Lafayette Today, May 2012

Page 1

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May 2012 Wardrobe for Opportunity By Fran Miller Take a good look at the contents of your closet. Do you actually wear everything you own? Do some items still bear the original tags? The rule of thumb in the closet-organizer world is: if you haven’t worn an item in the past year, then consider getting rid of it. In doing so, you could be helping to change someone’s life for the better. Donations to Wardrobe for Opportunity (WFO), of new and gently worn business clothing, accessories and shoes, help to empower low-income women and men to achieve economic viability and selfsufficiency. The successful and growing Bay Area nonprofit organization offers professional clothing, interview skills, and career support to those in need. WFO’s mission is to work in partnership with the community to assist low-income individuals to “Find a Job, Keep a Job, and Build a Career.” W F O ' s p r o g r a m s consistently help clients overcome challenges to accomplish their goals and achieve success. Founded in 1995 to address often overlooked, yet critical barriers to finding Wardrobe for Opportunity program and retaining graduate Sara Aboei before (left) employment, and after (right) her WFO interview WFO has served wardrobe consultation. nearly 20,000 people, referred from over 150 partner social service and job-training agencies across the Bay Area. WFO clients face significant barriers including poverty, drug abuse, disabilities, racism, and homelessness; 80% are single parents, 73% receive government assistance, and 85% are minorities. WFO programs include professional imaging, interview workshops, the nine-month Success Series featuring training, career coaching, and community mentors, and the follow-up Pathways program, a six-week communication and conflict resolution seminar helping clients to excel at their new jobs. All programs are free of cost. Professional imaging begins with a visit to one of their two private boutiques (on 14th St. in Oakland, and on Harrison St. in Concord) at which professional stylists offer assistance in selecting two interview outfits. This service helps clients gain a more positive sense-of-self and empowers them to become confident job applicants and successful employees. Monthly corporate-sponsored interview clinics help clients to

See WFO continued on page 24

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Serving the Lafayette Community Introducing GoLafayette! A smarter way to get around town Imagine that you’re about to jump in your car and drive from Burton Valley to the Lafayette Library. What if you knew that riding your bike instead of driving the SUV in the driveway would only take five extra minutes, save you $3.52, save a third of a gallon of gas, prevent 8.7 pounds of CO2 emissions, and help you burn almost 200 calories (round trip)? GoLafayette.org is an innovative new web-based tool being launched this month, exclusively in Lafayette, that will show all of this information and more in seconds. Developed by Sustainable Lafayette, and in the works for months, GoLafayette is billed as “a smarter way to get around town.” It was designed to help Lafayette residents figure out how to get from point A to point B for work, school, or shopping, using the most efficient mode of transportation. All you have to do is enter a starting point and destination and click “View Your Options.” GoLafayette will then display a table and map showing the distance, time, cost, fossil fuel use, CO2 emissions, calories burned, and recommended

See Go Lafayette continued on page 16

Look inside for information about the 2012 Concert at the Res to be held Saturday, May 12th, and the 10th annual Taste of Lafayette to be held Tuesday, May 15th.

Sentinels of Freedom Investing in Veterans Futures By Jody Morgan Opportunity would need to begin at home, San Ramon resident Mike Conklin realized as soon as the Twin Towers fell. Gathering community leaders together, he advised them that they might soon see local youths coming home physically broken from the imminent war. How would the community prepare to support them? Those present shared Conklin’s belief: “The least we can do for those who have served and sacrificed is to assist them in attaining their life goals.” The Sentinels of Freedom plan Conklin devised at their behest was implemented in 2003 when DanVolume V I- Number 5 Ryan Sykes celebrates ville resident Jake 3000F DANVILLE BLVD #117 Memorial Day. Brown became the ALAMO, CA 94507 Telephone (925) 405-6397 first beneficiary, the first Sentinel. Conklin Fax (925) 406-0547 recognized that each Sentinel would need editor@yourmonthlypaper.com appropriate housing, interim employment, transportation, and the education requisite Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher The opinions expressed herein belong to the for his or her chosen career. writers, and do not necessarily reflect that Like most of the 90 plus Sentinels who of Lafayette Today. Lafayette Today is not for the content of any of the adhave since been accepted into the program, responsible vertising herein, nor does publication imply

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Page 2 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

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10 Annual Taste of Lafayette Tuesday, May 15th The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and the Lafayette Community Foundation are once again teaming up for a great night out on the town. Taste of Lafayette is a tour of Lafayette’s finest eateries that lets you sample the signature cuisine of each restaurant. The event begins in Lafayette Plaza at 5:30pm where you will check in, listen to music provided by Red House Studios, enjoy a glass of wine sponsored by Wine Thieves, nosh on appetizers, and get a chance to join in on a spectacular raffle that will raise money for the projects that the Lafayette Community Foundation will fund. Next, you can stroll down Lafayette’s Restaurant Row on Mt Diablo Blvd. or board the shuttle bus (sponsored by Diablo Foods & J. Rockcliff) that will take you up and down the boulevard. Twenty-two local restaurants and catering companies will be participating. At each stop, comes another “taste.” Finally, we gather back in the park to enjoy coffee and dessert. This is your chance to try as many restaurants as you can squeeze into two hours. To see more, view our video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=r74ISEvnQsI. Proceeds from the event benefit the Lafayette Community Foundation and the Services and Programs of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. The Community Foundation (www.lafayettecommunityfoundation. org) serves a vital community resource, investing in programs and projects which promote and enhance the civic, cultural, educational, and environmental health of Lafayette. The Foundation provides donors the opportunity to build a legacy by investing in Lafayette through identification and support of community needs and organizations. This year’s participants include Amarin Thai Restaurant, Chevalier Restaurant, La Finestra, The French Bakery, Mangia Risorante, Patxi’s Pizza, Powell’s Sweet Shoppe, Round Table Pizza, Pizza Antica, Susan Foord Catering, Whole Foods Market, Yankee Pier, Green Lantern Catering Co, Springloaf Catering, Millie’s Kitchen, Uncle Yu’s Szechuan, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, The Duck Club, Postino, La Boulange de Lafayette, Dave’s Cuisine, and Peet’s Gourmet Coffee. For tickets or more information, stop by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, located at 100 Lafayette Circle, Suite 103, visit www. lafayettechamber.org, or call 284-7404. For more information, contact Jay Lifson, Executive Director, Lafayette Chamber of Commerce at 925.284.7404. For more information about the Lafayette Community Foundation, visit www. lafayettecommunityfoundation.org.

Lafayette Garden Club’s Annual Plant Sale

College is Real Community Event & Fundraiser College is Real, a program supporting college-bound students at Richmond High School, will hold its first annual Auction and Dinner Dance at Roundhill Country Club May 19th at 6PM. The event will feature wine tasting, dinner, a live auction, and DJ. Attendees are encouraged to dress in the early 60s style of the popular TV series Mad Men, the theme for the evening. Prizes will be awarded for best outfits. Brad Blake of Alamo created College is Real in 2005 to help a small group of soccer players at Richmond High School who had the potential, but not the resources, to get into college. Since that time, the program has exceeded its initial goals, and it now offers guidance and financial support to over 80 students, athletes and non-athletes, who strive to achieve the dream of attending college, most becoming the first in their families to do so. Tickets to the event are $75 per person and are on sale at the College is Real website. For more information visit www.collegeisreal.org.

“Wow! That is one beautiful plant..and one great price for it!” This is what you will hear visitors exclaim as they view the plants displayed for sale at the Lafayette Garden Club’s Annual Plant Sale fundraiser held Thursday, May 10th from 10am-noon at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church at 1035 Carol Lane in Lafayette. Lafayette Garden Club (LGC) has been in Lafayette for over 40 years and is active in local gardening endeavors. LGC donates funds and volunteer time to our local school’s gardens and members maintain the Lafayette Gazebo and design weekly floral arrangements for the Lafayette Library. In addition, LGC volunteers help residents of local Assisted Living homes make flower arrangements for their rooms…a bright touch for all! Join us all at the Lafayette Garden Club’s Annual Fundraising Plant Sale, a gardener’s opportunity to find a new special plant for that special spot in your garden!

Lafayette Hiking Group The May 19th hike will be to Castle Rock State Park on Mount Diablo. Enjoy spring in this beautiful area, look for wildflowers, and enjoy the views. The hike is moderate, about 4 miles. The leader is Michael Johnson. Meet in the parking lot out from Lafayette BART’s main entrance at 8:30am. Carpools to the trailhead will be formed. Bring lunch or snack, water, layered clothing, good walking shoes, sun protection, and money to contribute toward gas, bridge tolls, and parking. For questions email lafayettehiking@comcast.net.

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Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 3

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Boulevard View By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor I have joined the craze as one of 50 million people in 50 days to download and play the game Draw Something on my iPhone. Draw Something is a Pictionary -type game played between two people. The object is to draw a picture that represents a certain word. While trying to draw something like the word “moustache” or “vampire” with just my finger as a stylus is relatively easy, things get more complicated when trying to draw and have the other person guess words like “slamdunk,” “pacman,” or “avatar.” Playing games with friends has certainly evolved over the last 100 years. During the 19th century the wealthy men and women of that era had more leisure time than people of previous generations. This led to the creation of a variety of parlour games to provide these gentlemen and ladies with entertainment at small parties. As a result, games have become an important, even expected part of social gatherings. For example, at a recently held Victorian Tea Party for my 94 year old grandmother and 45 of her friends, the pre-Mother’s Day celebration was a chance to dress up and go back in time. Decked out in our fancy hats, lace-up-boots, and pearls we served the guests finger sandwiches, scones, and a spot of tea. The party concluded with a Loteria/Bingo type parlour game that included areas on the play card with words such

as “bloomers,” “corset,” and “parasol” that brought many laughs and memories to the group of attendees. Coincidentally, back in 1893, the very time of bloomers and corsets, the man-made “Stow Lake” was created in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The lake was built as a place for the people of San Francisco to escape their “crowded” neighborhoods and homes, to enjoy the outdoors. The lake provides a walking trail and the opportunity to rent a paddle boat or rowboat for a trip around the lake. There are no speedboat motors to be heard, just the gentle dipping of paddles through the water. I took my 10 year old niece to San Francisco for a special day and ended up at the lake. It was the perfect opportunity to take a rowboat out and teach her how to row. After a few minutes of instruction, I was able to kick back and be chauffeured around the lake where we saw ducks, seagulls, and a bale of turtles. Another trip this month found our family and our two French exchange students at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. Besides learning about the evolution of computers, we got to try our hand at classic computer games such as Pacman and Pong. Whether it be drawing the PacMan game in Draw Something or playing the actual game at the Museum, the “classic” activities and games never go out of style!

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Page 4 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

The Jazz CafĂŠ returns to Lafayette

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Lafayette’s Annual Jazz CafÊ will be held Friday, June 1st at 6pm in the Stanley Middle School Auditorium. There is a fabulous lineup featuring The Stanley Groove Merchants, The Dominant 7, The Stanley Thundering Herd, The Gypsy Chix, The Stanley Jazz Messengers, and The Acalanes Jazz Ensemble. General admission is $10 per person, and children under 6 are free. If that’s not enough, Chef’s Touch will be selling scrumptious food from 5:30-7:30pm, and there will be dessert, coffee, and beverages available for purchase all evening. To top it off, drawings will be held to give away fabulous prizes including Tahoe accommodations. This is the only fundraiser for the Stanley Jazz Department. The Jazz CafÊ has become a real favorite for the City of Lafayette. Don’t miss out on this once-a-year treat!

Assistance League Seeks New Members Assistance LeagueÂŽ of Diablo Valley is a nonprofit, member volunteer organization dedicated to improving lives in our community through hands-on programs. You might have heard of our primary fundraiser, the Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located at 3521 Golden Gate Way in Lafayette. In response to a growing client base, we are actively pursuing prospective members who would enjoy clothing elementary school children for a more successful educational experience, testing preschool children for vision and hearing issues, performing educational puppet shows for school children, reading to second grade students, or providing emergency clothing, food, and supplies to those in crisis. In addition, we seek members who would be interested in our two other programs which address the needs of our seniors. A Prospective Member Coffee will be held on Wednesday, June 20, at 9:30AM at the Community Resource Center located at 2711 Buena Vista Avenue in Walnut Creek. If you are interested in spending quality time while helping those who are vulnerable, please phone (925) 934-0901. For more information, visit our website at diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

2012 Concert at the Res to be Held on the New Permanent Stage Saturday, May 12th – 11am to 2pm

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Since 1996, Lafayette Rotarians have been hosting an afternoon of music each spring featuring local bands including Acalanes High School Band, Stanley Middle School Band, Bentley School Band, and the Rossmoor Big Band. This annual concert has raised money to supply Lamorinda and Bay Area Schools with new instruments for their music programs. Over the years, the Rotarians had built a “make-shift� stage for the concert. Well, the waiting is over, and the new stage is built and will be ready for our first concert on Saturday, May 12th at 11am. The stage has been constructed on the east end of the dam. Thanks to EBMUD and the Lafayette Community Foundation, the stage will be able to house many upcoming performances at the Reservoir. This event was conceived by Lafayette resident and Rotarian Dick Holt to help our local schools. With the addition of the new stage, the show will go on and on for years to come. This year’s event includes legendary Bob Athayde conducting the Stanley Symphonic Band, the Stanley Concert Band Gold and the Stanley Concert Band Green all together. Mo Levich (recent Jefferson Award recipient) leads the Big Band of Rossmoor. Norm Dea will lead the Acalanes High School Symphonic Band, and Brian Pardo will lead the Bentley Jazz Ensemble. A special highlight this year is the invitation to Oakland’s Westlake Middle School directed by Randy Porter to play with the Stanley Bands. Along with the music, food and beverages will be sold, or you can pack a picnic. Don’t forget your beach chairs and blankets. The stage is adjacent to a shady picnic area, public restrooms, and the children’s playground. Once you have parked, walk east towards the reservoir trail. The stage is about 150 feet from the parking lot. A shuttle van will be used to pick up guests in the parking lot and drop them off at the trail entrance. A golf cart will be available to take those guests that need help up the hill to the new stage. Raffle tickets will also be available to purchase with great prizes including weekend getaways. Proceeds from the event are used to fund Rotary Clubs public service projects and local bands. For information about the stage project or to donate, please contact www.lafayettecf.org. For information about Rotary, please contact jay@ lafayettechamber.org.

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Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 5

Lafayette Juniors Host Kitchen Tour Tickets are now on sale for the 13th Annual Lafayette Kitchen Tour scheduled for Saturday, May 19 from 10AM until 3PM. Guests will have the opportunity to visit six exquisite kitchens located in Lafayette. Attendees will receive an event guide detailing all design elements and information on the contractors, architects, designers, and design resources featured in each home. “We invite you to bring friends and family to tour an array of brand new kitchens, showcasing the latest and up-to-date trends in kitchen design and style. This fabulous not-to-miss Lafayette event raises much needed funds for local charities,â€? says Amy Friedli, President of the Lafayette Suburban Junior Women’s Club. “On behalf of Lafayette Juniors, THANK YOU to the gracious homeowners who have opened up their beautiful homes, to our sponsors and local business supporters, and to all those in the community who have contributed to this event. We could not do it without you!â€? Over the past 12 years, the Lafayette Juniors Kitchen Tour has raised over $275,000 for local charities such as Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, Brighter Beginnings, Youth Homes, Inc., We Care, Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center, and Futures Explored. This year’s major beneficiary is Shelter, Inc., which offers an integrated range of services including prevention, emergency and transitional housing, housing and budget counseling, education, employment services, and permanent, affordable housing to low-income residents of Contra Costa County. Tickets for the Tour are $40, $30 of which is tax deductible. A boxed lunch is available for an additional $12. Tickets may be purchased in advance from a Lafayette Juniors member, online at www. lafayettejuniors.org, or at one of the following Lafayette locations: • Douglah Designs, 3577 Mt. Diablo Blvd., 925-284-4560 • Premier Kitchens, 3373 Mt. Diablo Blvd., 925-283-6500 The Lafayette Suburban Junior Women’s Club, chartered in 1953, is an organization of approximately 50 women dedicated to promoting social welfare, education, and civic improvement in the Lafayette and surrounding community. For more information, visit www.lafayettejuniors.org. th

AAUW Garden Tour The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) 12th Annual Garden Tour will be held Friday, May 11th and Saturday, May 12th from 10AM - 4PM. Six delightful gardens located in Alamo and Danville will be presented. Landscape designers and expert gardeners will be on hand to share their knowledge. Tickets are $35. Seniors 65+ are $5 less. No children under 12 or pets, please. Mail your check payable to “AAUW Funds� with a business size, selfaddressed, stamped envelope to AAUW Garden Tour, PO Box 996, Alamo, CA 94507. Tickets are also available at East Bay Flower Company at 206 Sycamore Valley Rd. W. in Danville with cash or check payment only. All proceeds go to AAUW Funds, supporting aspiring female scholars. For further information about the tour, email gardentour@ aauw.daw.org.

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Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa Invites You to Their First Event in 25 Years! Food for Thought

Did you know: • 1 in 6 Contra Costans live below the poverty line? • 1 in 4 children in Contra Costa experience hunger each year? • Loaves and Fishes serves over 750 meals a day to the hungry in Contra Costa? Come to a summer garden party on Sunday, June 24th from 2pm-5pm to benefit Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa. The party will be held at Hacienda de las Flores, located at 2100 Donald Dr. in Moraga. The cost is $50 per person, and only 200 tickets will be sold to this exclusive event. There will be live and silent auctions showcasing local artists, sports memorabilia, and a luxury Hawaiian trip. Entertainment will be provided by Generations in Jazz, violist Pamela Freund Striplen, and harpist Wendy Tamis. Wine tasting, beer, and appetizers from a dozen of the East Bay’s most famous chefs will be served. A community dish prepared by the chefs Kevin Weinberg of Walnut Creek Yacht Club, John Townsend of Orinda Country Club, Stewart Beatty of Postino, Jeff Asadi of La Finestra, Frank Palmer of Diablo country Club, Jeff Erb and Vince Herera of Back Forty Texas BBQ, Jon Avalos of Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa, Scott Wall of Lark Creek Walnut Creek, Darius Somary of Springloaf Catering, and Philippe Chevalier of Chevalier Restaurant will also be served. Purveyors of classic, exotic, and All proceeds from this event will benefit Loaves high-performance cars for more than 30 years. and Fishes of Contra Costa. This entirely local nonCalifornia’s #1 Classic Car Dealer profit agency has been providing hot, nutritious Over 200 vehicles in inventory! meals for those in need since 1983. This means that more than a thousand adults and children from our community do not go hungry each day. For ticket information, visit www.loavesfishescc. org or call (925) 687-6760. Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa has served more than 3.7 million free nutritious meals to those in need for over 28 years. As a nonprofit organization, our operations are entirely dependent on a network of over 1,000 volunteers, eight local food partners, Showrooms in Pleasanton, Benicia, and Fairfield. and the financial support of area businesses, www.SpecialtySales.com | 800.600.2262 foundations, and individual donations.

Page 6 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

The Bookworm By Joan Stevenson Here we are in the month of May, a time of endings and beginnings. For kids who count the days until school ends, there is the beginning of swim practice and Little League baseball. For the Friends of the Lafayette Library, it is time for the annual meeting which will be held at 9:30AM on May 14th. The meeting is a time for of all the “friends” who support the library to gather, celebrate and hear Nadia Bagdasar, librarian at CC Juvenile Hall speak. For our librarian, Susan Weaver, it’s a time of planning to Dream Big this Summer! Beginning on June 9th, reading records will be available in our libraries; pick one up and earn prizes for reading. To kick off the Festival, Jonathan Franzen, author of Freedom, The Discomfort Zone and Corrections, will speak at the Lesher Center for the Arts on Thursday, June 21st at 7PM. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online through the Lesher website or by calling (925) 943-7469. It is also wrap-up time for the annual bookmark contest sponsored by the Friends. The contest, which is open to all students in Lafayette, was a great success with hundreds of participants. Each student winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Storyteller Bookstore, and Anthony Ruiz of Fast Frame will frame all eight winners’ creations for display in the Library. The winners are Cooper Olson (Burton Valley), Aubrey Gates (Springhill), Isabella Bartos (Lafayette Elementary), Maia Pecher (Happy Valley), Wil Schueler (St. Perpetua), Jessica Gerson (Stanley), Bennett Baker Left front: Cooper, Aubrey, Isabella. Left back: Wil, (Stanley), and Maya Michon (Stanley). The Hall of Fame Jessica, Bennett, Maya. Not pictured: Maia. winners are past participants who have won for their outstanding art work. This year’s winners include Chaya Tong, Ethan Michon, and Isabella Chao. The Friends Corner Book Shop received a very special donation from

www.yourmonthlypaper.com Mechanics Bank of Lafayette…not books but a wonderful bag to carry them in. Sharon Lingane received 100 bags from Debbie Cooper, Vice President of Mechanics Bank in Lafayette and Rene Cain, Financial Services Officer of Mechanics Bank Mechanics Bank in Lafayette. Bags are on sale at the Friends Corner Book Shop, so when your arms can’t hold any more books, you can buy one of the sharp looking book bags. And you will never guess who dropped in to contribute books from their library…the Lawrence Hall of Science! The Bookworm overheard the other day that the 2012 Presidential Campaign has officially begun which made me wonder what one would call the last six months! Still undecided? We have food for thought in these next two programs. On Monday, May 21st at 6:30pm at the Veteran’s Hall, The Commonwealth Club will roll out the Red Carpet for Captain “Sully” Sullenberger, the hero who successfully landed a US Airways flight with 163 passengers on the Hudson River. Who better to take a look at leadership as he has done in his new book, Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America’s Leaders? To make a reservation, call (415)597-6705. On May 22nd at 6:30pm in the Community Hall, you may wish to join UC Berkeley author and journalist, Ethan Rarick, whose new book, California Votes, looks at how California voters made political history in 2010. It is the story of that extraordinary gubernatorial campaign which includes the backroom strategies, the outrageous scandals, and the astonishing amounts of money involved that year. The event is free of charge. Sweet Thursday returns on May 24th at 7:30pm when author Clare Cooper Marcus introduces her compelling memoir, Iona Dreaming. Her journey to the Scottish Island of Iona for a solitary retreat precipitates an inspirational account of personal survival and of the experiences and dreams which have resulted in physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Sweet Thursday is sponsored by the Friends of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. There are some endings that never really end, and one of them will be the focus of a gathering on Wednesday, May 30th from 7- 8pm when Richard Shaw will commemorate the 100 Year Anniversary of the Titanic. Come and learn Titanic facts and stories from our local go-to authority. He’ll share little known tales of the ill-fated voyage and its Bay Area ties. E-mail reserve@LLLCF.org to reserve your spot. A $10 donation is suggested. And finally, there is a good reason to bookmark this site LLLCF.org. New events are being added all the time. Don’t risk missing out!

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Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 7

Sustainable Lafayette - Tip of the Month May is National Bike Month and a perfect time of the year to dust off your bike. “The solution to some of the World’s biggest problems is in your garage,” reads a brochure from Trek Bicycles. That’s a pretty bold statement, but the facts are compelling. In the U.S. 40% of all trips that we make from our homes are within two miles of our homes, and 50% of the working population commutes five miles or less to work. Unfortunately we are in the habit of using our cars for even the shortest trips away from home. But sitting in our garages is a fun, pollution-free, noise-free alternative that can improve our health, protect the environment, and reduce traffic and parking congestion around Lafayette –- our bikes. According to ibike.org, bicycling is the most energy-efficient form of transportation ever invented! Even a Toyota Prius, getting 50 mpg, loaded with four adults, consumes six times the energy per person as the bicyclist for the same trip (comparing calories of energy burned). So, the Trek brochure proposes a simple idea: try to use your bike when your trip away from home is two miles or less – running an errand in town, meeting a friend for coffee, going to the Library, stopping by your kids’ school, etc. Remember how much fun it was to ride your bike around town when you were a kid? It’s still just as fun!

Benefits for your health: • Cycling can help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, and just three hours of bicycling per week can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%. • A 140-pound cyclist burns 508 calories in an hour. The average person loses 13 pounds their first year of commuting to work by bike. • In 1964, 50% of kids rode to school, and the obesity rate was 12%.... In 2004, 3% rode to school, and the obesity rate was 45%.

Benefits for the environment: • The U.S. could save 462 million gallons of gasoline a year by just increasing cycling from 1% to 1.5% of all trips. • Reduced air pollution – 60% of the pollution created by automobile emissions happens in the first few minutes of operation. • Every time you ride, instead of drive, you prevent one pound of CO2 emissions per mile (average).

Benefits for traffic and parking: • Traffic and parking may be the two top complaints in Lafayette. Every time you or your kids bike or walk it takes a car off the road and reduces parking congestion. You can fit 14 bikes in one parking spot! • Think of every place in your neighborhood or downtown having a VIP parking spot right in front, just for you, if you arrive by bike! If you haven’t used your bike in a while, drop by Sharp Bicycles, Hank & Frank, or the new Traction Bikes for a bike safety check or tune-up. These stores are starting to carry more and more commuter and city bikes and related gear like baskets and panniers for shopping bags. To figure out the best route for riding from your home to anywhere, try using GoLafayette.org, an innovative new website developed specifically for Lafayette residents to help find great alternatives to driving. Read the GoLafayette article in this paper for more information. May 10th is Bike to Work Day and a great day to try riding your bike to work. Lafayette will host two energizer stations where you can stop for snacks and encouragement at Whole Foods from 6:30-9am (hosted by Lafayette’s BPAC), and at the Lafayette BART station from 7:30-9:30am (hosted by Hank and Frank Bicycle Shop). For more info, visit http://511contracosta. org/bike-to-work-day-2012/. Lafayette’s Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) is working hard to expand bike routes and lanes in Lafayette. They developed a city bike plan with a network of safe routes for getting around Lafayette and also a plan to teach kids bike safety skills. There is no limit to the level of biking that’s possible in Lafayette. In Copenhagen, Denmark, two thirds of residents use a bicycle on a daily basis! Imagine how much impact that would have on our health, the environment, and traffic! To read success stories about how Lafayette residents are riding their bikes and reducing their environmental impact, visit www.sustainablelafayette.org.

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Lamorinda Peace and Justice

San Ramon Valley Genealogical Meetings

The Lamorinda Peace and Justice Group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9PM in the fireside room of Lafayette Methodist Church, 955 Moraga Road, Lafayette. Our group is committed to working to support a healthy planet, a thriving local community, and a safe, equitable world for all. For more information, call 925-946-0563.

The San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society meets at 10am the third Tuesday of every month, except August and December, at the Danville Family History Center, 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo. A speaker is at every meeting. Everyone is welcome. For information, call Ed at (925) 299-0881, or visit http://srvgensoc.org.

Page 8 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

History Room Answers Everyday Questions By Julie Sullivan, Lafayette Historical Society (LHS) Trying to remember the name of that guy in the Acalanes High School class two years after yours? Wondering when great uncle Luther ran his small appliance business in downtown Lafayette? Want to show your kids what your Lafayette neighborhood was like 80 years ago? The Lafayette History Room (ground floor of the Lafayette Library on Golden Gate Way) has the answers to all these questions and more. With a wealth of materials on recent history, circa 1920 and after, the History Room is the perfect place to find answers to everyday questions. “We have every year of the Aklans, the Acalanes High School yearbook, beginning with the first edition in 1941,” says History Room Coordinator Judie Peterson. “We also have a 1996 alumni guide, showing the members of every graduating class for the last 50 years, and copies of the Handbook for Dons, the manual given to new Acalanes students, from the late 1940’s to the early 1960’s.” Included in the treasure trove of History Room materials is a bound collection of Lafayette Sun newspapers from 1936 through 1979, where you can find notices of legal proceedings, w e d d i n g s , funerals, and ads for local businesses no longer in operation. N e e d information on even earlier years Nancy Flood and Patrick Kikkert search a 1920’s survey map in Lafayette? The History Room collection includes printed copies of oral histories dating from the early 1900’s through the 1960’s. A letter collection from

Cinema Classics and Musical Notes Victory at Sea By Peggy Horn To commemorate Memorial Day, this month’s cinema classic is Victory At Sea, a World War II documentary containing twenty-six episodes, originally broadcast on television by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) in the years 195253. This excellent work was created from the study of some 13,000 hours of actual film shot during the war by the U.S., British, Japanese, and German armed forces. In this instance, not only are the films uniquely expressive and fine, but the accompanying music by Richard Rodgers and arranged by Robert Russell Bennett is superb as well. Throughout the documentary the music vividly articulates the film’s expressions where words would be superfluous. Each episode reveals some special event or events that were achieved at great cost and each achievement was necessary to winning the war. These included keeping the Suez Canal free in order that supply ships carrying oil could pass, clearing harbors of sunken ships, preventing U-Boats from attacking, and providing for supplies, troop transport, and much more. Moreover, the joint efforts of many including foot soldiers, airmen, sailors, paratroopers, and engineers set the groundwork for victory at sea, and victory at sea was key to winning the war. Seeing the resolute and even cheerful young men marching to war, some of whom may not have survived much longer than the filming and some

www.yourmonthlypaper.com former postmistress Carrie Van Meter and her husband, Conrad, gives a personal note to not so long ago times, and the collection of Jennie Bickerstaff, Lafayette’s early school teacher, includes handmade baby clothing, books, and christening dresses.

Amanda Brand and Michael Troutman research Aklans yearbooks

Want to show your kids what used to be in your neighborhood before houses were built? Early land survey maps portray a much more rural Lafayette. You can trace the exact parcel number where your house stands today and see what stood there 100 years ago. The map collection is catalogued and easily accessible in large drawers. In addition, the History Room houses more than 2,500 historical photos, and the majority are catalogued online. There’s always a volunteer on hand to direct you to exactly the right place. Winners in the LHS March Match the Photos contest were Betty Bridgeford and Marcia Marcellini. Congratulations! LHS History Room in the Lafayette Library and Learning Center is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 10am-2pm. For more information, call 925-283-1848 or visit www.lafayettehistory.org. of whom were my own sons’ ages, leaves quite an impression. May we continue to honor their sacrifice. This valuable series is available for purchase for such a meager amount and will enhance any DVD collection. Musical Notes – The Victory at Sea soundtrack is my recommendation for everyone’s music collection. The masterful Richard Rodgers has succeeded in making musical notes tell the story of World War II vividly and beautifully. It’s extraordinary how he has created the impression of an ocean storm, the sounds of battle, the spirit of dedication to the cause, and the sounds of victory, all with music. In addition, the tremendous talent of Robert Russell Bennett in so brilliantly arranging the music is integral to its beauty.

Lost Dog!

$50 REWARD If you find him and your name is drawn! He is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to find him.

Lafayette Luther is Missing He has become lost in this paper. Send a letter telling us where you found him, along with your name and address to:

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

Peggy Iyengar is our winner! Luther was hiding on page 22 last month.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 9

Selling for the Right Price! By Art Lehman, Village Associates Realtors Most sellers are sentimental when pricing their home for sale and often insist on listing it at a higher price than it is likely to garner in today’s market. If a home is priced unrealistically, it will likely stay on the market longer, often reducing its appeal and leading home buyers to question its value. Many factors influence home values. To prevent a listing from going stale, sellers must work with their Realtor® to price the house correctly. While it may be common knowledge to Realtors® that the first offer is often the best, some sellers may not feel the same way. Many believe that if the first potential buyer makes an offer close to the asking price, future offers may exceed it. In many instances, this is not the case, and subsequent offers often are for less. Make no mistake – pricing correctly is everything. By that I mean all the money poured into advertising, all the great website exposure, all the open houses, all the...will not make the home sell at a price viewed as excessive by a buyer. So what do I do when I just have an instinct that my home is worth more than the “analysis” says? In the end it’s your decision, and any Realtor® will tell you they have had situations where the seller is right and agent wrong - unfortunately not as many times as you might think. I tell clients the pros and cons, and ultimately they choose. Remember, though, time on the market is not on the side of the seller, except in very rare occurrences. So, if you are going to go with you instinct, be ready to change gears quickly if it doesn’t pan out – that’s where price reduction comes in. It’s amazing that whenever I see a home that goes on the market too high and then has a price reduction that “truly” is the correct pricing (not just more wishful thinking), it sells immediately. What you need to get out of your house in order to sell and what you think it is worth means nothing to a potential buyer. Unless the pricing is what the market will bear, stay out of this round of selling. In the end it really comes down to what a buyer is willing to pay for your home and you, the seller, are willing to sell it for. For those residents who are considering selling their home or would simply like more in-depth information, I can provide a customized home value report and a strategy for how to make a home worth more. The detailed information I provide helps homeowners better understand the value of the investment they have made in their home by detailing key factors such as a home’s value based on current market conditions and amenities, recent home sales in Lafayette, and listing prices of other homes that home buyers may be considering in the neighborhood. You can call me at 925-200-2591 or email me at art@artlehman.com. Advertorial

Junior Achievement Needs You Junior Achievement, a nonprofit funded by foundations and businesses, offers an exciting opportunity for you and your office to partner with local schools to educate students about business and financial literacy. By volunteering in the schools or hosting a Job Shadow, companies can increase outreach. Programs are offered to the schools at no cost. For more information, please contact Shaun Rundle at 4651082, email srundle@janorcal. org, or visit www.janorcal.org.

Lafayette Rotary’s Concert at the Res Saturday, May 12 11am –2pm Free Live Music Big Band of Rossmoor ~ Stanley Symphonic Band Acalanes High School Symphonic Band ~ Bentley Jazz Ensemble Special Guests—Oakland Westlake Middle School

FOOD & RAFFLE TICKETS FOR SALE TO

SUPPORT LAFAYETTE SCHOOLS & ROTARY PROJECTS thank you to our sponsors Diablo Foods ~ Oakwood Athletic Club Cortese Investments ~ Minuteman Press Lamorinda Weekly~Lafayette Chamber

Food For Thought Did you know: i i i

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Join us for a Summer Garden Party to benefit Event Venue: Hacienda De Las Flores

When: Sunday, June 24 Time: 2:00pm—5:00pm Where: Hacienda De Las Flores 2100 Donald Dr., Moraga

Jay is on the Board of Directors for Loaves and Fishes and approved of this message!!

Cost: $50 per ticket i

Live and silent auctions showcasing local artists, sports memorabilia and a luxury destination trip i Entertainment by Generations in Jazz, Pamela Freund Striplen, Violist and Wendy Tamis, Harpist i Wine and Beer Tastings

Ticket information: visit www.Loavesfishescc.org or call (925) 687-6760

Page 10 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

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Kids Events at Lafayette Community Center (LCC) Cooking for Kids Cooking can be a lot of fun when you know your way around the kitchen and the Cooking with Kids classes at the LCC is the perfect opportunity for budding young chefs to explore and create in a safe and fun kitchen environment. The classes are offered for kids from ages 4-12 and will start on Tuesday, May 15th.

Awesome Friday Night On Friday, May 18th, from 5:30-9pm drop off the kids (ages 4-10) for an AWESOME Friday Night at the LCC. While you are out having fun, your kids will be having a blast doing arts and crafts, playing games, and watching a movie. Pizza, popcorn, and drinks will be provided. For more information or to reserve your child’s spot, call the Lafayette Community Center office at 925-284-2232.

The Car Guy By Paul Matthew Peterson, Specialty Sales Classics This month I thought I’d talk about the ‘personality’ of old cars. Each different make, year, and model of Classic Car is made up of the same materials...steel, cast iron, glass, rubber, cloth, plastic, etc. Yet, each car is far more than the sum of its parts. The men who designed these cars also influenced the personality of the cars they ‘imagined’ to life. A VW Beetle from the 60’s has a light, delicate feel to the steering wheel and controls. The car’s maneuverability and small size adds to the ‘tiny’ feel of the car, but ultimately it’s the interface between man and machine that makes that emotional connection with the car’s ‘soul.’ Climb into a GTO from the same year, and all feeling changes in an instant. The steering wheel is thicker and feels like it’s connected to something substantial. The doors close with a solid ‘thud’ letting you know you are wrapped in a few thousand pounds of Detroit steel. (Although, I must admit the sound of the doors closing on the VW Beetle sound more like a bank vault than a 1,800 lb. car...). Everything in the Pontiac feels solid and nearly unbreakable. Turns out, most of it is. The upholstery in the 60’s Pontiacs is a modern marvel. I can’t tell you how many wonderfully restored old GTOs I’ve seen still wearing the original upholstery. It’s the rule rather than the exception. That originality in turn lends an ‘air’ of nostalgia to the driving experience, since the seat materials are 40 years old, and those aromas can’t be reproduced in new upholstery kits, even if the appearance can be. That’s something else I’ve noticed being surrounded by Classic Cars of all descriptions all day...they smell great. Each car has a unique scent of its’own. Best time to go ‘car sniffing’ is when they have been in the sun a few hours. Poke your head into a ’55 Nash and you’ll remember every Rambler you ever necked in. That VW Beetle? NOTHING smells like a vintage Beetle after an hour in the sun...smells like ‘Driver’s Ed’...hahahaha. Now, which old car’s personality and ‘scent’ suits you best? You never know until you sit in a few, sniff, and drive a few Classic Cars which ones will spark a memory or something in YOUR personality. Might I humbly suggest a visit to one of our showrooms? Since our inventory is largely consigned from private owners, the variety is second to none. Unlike chasing ads off the internet and looking at one car at a time, you can take in HUNDREDS of different cars in a single day. Drop by our Pleasanton location, and give the STUNNING early 50’s Chevy convertible a once over. Stop into the Benicia store, and check out the 70’s Maserati coupe or that awesome early VW Beetle. See me in Fairfield, and I’ll have you sniff the ’75 Cadillac with awesome original leather or the amazing smelling interior of the Gold ’39 Chevy StreetRod...Heck, if you get serious, we could even DRIVE one! When you get behind the wheel, the old car’s REAL personality comes out, and you’ll see how driving different Classic Cars evoke quite different emotions and memories from you and the people you encounter on your drive. I’ve driven some pretty amazing cars this past year at this job, from a ’37 Cord, to a cool Avanti, to a 50’s Nash Metropolitan. The Cord drew stares of respect and awe, the Avanti caused confused stares of folks trying to place that old car, and the Metro put a huge grin on every face that saw it because everyone just LOVED that little car. All three were a gas to drive and share, but all three made me and the people around me feel completely different. Old cars are all quite unique...they definitely all drive differently. Sometimes two examples of the same model will drive drastically different depending on equipment and condition. There’s nothing like a test drive to connect with that particular old car’s ‘Mojo’ and see if it connects to yours. For example, the ’69 Camaro in the Fairfield Showroom is so original that it still has single exhaust, a column shifted automatic, and a two barrel carb. No doubt it will be a very different driving and ownership experience than a ’69 Camaro Z-28 with a high-revving 302, 4 speed, and the need to adjust the solid lifters weekly. Both cars LOOK the same, but it depends on your goals as a Classic Car owner as to which Camaro is YOUR Camaro. Both will go up in value, and both will get thumbs up everywhere you go, but the Z-28 will be more like a hot, high-maintenance Supermodel girlfriend, while the 307 Camaro will be more like hanging with a trusted friend, ready to go anywhere at the drop of a hat. We are open 7 days a week. So, if you have some time to kill, I hope to see you in one of our showrooms soon. I smell a fun afternoon. Check out our inventory at www.SpecialtySales.com. Feel free to email me at TheCarGuy@SpecialtySales.com with any questions or comments, or call 800-600-2262. Advertorial

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 11

Who’s on First? Expected Investment Results

America CAN Compete By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar My personal experiences in the First Gulf War forged my belief that America needed an alternative energy strategy. It became evident to me that neither the environment or US military could, or should, sustain the status quo. Carl Von Clausewitz said, “War is the continuation of politics by other means.” The reality is “War is oftentimes a continuation of energy policy by other means.” As designed by our Constitution, the military follows the orders of our elected civilian government without question. Policy begins at home. I have yet to hear a valid argument that refutes the benefits of a mature domestic alternative energy policy. Both political parties believe that reduced reliance on foreign oil is good for our national security environment and economy. A 25% reduction in domestic oil consumption will eradicate our reliance on oil from the Middle East. Imagine the resulting political and economic benefits. Energy Tip: You’ll save 3-5% on air conditioning electricity costs if you raise your thermostat just one degree higher. A great percentage of the readership of the Lafayette Today newspaper recognize the sacrifices of our veterans. What sacrifice can citizens make to contribute to our national security and to improve our economy? It’s a simple question but a question that every citizen needs to answer with integrity. Adopting an alternative energy policy at your own home or business will provide financial reward whilst reducing American reliance on foreign sources of energy. “Making a difference” and achieving an 11 to 13% return on your solar investment makes solar rewarding in more ways than one. Energy Fact: The highest proportion of new electricity being supplied to the US utility grid is from solar energy projects. Currently, over 113,000 Californian residents and businesses are reaping the rewards of solar. 63,000+ solar arrays were installed in the USA last year. Solyndra: To associate the events surrounding Solyndra to the solar industry as a whole is inappropriate. The Department of Energy supports new American technologies. Unfortunately, the new technology Solyndra product was destined to fail in the marketplace due to lower silicon prices which advantaged traditional solar technologies. The jury is still out as to whether Solyndra’s failure was accelerated by poor management and the misuse of government funds. Had the auto industry failed after the government bailouts, there would have been the same political fallout. The auto industry is thriving. Solyndra didn’t represent the greater solar industry in technology or business practices. It did represent American ingenuity in design and workforce dedication. China Trade Case: It’s official, China does not participate in fair trade or currency practices. The International Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce have imposed tariffs on Chinese manufacturers for the illegal dumping of Chinese solar panels on the US market. The determination has been made that American panels are manufactured at the same cost as Chinese panels. Through government subsidies, the Chinese have been selling their panels at a loss to undercut and flood our market, destroying American jobs in the process. Chinese exports are also advantaged by the People’s Republic currency policies. The findings of this trade case are monumental. AMERICA CAN COMPETE if everyone plays by the same set of rules. Americans are helping fuel the Chinese economy by purchasing Chinese products. I believe that this newfound Chinese economic power will come back to haunt us militarily. Fact: North Korea and Iran are very closely allied with The People’s Republic of China. Solar Tip: If you’ve been provided a $0 down “solar lease option,” then subsequently talked into “prepaying the lease,” don’t do it. There are better options to consider than a “pre-paid solar lease.” There will be a Grand Opening celebration of GoSimpleSolar’s storefront location in downtown Danville on May 22ndat 5:30pm. Please come see our American products at 114 West Prospect Avenue, at the corner of Railroad Ave. Mark Becker is the President of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction, a Danville based Solar Installation Firm based in Danville. He can be reached at 925.915.9252. For more details, see www.GoSimpleSolar.com Advertorial or email Mark@GoSimpleSolar.com.

By Daniel A Barnes, CFA As investment managers, our job is to help clients make decisions to successfully navigate investment conditions. What a lot of data tells us is that the outlook for the intermediate term (roughly 7 years) is low growth, not high growth. Investment advertising often cites misleading data that cherry picks a period of time and then says, “Stocks have averaged X% since 1926.” That quote, however, is meaningless because 2012 is not 1926. And the investment framework and horizon that our clients care about is not the next 86 years, it’s the next 18 years. And what’s even more important is not necessarily the returns of the next 10 to 18 years, but the returns of the next 8 years. So what’s reasonable? And more importantly…

What’s Relevant? What’s relevant is what returns stocks averaged in times in which values are similar to today. I share an office with two very smart gentlemen who run Creekside Partners. In their April newsletter, Creekside, which is an independent Registered Investment Advisor similar to Barnes Capital, described the current investment conditions and what our expectations regarding returns for the next 7 years should be. Creekside pointed out that if you look at the valuation of stocks in similar times, they have averaged 4%. If you look at bonds, they have averaged about 4% at current valuations. No matter how you slice it, 4% expected bond returns and 4% expected stock returns adds up to something close to 4% returns. Well, this implies that a prudent and reasonable investor would conclude it is surely unreasonable to assume large returns over the next few years ahead.

So What Works? Baseball is a major topic at our office. In baseball parlance, we believe that we are in an investment environment where it is all about playing “small ball.”

Small Ball When playing “small ball,” a team aims to win with base hits, bunts, sacrifice flies, and stolen bases. With the investment equivalent of small ball, trying for “base hits” means investing in companies that are shareholder friendly, make consistent profits, and pay those out to their investors in the form of dividends and dividend raises. Sacrifice flies and bunts are equivalent to buying fixed income, which pays a reasonable return over a hurdle rate. We use 5% for tax-free paper and 7% for taxable paper as reasonable hurdle rates where you, the investor, are making steady progress, owning these investments, towards your retirement objectives. Stealing bases is a tactical decision. Sometimes an investment manager can add value by making a decision to buy an unappreciated asset or sell a highly speculative one. At Barnes Capital we help some of our clients by using an income strategy known as “Covered Call Writing.” When volatility is high, we can make steady income by using this strategy. Our clients benefit because, as with a stolen base, they get closer to their retirement objectives by our taking tactical advantage of the environment and situation. In late 2010, another tactical opportunity availed itself when the municipal bond market sold off in a very bad way. Quality bonds collapsed in price by 15% or more. We stole 2nd and 3rd base for a bunch of our clients, loading up on tax-free high-quality bonds with yields far above our hurdle rate of 5%. That opportunity is now vanished, but in a game of small ball, being aware, flexible, and liquid is how we can eek out important runs in game of low returns.

Your Retirement For those of you preparing for retirement and in your prime savings years, we advise you play small ball. More buoyant times are ahead. But that’s looking out to the potentially roaring ‘20s, the 2020’s, not the imminent intermediate time frame of the next seven years. As Creekside Partners’ quotes the old saying, “Don’t try to squeeze blood from a stone.” Investors should seek modest returns and be patient for higher returns down the road.

For Now The whole rolling train wreck of governments dealing with their debts will unfold in the next 5-7 years. While that is unfolding, expected returns will be low. We at Barnes Capital will stay focused on small ball. Barnes Capital LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor. We manage trusts and retirement income portfolios. Financial planning is an integral part of our process. We protect client capital using municipal bonds and high-quality companies which raise their dividend every year. We add Gold to portfolios for diversification. Call Daniel at (925) 284-3503 and visit www.barnescapital.com Advertorial

Page 12 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Truisms By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO After you’ve been doing something long enough, there are some things that you just know, on which you don’t tolerate even a modicum of dissent or argument. They become truisms that aren’t frequently questioned, because with people, as well as products, (to quote my very wise father-in-law), “Past performance is the best indicator of future performance.” I’m sure you’re wondering where I’m going with this! I have to write this article carefully, paying special attention to not exaggerate anything, so that if some large corporation with a bored legal department decides to come after me, I know I have the truth on my side. As such, here I gently go: Some products really stink. The naked truth is that some corporations put the bare minimum on the line, the minimum that allows them to say they are providing what they advertised but not enough to really take care of the customer. There are a lot of products that don’t deliver what they promise, and we do our best to help you steer around them, avoiding the pitfalls and bad choices that can cost you time and money. That’s what we do, and if you listen to our truisms, you’re going to be leveraging several decades of experience spent helping thousands of customers. First, let’s talk about internet access. One very large telephone company regularly sells people internet services that don’t fall anywhere near where their advertising implies. The magical words they use in their advertising are “up to,” when describing the speeds a customer may enjoy. So, if I’m hoping my new internet circuit is going to provide me 3mb internet speed, I may be fooled by advertising and sales reps telling me I will enjoy speeds “up to 3mb’s.” The truth is, I may get only one half or less of that, but they’ve allowed themselves all that wiggle room with the insertion of those two magical words. Truism? As far as broadband for home or business, Cable knocks the socks off of DSL. Yes, you may be one of the folks who live so close to the phone company that you get magnificent service. That’s fantastic, but you’re in the overwhelming minority of customers we’ve run into. Email providers are another example, and this affects everyone. I’ve gone

www.yourmonthlypaper.com over this before, but it bears repeating because we continue to see friends, family, and business associates suffer from bad service. Disclaimer: if your email works perfectly, don’t mess with it. You shouldn’t change things for change’s sake, and I certainly don’t want you to “fix” something that isn’t broken. I’m going to over-simplify email into three categories: POP, IMAP, and Exchange / Hosted Exchange. At a high level, anyone can put up a simple POP email server. They’re not difficult to set up, and when installed on a UNIX server, they basically run unattended forever with very little effort. Unix-based POP email is what the majority of people use these days. Your ISP (Comcast, AT&T, Earthlink, Covad, etc.) offers free email accounts with your service, and it costs them virtually nothing to offer you that service. And, you’re getting what you pay for. Their spam/ virus control is not very good, they’re heavily hacked, and in one ISP’s case, they have back-end issues all the time but never admit it, causing their users a lot of unnecessary grief and troubleshooting. For home users, I only recommend the email services of one free provider. I believe Gmail (www.gmail.com) has the best free service around, and none of the ISP or other free services can match it. In my opinion, Yahoo, Hotmail, ATT, Comcast, MSN, AOL, and <you name the free provider> can’t compare. Gmail’s front-end web interface is very easy to use. Their control panel is helpful and full-featured. It integrates with Microsoft Outlook extremely well. And, most importantly, Google uses Postini email filtering which sets them apart from the rest. Google purchased Postini a few years ago and integrated it into their Gmail platform. Since then, whether people realized it or not, they’ve been enjoying the fruits of an email system that generally doesn’t contain viruses and is largely SPAM free because of this service. Another nice feature of Gmail is that if you switch to their service, you won’t have to worry about changing the next time you flip between Comcast and AT&T or any other ISP at your home. Truism? Like them or hate them, Google has an undeniably better email product, and if you’re having problems with your personal account, you would be well advised to bite the bullet and make the switch. Next month I’ll talk about the email services we recommend for businesses and how to get it all started. For help migrating your email or addressing computer infrastructure issues in general, give the friendly staff at Portable CIO a call at 925-552-7953, or email helpdesk@theportablecio.com. Advertorial

Sentinels continued from front page

Our mission is to provide personalized care, help Jake came back from the battlefield with only a maintain independence and enhance our high school education and no employment exclient’s quality of life on a daily basis. perience applicable to civilian life. Crushed by • Free in-home assessments • Regular home visits a tank, Brown sustained severe internal injuries ensure the right care plan • Hourly care Heartfelt & and was unable to walk. Emerging from weeks for you • Live-in care Supportive • Fully bonded and insured • Geriatric care mgmt. in a coma, he had the determination essential • Elder referral and placement to succeed. Mike Conklin and a core group of At All Times... community professionals made sure Jake had the 3645 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite D Lafayette, CA 94549 means. They found him employment working (beside Trader Joe’s) www.excellentcareathome.com 925-284-1213 nights for UPS while he completed a California State University degree and helped him secure all the VA benefits to which he was entitled. Enrollment in an MBA program and a position at Sybase International followed Jake’s college graduation. One step at a time, Conklin and his team of volunteers constructed a support system based on the individual aspirations and limitations of each new Sentinel. As a building contractor and real estate developer, Conklin was used to engaging the skills of scores of separate tradesmen to put up a house. He applied the same logistics to coordinating benefits from government and private agencies with resources he could tap through community connections. Local professionals offered their time to provide Sentinels with legal, financial, and career counseling. In 2005, Manny Mendoza came home after losing both legs above the knee. Placed through Sentinels as a Project Manager at AT&T, Manny received several promotions, purchased a home, and is now totally self-sufficient. Conklin’s recollection of Ron Wilkins, a boy a class or two ahead of him in high school who sustained similar injuries in Vietnam, fueled his desire to make certain veterans had someone to count on. Ron tried hanging out with his old friends when he came home, but as a double amputee with no prospect of work, he soon fell victim to alcoholism. That none of the churches or other local groups came forward to help, Mike found unacceptable. “There is no free lunch for a wounded veteran,” Conklin explains. “They know they face greater hurdles than others. Our job is to get them over the hurdles. We can’t carry them over, but we can walk at their side.” Realtor Jerry Stadtler described Sentinels of Freedom to Denver-based RE/MAX founder and chairman David Liniger when they met at a conference in 2006. Liniger’s enthusiastic follow-up took Conklin by surprise. “I got a call from Liniger saying he wanted to discuss Sentinels of Freedom, and he was sending me a ticket to Denver. I said ‘I can tell you about Sentinels in a fifteen-minute Manny del Rio's excellent communication skills have made San Ramon

See Sentinels continued on page 18

Police Chief Scott Holder proud to have Manny on board.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 13

Headhunters

The International Film Showcase will feature the Norwegian thriller Headhunters starting May 18th at the Orinda Theater. Aksel Hennie, star of Max Manus, is coming back with a story that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. Save for a somewhat diminutive stature, Roger is a man who apparently has it all. He’s Norway’s most successful headhunter, he’s married to the exceedingly beautiful gallery owner Diana, he has a far too expensive villa, and he must, to keep his head above water financially, steal a little too much art. Clas Greve is the perfect candidate for Rogers’s new recruitment assignment, being a former elite soldier and chief executive in the electronics business. He’s also in possession of a very valuable painting. Robert eyes a chance to permanently get rid of his financial worries and begins planning his final, greatest score. Baskets, Totem Poles, Pottery, Kachina’s, Food And More! But it turns out that Greve is playing games as well. When Roger breaks into Saturday, May 19th 10-6pm & Sunday, May 20th 10-4pm Greves house, he finds something that changes his life completely, and soon it forces him to run for his life... Alamo Women’s Club 1401 Danville Blvd, Alamo | Free Parking Headhunters is based on Norwegian best selling writer Jo Nesbø’s novel Adults - $5, Seniors (55) $4, Children - Free Headhunters (original title Hodejegerne). For showtimes and more information, visit www.orindatheatresquare.com/ movies/international-film-showcase.

Native American Art Show and Sale

Weekly Dance Social Dance for joy at weekly Social, or just come to chat; all are welcome. Twirl, chat, and tap your feet to the beat. The Social is for all-level and all-style dancers, music lovers, and observers. The Social is held Wednesdays from 12:30 to 2:50PM at the Lafayette Community Center located at 500 St. Mary’s Road. The longtime event, with continuous, professionally recorded music, is held in the big, bright Live Oak Room. The whole scene gets extra lively the first Wednesday of each month when professional dance duo Karen and Michael DJ music and vary lessons from peppy Latin, to waltz, to swing. Other weeks, Elroy Holtmann, Dance Social president, and longtime Lafayette resident, presides as DJ. Fees for the event are $2 for members of Lafayette Senior Center, and $4 for non-members. It costs just $10 a year to join the Center and enjoy the complete range of activities available. For more information visit sites.google.com/site/ lafayetteteadance.

St Perpetua Junior Girl Scout Troop 30650 finished their three dimensional badge at Sew New in Lafayette by making a jewelry box. Top Row: Jamie, Meaghan, Cecilia, Kristan, Gabby, and Alexis. Bottom Row: Maddy, Bridget, Brennan, Mandalyn, and Katherine.

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Page 14 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Pruning for Fire Safety By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb In the spring and early summer, the landscape grows lush, beautiful. Our Mediterranean climate is blessed by sufficient winter rains to make plants grow, but our dry summers, and our even drier autumns, can make that new growth a fire hazard. In the greater Bay Area, we live surrounded by an ecosystem that has been shaped, over the last 10,000 years, by frequent wildfires. Because these woodland fires are inevitable, landscape trees, even healthy ones, require occasional pruning to prevent them from becoming fire ladders––bridges of flammable material that could carry flames from a woodland fire to your home. The threat posed by fires in the greater Bay Area is real and significant. The Oakland/Berkeley Hills fire of 1991 caused $1.7 billion in property damage, and it was the nation’s worst urban fire since the San Francisco fire of 1906. Failure to properly maintain landscape trees and shrubs played a significant role in allowing that fire to grow, intensify, and move. The Comprehensive Overview of the Berkeley/Oakland Hills Fire recommends that the risk of wildfire can be reduced by proper care of landscape plants: • Break up fire ladders. • Limb trees back from structures. • Reduce flammable biomass by thinning crowns. • Remove dead trees and shrubs from the landscape. • Remove deadwood from live trees and shrubs. Breaking up fire ladders helps prevent a fire from moving easily from the woods, or from your neighbor’s property, to your house. To break up fire ladders, increase the space between plants, both vertically and horizontally. In the 1991 fire, blowing brands of flammable material landed on ground plants and, if there was sufficient dry matter, caught the ground cover on fire. The fire burned along the ground plants horizontally for as long as it found material to burn. If it encountered trees with low branches, the fire would move vertically from the ground up into the crown of the tree. If those burning trees were close

Gardening with Kate By Kathleen Guillaume I watched my spring bulb blooms desiccate in the heat of the last week of April. Blooms that should have had a week or more display in my garden just fry in a mini-heat wave. But it is hard to complain as the warmth let my tomatoes know that their time had come. The weather has indeed been crazy, but, as all gardeners must do, we have to adjust and look on the brightest side we can muster. It is not too late to plant tomatoes. Find the fullest sun location in your garden, and yes, it can be next to your roses (they like the same conditions). Remember to dig a very deep hole, and mix your soil with rich compost. Plant the tomato very deep, leaving only the top one or two branchlettes above the soil. Water in and feed with a 6-24-24 or 0-10-10 organic fertilizer. Later, maintain with a 5-10-5. Your local nursery person can guide you to the closest available correct combination. Remember the first number on any fertilizer formula is nitrogen which is the food for leaves. For tomatoes you want to start with food for fruit and roots, not leaf production. The one thing tomatoes want is consistency in watering. So, if you start with a deep watering once a week stay with that schedule. If you do a shorter daily watering, stick to that schedule and you will have a much healthier plant. If you want a wonderful opportunity to learn more about gardening, vegetable production, visit mercurynews.com/ourgarden.The Master gardeners in conjunction with the Contra Costa Times have planted a garden at 2640 Shadelands Drive in Walnut Creek, and every Wednesday they hold free and wonderfully informative classes. Coming up May 28th is Container Vegetable Gardening, and on May 30th there is a class on Ornamental Landscaping with Edibles. I look over my unkempt but happy garden, and I have a reasonable amount of fruit set. My peaches and pears are formed enough to start thinning the fruit by pinching out the smallest. As these fruit grow, I want the energy of the tree to go into a smaller amount of hearty fruit and to make sure that the fruit that is growing has plenty of air circulation around it. So on a twig of my pear tree I have eight miniature pears. I will thin this down to three and later to one or two. My oranges and limes are in bloom, making the back garden lusciously

www.yourmonthlypaper.com to a house, they would set the house on fire. If their crowns touched the crowns of other trees, the fire spread from crown to crown. Landscape plants pose little fire hazard when they are properly maintained, and proper maintenance does not mean sacrificing a natural, woodland aesthetic. If the limbing up, dead-wooding, and crown thinning are done by a craftsman with a sensitivity to plant aesthetics, then the trees will look natural, even though they may have had 30% of their biomass removed. Knowing how to identify potential hazards is important, but it is also important to know how to reduce those hazards in a manner that keeps your property looking natural and which doesn’t sacrifice important screening plants. Brende & Lamb specializes in balancing the conflicting needs for privacy, fire safety, tree health, and landscape aesthetics. It is possible to improve the fire safety of your property while promoting the health and beauty of your plants. Tree care is a craft requiring study and experience. Our trimmers are master craftsmen who understand that a well-pruned tree should not only be safer and healthier, it should look beautiful as well. At Brende and Lamb we take great pride in both the science and the art of pruning. If your trees need a little TLC, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at bl@brendelamb.com for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood. Advertorial

Montelindo Garden Club Hosts Barry Hoffer On Friday, May 18th the Montelindo Garden Club will host Barry Hoffer as their speaker on the topic of Japanese Maples. Barry and Sue Hoffer are arborists and owners of Maples for All Seasons in Pleasanton. The Hoffers have been involved in the growing, care and pruning of Japanese maples for over fifteen years. Barry regularly teaches classes on Japanese maples, and both Barry and Sue are officers in the Northern California Japanese Maple Society. The program begins at 10:30AM preceded by a plant sale and social hour at 9AM, to which the public is cordially invited. The program is held at the Orinda Community Church located at 10 Irwin Way, Orinda. For more information, visit www.montelindogarden.com. sweet. That combined with the jasmine is heady. I have clematis that are on the edge of blooming, my bush peonies have large fat buds that are ready to break into glorious blooms and of course the roses are starting to break. Because my block has people committed to not using fungicides and pesticides, the garden is full of beneficial insects, pollinators (bees), hummers, and birds. My garden is alive and vibrant and always has some surprise like my rhododendrons which are along my west fence and all opening into billows of lavender and pink and pale yellow immense blossoms. This is why we garden - everywhere we turn is a surprise from a plant that was just there dormant and quiet, and then without warning it changes from nothing to glorious. This is the time to plant those things that you want to be the staple of your summer garden: penstemnon, salvias, rudbeckias, and so much more. Your local nursery person can make recommendations. Remember, none of these are in bloom now, so they look innocuous at the nursery, just green leaves, but now is the time to get them in the ground. If you wait until they are in bloom, the weather will be very hot and inhospitable to getting them properly established. Happy Gardening!

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Life in the Lafayette Garden Timeless and Transitional By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect I like to follow-up with my clients after a period of time to see how they are enjoying their beautiful yards. After thirty-five years of creating gardens, I discovered a new distinction for how a landscape matures and why some of my clients were disappointed even though they absolutely loved their gardens... Timeless and Transitional! That’s it! At first glance “Timeless and Transitional” seems a little dramatic. Well, it isn’t really, and I will tell you why in a moment. It all begins with expectations. We all know a garden can be beautiful, relaxing, stunning, delightful, therapeutic, and all those great things I usually write about. On the other hand, gardens can be ugly, annoying, agitating, and sometimes just don’t meet your expectations, and that is disappointing! Most likely you have felt the way I feel about my own garden sometimes; you too, at one time or another, have been disappointed and down right upset about your garden. Don’t get me wrong -- I love my garden and my clients love the ones I design for them, but sometimes it just seems like nature (and untrained gardeners) get the best of our expectations. Case in point: I went to visit one of my client’s gardens only to find plants that I had designed in the plans were either missing, woody and misshaped, or turned into little balls and squares. Plants were missing because nature over the last two years had taken its toll. Perennials were missing, lavender was just woody stalks, plants were half broken, and lovely arching shrubs had turned into balls and squares in their prime bloom time! This is not what I expect, and my clients didn’t either. I have written about the importance of the Hardscape (built elements) as being Timeless. It is one aspect of creating an outdoor environment. The other is the Softscape (living elements) or Transitional. What I discovered in this distinction of Timeless and Transitional is that while the backbone of the design of the garden was still there, beautiful and functioning just as I had designed it to be, the Softscape was displaying the transitions of the years. If it wasn’t the harsh cold winter, the ultra-wet spring, and the long hot Indian summer, it was the untrained gardeners, the varmints, the pets, fungus, and you-name-it that thrashed our expectations for a beautiful and everlasting show-piece. Here is the good news and the bad news. The good news is, there is hope! The bad news is you need to rearrange your expectations. Good design will always be timeless and will last over the years. The timeless aspects of a good landscape design are the beautiful and elegant elements of the hardscape such as well-crafted stone work on your patio, seat wall, and pool, or a detailed trellis, pergola, arbor, fence or garden gate. Well-placed timeless trees include oaks, redwoods, maples, olives, crape myrtles, and long-lasting plantings like laurel, boxwood, mock orange, wisteria, camellias, and more than I can name in one article. While “Timeless” is a little easier to swallow, “Transitional” is the one that forces us to rearrange our expectations. We need to learn to understand that the living aspect of your design is a moving target and more unpredictable. It has taken me almost thirty years to get it! Snails eat your plants, fungus curls your peach leaves (unless you remember to spray at the precise time), aphids arrive every year to devour your roses, and plants need replacing every so often just like your home needs fresh paint and new carpet. Now you can relax in your garden. Watch the transitions happen, replace and update as necessary, appreciate the majesty of your timeless elements, and rearrange your expectations to accept the transitional! I have a new-found appreciation and patience for the transitional after all these years in the garden. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: As one of my services I do consulting for clients who don’t need a full Master Landscape Plan. This service

Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 15

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offers on-site practical advice addressing your “transitional” concerns. Check out my newly updated website! Gardening Quote of the Month: My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant’s point of view. - H. Fred Ale If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com or for design ideas visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial

Page 16 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Case Study: Blended Family Poor Planning Hurts By Robert J. Silverman, Attorney at Law Blended families - defined here as a married couple with one or more children not common to the marriage - typically face sensitive estate planning issues. Too often, however, they either ignore or attempt to short-cut planning to avoid discussing uncomfortable subjects. Below is a summary of a very unfortunate blended family case I handled a number of years ago. It highlights the financial and personal damage that can result from poor planning. Next month, I’ll write about some positive ways in which a blended family can structure a customized estate plan to reconcile conflicting interests in a manner that satisfies the needs and wishes of both spouses. My case involved a second marriage between (fictitiously named) Margaret and Bill. Margaret’s children were Mike and Mary. Bill’s children were Beth and Betty. Margaret and Bill married when the four children were between 8 and 16, and they all moved into Margaret’s house. Their two sets of children got along very well, and the blended family was quite close as the children grew up and became adults. Margaret brought into the marriage about $1.3 Million of assets, including: i) a very nice $800,000 mortgage-free house; and ii) $500,000 in cash and securities. Bill brought into the marriage virtually no assets. During their marriage, Margaret helped Bill establish a small business. Largely due to Margaret’s capital investment, organizational skills and initiative, the business was successful. Approximately fifteen years into their marriage, Margaret also inherited approximately $500,000 of cash and securities from her father and uncle. Bill was always quite controlling of Margaret, and he didn’t like lawyers. Early in the their marriage, they drafted up simple, mirror Wills on their own, which stated, essentially: “when I die, everything goes to my spouse; but if my spouse predeceases me, everything goes to my two children and two stepchildren, in equal shares (one quarter each).” As they aged, the Wills made Margaret a bit nervous about what might happen if she died first, and all of her assets went to Bill (with no strings attached). But, she was afraid to upset Bill by bringing this up, and she figured she would probably outlive him anyway. As it happens, Margaret died first. Per their then thirty year old Wills, all of

Go Lafayette continued from front page route if you take a car. With a single click you can instantly compare driving with other transportation modes like walking, biking, using a scooter, carpooling, taking a hybrid, etc. The theory is that by easily seeing the costs and impacts of each option, residents may be more often motivated to choose alternatives to driving and as a result, help reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and parking headaches in Lafayette. But that’s just the first part. Once you’ve decided on a transportation mode, the next challenge is knowing the easiest and safest route to take to your destination. With GoLafayette you just click on “Get Directions,” and directions are automatically loaded on your device. GoLafayette was carefully designed to work easily on mobile phones and tablets, as well as computers. Directions are available when you need it, where you need it. Another challenge is how to take advantage of all the experience that other residents have in getting around town. For that, GoLafayette provides a function called “Tips and Trips.” For example, if you’ve figured out the best way for your kids to get from your neighborhood to your child’s school, then you can share that tip. Other residents can then search through all the tips and trips to gain that insider information. GoLafayette has a number of tips posted already, and many more will be added over time. “GoLafayette is a breakthrough in many ways,” stated Michael Dawson, the project leader. “It is the first tool we’ve seen that goes beyond mapping and directions to show the environmental costs and impacts of each choice.” According to Michael, it’s also one of the first to integrate community submitted tips and be developed for a city of Lafayette’s size. Sustainable Lafayette worked closely with the web development firm Conflare, who joked “Seattle could use a tool like this!,” and also received funding for the site from The Lafayette Community Foundation, City of

www.yourmonthlypaper.com Margaret’s assets (much of which was her separate property that she brought into, or inherited during, the marriage) went outright to Bill. Bill lived about one year longer. Before Bill died, his daughter, Beth, arranged for Bill to go to an estate planning attorney. Bill established a living trust that provided that, upon his death, all of his assets would go only to his daughters, Beth and Betty. He made no provision for his stepchildren, Mike and Mary. Weeks after Bill’s funeral, Mike spoke with Beth on the phone. Assuming the “one fourth to each child” arrangement, which was always well known by the children as their parents’ plan, Mike asked Beth when she expected the assets would be divided between the four of them. Beth informed her step-brother rather sheepishly that her father had changed his estate plan to provide only for Beth and Betty. Incredulous, Mike presumed that Beth and Betty would nevertheless do the right thing and share the estate equally with Mike and Mary. Beth and Betty declined to do so. Beth simply told Mike that it was her father’s choice to do whatever he wanted with the assets he owned on his death. Contentious litigation ensued. Mike and Mary’s case was incredibly sympathetic, but considerable legal obstacles were present. Fortunately, the case settled. Unfortunately, because of the challenging technical legal issues, Mike and Mary couldn’t take a chance on a trial, and thus had no reasonable choice but to enter into a disappointing compromise. Total net assets were $3 million. Due to improper planning before Margaret died, $1 million was unnecessarily paid out in Federal Estate Tax. Equitably, each of the four children should have received one quarter of the $2 million net after-tax estate (i.e. $500K apiece). Instead, per the settlement (before considerable attorneys’ fees were paid), Mike and Mary each received $250K, and Beth and Betty each received $750K. Aside from the financial injustice to Mike and Mary, Margaret’s legacy was dishonored by her step-children, and the relationship between the two sets of children was destroyed forever. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with Buchman Provine Brothers Smith LLP, 1333 N. California Street, Suite 350, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 944-9700; rsilverman@sbllp.com. His practice emphasizes Estate Planning, Trust Administration & Probate, Real Estate, and Business. Mr. Silverman offers a free introductory consultation. This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax, financial and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein. Advertorial

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Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 17

Your Personal Nutritionist By Linda Michaelis, RD. MS. Understanding Nutrition for PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) I want to tell you about my client Susan, age 26, who was referred to me by her endocrinologist for PCOS. I think her story is quite common as many women have not been diagnosed properly when they are suffering with weight gain they cannot seem to lose. PCOS affects 10% of women in the U.S. and is the most common cause of menstrual irregularities and infertility. Women with PCOS are insulin resistant, which causes their ovaries to produce greater than normal amounts of testosterone. This, in turn, inhibits ovulation and causes many symptoms such as severe acne, hair on the face, jaw, and chest, and weight gain despite following good nutrition and exercise habits. Susan remembers having irregular periods as a teenager along with hair growth on her face and inner thighs. Her doctor put her on oral contraceptives (OC) that reduced the symptoms but had the effect of delaying the PCOS diagnosis. When Susan got off the OC to become pregnant, she began gaining weight in her midsection, experienced hypoglycemia and acne, and was very unhappy. Her lab results showed that her insulin level was at 22 (normal is less than 10), her testosterone level was 85 (normal less than 50), and her fasting glucose was 120 (normal 80-100), all clear cut data showing that she had PCOS. Susan’s doctor instantly put her on Metformin, an insulin sensitizer that would help decrease the high insulin levels and work well in conjunction with healthy nutrition and weight loss. When I reviewed Susan’s food diary, I saw she had a high intake of refined carbohydrates and saturated fats, limited amounts of veggies, and no fruits. Her numerous fruit drinks and two Cokes a day did not help her sugar levels. After completing my initial assessment, I explained to Susan the role of insulin in the body and how PCOS causes hormonal imbalances that can increase the risk of miscarriages. I educated Susan on how to read the food label for protein, fiber, sugar, and fat. I stressed that she must eat small frequent meals that always combine protein and fiber with low fat and sugar. I set up a meal plan for Susan based on her lifestyle and food preferences that she can follow on the job as an administrative assistant. Her office is equipped with a kitchen where she is now having oatmeal with fresh fruit, cottage cheese with a whole wheat English muffin and sliced strawberries, or one hard-boiled egg with whole wheat toast. For snacks she is having plain Greek yogurt with veggies, 20 almonds with veggies, or an apple with almond butter. For lunch she goes to the deli to get a sandwich with whole wheat bread and a small salad. In the afternoon she is enjoying a bean soup like Trader Joe’s lentil and veggie or Progresso’s minestrone, hummus with veggies, or shrimp with cocktail sauce and a few Akmak crackers. For dinner she is now having one cup of 100% whole wheat pasta (which she states tastes like regular pasta) along with two cups veggies sautéed in garlic, olive oil, and seasonings. I introduced Susan to whole grains like quinoa, whole wheat couscous, barley, farro, and even brown rice. I gave her some recipes to begin to learn how to add these grains to her life. Susan was excited about trying new grains since she did not want to live on fruits and veggies only. She also loved the idea of being able to have two 100 calorie low sugar and fat desserts with a meal such as puddings, fudgesicles, popsicles, or a cupcake with very little frosting. We took an entire session to discuss the best entrees to order at Susan and her husband’s favorite restaurants. I was glad to hear they enjoyed fish, but they hardly ate it at home. They go out to dinner each week, and I suggested that they enjoy Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine where they can have delicious fish dishes with veggies and brown rice. In our follow up sessions via phone and e-mail, Susan tells me the restaurant they have chosen for the week, and we walk thru the menu on the website where I make suggestions for the meal along with balancing it with the other meals of the day. I am thrilled to inform you that after working with Susan for three months she has lost 15 pounds, her insulin levels have decreased to 12, her testosterone has fallen to 60, and her blood sugars are in the normal range. The good news is that Susan’s visits were paid by her Aetna PPO insurance with a small copay. Please feel free to call me at (925) 855-0150 or e-mail me at Lifeweight1@yahoo.com and tell me about your nutritional concerns. Refer to my website www.LindaRD.com for past articles, recipes, and nutrition tips. Advertorial permitted to label their wines “made with organic grapes.” Red, White, and Green Wine? Sustainable By Monica Chappell Although there are no government standards for sustainable agriculture, Can there be Green wine? The Green wine cat- practitioners generally promote both ecological and social responsibility by egory showcases the wines and wineries that use avoiding pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, and by enriching soil with cover sustainable, organic, and/or biodynamic practices crops and composts. - both in the vineyard and/or winemaking process. What does it all mean? Wine drinkers who really care about how a wine As we look back on Earth Day 2012, I hope you’ll is made need to get to know its producer. After all, it’s the integrity of the be interested in discovering a few eco-friendly wine winemaker that matters more than any certification process. And when you styles to toast the planet! find a winemaker with both talent and integrity, you’ll probably find the best Biodynamic wines, natural or otherwise. This particularly intense school of agriculture has both organic and spiriMonica Chappell, wine writer and educator, teaches wine appreciation tual aspects. Biodynamic agriculture views the farm as a single organism, classes in the Bay Area. To sign up for a free newsletter, visit www.wineapwith the plants, animals, crops, soil, air, and celestial influences, such as the preciation101.blogspot.com. moon and stars, all interconnected. By balancing these elements, the farmer, in theory, makes his property self-sustaining, thus eliminating the need for artificial nutrients or pesticides. Natural A small, strict, mostly French movement, “natural” winemaking uses organic grapes that are farmed and picked by hand and are fermented with native (not manufactured) yeasts. No sulfites or other additives go into natural wine. Organic The use of the term organic is defined by the USDA: For a wine to be labeled organic, the vineyards from which the grapes are picked must be farmed without synthetic fertilizers, conventional pesticides, or genetically engineered plant material. In addition, sulfites cannot be added to the wine as a preservative. Come taste our award winning wines Unfortunately, wines made without sulfites can re-ferment or oxidize in the bottle. That’s why many winemakers who use organic grapes also add sulfites. Call for tasting room hours and information on private parties 510-861-2722 If their wines contain less than 100 parts per million of sulfites, they are still 5700 Greenville Rd, Livermore • www.redfeatherwinery.com

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Page 18 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

The Many Faces of Skin Cancer

the many

By Matthew Sirott, MD

May is Melanoma Awareness Month and the first presentation of Many Faces of Skin Cancer, an educational event focusing on skin cancers. Melanoma ranks as the seventh leading type of cancer in the United States. The lifetime risk for a diagnosis of melanoma in the United States is 1.94% for males and 1.30% for females. The lifetime risk for of skin cancer death from melanoma is 0.35% for males and 0.20% for females. There are many risk factors for developing melanoma, both environmental and genetic. The factor you can best control to reduce your risk of melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Some experts believe that 65% or more of melanoma is caused by exposure to the sun, especially during childhood. Following is a list of prevention tips. Detection of melanoma at early stages is essential and lifesaving. The ABCDE of melanoma recognition are asymmetry, border irregularities, color variation, diameter greater than 6mm, and evolving or changing lesions. If you have a suspicious lesion, you should talk to your primary care physician or dermatologist about biopsying the lesion. Proper surgical management is essential in obtaining the diagnosis and the stage of the melanoma. Lymph node biopsy is done in patients at high risk for lymph node metastasis. Radiation can be used for patients with significant risk of local recurrence. Interferon is used in patients with high risk resected melanoma. In patients with metastatic melanoma, biologic therapy such as high dose interleukin-2, oral temodar, biochemotherapy, and combination and single agent chemotherapy have all been used. A therapy for metastatic melanoma treatment, ipilimumab (Ippy) recently received FDA approval. It is one of the first antibody-based therapies that uses the body’s immune defenses to destroy cancer cells. Ippy was shown to offer a survival benefit for metastatic melanoma, which is often a fatal disease. The Many Faces of Skin Cancer will be held on May 23rd from 6:30-8pm at the Walnut Creek Library. The free event is sponsored by the California Skin and Melanoma Center – a new comprehensive skin cancer program in the East Bay that offers a multi-disciplinary medical expert approach to the Advertorial treatment of all for forms of skin cancer. To register, call 925-677-5041.

Sentinels continued from page 12

Ask Dr. Happy

phone conversation.’ He replied that he was a face-to-face guy. For some reason, I took that flight to Denver.” Liniger’s offer to fund the program for a year allowed Sentinels of Freedom to go national in 2007. Devoting full-time to the task, Conklin spent all but 30 days that year on the road interviewing prospective Sentinels, setting up support teams across the country, and telling corporate leaders that investing in the future of a Sentinel is not only an honorable act but also one that will someday profit their bottom line. Conklin cautions the executive eager to hire a Sentinel that education for the position needs to precede employment in order to ensure a mutually beneficial engagement. Mike rarely leaves a meeting without obtaining a commitment for scholarship funding. Adding 25 new Sentinels a year to the program is the current goal.

By Bob Nozik, MD Dear Dr. Happy, I love my wife, but since gaining 50 pounds over the past five years, she is no longer sexually attractive to me. She says if I loved her I would be attracted no matter how she looks. Dr. Happy, who’s right and how can we deal with this problem? We’re both in our mid thirties, have been married for seven years, and have no children. ~Not Turned On

Dear Not, Hmm, I could get a flood of angry mail if I’m not careful. Of course, the initial attraction of romantic love is all about physical appeal, pheromones, and charm. However, romantic love in most cases lasts around four to six years. For good marriages, romantic love then transforms into lasting, mature love, which is much deeper, richer, and even more spiritual than the brief romantic love. What I am suggesting is that your wife’s weight gain may not be the heart of the problem. Of course, for health reasons alone, her weight gain is problematic. However, you and she need to re-examine the basics of your relationship. And, for that, I suggest you consider couples counseling before anger and resentment poison whatever good you have in this marriage.

Happiness Tip

Joey Bozik (top, 2nd from left) enjoys some social time with his support team.

Before a prospective Sentinel can be offered a scholarship, a local team leader has to be in place. The stories of Sentinels are diverse, but each centers on being embraced by a welcoming community. Sentinel graduate Ben Crowley whose Sentinel experience landed him at Chevron relates: “Many of us join the military in the first place to escape poor economic prospects, and when we get out going ‘home’ is not a viable option. I moved 3,000 miles from everything that was familiar on the day I was released from active duty. The Sentinels of Freedom provided a surrogate family, a support structure to make me feel at home and supported in what would otherwise have been a frightening transition, and helped me navigate both the civilian world I was unfamiliar with and the governmental systems I rely on for continued medical care.”

See Sentinels continued on page 19

The highest goal in marital relationships is the establishment of a lasting, mutually supportive, even spiritual bond based on deep love. Sex is in there, yes, but, as opposed to romantic love, in mature love it is not the main event. There is a parallel here between the brief but intense, ordinary (Hedonic) happiness and finite, but passionate, romantic love. Both are great, but not designed to be lasting. There is a similar parallel between what I call ideal (Eudaimonic) happiness and mature, lifelong love. In this case, ‘Not Turned On’ has a right to not be sexually attracted to his wife after her weight gain; as the old saying goes: “When you’re hot, you’re hot, when you’re not, you’re not.” But his wife is right also. If your love is real, beyond the short term romantic phase, gaining weight wouldn’t detract from their mature love. Please send questions/comments for Dr. Happy to Pollyannan@aol.com.

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OTC Skin Care Products By Dr. Kelly Hood There are a seemingly endless supply of “antiaging” ingredients in over-the-counter (OTC) products. What do we really know about them, and which ones work? The average woman uses 25 products containing hundreds of ingredients on her skin daily. Very few of these ingredients have been subjected to rigorous study. It is extremely difficult for consumers to make wise choices for their skin care products with the lack of comprehensive information. Dr. Kelly Hood, Lafayette This article will address antioxidants. Antioxidant cosmeceutical products act to protect the skin against UV damage and, in some cases, allow the skin to regenerate.

Common Cosmeceutical Active Ingredients Retinoids and Vitamin A - There is extensive literature on the use of topical retinoids which are derivatives of vitamin A. Tretinoin is the active ingredient in Retin-A and has been scientifically proven to repair sun damage. It has been shown to repair fine lines and wrinkles, mottled pigmentation, and skin roughness. However tretinoin is often associated with skin irritation and is only available with a prescription. OTC retinoid formulations may contain retinol, retinaldehyde, and retinyl palmitate which are less potent than tretinoin, but in the correct concentrations can be beneficial. Retinol - A study in 2000 showed that retinol in a 1% concentration stimulated collagen synthesis in both sun protected and photodamaged skin. Retinol is one of the best studied OTC ingredients and has consistently shown improvement to photoaged skin. Retinaldehyde - Studies have shown that retinaldehyde can produce significant improvement in fine lines and deep wrinkles. Alpha Hydroxy Acids - Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) are commonly seen in many OTC products as glycolic acid, malic acid, lactic acid and hydroxyl fruit acids. AHA’s also are common agents used in chemical peels. Although physicians can use high concentrations of AHA’s, OTC products must have less than a 10% concentration. AHA’s work by stripping the top layer of skin off. This stimulates collagen formation and regeneration. Alpha hydroxy acids can cause the skin, and the underlying support structure of the skin, to thicken. Studies show that an 8% lactic acid and 8% glycolic acid cream can improve the severity of sun-damaged skin over a 22 week period.

Sentinels continued from page 18 The Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation helps highly motivated, severely disabled veterans become productive, self-sufficient civilians, providing the resources of caring teams of community volunteers as well as financial aid for up to four years for each scholarship recipient. Men and women who have sustained duty-related injuries resulting in permanent physical disability of 60% or more while serving in the United States Armed Forces since September 11, 2001 are the program’s target group. Qualifications for acceptance include a positive attitude and clear goals. Each Sentinel’s story is a tribute to the caliber of individuals who guard our freedom. “As an American citizen you can draw a direct line between our quality of life today and those who have stepped forth to serve our nation,” Conklin reminds us. Triple amputee Joey Bozik trained as a personal banker at Wells Fargo before founding a small business in North Carolina where he is continuing his education. Ryan Sykes, awarded the Bronze Star for his work in Iraq and Afghanistan, sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury. Ryan’s Sentinel profile advises: “ The world doesn’t stop turning because you may be in a wheelchair. Make every second matter.” His team of Dougherty Valley Rotary drivers gets Ryan to work, college, physical therapy, and a personal trainer whose services Club Sport is donating. Manny Del Rio, pinned on the deck of an aircraft carrier by an F18 aircraft, works for the City of San Ramon Police Department while attending college. Jay Wilkerson, who spent three years in a VA hospital relearning to walk and talk, has a job with the Pleasanton Police Department that gives him time to pursue his studies. At www.sentinelsoffreedom.org read more about Sentinels and register for the 5th annual Golf tournament at Diablo Country Club September 16-17. Nongolfers may enjoy Sunday’s dinner and auction with guest speaker Col. Danny McKnight, author of Streets of Mogadishu. At www.veteransvictoryvelo.com find information about the Saturday, September 22nd bike ride. Register to ride as a serious or recreational fundraiser. Sponsor a rider or donate. Don’t miss the fun for supporters.

Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 19 Ascorbic Acid/Vitamin C - Topical vitamin C has been shown to produce some beneficial effects possibly from its antioxidant effect. However, it must be kept in an air-tight container and in darkened bottles for the vitamin to be active. Niacinamide - Nicotinomide or niacinamide is a potent antioxidant. Topical niacinamide improves the oil barrier in the skin and prevents the skin from drying out. Several studies have shown niacinamide reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It has also been shown to eliminate pigment spots and improve elasticity. Resveratrol - Recent studies have shown that topical Dr. Shanny Baughman, Alamo resveratrol may inhibit photodamage. Grape Seed Extract - This antioxidant has been shown to improve wound healing. There is also indication that topical grape seed can protect against UV radiation. Soy Isoflavones - There are several studies that indicate oral soy isoflavin can improve the appearance of skin especially in post-menopausal women. There is little evidence that topical isoflavones improve skin appearance, but they have been shown to protect against UV radiation. Tea Polyphenols - Green tea has been thought to improve health. There is conflicting evidence about topical green tea to improve skin. It is not recommended at this time. Derivative of Coffee Arabica - This product is a derivative of coffee production and is a strong antioxident. Studies show it is a stronger antioxidant than Vitamin C, Vitamin E and green tea. C. arabica improves fine lines, skin texture and skin pigmentation. It may help with under eye puffiness. Overall, there are many beneficial ingredients available for over the counter products. Effectiveness of individual formulas are based on concentration and individual preferences. Double-blind studies are needed to evaluate individual products for effectiveness. Hopefully these studies will be forthcoming as most women spend hundreds of dollars on skin care to improve photoaging. To have your skin evaluated by a board certified dermatologist and have a treatment specifically designed for your skin, contact Dr. Kelly Hood, 970 Dewing, Suite 301, Lafayette, 925-283-5500, khoodderm@yahoo.com or Dr. Shanny Baughman at Alamo Oaks Dermatology, 3189 Danville Blvd, suite 130, Alamo, 925-362-0992, shanny.derm@gmail.com. Advertorial

Brainwaves by Betsy Streeter

Page 20 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

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It is Time to Get Your Groove Back! What is it that keeps you from walking in this world with confidence? By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. A patient of mine started crying during a follow up appointment for her recent facelift. Her face looked beautiful, refreshed, rejuvenated, and natural, so I asked her what was wrong. She said she was emotional because she had spent years feeling that her outer appearance looked old and tired, and it did not reflect the vibrant woman she is. She is now being treated like an attractive woman again; like the woman she is on the inside. The change was empowering and uplifting. Another patient had a similar reaction after her rhinoplasty (nose job). She said she had spent years worrying about her nose. She had been teased as a teenager about the hump on her nose and remained self-conscious about it as an adult. After the rhinoplasty, her selfconsciousness about her nose no longer got in the way of her relationships with others. She is no longer talking to people and wondering, “What are they thinking about the defect on my nose?” She feels free. Yet another patient responded in almost the same way. “After my tummy tuck and liposuction, I feel like I have myself back.” It was not someone being vain or superficial. It was about the feeling of being able to return to the person that she was before... having her pre-pregnancy body back and just feeling comfortable in her own skin again. She was so comfortable, she sent me a photo of herself in a bikini with a thank you note! I recently asked a female plastic surgeon friend of mine who lives in Florida to inject a deep crater beneath my right eye with Restalane and a new filler not yet on the market. When the eye socket depression that has been with me 21 years (since my accident) literally vanished, I too cried. I always thought about the depression when being photographed and felt self-conscious about my appearance. A surgeon mentor of mine once wrote a recommendation for me as a plastic surgeon saying, “She is a really talented surgeon who you would be lucky to work with, but she has some terrible scars on her face after a horrible car accident.” It is not about trying to attain physical perfection, but about simply getting back to the “me” that existed before my accident. I am more free today to walk in the world as a healthy, vibrant woman, not self-conscious about a physical flaw on my face. The stories go on and on… it is why I LOVE my job. These are all excellent examples of reasons to choose plastic surgery. It should be a decision that improves your state of being and your confidence. It should not be a choice to impress someone or to please someone else. It is why taking the time to have a thorough consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon is so important. We adhere to the strictest standards and I have the courage to tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. Please take five minutes to think about this question, “What keeps you from walking with confidence in the world?” The answer can be physical and/or mental. Think about your past and future. Be true and honest with yourself, and take a hard look at those factors that are missing in your life or are causing you to feel self-conscious. • Physical: Are there any physical characteristics that are holding you back from being totally comfortable in your skin? • Emotional: What are you doing to moderate stress in your life, and how can you bring your life into better balance (I have to really work on this one)? Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment • Spiritual: Are you taking the time to properly develop your spiritual well-being with God or a Higher Power, your church, temple, friends, and charities? Dumploads OnUs Take the time to write a page about it. Then, make an action specializes in plan for your body, mind, and soul. providing the ultiAs always, I welcome the opportunity to consult with you on the mate junk removal variety of ways my practice can assist you with the issues that have solution. We’ll haul been preventing you from walking in this world with confidence. away just about anything - from old household junk to construcLet’s meet and work on ways we can get your groove back! tion and yard waste. The only items we are unable to accept are Barbara L. Persons, MD is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon hazardous and owns Persons Plastic Sur• Computers materials. We gery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga make getting • Cables Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She rid of your • TVs may be reached at 925.283.4012 unwanted junk • Monitors or drbarb@personsplasticsurgery. as easy as 925.934.3743 • 925.934.1515 • Servers com. Advertorial 1-2-3; we load, www.dumploadsonus.com • www.erecycleonus.com • Phones we sweep, and 1271 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek Hearing Loss Association • Printers Monday-Friday, 8-5 • Saturday 9-1, Sunday, closed Come to meetings of the Diablo Valley Chapter of Hearing then we haul •Copiers Loss Association of America at 7pm on the first Wednesday away. It’s that • Fax Machines • Power Supply Units • Discs and Tapes of the month at the Walnut Creek United Methodist Church easy! Plus we do it • Scanners • Printer Cartridges and Toners • And More... located at 1543 Sunnyvale Ave., Walnut Creek Education with a smile! Bldg., Wesley Room. Meeting room and parking are at the back of the church. All are welcome. Donations are accepted. Assistive listening system are available for T-coils, and most meetings are captioned. Contact HLAADV@hearinglossdv.org or 925.264.1199 or www.hearinglossdv.org.

Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 21

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You Want Me to Stop What? By Michael Anne Conley, MFT Almost 13% of Californians smoke. That means about 3,000 residents of Lafayette smoke. Do you know one of them? Are you one of them? This is a sad and tricky subject that frequently brings up defensiveness, discouragement – and grief. Defensiveness: If you are one of the 3,000, you probably got hooked when you were young. It is widely known that the tobacco industry targets teenagers, who are vulnerable to messages that smoking is cool and increases popularity. If this was true for you, it’s not your fault that you got tricked. Discouragement: If you smoke, you’ve probably tried to stop. Almost everyone knows the bad news about smoking, and if you’ve been able to stop, but relapsed, or if you’ve tried and never gotten past a day or two without a puff, it’s very discouraging. Nicotine is one of the hardest drug addictions to kick. You are not to blame for trying and not succeeding. You just haven’t found the best way for you – yet. Grief: If you smoke, were a smoker, or know a smoker, you may be sick or dying. You might know someone who has died or who is dying because of nicotine. Maybe you feel alone in your grief that you couldn’t stop sooner, or that you couldn’t help them stop– or that being around them made you ill. You are not alone. To stop smoking, you may have tried the many tips, tools, and techniques that are out there. Maybe some things worked for you for a while. Maybe you were one of the ones who found your way to freedom from smoking, and you’re reading this because you want to help someone else. Maybe you’re one of the 3,000, and you’re still looking for your way. For any change that we want to make, there are three types of support. You might respond more successfully to one of them than the others. A terrific resource is smokefree.gov – a cheerful website offering support in engaging ways (NOTE: I’ve shortened the web addresses so they’ll fit more easily in these columns).

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We all need practical help. I’m not a fan of pharmaceuticals except in emergency situations or when everything else has been tried. Everything else includes acupuncture or hypnotherapy. For many people these options work. At Stillpoint Center here in Lafayette, we have practitioners who support people with smoking and related issues. Connect by emailing info@wellnesslafayette.com. You can also check out smokefree.gov’s text messaging program for 24/7 encouragement at http://ow.ly/ay5t1. If you’re in a crisis or you’ve tried everything else, it might be time for medications. Smokefree.gov has information that you can discuss with your physician. Learn more at http://ow.ly/ay4S1.

The following classes are held at the Cancer Support Community (CSC) located at 3276 McNutt Avenue in Walnut Creek. Classes are free of charge, but please call to register at (925) 933-0107. Frankly Speaking About Cancer: Breast Reconstruction May 15th ~ 6PM-8PM Topics include breast reconstruction options, planning for reconstruction and recovery, choosing not to have breast reconstruction, managing side effects, and choosing a healthcare team. With Vivian Ting, MD, a plastic surgeon in private practice and Ilene Scharlach, PhD, a CSC group facilitator. Genetics and Cancer May 22nd ~ 2PM-4PM Adiscussion of genetics and their role in some cancers. The workshop will also cover the pros and cons of genetic testing, its usefulness, and current controversies. Facilitated by Margo Thelander, MS, a certified genetic counselor at John Muir Health. Natural Therapies and Cancer Treatment May 26th ~ 10AM-Noon Cancer treatment can impact your vitality and quality of life. The use of carefully selected natural therapies can safely reduce treatment side effects, support immune function, and improve quality of life. Facilitated by Debi Walker, ND, a licensed naturopathic doctor in private practice. Talking About Cancer Related Pain: What You, Your Family and Doctor Need to Know May 29th ~ 6PM- -8PM Many people with cancer-related pain may have some pain that “breaks through� their regular pain medication. This program will help you and your support persons better understand the difference between background and breakthrough pain and will help you and your family talk with your doctor about getting your pain under control. Facilitated by Piyush Srivastava, MD, a medical oncologist with Kaiser Permanente. For cancer patients and their support person.

Social/Emotional Support For some of us, being accountable to others is what gets our feet going. This might include a stop-smoking class. Your medical insurance may cover or help with the costs of a class. Kaiser has a great smoking cessation program. Another way is to talk to a counselor. You can get text or telephone help at http://ow.ly/ay5mR or call The California Smokers Hotline at 1-800-NO BUTTS. http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org lists self-help meetings in Walnut Creek and Oakland. If you prefer private support, an addictions specialist can help. I’m happy to support you directly or help you find another professional. Although it’s not your fault, you probably feel at fault. You can step out of this by taking steps toward a future without smoking. It’s never too late.

May 31st is World No Tobacco Day 2012. Join me in following this campaign to reduce smoking around the world. Visit http://ow.ly/ay8bK to learn more. Michael Anne Conley is a health educator, marriage and family therapist, and the director of Stillpoint Integrative Health Center at 953 Mountain View Drive in Lafayette. She supports people whose habits have created problems for themselves and others. You can learn more at 925-262-4848 Advertorial or wellnesslafayette.com or habitsintohealth.com.

Is Food a Problem for You? Overeaters Anonymous offers a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from compulsive overeating. This is a 12-step program. The free meetings are for anyone suffering from a food addiction including overeating, under-eating, and bulimia. The group meets Wednesdays at 6PM at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette. Visit www.how-oa.org for more information.

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Page 22 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Events for Lafayette Seniors All classes are held at the Lafayette Senior Center (LSC) located at 500 Saint Mary’s Rd in Lafayette unless otherwise noted. Space is limited. Please call 925-284-5050 to reserve a spot. Annual Membership fee: $10 per person. General Event fee: Members $1; NonMember $3. Special Concerts fee: Members $3; Non-Members $5. Ongoing Caregiver Support Group: Members: no charge; Nonmembers $1.

CONTRA COSTA ONCOLOGY

With Them

my story Continues.

Stanley Middle School Jazz Quartet PM

Friday 5/18, 3:30 – 4:30 • Live Oak Room, LSC Swing into summer with an afternoon of bossanova, jazz standards, and selections from the Swing era performed by the Stanley Middle School Jazz Band. These talented students will dazzle you with their mastery of the saxophone, trumpet, flute, bass, drums, and piano.

Stage Your Home Like a Pro Tuesday 5/29, 10:30 – noon • Elderberry Room, LSC Get tips and inspiration on how to turn any room into a showroom, get your home ready to sell, or update the look of your home. Learn the tricks of professional home stagers on how to use lighting, furniture arrangement, color, and accessories to transform a room. Get help planning a home improvement project, and ideas and resources on how to do it inexpensively. Participants are encouraged to bring photos, architectural plans or an inspiration piece (i.e. pillow, fabric, decor, picture) to get ideas and design input for a project.

Anne Randolph Workshop Anne Randolph, RPT, has been practicing physical therapy for 32 years. She provides outpatient therapy in Lafayette and specializes in the care of those 55 and over. • Pain Management Friday 5/25, 11:30am12:30pm • Sequoia Room, LSC Learn how improving posture and muscle strength can reduce or eliminate pain altogether. Stop suffering and take control.

AT CONTRA COSTA ONCOLOGY, we are committed to providing the highest quality care. Specializing in comprehensive cutting-edge treatment programs for all forms of cancer and blood disorders, our nationally recognized oncology experts and specialized oncology nurses are dedicated to providing the best possible care experience. We understand the wide array of concerns and challenges faced by you and your family, so we ensure the most sophisticated levels of medical oncology and hematology care, while providing you with the utmost support, compassion, and respect.

Bi-Monthly Caregiver Support Group Mondays 5/21, 6/4, 1:30–2:30PM Elderberry Room, Lafayette Community Center If you are a family member helping to care for an older adult, join our support group led by Carol Shenson, MA, Certified Geriatric Care Manager to find balance and joy as you manage your responsibilities. Drop-ins are welcome.

Self-Discovery and Aging, Creative Writing Workshop Alternate Mondays • 5/21, 6/4 Noon – 2PM Elderberry Room, LSC Join Judith Rathbone, Creative Writing and English Instructor to write about and explore issues around aging, emotion, and perception–or get support to write on any topic! Workshop sessions include writing prompts, feedback, encouragement, and information about the world of writers, writing, and publishing. Take a seat around our table! Lamorinda Dance Social Every Wednesday • 12:30 – 3PM • Live Oak Room, LSC Enjoy afternoon dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the first Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen

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and Michael will provide a dance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests. $2 Members/ $4 non-members. Positive Living Forum (a.k.a “Happiness Club”) Thursdays 5/10, 6/14 • 10:30AM – noon • Elderberry Room LSC Brighten your day and take part in this interactive gathering which features speakers on a wide range of topics that encourage and guide participants towards a more ideal and positive life experience. Drop-ins welcome! Moderated by Dr. Bob Nozik, MD.

Lafayette Senior Services Commission The Commission meets on the 4th Thursday of the month at 3:30 – 5:30PM at the Lafayette Senior Center. View agendas at the City of Lafayette office or at www.ci.lafayette.ca.us.

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A New Vehicle for the Lamorinda Spirit Van Program and a Big THANK YOU for the Mini-Van Donations and Volunteer Drivers By Mary Bruns, Program Coordinator Lamorinda Senior Transportation, An Alliance of Transportation Providers On April 23, 2012, the Lamorinda Spirit Van Program took delivery of a brand new vehicle from the El Dorado Bus Company – a nine-passenger paratransit van with a specially designed grocery rack to accommodate our passengers’ 33 grocery bags on shopping days. Our passengers and drivers are loving the smoother ride, especially one passenger who is recovering from a broken back. This vehicle was acquired through a 2009 5310 Federal grant. Volunteer driver, Reigh Granlund, was on hand to learn all about the new vehicle, drive it back to Lafayette, and then train most of our nine volunteer drivers and two staff drivers on its unique features. Next month, we’ll have a picture. Fundraising efforts to support the local match of $5,047 for a new $44,000 mini-van were incredibly successful in bringing in $5,480 from the Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Walnut Creek, and Pleasant Hill communities. The additional $433 was used to help support the monthly fuel expenses of $1,200 for the two-van program. The vehicle, which will accommodate both ambulatory passengers and those in wheelchairs, will arrive in the next year or two, allowing us to retire our 1999 vehicle which currently has 233,296 miles on the odometer. To date, 40 community members and one organization (the Moraga Movers) have donated to this fundraiser, demonstrating what a committed group of people can accomplish when they put their minds and hearts to it. We are very grateful to each of you. You have made a huge difference in contributing to the ability of our older friends and family members to live in their own homes after they have given up their car keys. It’s not too late to join this elite crowd of Spirit Van Supporters. “On this day of your life, … know that all of life is animated by a single, fantastic energy, which is the essence of everything that is – including you. Isn't that amazing? Now, because this essence is who you are and what you are made of, it can obviously never leave you. Perhaps not so obviously, it can also be wonderfully helpful. It can bring you peace in moments of stress, strength in moments of weakness, courage in moments of fear, wisdom in moments of confusion, forgiveness in moments of anger, and love in all the moments of your life. All you have to do is know that this is true, and it will be true for you, right now.” ~Neale Donald Walsch

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Lafayette Today ~ May 2012 - Page 23 Isn’t it amazing that this program has grown from a one-driver program taking two people to lunch at the C.C. Café at the Walnut Creek Senior Center to a 12-driver program that also takes people to medical appointments, errands, shopping, and events at Lafayette Senior Services? We expanded from providing 20 hours to 52 hours of service per week to Lamorinda seniors! On the way to pick up our new vehicle, Reigh said, “I just love keeping in touch with our ladies (our Lafayette shoppers); they are so much fun.” You can join our elite group of 12 drivers. Just call 284-5546. It takes a village Sandra Smith, a very happy to meet overlapping needs. To financially support this program, Lafayette Senior Commissioner and Senior Transportation Advocate. please make your tax-deductible check payable to the City of Lafayette, and mail it to the Lamorinda Spirit Van Program, Lafayette Senior Services, 500 Saint Mary’s Road, Lafayette, CA 94549. On the memo line of the check, write “Lamorinda Spirit Van donation.”

Lamorinda Senior Transportation An Alliance of Transportation Providers

Call each program for opportunities to become a volunteer driver or volunteer, transportation information, and/or to make tax-deductible donations.

Lamorinda Spirit Van

283-3534

Taking Lamorinda Seniors to medical appointments, grocery shopping, special events, and lunch at C.C. Café. $10 round trip; rides to lunch are free. Reserve your seat two business days ahead of time by 1PM. Ask about mobile advertising.

Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company 284-1234 20% discount for Lamorinda seniors. A taxi is often an economical alternative to owning, insuring, and maintaining a car.

Volunteer Driver Program Volunteers driving their own cars provide free rides for seniors.

Orinda Seniors Around Town

402-4506

Serving Orinda seniors with rides for appointments and errands.

Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors

284-6161

Serving Contra Costa seniors with rides to medical appointments during the week and grocery shopping on Saturdays.

PARTY ENTERTAINMENT Party Entertainment - Face Paint & Glitter Body Art by Artist “Viva.” Special $25/hr. for Lamorinda, + flat $10 supplies. Temporary Tattoos and YoYo Balloons too at additional cost. References and photos available upon request. See my portfolio at www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.17618976 09525.101505.1301629700&type=1&l=5e17640002. Contact coachviva@ yahoo.com or (925) 708-4422.

Lafayette Today Classifieds Reach over 11,500 homes and businesses in Lafayette - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons, Pets, Rentals, Wanted, Freebies... $35 for up to 45 words. $5 for each additional 15 words. Send or email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo, CA 94507 or editor@yourmonthlypaper.com. Run the same classified ad in our sister papers “Alamo Today” or “Danville Today News” and pay half off for your second and/or third ad! Payment by check made out to “The Editors” must be received before ad will print. Your cancelled check is your receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name_________________________________________ Address___________________________________________ # of Words_______________

Page 24 - May 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

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WFO continued from front page network and connect directly with potential employers. These events provide the opportunity to practice interviewing with up to four different professionals who offer constructive feedback and help with their interview skills, thereby helping clients to gain confidence and learn the importance of having a network to support them. Graduates of the Pathways and Success Series seminars represent WFO’s Alumni Program, which incorporates quarterly events, an online member directory, networking groups, bi-weekly support roundtables, Individual Development Accounts (matched savings accounts), and affordable career coaching. The Alumni Exp. 6/1/12 program connects WFO graduates with each other and the resources they need to continue to advance their careers. WFO clients are from Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties and are referred by outside agencies. Nearly 100 clients are seen each week at the boutiques, which employ 200 regular volunteers. Donna Souza, WFO’s manager of corporate partnerships feels fortunate to actually have face time with the people that WFO assists. “I love seeing the transformation that our clients go through – from the wardrobe consultation, to career advancement classes, to the Pathways job retention program,” she says. “We really get to see their positive results, and that is rewarding.” Sara Aboei is one of WFO’s success stories. A graduate in sociology from Danville 925.648.0293 San Francisco State, Aboei learned of WFO through her volunteer work 3426 Camino Tassajara with Contra Costa County. “I needed interview clothes, but I didn’t have Alamo 925.820.8492 the means to buy them,” says Aboei. Open Tues thru Sat 10 to 6 3189 Danville Boulevard “I learned about the WFO boutique, Sunday 11 to 5 • Closed Monday where I was able to pick out two interview outfits with the help of a stylist. It was fun; I was surprised they had so many items from which to choose.” As a graduate of the Pathways program, Aboei, who is currently seeking a job in social work, was able to pick out three more outfits. And, once she secures a job, will have the opportunity to receive a week’s worth of clothing. “We don’t want our clients to have to spend their first paycheck on a new wardrobe,” adds Souza. “WFO is really supportive of their client’s needs,” says Aboei. “They open doors, they’re positive and empowering and inspiring. It’s amazing to me how a non-profit can do so much.” WFO maintains collection bins at Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza Concierge Office, as well as at Comerica Banks on North Main in Walnut Creek, Crow Canyon Rd. in San Ramon, and Diablo Rd. in Danville. WFO seeks new or gently used male or female business attire, accessories, and shoes. All donors receive receipts for tax purposes. For Wardrobe for Opportunity's two boutique locations boast an array of options for both men more information, please visit www.wardrobe.org. and women.

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