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