramifi cations to the consumer. Plan on supporting your customer for the long-tem.

Summary items critical to long-term success: Find like-minded people to help execute your business plan. Technology, for technology sake, is al-ways a bad idea. A simple and precise business plan that couples your unique offerings with your selected customer base will serve your customers and your business best for the long-term. You will make mistakes; it’s how you recover from those mistakes (make them right) that will leave a very positive impression on your customers.

Mark Becker is the President and business owner of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction Inc, CSLB 948715. GoSimpleSolar is one of the very few solar PV installers utilizing both licensed roofers and licensed electricians for installation work, project managed by a solar PV NABCEP professional. For more information visit www.GoSimpleSolar.com. Advertorial


Cinema Clasics and Musical NotesBedazzledBy Peggy Horn

This month’s Cinema Classic is a fi lm from 2000, Bedazzled, starring Brendan Fraser, Elizabeth Hurley and Frances O’Connor, and directed by Harold Ramis. The screenplay was written by Harold Ramis, Larry Gelbart, and Peter Tolan. It is a remake of another fi lm of the same name that was produced and directed by Stanley Donen. That fi lm from 1967 starred Peter

Cook and Dudley Moore and was written by Peter Cook.The plot involves a love story between Elliot Richards (Brendan Fraser)

and Allison Gardner (Frances O’Connor) that never gets off the ground due to interference by the Devil (Elizabeth Hurley). Actually, this movie is an updated version of the Faustian drama where the protagonist, in his surrender of moral integrity, sells his soul to the devil. In this version, Elliot sells his soul to the devil in exchange for seven wishes, and with each wish Elliot endeavors to capture the love and affection of Allison. Each wish fails in a very comical way. There are many productions based on this Faustian tale including plays, dramas, ballads, and even puppet shows, but Bedazzled is a comedy in the classic sense owing to the positive outcome for Elliot, the protagonist.

While the Faustian drama is not a typical comedic subject, this movie is tremendously funny. The movie is very clever and full of humor. The acting is great although there is less acknowledgement of the value of humor in contemporary entertainment. There’s a worthwhile message for everyone in this fi lm. See if you don’t agree.Musical Notes

As a tribute to Johan Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), the author of one famous Faustian drama, my recommendation for your listening pleasure is “Kaiser Walzer,” Opus 37 (Emperor Waltz). Composed by Johann Strauss II in 1889, this beautiful waltz was fi rst performed in Berlin on October 21,1889, to commemorate the friendship between Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and German Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Chill Wine in No TimeBy Monica Chappell

What happens when you have a wine emergency? As in, you need some cold Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Beaujolais, and you need it now. Adding ice to a glass of wine will dilute it, and sticking a bottle straight into the freezer will likely cause it to explode. As the weather warms up, we will be sipping lighter wines, and knowing how to chill these wines quickly is key to their deliciousness.

The temperature at which a wine is served has a signifi cant impact on the wine's fl avor, structure, and aroma. The body and style of a wine dictate its ideal temperature. Serve a white wine too warm, and all the delicate fl avors fall fl at and any minor fl aws are magnifi ed, not to mention the fact that a warm wine on a warm day is simply not satisfying.The Right Temperature

Sparkling wines and sweet wines should be served the coldest, at 43-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Light to medium bodied white wines, like pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc should be served slightly warmer, at 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Full-bodied whites, like an oaked chardonnay, and rosé, can be served lightly chilled, at 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit (around the same temperature as light reds like Beaujolais). In a Perfect World

The best way to chill a bottle of wine is to place it in the refrigerator overnight, and remove it 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Most of us, however, rarely use this kind of planning in our wine consumption. You just got home from work, and a cold glass of rosé sounds perfect, but oops...the bottle is at room temperature. The Real World

You can always throw the bottle in the freezer and hope you don’t forget about it (DON’T forget about it), but here are a few secrets that will work much better:

•Put the bottle in water: Water conducts heat away from the bottle much more quickly than air does (remember high school chemistry?), so fi ll a tub, bucket or pot with cold water and lots of ice, and submerge your bottle in the ice bath.

•Add salt: Salt lowers the melting point of ice, allowing the ice to melt faster and cool the water more quickly.

•Spin the bottle: Rotate the bottle in the ice bath to move the wine around, allowing more wine-to-water contact.

If you try all three of these tricks, you can have your white wine chilled down in as little as 10 minutes. How refreshing!

Monica Chappell teaches and writes about wine. Contact [email protected] for upcoming wine programs.

Brainwaves by Betsy Streeter

Hospice Volunteers Needed Hospice of the East Bay is seeking volunteers to assist Hospice patients

and their caregivers. Opportunities include: • Licensed Hair Stylists to offer hair cuts and styling• Certifi ed Massage Therapists to provide massage therapy • Administrative Support Volunteers to assist in the Pleasant Hill offi ce• Thrift Shoppe Volunteers to work in one of the organization’s fi ve stores

which are located in Alamo, Concord, Martinez, Danville, and Walnut Creek.• Bereavement Support Volunteers to provide support to family members

after their loved one has died • Patient Support Volunteers to provide companionship and practical as-

sistance To apply for free training, call Hospice at (925) 887-5678 and ask for the

Volunteer Department, or email [email protected]. Established in 1977, Hospice of the East Bay is a not-for-profi t agency that

helps people cope with end of life by providing medical, emotional, spiritual, and practical support for patients and families, regardless of their ability to pay.

To learn more or to make a donation of time or money, please contact (925) 887-5678 or visit www.hospiceeastbay.org.

[email protected]

Lafayette Today ~ August 2015 - Page 15


have done projects similar to your own. You can verify the status of a contractor at the California State License Board (CSLB). You can check online at www.cslb.ca.gov.

Gardening Quote of the month: “I can’t fl y, but swimming is the next best thing.... The water is my sky.” ~Author Unknown

If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to [email protected] or for design ideas visit www.jm-la.com or www.houzz.com/pro/jmla/john-montgomery-landscape-architects. Advertorial

Life in the Lafayette Garden Swimming Pools By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059

Summer is fi nally offi cially here, although it has been a mild one so far. I assure you that the summer heat is on the way. One way to keep you cool during those blazing hot Lafayette summers is to have a swimming pool. With the “HOTTER” months yet to come, Lafayette residents are fi nding creative ways

to keep cool in their backyards. If you don’t already have a swimming pool, you might be knocking on your neighbor’s door offering 25 cents a head to take a dip, or is it more like $5 now? Getting out the “kiddy” pool, slip n’ slide, crazy daisy, or just running through the sprinklers are some other creative ways to stay cool without a pool.

If you are considering adding a swimming pool as major asset to your home environment, here are some things to consider before jumping off the diving board. Pools in today’s terms are a major investment. No longer can you get a simple rectangular pool for fewer than seventy thousand dollars. Most pools today are falling into the range of seventy to one-hundred thousand dollars plus. Why? It’s because of the complexity of the pool designs, accouterments, and locations where they are being constructed.

Some key considerations in designing and constructing a pool are the en-gineering and accouterments that accompany today’s pool. Most fl at lot pools can be constructed with standard engineering. Most of Lafayette’s soil is either expansive clay-type or sandstone bedrock or both. If your pool is going into the clay-type soil, potential problems such as expansion, settlement, and drainage are major issues to consider. If you are digging into sandstone, that’s a good thing. You may pay more for digging, but most likely your pool will stay put.

Popular additions to the pool design are spas, waterfalls, water slides, automatic covers, solar heating panels, in-fl oor cleaning systems, plas-ters (such as pebble-Tec, Satin Matrix and Pebble Sheen, custom masonry and tile), and of course a computer systems to run the whole thing. Your computer can manage

your pool temperature, lights, waterfall, fi ltering system, landscape lights, clean-ing system, solar, and even the ability to turn on your spa to warm it up hours before you even get home for that late night dip.

For those with a view, the ever-growing popularity of the vanishing edge or infi nity edge pool is changing the way pools have been used in the traditional sense. With high-tech engineering, pier-holes drilled thirty feet into the ground can allow you to hang a pool off the edge of almost any hillside lot. Of course, you can only do this if you are willing to spend what the average Lafayette home cost in the 1990’s. V-edge pools are simply breath-taking. Depending on the degree of diffi culty, you can expect these pools to start at $125K. If you have the opportunity to design one of these babies into your home environment, you will be totally awe-struck by the beauty of your surroundings being refl ected into the mirror glass refl ection of your vanishing edge.

If you are planning on adding a pool as part of your home environment, it is best to integrate the pool design and the landscape design as an integrated master plan design. Pool companies design pools but often end up plunking a pool into your backyard without consideration of your lifestyle and the rest of the project. Start by creating the environment as a whole, integrating a cohesive design of pool, hardscape, and softscape. Do you want a more naturalistic or formal setting? Installing a pool also makes you think about what other elements you want in your backyard. What kind of pool decking? Should you use concrete, fl agstone, slate, etc? What other additions to your pool-side entertaining do you want? What is your budget? As you can see, designing a pool into your yard is a serious commitment and investment with a lot at stake. Swimming pools can certainly be the magnet of joy and good times, but they can also be a liability. If you decide that a pool should be in your backyard, always consider safety fi rst, be vigilant, make sure your children are pool safe, and never, ever leave them unattended, not even for a moment.

A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Always hire a state licensed con-tractor to build your project. Check their license status and referrals. Make sure they


www.yourmonthlypaper.comwww.yourDo you have a story idea, photo, Do you have a stor sporting news to share? or sporting neContact us at 925.405.6397, Contact us at or or [email protected]@YourM .See Festival continued on page 23www.yourmon

Gardening with KateBy Kathleen Guillaume

My heirloom tomatoes have wonderful 2” globes that are slowly moving toward their maturity. I am already imagining their sweet and tangy taste on my tongue. I got a late start this year, so I probably won’t be harvesting anything until the end of July or first week of August. My choices for tomato plants this year were Black Krim, Pineapple, and Green Goddess.

My new peach tree has but one lonely peach as it is only a mere sapling. It should be hitting its fourth year next year, and I am imagining the tree producing at least 40 fruit that will kiss my mornings with sweetness. Gardening is always a hurry up and wait process.

Around me oleanders are heavy with bloom. My favorites are still the white ones which shimmer in the moonlight with eight feet of solid bloom. It has always been one of my back or side of the garden fence line shrubs. It is a toxic plant, especially the leaves, but tucked out of the way it is a drought tolerant dense screen that needs minimal maintenance and an end-of-bloom pruning.

I have a neighbor who has a well established dwarf myrtle which is now about four feet high and six feet across. Mine is but a baby now, only 18” high and wide. I love its fine dark green fragrant foliage and small frosting of flowers. I prefer it to boxwood which can get quite woody by the time it grows high enough to form a nice path edge. It is equally slow growing but denser in foliage habit. It is wonderful as a stand-alone small shrub or as a low hedge to mark off a garden area in a more formal garden. I love it mostly because it is a perfect greens filler

for floral arrangements with it wonderful fragrance. It is definitely worth checking out.

My climbing Sally Holmes is setting buds for its second round of blooms. It is always a show stopper of a rose. Each branch holds 15 to 25 blooms at its tips, like a one stem giant bouquet. All around me roses are starting to get ready for their repeat blooms.

I have already ordered my spring irises and daffodils from Brecks. When ordered early (they will not ship until fall) they are discounted. Ordering early allows growers to plan which varieties will be in the highest demand and to accommodate that demand. I have been leaning more towards hotter colors, so I have selected a deep orange daffodil, Altruist. I will set them against some re-blooming irises, Penny Lane and Cordoba, each in tones of deep yellow-golds and shimmering oranges. A reblooming iris once established will provide a spring bloom and a late summer or early fall rebloom. Genetically, these varieties grow faster and set off more new rhizomes to create larger blooming sections than the typical bearded irises. For successful planting, these need well drained, slightly acidic soil and full sun if you want strong blooms. The fleshy rhizomes need to be planted on the surface with most of the rhizome above the soil line. They should be deadheaded as blooms fade, and in the fall the leaf blade needs to be cut back like small fans five or so inches above the rhizome. This makes them a glorious plant that is also low maintenance. Every several years they can be dug up in the fall and divided and replanted or gifted to friends.

Gardening always requires patient planning, thinking a season ahead. Remove what no longer pleases and add what will bring joy. Have a wonderful summer.

Happy gardening.

How Much are your Trees Really Worth? By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

With the world in economic and eco-logical turmoil, it pays to take a deep breath and consider the real value of your assets. It’s best to start this exercise close

to home because for most Americans their largest asset is their home. A surpris-ingly large contribution— between 8 and 19%1 — to the value of your home comes from your trees, shrubs, and other landscape plants. If your house is worth $500,000, that places the value of your plants at between $40,000 and $90,0000. Your trees deserve care commensurate with the value they add to your home’s portfolio.

Trees, of course, have value far beyond real estate. Here’s a quick tour of values economists give for urban trees:

Trees add to home values and thereby form part of the tax base. In so doing trees help fund schools, fi re protection services, and police.

Trees work to clean the air. In the process of photosynthesis, trees absorb pollutants and even convert harmful chemicals, like nitrogen oxides and air-borne ammonia, into benign forms.

Trees act to reduce local tax rates by reducing infrastructure costs. Trees absorb rain and slow the speed at which storm water accumulates, thereby helping to prevent fl ooding and the need to install larger storm drains.

Trees not only fi lter pollution, they help prevent it. Shade from trees can reduce air conditioning needs by as much as 30%, and trees planted to intercept prevailing winds can reduce heating needs signifi cantly. “Projections suggest that 100 million additional mature trees in US cities (three trees for every un-shaded single family home) could save over $2 billion in energy costs per year.” 2

Trees also help prevent car pollution. In the Sacramento area, an astound-ing 16% of air pollution comes from cars parked in the sun. Shade from trees greatly reduces the loss of gas, thereby reducing air pollution.

Trees aid healing. When hospital rooms have views of trees, patients heal at a measurably faster rate. Trees help us fulfi ll Dorothy Day’s maxim: create a world in which it is easier to be nice to each other. Studies fi nd that trees in public housing neighborhoods reduce levels of fear and decrease aggressive behavior; and students with ADHD develop more self-discipline when they

play in natural settings.Berkeley calculates that for every $1.00 the city spends on planting and

pruning city trees, its citizens reap $1.40 in measurable benefi ts; for Sacramento the return is $1.80, and for New York City an astounding $5.00 is the return for every dollar spent. The value added to pruning and planting trees on your own property is higher than that for street trees because trees have a real effect on real estate prices.

Overestimating the value of trees to the entire planet is impossible: how can you put a price on the continuation of human life? If too many trees are stripped from the planet, then tipping points in the carbon cycle are crossed making global warming spin out of control… and making the world too hot for human life. Our Earth is small, and global warming makes it ever smaller. The easy division between what is global and what is local no longer holds: a ton of carbon dioxide from burning rainforests in Borneo heats the air as much as a ton of carbon dioxide from the tail pipes of commuter traffi c on I580. We are all part of the problem. We are all part of the solution.

Trees play a role in all three strategies to fi ght global warming. Trees help reduce energy use, and they may someday become a source of renewable bio-fuels. We can protect and restore rainforests and other carbon sinks. Through its work in the Borneo Project, Brende and Lamb works hard to leverage local support for the protection of rainforests. Closer to home we can all help with strategic planting of urban trees to sequester carbon, to reduce heat island ef-fects, and to lower energy consumption. The dividends far outstrip the costs of caring for trees as a necessary part of the ‘green economy.’

Like other living beings, trees do require care. With people it costs less to avoid getting sick than to pay for a cure. The same is true with trees. Quality care improves the health of your trees, extends their lifespan, and increases their beauty. Quality tree work pays dividends to you and to the planet.

If you need help, do not hesitate to give us a call for advice or to do the work. At Brende and Lamb, we have 20 years of experience balancing the aesthetics of your trees and shrubs and maintaining your screening needs. If your trees need a little TLC, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at [email protected] for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood. Advertorial

1. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090119210532.htm2. http://www.treefolks.org/store_biglist.asp

[email protected]

More than 800 local homeowners have used Urban Farmers to harvest 147,000 pounds of fruit. Most tree fruit ripens in a very short period of time. If the mature crop is not harvested, it puts pressure on the tree and attracts bugs, disease, and pests. Many fruit tree owners do not have the time or the ability to harvest their fruit, or the means to distribute their crops to those in need. This is where Urban Farmers can help. The process is simple:

1. Visit the Urban Farmers website at www.theurbanfarmers.org.2. Register your tree by clicking on the link that is just below the picture above.3. Provide a few details: What types of fruit do you have? When do you

think the fruit will ripen? etc.4. When your harvest date approaches, The Urban Farmers will contact

you, and if you have excess fruit, they will coordinate a harvest day and will take whatever fruit you wish to donate.

If you prefer to harvest your own fruit and all you need is transportation to the food bank, they will take care of that, too.

Danville resident Bobbie Rothenberg decided to call The Urban Farmers when her lemon tree started bearing more fruit than she could use. She read about the organization in a senior center newsletter and enlisted their help. “This lovely group came out and not only picked the tree, but they helped me to clean up my yard,” says Rothenberg. “It was a nice experience. It’s a great organization – a community-spirited group.”

The Urban Farmers organization is divided into two parts: A central or-ganization that provides the infrastructure (legal entity, insurance, website, software, tools, equipment, training and processes for fi nding fruit donors and volunteers), and local neighborhood teams where a person or family interested in helping the community harvest the fruit in their neighborhood. The group now has eight chapters harvesting from Vacaville to Pleasanton, with new chapters starting in Rio Vista and Fremont. Their hope is to soon expand the project to any community in the United States (and beyond) that seeks to convert local, healthy, sustainable fruit from waste to food.

“We are able to harvest fruit at an average operating cost of 12 cents per pound,” says representative Siamack Sioshansi. “According to USDA, a farmer has to grow fi ve pounds of fruit to feed a person for a day. This means we can feed a person for about 60 cents per day. You can’t even buy a can of soup for that price. For people that care about social justice and especially feeding the needy, there is no better way to invest donor dollars.”

For more information on The Urban Farmers and how you can participate either by donating fruit, or your time, visit www.theurbanfarmers.org.

Lafayette Today ~ August 2015 - Page 17

www.yourmonthlypaper.comrmonthlypaper.comDo you have a story idea, photo, tory idea, photo, or sporting news to share? ews to share? Contact us at 925.405.6397, 925.405.6397, or Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.comonthlyPaper.com.www.yourmonthlypaper.com


nthlypaper.com

Farmers continued from front pageCoping with the High Cost of EducationBy George M. Noceti, CRPS® -Wealth Advisor and Paul A. Noceti, Financial Planning Specialist with The Integra Group at Morgan Stanley

Over the past decade, the cost of higher education has soared, yet the need to prepare young adults for a competitive job market remains more important than ever. However, despite the diffi cult costs of education, many Americans still don’t know about the benefi ts of 529

education savings plans. Named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, a 529 plan is a tax-advantaged way to save, or even pay in advance, for college expenses.

By establishing a 529 plan now you’re not only taking advantage of a potential tax benefit, you’re giving a child a helping hand toward the skyrocketing cost of higher education. Investing in your Greatest Asset

A 529 comes in two varieties: a pre-paid plan and a savings plan. A pre-paid 529 allows the account holder to pre-pay all or part of the tuition and fees of an in-state college education. Pre-paid plans can also be converted for use at out-of-state colleges. For private colleges, there is a similar but separate plan known as the Private College 529 Plan.

This 529 savings plan works similar to a Roth IRA and offers investment options similar to mutual funds. Its value can rise and fall based on the performance of the investment option chosen.

Earnings in a 529 plan can be tax deferred, with withdrawals being exempt from federal and state income taxes if you use the funds for qualifi ed expenses such as tuition, fees, room and board and supplies. Many states also offer state tax deductions or tax credits on top of that.Broad Flexibility

Another key benefi t of 529 plans is their fl exibility. Some investments that are used for education funding require that the assets be given to the benefi ciary when they reach a certain age. With a 529 plan, the owner of the account continues to make all of the decisions. For example, if the benefi ciary suddenly decides not to go to college, you can choose a different benefi ciary or use the plan for your own education needs.

529 savings can also be used for any accredited in-state, out-of-state or international educational institution. And while some education investment vehicles have age restrictions, a 529 plan has none, so anyone can contribute to one.

Additionally, you can usually cover full college costs because the contribution limits per benefi ciary generally exceed $200,000. However, contribution limits vary by state, so it’s a good idea to connect with a Financial Advisor to confi rm.Potentially Signifi cant Tax Benefi ts

For tax-planning purposes, your 529 plan contribution is considered a gift to the benefi ciary and qualifi es for the $14,000 annual gift-tax exclusion, enabling you to make signifi cant contributions without being charged the gift tax. Further, you can frontload your contribution to as high as $70,000 in one year ($140,000 for married couples), then distribute the gift-tax reduction over a fi ve year period.

Assets, however, can accumulate and be withdrawn federally tax-free only if they are used to pay for qualified expenses – tuition, fees, room and board and supplies. Non-qualified distributions are subject to income tax and a 10% federal income tax penalty.

529 plans not only help reduce federal tax, but they can reduce state income tax. Thirty-four states, including the District of Columbia, offer residents a full or partial tax deduction or credit for 529 savings plan contributions. A few states even offer a state tax deduction whether you invest in that state’s 529 or not.

If you’d like further information about 529 education savings plans, feel free to reach out to me with questions. Morgan Stanley offers many 529s from some of the nation’s leading mutual fund companies. You can choose from a range of investment strategies depending on the specific plan, the age of the beneficiary, your financial objectives and risk tolerance.

For further information on how our advice can better help you plan philanthropically, or retirement planning, as well as a complimentary Medicare Review, Social Security Review and understanding the new rules, 529 Plans, and Financial Plan Review, please contact us at George M. Noceti, CRPS® - Wealth Advisor at (925)746-2982, via email at [email protected], or visit our website at www.ms.com/fa/theintegragroup. Connect on LinkedIn: George M. Noceti, CRPS®. Follow me on Twitter: @GNocetiMS.

Sources/Disclaimer: 1 Source: The College Board https://www.collegeboard.org. Investors should consider many factors before de-ciding which 529 plan is appropriate. Some of these factors include: the fees, conditions, restrictions, and limitations of the specific plan, the plan’s investment options and the historical investment performance, the plan’s flexibility and features, the reputation and expertise of the plan’s investment manager, plan contribution limits and the federal and state tax benefits associated with an investment in the plan. Some states, for example, offer favorable tax treatment and other benefits to their residents only if they invest in the state’s own Qualified Tuition Program. Investors should determine their home state’s tax treatment of 529 plans when considering whether to choose an in-state or out-of-state plan. Investors should consult with their tax or legal advisor before investing in any 529 plan or contact their state tax division for more information. The discussion of frontloading contributions assumes that there are no gifts made by the gift giver to the beneficiary in the prior five years. Any gifts made in the five years prior to or the four years after an accelerated gift is made may result in a taxable event. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney does not provide tax and/or legal advice. Investors should carefully read a Program Disclosure Statement, which contains more information on investment options, risk factors, fees and expenses and possible tax conse-quences. You can obtain a copy of the Program Disclosure Statement from the 529 plan sponsor or your Financial Advisor. Advertorial


Cake continued fromSee Cake continued on paNatives continued fCamera continued from frontHearing LCome to meof America at United MethodEducation Bldof the church. system are avaHLAADV@heSee Comics continued on pab

pbp

H

City of LaBelow are keAdministratresources, fi nanCity Manager, AServices Manag#210, Lafayette(925) 284-1968 Planning: Redevelopment of tOrdinance and tare 12pm – 5pm Mplanner@lovelaPolice: Respoperations, and Mt. Diablo BlvdFriday. For gen(925) 284-5010 Public Workincluding road repWorks Corp YardMonday-Friday. Foutages, traffi c sigParks & Recvariety of recreatiCommunity CentRecreation (Comare 9am – 5pm MonCode EnforceThe Code Enforccomplaints involvsigns, animals andContact Mark RoFor more inf

A

Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment

A Terrifi c Way to Be CharitableBy Robert J. Silverman, Esq.

Charitably-minded people who own highly appreciated real estate investment property, but are fairly illiquid, face a dilemma. Those who own highly appreciated stock can face the same dilemma. Often, these investors don’t want to sell the appreciated assets, pay substantial capital gains tax, and then make a donation from after-tax sale proceeds.

So, how can these folks make meaningful charitable dona-tions while simultaneously achieving significant financial and tax benefits? They do it by donating their appreciated assets to

a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT). This strategy, sometimes referred to as a “split inter-est” gift, provides benefits to both the owner (donor) and the donor’s chosen charity(ies).

Benefi ts to the donor include some or all of the following: a) eliminating management headaches; b) increasing cash fl ow; c) avoiding property-related liability; d) diversifying assets; e) sidestepping immediate capital gains tax nor-mally triggered by a sale; f) reducing or eliminating potential estate tax liability; and g) satisfying the desire to donate to a worthy cause.

While the dynamics are a bit diffi cult to understand at fi rst blush, a CRT very generally works as follows:

1) a donor establishes and gifts highly appreciated assets to the CRT (an irrevocable trust); 2) the donor names one or more charitable organization(s) as benefi ciary; 3) the trustee appointed by the donor sells the donated assets without paying any tax; 4) the net sale proceeds are reinvested in income-producing assets; 5) the donor receives an income stream generated by the reinvested assets (subject to a special, tiered tax structure); 6) the donor receives an income tax deduction in the year the property is gifted to the CRT; and 7) when the CRT term ends, the remainder (balance of assets remaining in the CRT) is given outright to the charitable benefi ciary(ies).

So, with a CRT, a property owner can essentially “have his cake and eat it too.” I am currently drafting a CRT for a client who will soon be selling his company. By using a CRT, he is delighted to be able to donate a portion of the (very highly appreciated) stock in his company, while receiving a valuable lifetime income stream and a great, upfront income tax deduction.

Some people are reluctant to establish a CRT because their loved ones will be deprived of the assets that go to the charitable CRT benefi ciary(ies) at the end of the CRT term. I’ll call this the “inheritance defi cit.” However, the potential aggregate, after-tax, fi nancial benefi ts of a CRT during the donor’s lifetime may exceed the amount the loved ones would have inherited had the donor kept the assets rather than donating them to the CRT. Even when this is not the case, cre-ative strategies are available to compensate for this inheritance defi cit.

For example, if the income from the CRT is projected to be greater than that which the donor is currently receiving from the assets being donated, some or all of this excess income can be used to buy a life insurance policy insuring the life of the donor. The policy’s death benefi t can be the equivalent to (or greater than) the projected value, upon the donor’s death, of the assets being donated to the CRT. Thus, the life insurance can effectively eliminate any potential inheritance defi cit.

Certainly, anyone inclined to set up a CRT should obtain specifi c advice from qualifi ed legal, tax, and fi nancial advisors. The pros and cons must be analyzed carefully and well understood by the client. Numbers should be “crunched” to determine whether the fi nancial and tax benefi ts are satisfactory to the owner, and how the CRT will likely impact the client’s entire estate plan. Furthermore, a number of different types of CRT’s are available to suit a property owner’s particular goals or needs, and many technical tax rules and regulations apply.

Some philanthropic people don’t care if their CRT ends up producing a net fi nancial gain. Others are happy to employ various available estate planning strategies, like the life insurance strategy outlined above, to cover any anticipated net fi nancial loss to their loved ones. In any event, by using a CRT and/or other similar advanced estate planning strategies, it is frequently possible for all of the stakeholders – in this case, the property/stock owner, his loved ones, and the charitable organization(s) - to win. Well, the taxing authorities may not win, but most taxpayers won’t shed tears over that!

* Estate Planning * Trust Administration & Probate * Real Estate * BusinessThe author will be happy to provide to you, on a complimentary basis, any or all of the

following: i) an “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) a brochure on alternative methods of holding title to real estate; iii) an introductory meeting. This article is intended to provide informa-tion of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group which is located at 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 125, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; [email protected].

This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and is not intended nor should it be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein. Advertorial

City of Lafayette ContactsBelow are key Lafayette city departments and their contact information.Administration: Responsible for overall city operations such as human

resources, fi nance and offi ce operations. Key staff members include the City Manager, Administrative Services Director, City Clerk, and Financial Services Manager. The City Offi ces are located at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., #210, Lafayette. Hours are 8am – 5pm Monday-Friday. For information call (925) 284-1968 or email [email protected].

Planning: Responsible for current and long-term planning for the physical development of the community that is consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and the direction of the City Council. Planning Department hours are 12pm – 5pm Monday-Friday. For information call (925) 284-1976 or email [email protected].

Police: Responsible for public safety, law enforcement, emergency operations, and parking control. The Police Department is located at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd, #130, Lafayette. Hours are 8am-12pm & 1am-5pm Monday-Friday. For general questions call (925) 299-3220. For police dispatch call (925) 284-5010 or 911.

Public Works: Responsible for maintaining the infrastructure of the City including road repair, storm drains, and landscaping of public property. The Public Works Corp Yard is located at 3001 Camino Diablo, Lafayette. Hours are 7am – 3pm Monday-Friday. For questions call (925) 934-3908. To report potholes, streetlight outages, traffi c signal problems and other issues call the Hotline at (925) 299-3259.

Parks & Recreation: Responsible for the management and operation of a variety of recreation programs, special events and facilities including the Lafayette Community Center, the Community Park and a system of city trails. The Parks & Recreation (Community Center) is located 500 St. Mary’s Road, Lafayette. Hours are 9am – 5pm Monday-Saturday. For questions call (925) 284-2232.

Code Enforcement: Responsible for enforcing the Lafayette Municipal Code. The Code Enforcement Offi cer concentrates on the investigation and abatement of complaints involving land use (zoning), housing conditions, abandoned vehicles, signs, animals and vermin, weeds/fi re hazards, fences and general public nuisances. Contact Adam Foster at 925-299-3207 or [email protected].

For more information, visit www.ci.lafayette.ca.us.

DONATE YOUR CAR!

Cars | Trucks | Vans | Boats | Real EstateCall 7 days a week. Tax deduction. All transfer documents handled.

Free pick-up. Running or not in most cases.888-694-5250 | www.thefallenheroes.org


See Natives continued on page 16m front pageage 17from page 14t page

Advertise in Your Community! Lafayette Today is delivered exclusively to Lafayette. Reach out to over 12,000 LOCAL homes and businesses.925.405.6397www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Loss Association eetings of the Diablo Valley Chapter of Hearing Loss Association 7pm on the fi rst Wednesday of the month at the Walnut Creek dist Church located at 1543 Sunnyvale Ave., Walnut Creek dg., Wesley Room. Meeting room and parking are at the back All are welcome. Donations are accepted. Assistive listening ailable for T-coils, and most meetings are captioned. Contact earinglossdv.org or (925) 264-1199 or www.hearinglossdv.org. age 20New Hope for Glioblastoma PatientsBy Christine Chung, MDA couple of years ago I had a patient who was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain tumor. She was only 53 years old, and went through a full course of treatment to fi ght the cancer: surgery, radiation, and temozolo-mide chemotherapy. For nearly the fi rst year after her treatment she did well, but then the tumor came back. Normally patients with recurrent glioblastoma receive chemotherapy, but she called me to ask if there were any other treatment options that she should consider.Over 10,000 people in the US are diagnosed with glioblastoma every year. The median survival for glioblastoma patients is 15 months, even with standard therapy. Many patients have a recurrence and are then confronted with similar options: more surgery, more radiation, and/or different chemotherapy. I was par-ticularly interested in helping my patient quickly because people with recurrent glioblastoma have a poor prognosis, with a median survival of less than a year. While it’s not a silver bullet, there is an interesting new treatment available for patients with recurrent glioblastoma called “Optune.” It does not involve surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, and instead relies on generating low-intensity electrical fi elds in the brain called Tumor Treating Fields (called TTF). The TTFs seem to disrupt the ability of the cancer cells to divide so that the tumor cannot grow. Patients getting TTF have to shave their hair and place electrical transducers (similar to EKG pads) on their scalp for at least 18 hours a day. These transducers are hooked up to a device that generates the electrical fi elds. This is a tradeoff – while patients can avoid some of the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, they have to be willing to wear an ap-paratus on their head and carry around a six pound device.The FDA approved Optune in 2011 for patients with recurrent glioblastoma based on a study that showed comparable survival between patients treated with chemotherapy versus TTF. Patients in the TTF group reported fewer side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. The most common side effect was skin irritation on the scalp due to the transducer pads. Then last month, researchers presented an analysis of 700 newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients who were either assigned to one of two groups: (1) those who received TTF and temozolo-mide or (2) temozolomide alone. Patients treated with TTF had an improved median survival of 19.4 months, compared with 16.6 months for patients treated with temozolomide alone. The FDA is currently reviewing the data, but Optune may become a treatment for newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients in the future.Optune shows promise as an alternative to conventional treatments, or as a potential supplement to them. It has different side effects that many patients may fi nd more manageable, and may help to extend patients’ lives in the future.Christine Chung, MD is a board certifi ed Radiation Oncologist with Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group and practices in Pleasant Hill and Berkeley. Dr. Chung and her colleagues are certifi ed providers of the Optune treatment therapy. For more information, please call 925-677-5041 or visit www.dvohmg.com. Advertorial

afayette Contactsey Lafayette city departments and their contact information.tion: Responsible for overall city operations such as human nce and offi ce operations. Key staff members include the Administrative Services Director, City Clerk, and Financial ger. The City Offi ces are located at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., e. Hours are 8am – 5pm Monday-Friday. For information call or email [email protected] for current and long-term planning for the physical the community that is consistent with the General Plan, Zoning the direction of the City Council. Planning Department hours Monday-Friday. For information call (925) 284-1976 or email afayette.org.ponsible for public safety, law enforcement, emergency parking control. The Police Department is located at 3675 d, #130, Lafayette. Hours are 8am-12pm & 1am-5pm Monday-eral questions call (925) 299-3220. For police dispatch call or 911.ks: Responsible for maintaining the infrastructure of the City pair, storm drains, and landscaping of public property. The Public d is located at 3001 Camino Diablo, Lafayette. Hours are 7am – 3pm For questions call (925) 934-3908. To report potholes, streetlight gnal problems and other issues call the Hotline at (925) 299-3259.creation: Responsible for the management and operation of a ion programs, special events and facilities including the Lafayette nter, the Community Park and a system of city trails. The Parks & mmunity Center) is located 500 St. Mary’s Road, Lafayette. Hours nday-Saturday. For questions call (925) 284-2232.ement: Responsible for enforcing the Lafayette Municipal Code. cement Offi cer concentrates on the investigation and abatement of ving land use (zoning), housing conditions, abandoned vehicles, d vermin, weeds/fi re hazards, fences and general public nuisances. obbins at 925-299-3207.formation, visit www.ci.lafayette.ca.us.

A couple enjoys a dance at the USO Operation Swingtime event held at the Lafayette Reservoir.

Your Personal Nutritionist A Nutrition Plan for College Students By Linda Michaelis RD, MS

I have recently been excited to see many college-aged kids (including my second daughter) who want to take responsibility for their nutrition and lose weight in order to start college with a new image. They know mom and dad will not be around to provide meals, and they will now be making their own food choices at the dorm, cafeteria, or other spots on campus.

Many young students I see do not realize what comprises balanced meals and snacks. They often do not know how to read food labels. They don’t understand that there is much more to a food label than just looking at calories -- such as looking at the more important food information like protein, fi ber, and sugar.

When I talk with students before their college orientation, I stress the importance of going to the dining facilities to see what is offered. Often the students will show me the college website where all of the eating facilities and menus are listed. My job is to help them evaluate the available foods and help design meal plans based on their class schedule. I am usually glad to see there is a Trader’s Joe’s or market close to campus. I will often take my clients to a local market to help educate them about what are great meals and snacks for times that dining halls are closed, which happens often on the weekend. On one of these recent tours my client Sam was excited to see that she could buy low fat macaroni and cheese and use it as a topping on broccoli which is also is available in a convenient steam bag option. We also looked at buying baked potatoes or sweet potatoes which can easily be cooked in her microwave in her room. Sam liked the idea of topping the potato with Fage nonfat yogurt which tastes like sour cream and is very tasty with salsa. I also recommended instant low sugar oatmeal packets with a side of yogurt and fruit, all again easily available and very quick for a meal during study times.

During our market tour I showed Sam great soups that are hearty and high in protein and fi ber such as Amy’s Lentil and Veggie Soup, Black Bean Soup and Minestrone Soup. We learned how to look at soups and to be aware of how many servings there are in a can where one needs to multiply the protein and fi ber numbers by how many servings are listed on the food label. Lastly, we looked at buying baby carrots or hearts of celery as well and buying almond butter and using this as a great portable snack. I could see after our store visit Sam was very relieved that she could now manage her nutrition when left to buy her own foods at college. This will be especially helpful after the freshmen year when students typically move outside the dorm to apartments and must purchase all their food for meals.

I like to make myself very available to these students by texting, which is how they like to communicate. I often receive photos of their meals at restaurants or even pictures of the nutrition label of food packages, asking my opinion on whether I recommend it or not.

I see too many kids using protein shakes and bars and thinking that it is a meal after they workout. Yes, it might be good to repair their muscles, but I fi nd they end up being hungry soon after and do not make good choices when they are out and not at home. My suggestion is it is better to eat a high protein and fi ber meal such as a veggie omelet or meat and baked potato topped with chili combinations over a protein shake. If students are in the midst of exams, I stress going for the balanced meal instead of these shakes and bars which will fi ll them up for hours.

The good news is that many of my nutritional counseling sessions with stu-dents is covered by health insurance. If you would like me to help you improve your nutrition knowledge and feel the best you can feel when entering college, please start keeping a food diary before you make an appointment. I promise you that this will be an experience that will change your young life.

Please feel free to call me at (925) 855-0150 or email me at [email protected] about your nutrition concerns. Look at my website LindaRD.com for a listing of insurance companies I am contracted with such as Aetna, Sut-ter, Blue Cross, ABMG, Hill, Health Net and others. Advertorial

The New Breast ImplantsBy Dr. Barbara Persons

As a Board Certifi ed Plastic Surgeon who com-pleted a fellowship in Aesthetic, Breast, & Laser surgery, I have been on the cutting edge of breast augmentation surgery for many years. I have been amazed and delighted at the incredible advances the leading breast implant manufacturers have made in the past 10+ years and wanted to share the history of breast implants with you.

• 1942 - Eugene G. Rochow of Harvard University, pioneered the manu-facture of commercial silicones

• 1963 - Dow Corning launches the fi rst silicone gel-fi lled breast implant.• 1968 - Saline fi lled implants launched in the US in 1968. [First Generation]• 1970s-80s - Silicone implants widely used in the U.S. [Second Generation]• 1992-2006 silicone implants banned in the U.S. due to concerns about

performance• 2006 Third Generation Silicone implants FDA approvedThe Third Generation implants offer many benefi ts over earlier products:• They feature a multi-layer shell (exterior) with a barrier layer to make

them more durable• They are fi lled with a special gel that is quite cohesive (non-spreading).

You can cut an implant in half, and there is no fl ow of the gel. Despite the advances in these Third Generation implants, every patient

has unique needs and desires. In a typically week, I consult with a dozen or so women seeking breast augmentation. A number of questions and topics are discussed with the most popular being, “saline or silicone”? There are many factors involved in making the proper choice. This makes the need for an in-depth consultation even more critical. In general, most women are choosing the new generation of silicone gel implants versus saline, although an increasing number are also opting for fat grafting as an adjunct to implant augmentation or reconstruction. Recent studies have supported the use of fat grafting to the breast and I often perform liposuction of the bra roll for a “contour” breast augmentation.

Both silicone and saline implants have an outer silicone shell. The silicone implants which come pre-fi lled with a cohesive silicone gel whereas the saline implants are fi lled with sterile saline after being placed. As an aside, the debate sur-

rounding the safety of silicone implants has largely been resolved, as there has not been a single substantiated case of silicone fi lled implants causing systemic disease.

Saline implants tend to be chosen by a younger demographic prior to hav-ing children. Because these implants are fi lled after they are placed under the breast tissue, the incision can be more distant (such as the umbilical method of implantation) and will result in almost no visible scarring and has no im-pact on breast feeding. Saline implants have a lifespan of 7-10 years. Saline implants are less optimal for women seeking larger implants such as a D cup.

Silicone implants have once again become the more popular choice among all age groups, even though the implants themselves cost more, as the thicker, gel-like consistency creates a more natural look and feel. These implants can create a natural effect for women desiring small, moderate, or ample breast size. The procedure using this type of implants requires a small incision, often in the crease below the breast, resulting in a very small scar, typically hid-den under the breast. The risks associated with silicone implants are similar to those associated with saline while having a signifi cantly longer lifespan.

Recent advances in fat harvesting and grafting have made fat transfer a growing method of breast augmentation in my practice. It is ideal for women looking to increase their breasts by one half to one cup size, for example from B to a small C. Fat transfer is often incorporated with breast lift (mastopexy), reconstruction and augmentation. Mild liposuction is used to remove the fat from an unwanted area such as the fl anks or abdomen and injected without a need for any additional incisions.

Whether you are considering a breast augmentation for the fi rst time or are a patient with existing implants looking for a change, I look forward to sharing my experience and expertise in determining the most suitable augmentation option for you.

Dr. Barbara Persons is a plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon and is Board Certifi ed by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc. Per-sons Plastic Surgery, Inc. is her cosmetic & reconstructive surgery center, conveniently located at 911 Moraga Road, suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925-283-4012 or [email protected]. Advertorial

For advertising information contact Lafayette Today at 925-405-6397


Symposium continued from

Gallstones By Dr. Charleen Kim, West Coast Surgical Associates

Have you ever had pain in the right upper quad-rant of your abdomen under your rib cage or pain in the upper abdomen after you eat? If so, you may have had symptoms from gallstones. Gallstones are actual stones that form in the gallbladder.

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that rests beneath the right side of the liver. The purpose of the gallbladder is to collect and

concentrate a digestive liquid (bile) produced by the liver. Bile is re-leased from the gallbladder when food is eaten, travels through the bile ducts, and aids in the digestion of food in the intestine. Removal of the gallbladder is usually not associated with any impairment of digestion.

Gallbladder problems are usually caused by gallstones which form due to an imbalance of cholesterol and bile salts. Gallstones are more common as you get older, more often occur in certain families and ethnic groups, and are a risk of pregnancy and rapid weight loss. These stones may block the fl ow of bile out of the gallbladder which causes it to swell. This can result in abdominal pain – most often in the right upper area of the abdomen, usually under the rib cage, but the pain can also radiate to the upper mid abdomen, sometimes in a band-like fashion, or even to the back. Some patients feel pain in the chest and worry that it is a heart attack. Nausea, vomiting, fever, bloating, heart-burn, and other symptoms may occur. Sometimes gallbladder symp-toms occur without gallstones being obvious, and occasionally other problems can develop such as a stone blocking the bile duct causing jaundice or infl ammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

If the pain persists, a high fever is present, or breathing is diffi cult, you should go to the Emergency Room for immediate evaluation. You may re-quire more urgent surgery to remove your gallbladder. Complications from gallstones can include infl ammation or infection of the gallbladder, bile ducts, or even pancreas.

Gallstones are best detected by ultrasound. Ultrasound is not painful and does not use radiation. It can be used to look at the gallbladder to see if it has stones in it or if the gallbladder itself is infl amed. Sometimes more testing is needed to pin down the diagnosis.

Patients who have gallstones and also have symptoms from them are best treated with surgery to remove the gallbladder. Gallstones cannot be blasted, like kidney stones, nor effectively dissolved. There are home “remedies” you may read about on the internet about how to “fl ush” out your gallstones, but beware of them as they may cause you to have a very bad bout of gallbladder infection, landing you in the hospital, requiring urgent surgery and antibiotics.

Gallbladder surgery is best done before the stones cause blockage and infl ammation of the gallbladder. Traditionally, gallbladders were removed with a large inci-sion in the right upper abdomen under the rib cage. Now the standard is to remove the gallbladder with minimally invasive/laparoscopic techniques. This is done with one to three (sometimes four) small incisions in the abdomen or a single larger incision at the umbilicus using a laparoscope. Most elective gallbladder surgeries are done on an outpatient basis where you go home the same day if your surgeon feels you do not need more observation for your safety. Patients can expect tapering abdominal discomfort up to about two weeks with return to regular activity thereafter.

Because the gallbladder is just a sac that holds bile (which is made in the liver) and releases it when eating fatty meals, the gallbladder is not an essential life-sustaining organ and can be removed with little effect on bodily function. When it has stones, the gallbladder does not function properly and the gut im-mediately starts adapting to deal with digestion.

If you have noticed right upper abdominal pain, heartburn, or discomfort after eating, you may indeed have gallstones and should see your physician. Dr. Charleen Kim is a board certifi ed general surgeon who is a Diplomate of the American College of Surgeons. She practices with West Coast Surgical

Associates -- offi ces in Walnut Creek, San Ramon, and Concord. Call (925) 933-0984 to schedule an appointment. Advertorial

Blackhawk TMSCutting Edge Treatmentfor Depression Without

Medications

Call for afree consultation

ARE YOU DOING THE SAME THING

OVER AND OVER EXPECTING

A DIFFERENT OUTCOME?

THE ONLY SERVICE OFFERING

DEEP TMS IN THE TRI-VALLEY

FDAApproved

925-648-26504185 Blackhawk Plaza Circle

Danville, CA 94506

VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR FACEBOOK PAGEwww.blackhawktms.com

Several insurances accepted

TeleCare Connects with the HomeboundSince 1971, member volunteers of TeleCare, a philanthropic program of

Assistance League® of Diablo Valley, have been making daily reassurance calls, Monday through Friday, to those in our community who are homebound. As the chapter’s longest standing philanthropic program, TeleCare empowers the clients, no matter what their ages, to remain in their homes. What ensures this is a daily confi dential journal kept for each client that member volunteers consult prior to the phone calls then update accordingly. Last year alone, member volunteers devoted 765 hours to connecting with homebound clients.

Unfortunately, many clients are socially isolated and don’t have anyone to check on them daily. Statistics indicate that loneliness can cause a 20% decline in health, a number that increases for seniors, the elderly and the homebound. TeleCare not only offsets that statistic, it ultimately serves as a safety net for clients and their families especially if volunteer callers are unable to reach the client.

If you live alone or know someone who does, a daily phone call would be a great way to stay connected with life and make new friends. Other TeleCare activities include attending an annual holiday party to meet fellow clients and member volunteers face to face, as well as receiving greeting cards from the Assisteens®, an auxiliary where kids learn to participate in a community ser-vice at a young age. To help, or for more information about TeleCare, please call (925) 934-0901.

Meals on WheelsSeniors in our community need your support! Meals on Wheels and Senior

Outreach Services have been supporting seniors in YOUR neighborhood since 1968. Two of the programs, Meals on Wheels and Friendly Visitors, rely on the support of volunteers, and we need your help now more than ever.

Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver meals to local homebound se-niors through regular two hour shifts once per week or as substitute drivers. Friendly Visitors volunteers provide weekly one-hour companionship visits to isolated seniors. To volunteer for either program, please call (925) 937-8311.

Group Helps People Cope with Death of Pets When you lose your pet, you often feel like a part of you is lost. The

death of your beloved animal companion is one of the most diffi cult losses you may ever feel. This loss is sometimes made more painful by society’s seeming lack of support for pet grief.

Hospice of the East Bay and the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Founda-tion is offering a support group where participants can share memories and feelings and talk to others who truly understand and care. Meetings will be held the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-7PM at the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek.

For further information and/or to register, please call Bereavement Ser-vices at Hospice of the East Bay (925) 887-5681.


front page

Menopause MattersBy Timothy Leach, MD, FACOG, CNMP

Summer has arrived and it’s the time of the year we spend with family and friends at backyard BBQ’s, pool parties, and the beach. It is a great time to renew friendships and get away, but too much of a good thing may be harm-ful, like sunlight. Your PCP and dermatologist are going to remind you about the importance of using sunscreen to protect you from UV rays which can cause skin cancer. Sunlight is where we get most of our vitamin D, so what

should you do? I will use the next several columns to review bone health, vitamin D and calcium, osteoporosis, and bone scans. Today I’ll start with vitamin D.

The following is from physician database called UpToDate which has a limited amount of basic free information for patients.

Sunlight is essential for synthesis of vitamin D and has benefi cial effects on mood. However, ultraviolet (UV) radiation (290 to 400 nm) is responsible for several acute and chronic detrimental effects on human skin, including sunburn, photoaging, and skin cancer.

UVB (290 to 320 nm), which represents only fi ve percent of the UV reaching the earth surface, includes the biologically most active wavelengths. UVB is responsible for sunburn, infl ammation, hyperpigmentation, and photocarcinogenesis.

Approximately 95 percent of the UV radiation reaching the earth surface is UVA (320 to 400 nm). UVA has a major role in photoaging and pigment darkening and may be involved in skin carcinogenesis [1-3].

Photoprotection, which includes sun avoidance during peak hours, sun-protective clothing, and sunscreens, is crucial to prevent or reduce the potential harms associ-ated with UV exposure.

The following are excerpts from U.S. Preventative Services Task Force Recom-mendation Statement: Screening for Vitamin D & NIH consensus about Vitamin D and Primary Care Practice 2015.

There is widespread agreement that vitamin D promotes bone health and together with calcium helps protect older adults from bone loss. It is generally felt that most persons get their vitamin D from sun-exposed skin. Also, there appears to be a benefi t from vitamin D supplementation to prevent falls in the frail elderly who are at risk for vitamin D defi ciency. Whether vitamin D supplementation offers the same benefi t in healthy, well-nourished older individuals is unclear. Beyond bone health and possible fall prevention, research during the last 15 years has suggested that normal vitamin D levels might provide other benefi ts including reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and infectious respiratory diseases. Most of the research thus far has been in observational trials with fi nal results years away. Some contend that promoting vitamin D even in the absence of data from clinical trials is good for the public health. This logic is fl awed given that prior enthusiasm for high dose nutritional therapies based on observational studies like vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium waned when clinical trials demonstrated not only lack of benefi t, but potential harm. At annual well-woman exams, my patients share their list of OTC vitamins and the recommended amounts by Consumers Reports, Dr. Oz or Good Morning America’s health expert, so it must be safe?

What do Serum measures tell us about Vitamin D status according the IOM and professional societies?

Serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-HD) is the best indicator of vitamin D status. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that 20 ng/ml serum 25-HD is the level considered normal in almost all (97%) of the general population. The Endocrine Society agreed with the IOM except in frail elderly adults, pregnant women, and dark skinned individual for whom they recommend 30 ng/ml. If your vitamin D level is around or above 20 ng/ml, you are fi ne and don’t need to take any supplement. Levels below 20 ng/ml can be treated with 600- 800 IU vitamin D daily but don’t require follow-up testing. Taking doses of vitamin D over 800 units/d may prove to be harmful in the future, so be careful.

Next month on July 13 from 6-7PM I will be having informal evening program with light appetizers where my patients will share their experience after MonaLisa Touch (MLT). MonaLisa Touch is an FDA approved laser that restores genitourinary health for pre and postmenopausal women. Tens of thousands of women have been treated worldwide and are turning back the clock. If you are interested in attending, please call the offi ce.

Visit my website at www.leachobgyn.com for links to resources and our Face-book page, Timothy Leach MD, for more information. My offi ce is located at 110 Tampico, Suite 210 in Walnut Creek. Please call us at 925-935-6952. Advertorial

5 Ways to Increase Iron IntakeBy Esther Catalya, MD

Iron is one of the main components our body uses to keep active. It’s necessary to produce proper hemo-globin molecules, which deliver oxygen throughout our bodies. When your body is lacking iron, it is easy to become fatigued, even with very little activity.

Iron comes in two dietary forms: heme and non-heme. Heme is primarily absorbed from lean meats and seafood. An individual can absorb up to 30 per-

cent of the iron from food itself, whereas non-heme is absorbed from plant based foods such as vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Non-heme foods only allow your body to absorb between two and ten percent of the iron because it is more diffi cult for our body to process compared to heme iron.

When you aren’t getting enough iron, there is a common disease that oc-curs called iron-defi ciency anemia. This disease is more prevalent amongst vegetarians, since they don’t consume the easier to absorb heme from meat and seafood. However, vegetarians are not the only individuals with this disease. There are many simple ways to increase your iron intake, starting with your diet.

As previously mentioned, lean meat and poultry are important foods that help to increase and maintain iron levels. Some examples of foods contain-ing heme iron are turkey, lamb, beef, pork, and liver. Seafood is equivalently benefi cial for your iron intake and likewise contains heme iron. For those who don’t eat meat, there are other options to increase your iron as well. Dark leafy greens such as broccoli, spinach, kale, collards and beet greens, as well as nuts and beans, contain signifi cant amounts of iron. When eating only non-heme iron, it is advised that you eat more of these foods in order to meet the daily needs for your body.

When eating foods that contain non-heme iron, pair them with vitamin C rich foods or drinks (citrus, strawberries, and tomatoes) to enhance the amount of iron you can absorb from the meal. In addition, cooking in a cast-iron skillet increases the amount of iron in your food which can raise your iron levels. When lean meats, poultry, or seafood are paired with nuts or dark leafy greens, iron absorption can be improved up to three times. Furthermore, avoid mixing your iron rich foods with calcium, soy proteins, and fi bers because these nutrients will inhibit the absorption of iron.

When changing your diet doesn’t make a signifi cant difference in maintain-ing your iron levels, it may be time to speak with your doctor about further testing and medication options.

Dr. Catalya is a Medical Oncologist & Hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group. She sees patients in Pleasant Hill and Rossmoor. For more information, please call (925) 677-5041. Advertorial

Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment


Events for Lafayette SeniorsAll classes are held at the Lafayette Senior Center (LSC), located at 500

Saint Mary’s Rd in Lafayette, unless otherwise noted. Space is limited. Please call 925-284-5050 to reserve a spot. Unless otherwise mentioned, events are free for members and $10 for non-members.Anne Randolph Physical Therapy Presentation: Pain Management Wednesday, July 27 • 11:30AM – 12:30PM • Tiny Tots Red Room, LSC - Learn how improving posture and muscle strength can reduce or eliminate pain altogether. Stop suffering and take controlApple Basics 1st & 3rd Thursdays • 11AM – 12:30PM • Elderberry Room, LSC - This on-going series covers topics such as the technology needed for wireless communication, your Apple ID, iTunes, iCloud, and the basics of iPad and iPhone usage. Topics for future sessions will be determined by participants’ input and needs. There will be time for Q&A at the end of each class. Please note: this series deals with Apple devices only.Lamorinda Tea Dance Wednesdays • 1 – 3:30PM • Live Oak Room, LSC - Enjoy afternoon dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the fi rst Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen and Michael will provide a dance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests.Smart Driver 4.5 hour Refresher Course July 21 • 9:00AM – 1:45PM • Sequoia Room, LSC This abbreviated refresher course is for those who have taken an AARP driving course within the last four years. Refi ne your driving skills, develop safe, defensive techniques, and possibly lower your insurance premium. Max: 25 pre-paid registrants. Send check, made payable to AARP, to Lafayette Senior Services, 500 St. Mary’s Rd., Lafayette, CA 94549. Important: Prior to sending check, please call 284-5050 to determine space availability. Words of Wisdom...From the Philosophical to the Lighthearted 3rd Tuesday Monthly • 10:30AM–noon • Toyon Room, LSCShare your opinions with us in a freewheeling exchange of ideas: from current events to philosophy to the inspirational. There may be agreement or there may be different opinions -- it’s all in the spirit of learning, sharing, enrichment, and good humor. Our “elder perspective” frequently sounds a lot like wisdom!Reservoir Walking Group Tuesdays and Thursdays • 9AM – 10:30AM • Meet at reservoir at 8:45AM center bench on the dam - Led by Jim Scala, Lafayette Today’s “Walking the Reservoir” columnist. Join us for camaraderie, fresh air, and enjoyable exercise, all in magnifi cent surroundings. Optional bonus: at the end of the walk, Jim will lead you through easy yoga poses and breathing exercises in the most beautiful outdoor yoga studio: the band stage overlooking the water. Increase your balance and fi tness, both physical and mental, and leave each week feeling uplifted and radiating that overall sense of well-being! Please call (925) 284-5050 or email [email protected] to add your name to the email notifi cation list. Bring quarters or a credit card for the parking meter. Annual senior (62+) passes may be purchased at the reservoir visitor center. Positive Living Forum (“Happiness Club”) 2nd Thursday monthly • 10:30AM – noon • Sequoia Room, LSC - Brighten your day with Dr. Bob Nozik, MD, Prof. Emeritus UCSF and author of Happy 4 Life: Here’s How to Do It. Brighten your day and take part in this interactive gathering which features speakers on a wide range of topics that guide participants toward a more ideal and positive life experience. Drop-ins welcome!Free Peer Counseling 2nd Tuesday monthly • 10AM - noon • Alder Room, LSC - Contra Costa Health Services offers free one-on-one counseling with senior (55+) counselors who use their life experiences to help other older adults cope with life changes, problems, crises, and challenges. Confi dentiality is strictly observed. Appointment required. Please call Lafayette Senior Services to sign up for one of the 60-minute appointments.Lamorinda Nature Walk and Bird-Watching Wednesdays • 9AM

- noon • Alder Room, LSC - Experience nature at its fi nest along our local trails. Delight in the beauty that unfolds around each bend, all the while learning to identify a variety of birds. Bring a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them. Join us every Wednesday or whenever you are able. For more information or to place your name on the route email/phone list, call Lafayette Seniors Services.

Hearing Screening July 6 & August 3 • 1 - 2:20PM • Alder Room, LSC - Please call Lafayette Senior Services to make an appointment. Minimum of two sign-ups required in order for hearing screenings to take place.Drop-In Mah Jongg! Tuesdays through August 30 • 12:30-3:30 • Sequoia Room, LSC - Calling all Mah Jongg players! Bring your card and mah jongg set, and join us every Tuesday afternoon. This group is for all levels.‘As The Page Turns’ Book Club 3rd Tuesday Monthly • 1PM - 2:30PM • Tiny Tots Red Room, LSC - Looking for a good book to discuss with others? Join this informal group of booklovers and enjoy enrichment, lively discussion, fellowship, and refreshments. The group is of mixed gender, and everyone gets to participate in the discussions as well as the selection of books to read. Please call Lafayette Senior Services for the book title of the month.

Space added to the house after 1870 provides meeting space for several local groups.

Ranch continued from page 11The history of Rodgers Ranch follows a familiar theme. The gold rush

lured many hopefuls to California. Mining didn’t suit everyone. Born in Ireland in 1830, Patrick Rodgers moved with his family to Philadelphia in 1840. He traveled to California in 1855 and met his wife Mary Ann, also from Philadelphia. With three children in tow, they turned their backs on min-ing and moved to Contra Costa County in 1868 to try their luck at growing wheat: California’s living crop of gold.

Built by Dr. Hiram Smith in 1867, the house was only a year old when the Rodgers moved in. Following their 4th child’s birth in 1870, they ex-panded the tiny two-story structure. Eventually a kitchen was added. After Patrick’s death in 1891, the 149-acre property was divided among their four offspring. The house, wheat barn, and 34 acres went to James Rodgers and his wife who were already fi rmly established in Martinez. In 1915, they sold the property to Rollo Hough, a partner in the Luther Burbank Company. Hough intended to use the site for a demonstration farm, but investors failed to provide fi nancial support.

The next owners, John and Maria Calleri, grew grapes, pears and al-monds. In 1937, Alice and Earle Hobart bought the farm. Alice began writing when the couple lived in China. Her novel inspired by their experi-ences, Oil for the Lamps of China, was made into a movie, as was another she wrote at Rodgers Ranch set in Napa. Originally titled The Cup and the Sword, the fi lm version, This Earth Is Mine, starred Rock Hudson, Jean Simmons, Dorothy McGuire, and Claude Raines. Bought as a summer home by Dr. Kaho Daily and his wife Helen in 1942, the farm continued to produce almonds until 1978.

In preserving the past to inform the future, RRHC demonstrates daily that sustainable practices the Rodgers family employed from necessity not only enrich our contemporary lives, but also ensure the well being of our descen-dants. To fi nd class schedules, more about festivals and visiting the ranch, and how to get involved, go to www.rodgersranch.org, call (925) 937-3677, or email [email protected].

[email protected]

the wine country. (See picture.) They had such a good time that they have planned another trip to Sausalito on the Ferry – Saturday, July 23rd. Call 925-283-3534 if you would like to join them. Don’t forget the Saturday, September 3rd trip to the Rosie the Riveter Museum in Richmond. Let us know if you would like us to put you on the “Call if there’s a trip list.” “A good life is when you smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize how blessed you are for what you have.” Author Unknown.

Gogograndparents.com: At our Monday, June 27th Senior Mobility Action Council Meeting, we will have learned about Gogograndparents, a way to use Uber without an iPhone. Look them up online or phone us for more information.

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lamorindaspiritvan. Pictures of recent trips and events are posted on our Facebook page. Check out the wine country pictures.


Lamorinda Senior Transportation An Alliance of Transportation Providers

Volunteer Drivers – Needed, Valued, and AppreciatedWe will accommodate your schedule.

Call one of the programs below to volunteer.

Lamorinda Spirit Van 283-3534Takes Lamorinda older adults, age 60 and up, to errands, appointments, shopping, classes, and to lunch at the C.C. Café. Wheelchair and walker accessible. WE LOVE TO SAY YES, so call early to make your reservation.Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company 284-123420% discount for Lamorinda seniors. Orinda Seniors Around Town 402-4506 Volunteer drivers serving Orinda seniors with free rides to appointments and errands. Mobility Matters Rides for Seniors (formerly Senior Helpline Svcs) 284-6161Volunteer drivers serving Contra Costa seniors with free rides to doctors’ appointments during the week. Grocery shopping on Saturdays.County Connection LINK Reservation Line 938-7433For people with disabilities. (Older adults often have “age-based” disabilities.)Mobility Matters Information and Referral Line 284-6109

C L A S S I F I E D SC L A S S I F I E D S

Lafayette Today Classifi edsReach over 12,000 homes and businesses in Lafay-

ette - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons,

Pets, Rentals, Wanted, Freebies... $35 for up to

45 words. $5 for each additional 15 words. Send

or email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117,

Alamo, CA 94507 or [email protected].

Run the same classifi ed ad in our sister papers

“Alamo Today” or “Danville Today News” and pay half

off for your second and/or third ad! Payment by

check made out to “The Editors” must be received

before ad will print. Your cancelled check is your

receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad.

ARCHITECT

JOHN ROLF HATTAM - ARCHITECT Specializes in modest budget, new and renovated residences. Over 200 completed projects. Brochures available for all of our professional services •RESIDENTIAL RENOVATION •NEW RESIDENCES •CHURCHES •COMMERCIAL •MULTI-FAMILY. For the brochure meeting your need call 510-841-5933.

Safety, quality, and value are all things you fi nd in cars, but in knives? Sharp and durable, with a warranty to last the ages, Cutco knives are the last set of kitchen knives you will ever have to buy. To learn more contact Nicholas Risinger at (916)-584-4141, or [email protected].

FOR SALE

COMPUTER HELP

ITkid Computer Help Assistance with any tech related issue for a low price. Help with Email•Wifi •Computer•Smartphone•Tablet•Etc. $30/hr. Contact Max Nunan, local ITkid consultant. (925) 482-5488, [email protected]

Gratefully Speaking and Other NewsBy Mary Bruns, Program Coordinator, Lamorinda Senior Transportation

Thank you to the Lafayette Juniors and the Lafayette Community Foundation for making the Lamorinda Spirit Van a benefi ciary of their fundraising efforts, thereby assisting us in providing low cost rides to Lamorinda older adults! To quote Neale Donald Walsch, “…the world is so much brighter because you are in it.”

And thank you also to Susanne Graeger for blessing the Lamorinda Spirit Van Program with a bequest. As Norman Cousins says: “If something comes to life in others because of you, then you have made an approach to immortality.”

Susanne was a very appreciative and beloved Lafayette passenger, who used the Lamorinda Spirit Van to go shopping each week as well as to appointments and special events. Lafayette resident and volunteer driver, Reigh Granlund, was her fi rst shopping driver; he and volunteer passenger escort, Lisa Strahan, took Susanne to several destinations each shopping trip and patiently waited for her as she completed her errands because she walked so very slowly.

Susanne wrote us a lovely note: “The Lamorinda Spirit Van Program is a wonderful organization. Usually seniors have to spend their days within their four walls – for different reasons that they had to give up driving in their own cars. The Lamorinda Seniors have WHEELS! Each week they are being picked up by volunteers at their home in a warm comfortable bus. They are being taken shopping at their favorite store. The volunteer drivers are always friendly, very helpful, and on TIME! Thanks to this excellent organization, it is possible for me and the other passengers to live an independent life. THANK YOU!”

This bequest has allowed the Spirit Van program to create a reserve fund, our fi rst step towards creating an Endowment Fund. Volunteer driver programs are funded by a combination of donations and grants. In the case of the Lamorinda Spirit, we are also funded through van fares and city contributions. A bequest helps to stabilize our funding, making this transportation program more sustainable. Establishing a bequest is a lovely way to make a difference and be remembered long into the future. Phone 925-284-5546 for more information.

And THANK YOU to our dedicated staff of Drivers, Dispatchers, Advocates, and Volunteers: Alicia Chan, Bob Kelly, Brian Smith, Cathy Tanaka, Dave Cummins, Doreen Pasco, Eddie Caravalho, Gaby Mozee, Geoff Bellenger, Hadi Attaran, Holly Erickson-King, John Otto, John Vocke, Johnni Ross, Karen Chanda, Keith Katzman, Len Holmes, Malcolm Hendry, Mauna Wagner, Mike McNeill, and Warren Garrison.

Another day trip: Some of our lunch passengers took a recent Saturday trip to


pp

Documents

Lafayette Today July 2016