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Lafayette Today ~ January 2014 - Page 25

December 2014

Serving the Lafayette Community

A.A., A Supportive Community By Fran Miller

The number of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings available within the greater Contra Costa area is illustrative of alcoholism’s pervasiveness. That these meetings are held privately and quietly, drawing perhaps your neighbor or your co-worker, is illustrative of AA’s success in maintaining anonymity for its members. Every day of the week, nearly every hour of the day, individuals in need can find a local AA meeting where members convene to share their experiences, their strength, and their hope in order that they may solve their common problem of alcoholism and help each other to recover. The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking. AA members include those from every segment of society. Grandmothers, bosses, public servants, husbands and wives - alcoholism knows no boundaries and has a dramatic impact not only on the drinker, but on family and friends as well. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, nearly 8.5 percent of American adults meet the diagnostic criteria for alcoholism. More than one half of American adults have a close family member who is an alcoholic, and children of alcoholics are significantly more likely to develop alcohol use disorders. What are the diagnostic criteria for alcoholism? AA asks the following questions: * Have you ever felt that your life would be better if you did not drink? * Have you ever decided to stop drinking for a week or so, but only lasted for a couple of days? * Do you wish people would mind their own business about your drinking-- stop telling you what to do? * Have you ever switched from one kind of drink to another in the hope that this would keep you from getting drunk? * Has your drinking caused trouble at home? * Do you tell yourself you can stop drinking any time you want to, even though you keep getting drunk when you don't mean to? * Do you envy people who can drink without getting into trouble? * Do you have “blackouts”? * Have you had problems connected with drinking during the past year? For those who answer “yes” to four or more of these questions, indicating a likely problem with alcohol, AA is available to help. AA provides a supportive and discreet community and fellowship to aide efforts in overcoming alcoholism. Members encourage and help each other to stay sober, and help the currently suffering alcoholic to become - and stay - sober. AA members share with each other their experiences within group meetings; they provide person-to-person service or “sponsorship” to other alcoholics within the twelve-step process of recovery (a set of guiding spiritual principles as accepted by a group’s membership, outlining a course

See AA continued on page 14

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Lamorinda Theater Academy singers delight the crowd at the “It’s a Wonderful Life” celebration in downtown Lafayette, kicking off the holiday season.

Contra Costa Interfaith Housing: Giving Hope a Home By Jody Morgan

Having a home for the holidays is only a dream for many Contra Costa County residents. In 1991, the Homeless Task Force of Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church identified the escalating problem. Fifteen congregations responded immediately to their call for help, jointly founding Contra Costa Interfaith Transitional Housing (CCITH). Recognizing that breaking the cycle of poverty, trauma and homelessness demands stability, the nonprofit renamed Contra Costa Interfaith Housing (CCIH) currently provides permanent residences for more than 330 formerly homeless families with

74% of families at Garden Park Apartments in Pleasant Hill are single parent. With life-changing supportive services, families stabilize and are able to rebuild their lives. Photo courtesy of CCIH.

support from 35 faith communities, generous sponsoring organizations and numerous individuals including 440 volunteers. Providing shelter is the first action item. Estimates suggest that on any given night, as many as 5,000 Contra Costa County residents are homeless. Accurate counts are difficult to obtain. “The reason I fight it [being labeled homeless] is not from pride, it’s from strategy. The moment someone labels you as homeless, they assume drugs, Volume VIII - Number 12 3000F Danville Blvd #117 alcohol, or laziness. There’s not room Alamo, CA 94507 [under this term] for people who Telephone (925) 405-6397 actually work,” explains one cliFax (925) 406-0547 editor@yourmonthlypaper.com ent quoted in the Contra Costa County Homeless Continuum of Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher Care’s Annual Report for Fiscal The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Lafayette Today. Lafayette year 2013-2014. Today is not responsible for the content of any of the ad-

See Hope cont. on page 20

vertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.

Page 2 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

What Does Lafayette Look Like to You? Enter the city’s “Day in the Life” Photo Contest with photos taken on the shortest day of the year, Winter Solstice - December 21, 2014

There are three submittal requirements. Submission deadline is January 9, 2015. • Photographers must submit an on-line registration form found at http://lovelafayette.org/index.aspx?page=519 to the City of Lafayette Public Art Committee. • Photographers must submit an 11 x 14 photographic print taken on Winter Solstice, December 21, 2014 to the City of Lafayette Public Art Committee. Prints may be color or black and white, but may not be larger than 11 x 14. Prints smaller than 11 x 14 can be accepted, but must be mounted on 11 x 14 black matboard. Only one photo entry per person. The back of the photo must contain identifying information, including photographer’s name, title of photo, email address, and phone number. Prints should be submitted to: City of Lafayette Public Art Committee, Attention: Juliet Hansen 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd. #210, Lafayette, CA 94549 Photographers must submit a digital image via email to Juliet Hansen, PAC Staff Liaison at JHansen@ci.lafayette.ca.us. The email must contain identifying information including photographer’s name, title of photo, email address, and phone number. Photographers must live or work in Lafayette. Photographs must be taken in Lafayette and must be appropriate for general viewing. The City of Lafayette may, at its discretion, use submitted photos to display on its website. The Public Art Committee will review the entries and select the winning photographs to be displayed in the Art Gallery at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. A reception will be held at the Art Gallery on Monday, January 26, 2015 to recognize the finalists. For questions email JHansen@ci.lafayette.ca.us or call 925-299-3216.

Mt. Diablo Branch California Writers Club

“Three of Our Own” presents “Top Ten Tips on Publishing” at the next meeting of the Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club (CWC) on Saturday, December 13, at Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. Melanie Denman completed the Stanford Novel Writing program, and her debut novel, Visiting the Sins, won the 2014 Bronze IPPY Award for Southern Fiction. Dina Coleman, MA, MBA, is an author and health coach, whose book, Four Quadrant Living: Making Healthy Living Your New way of Life, is an Amazon Top 100 selection and has won 11 awards. Andrew Benzie has over 25 years in the design business and established his own publishing company in 2010 to help authors publish, design, and market their books in both softcover and eBook formats. Sign-in is from 11:15AM to 12PM. Members will display and sell books until the seated holiday luncheon from 12PM to 12:45PM. The program will be held from 1PM to 2PM. Registration is $20 for CWC members, $25 for guests. Payment by cash or check is preferred. Members are encouraged to bring guests. Reservations are required and must be received no later than noon on Wednesday, December 10. Contact Robin at ragig@aol.com or by phone at (925) 933-9670. Expect confirmation only if you e-mail your reservation. To learn more visit cwcmtdiablowriters.wordpress.com/.

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

Evora James-Parker is our winner! Luther was hiding on page 6 last month.

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10 Annual AAUW Holiday Home Tour th

The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW) will hold their 10th Annual Holiday Home Tour will be held on Friday and Saturday, December 12th and 13th from 10AM to 4PM. Profits from the Holiday Home Tour go to local scholarships for women to complete their undergraduate or graduate degrees and to Tech Trek, a week long, residential summer camp for middle school girls with interest in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) at Sonoma State University. This year’s festive tour delights with unique homes displaying decorations and art from around the world. Lovingly collected and at times handmade by the homeowners, you will experience the bright colors of Mexico and South America, the cultural diversity of India, the richness of historic furnishings, and creative Mediterranean expansive style. More information can be found on the AAUW website at http://daw-ca.aauw.net/hht2014. Tickets are $35 each. Tickets can be purchased by check or cash in person at East Bay Flower Company at 206 Sycamore Valley Road West (in the Danville Livery) on Monday through Friday from 9 to 6PM and Saturdays from 9 to 5PM. AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. For questions, email aauwhht@gmail.com. No children under 12 please.

Sons in Retirement

If you are retired or semi-retired and want to make new friends, participate in fun activities and better enjoy your leisure time, Sons in Retirement (SIR) - Las Trampas Branch 116 welcomes you to join with us. We have a monthly luncheon where guest speakers address members on topics of general interest. We meet at the Walnut Creek Elks Lodge, 1475 Creekside Dr, on the third Monday of each month, except for May and December. In December we hold a Christmas party for SIR members, their spouses or guests. Everyone dons their holiday attire and we enjoy an excellent dinner and dancing. This year the event will be held at the beautiful Round Hill Country Club on December 16th. In May we have a special spring luncheon with entertainment where spouses and friends are invited to attend. Our member activities include book discussions, bridge, computers, dine-outs, fishing, golf, hiking/walking, investments, poker, travel, wine tastings, and more fun things. In addition we have special golf events and bridge tournaments where wives, partners, and guests are welcome to participate. For information about our activities for retired men, please visit www.Branch116.org or call 925-322-1160.

Celebrate the Joy of Remembrance at Hospice of the East Bay’s Tree of Lights Ceremonies

Hospice of the East Bay invites the public to participate in the 28th Annual Tree of Lights ceremonies. The ceremonies provide a way for community members to honor the lives of their friends and loved ones. Everyone is invited to participate in the events which include music, poetry, remembrances by family members and hospice staff, and the special moment when the trees light up. By dedicating a Memorial Light for a minimum gift of $25, you can honor someone you love while directly supporting end-of-life patient care. Memorial donors of $100 and higher will have the option to have their names listed in the lighting ceremony program of their choice. Funds raised allow Hospice of the East Bay to provide essential programs and services such as the Vigil Program which ensures that no one has to die alone and Bruns House, our inpatient hospice facility in Alamo. For light dedications, donations, sponsorships and event questions, call (925) 887-5678 or visit www.hospiceeastbay.org. Moraga & Laf a y e t t e Tre e o f Lights Sunday, December 14, 5:30 pm Moraga Country Club, 1600 St. Andrews Drive. Reception to follow.

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Boulevard View

By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

The holidays are about gathering, sharing, gifting, and spending time together with family. And today, the modern family comes in many configurations. There may not be traditional roles, such as mother, father, children, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, but rather a mash-up. There’s a new definition of “family” consisting of singles, partners, step-parents, co-parents, friends, friends-of-friends, coworkers, schoolmates, lonely-hearts, and other various blends of people and relationships. For some, a traditional holiday dinner has morphed into a different type of celebration. Millennials seem to be the source of the recent gathering fad titled “Friendsgiving.” It’s essentially a second Thanksgiving with your buddies held around the holidays, and it is a way to celebrate a tradition and gathering in perhaps a non-traditional way with “family” members of your choosing. The gatherings provide an opportunity “to sit back, relax, and enjoy being with that ‘other family,’ notes 20-something Tracy Petroski. The gatherings are also a great way to connect and bond in real-time rather than “Facetime,” email, phone, or texting. A gathering often consists of a hosted potluck where everyone participates in the meal and party process. Where Thanksgiving is about the special china, a fine wine matched to the main course and relatives you may not see very often, Friendsgiving is more

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 3

PROUDLY INTRODUCING Merrill Gardens at Lafayette Opening Fall 2014 !

Retirement Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care We will offer 89 senior living apartments – choose from studios, one and two bedroom apartments with full kitchens and most with washer/dryers. Merrill Gardens at Lafayette will be centrally located within walking distance to local shops, restaurants and art galleries. The Lafayette Library and Learning Center and BART Station are also nearby. Call to schedule a visit to learn more! (925) 854-1858

about folding tables, paper plates, old friends, and BYOB. Ev1010 Second Street eryone contributes according to whatever they’re good at. Up until our society became industrialized, people in small Lafayette, CA 94549 agricultural communities relied on each other and tended to gather License Pending merrillgardens.com together more. There were town hall dances, potlucks, and block parties. It was commonplace for communities to come together 1 for one family to take care of. What goes around, comes around, 8/25/14 and 3:33 PM to help a member raise a barn or conduct other significant projects 082514cCT_Lafayette_LafToday_A.indd that would be far too large by pitching in, everyone knew that when it was their turn to need help the community would be there for them, too. I think events like Friendsgiving are slowly moving us back in the direction of rebuilding our communities, by reconnecting us with broader relationships than just our blood relatives. It doesn’t necessarily mean that a Friendsgiving event is held instead of a typical holiday gathering, but, rather in addition to. It’s not on the same scale as a barn raising, but isn’t is a step in the right direction? Locally we’re seeing other opportunities to get out and socialize. For instance, there are weekly occasions like Farmers Markets in most of our Tri-Valley towns now. The markets were intended to act as conduits to sell local fruit and vegetables into the communities, but they are much more than that. They are an excuse to get out and mingle and share an experience and reconnect with our neighbors. I think it is time to re-create some of these old traditions many of us grew up with and find new ways to get together. Maybe we don’t have a barn to raise, but we can get everyone together for a block party. It all starts with reaching out, person to person, and a willingness to put out the effort to make something happen. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be successful; the beauty is in its imperfection. What’s important is to make a start and begin reaching out one-by-one, rebuilding our sense of community. We do this to reconnect, to make new memories and traditions, and to strengthen the bonds that tie us to together. It’s about making more friends; who has too many friends? As we move past winter I look forward to planning a block party or maybe an ice-cream social in our neighborhood. I know we’ll make new friends and meet neighbors I barely know in passing, and together we’ll strengthen the fabric of good will and community in at least our little edge of the world.

Page 4 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

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Assistance League of Diablo Valley Offers Scholarships

Assistance League of Diablo Valley is a nonprofit, member volunteer organization dedicated to improving lives in our community through handson programs. One component of their Philanthropic Program provides support to qualifying high school seniors in Contra Costa County who demonstrate the need for financial aid. Individual scholarships could amount to as much as $5,000. To learn more, please visit diablovalley.assistanceleague.org. On the upper, left side of the screen, scroll down and click on to Teacher Grants and Scholarship Applications.

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Sister-to-Sister Initiative—Sisterhood of Reinvention By Lynda Leonard

The Sister-to-Sister (S2S) Initiative, sponsored by the American Association of University Women (AAUW)-Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette Branch, connects middle and high school girls in a supportive environment to address the empowering and challenging aspects of adolescence. The Initiative equips young women with the confidence and the skills to make positive choices in their lives. A “Sisterhood of Reinvention” brings exciting news this year! Lamorinda’s AAUW Sister-to-Sister (S2S) outreach program has evolved into something new. An Annual Summit does not characterize this year’s Initiative. Instead, three two-hour monthly sessions have been developed and will be presented from 2:30pm to 4:30pm on January 11, February 8, and March 15, 2015. This new format allows for follow up with the middle school girls and encourages stronger connections to form between the participants and their “big sisters.” The 2015 Sister-to-Sister program will be held at the Orinda Community Church, 10 Irwin Way, Orinda. Registration is now open. The cost is $45 if registered by December 15th. An additional “Register with a Friend” discount of $10 (total of $35 for each participant) is available before December 15. After December 15, registration is $55 or $45 with a “Register With a Friend” promotion. Applications are available at oml-ca.aauw.net/s2s/. For more information contact Laura Wittenberg at 925-788-0901 or laura. wittenberg.mft@gmail.com. At each event we ask for feedback from the participants to upgrade subsequent year efforts. Emma, a senior who participated in S2S the past two years suggested the following: “I think it would be awesome to have a second summit day, maybe a couple months after the first summit, where we meet with the same girls in our groups to check up on them. We could

This season, Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services (MOWSOS) will brighten the holidays for hundreds of elderly individuals in Contra Costa County who cannot shop or cook for themselves. “We coordinate over 1,000 volunteers and many community partners to make the holidays a little brighter and less lonely for our clients,” said Executive Director Elaine Clark. MOWSOS will hand out more than 200 bags of household items provided by Kyle Paulson’s Eagle Scout project. Items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, body soap, and shampoo are a welcome gift for homebound seniors. Paulson collected over $1,300 for his Eagle Scout project which will be used to purchase wireless doorbells for the many clients who can’t hear their door bell, phone, or knock on the door and miss getting their meals. In December, Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services staff members will hand deliver 40 quilts and warm blankets donated by the Martinez Quilters and Joan Culver to clients most in need. MOWSOS needs calendar and sock donations! Volunteer drivers for Meals on Wheels add a holiday gift - a 2015 calendar and warm socks -- to the meals delivered to clients in December. The calendars and socks are collected from volunteers and friends. Eight hundred of each are needed to have something for everyone. The organization “Christmas is for Everyone” has partnered with MOWSOS to deliver a hot meal and gift on Christmas Day to seniors who live in Alamo, Antioch, Bay Point, Clayton, Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Pittsburg, and Walnut Creek. The Lions Club of Danville will provide 20 bins containing a warm blanket, towels, hat, scarf, gloves, flashlight and battery, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, a pack of notecards and a pen with 10 postage stamps. These are delivered to clients of Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services who need them. Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services is a full-service nonprofit organization dedicated to helping seniors live independently and with dignity. Based in Walnut Creek, the agency serves seniors all across Contra Costa County. For more information, visit www.mowsos.org.

Contact Lafayette Today at 925.405.6397 or editor@yourmonthlypaper.com ask how they are doing in high school, or if our advice helped them solve their problems that were discussed in the groups and panels.” Several other returning girls made the same suggestion, which got us to taking the idea seriously. Why not create further opportunities for follow up and connection? The three two-hour sessions will provide two opportunities to follow up on issues raised by the middle school girls in previous sessions. Emma states the rationale for the change very effectively: “After the summit last year, I missed the girls in my group, and even today I wonder how they are doing in school. I think having follow up time to catch up with our little sisters would really show them that we care about them being happy and successful in life.”

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Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 5

Futures Explored Thrift Shop and Catering

Based in Lafayette, Futures Explored, Inc. provides life skills and workrelated training to adults with developmental disabilities. Founded 50 years ago, the organization supports participants in reaching their optimum level of potential by delivering a broad range of resources and guidance. For more information, visit www.futures-explored.org. As the holidays approach and shoppers are budgeting for the giftgiving season, there are many ways to be “thrifty” while taking the spirit of giving to a whole new level. Futures Explored, Inc.’s Nifty Thrift Shops provide important job and training opportunities to adults with developmental disabilities. All proceeds from the stores support programs that allow these individuals to discover and develop their skills, abilities, and talents. Nifty Thrift Shop has always been about the concept of ‘shop and drop,’ where locals can shop for gifts or personal items and also conveniently donate items like books, furniture, jewelry, clothing, and collectibles. Nifty Thrift also offers free electronic recycling in an effort to help the community reduce, reuse, and recycle. Visitors can simply drop-off their unwanted electronics, and they’ll be recycled safely and responsibly. Most items donated through Nifty Thrift are tax deductible. • 12/13: everything in the store is 25% off • 12/20: clothing is 50% off • 12/27: everything in the store is 25% off • Nifty is closed 12/24-12/26 for the holiday Nifty Thrift Shop is located at 3467 Golden Gate Way in Lafayette. For information, call (925) 284-5237. Every donation and sale makes a difference! In addition to the Thrift Shop, the Huckleberry Catering arm of Futures Explored offers delicious and festive foods while providing important training and job opportunities to individuals with developmental disabilities. To learn how they can help at your next party, visit www.huckleberrycatering.com.

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Diablo Symphony’s “Home for the Holidays” Concert December 18th

The Diablo Symphony Orchestra’s beloved holiday concert “Home for the Holidays” returns with guest conductor Cyrus Ginwala and a festive repertoire featuring the gorgeous “Die Natali” or Christmas Preludes by iconic 20th century American composer Samuel Barber. The orchestra will also be performing several holiday choral favorites with The Ashmolean Singers, directed by Steven Mullins. “Home for the Holidays” will be presented on Monday, December 22nd at 7:30pm at the Lesher Center for the Arts, located at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek. The Diablo Symphony is thrilled to join with The Ashmolean Singers for this special holiday event. The Ashmoleans, as they are fondly called, were formed in Rossmoor in the spring of 2005 from a group of 16 hand-selected men and women singers. Over the years, more singers have been added through auditions, and choristers now number over 60 individuals. The Diablo Symphony Orchestra is a Central Contra-based community orchestra celebrating its 52nd season and its third season under the leadership of music director Matilda Hofman. The orchestra performs five concert sets a year, as well as additional concerts and events through its Outreach Program. Tickets to the Lesher Center concert can be ordered at 925-943-SHOW (7469), online at www.LesherArts.org, or at the Lesher Center Box Office. For more information about the Diablo Symphony Orchestra, please visit www.diablosymphony.org.

Page 6 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

The Bookworm By Joan Stevenson

By the time Lafayette Today reaches your mailbox, the holiday frenzy will be in full swing. As your caring “bookworm” I want to raise your spirits. Start with a deep breath, now let it out, shake your shoulders to release the tension, sit down, and consider the stress releasers the Lafayette Library and Learning Center has planned for you. The Diablo Valley Guitar Ensemble has been under the direction of Rick Flores since 1999 and is one of the longest running guitar ensembles in the Bay Area. Through the rare medium of nearly twenty acoustic guitars, the ensemble performs a variety of classical, jazz and world music. On Thursday, December 11 at 7PM the ensemble will fill the Community Hall with the sounds of the season. The ensemble of 15 students play classical (nylon string) guitars, and their repertoire includes Bach, Greig, Henri Mancini, and more. Don’t miss Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker selection, “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” to get into the holiday spirit! Register at tinyurl.com/DVCguitar. The event is free and sponsored by the Friends of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. Every year I add a Christmas book to my holiday collections, and this year’s book will be Winter Candle written by Jeron Ashford. We are so fortunate to have the illustrator of this beautiful book, Stacey Schuett, with us on Thursday, December 11 at 6:30PM in the Homework Center. She will read the book to us. Winter Candle is a profound story of how the bright light of a single candle can bring people from different cultures together. A humble yet profound message, brilliantly illustrated and full of warmth, Winter Candle will melt even the most frozen of hearts. What a perfect family evening complete with holiday crafts and treats it will be! Each year, San Francisco becomes a place where dreams come true for the young artists in the Merola Opera Program. Out of hundreds of young hopefuls who audition, approximately 23 singers, five apprentice coaches, and one apprentice stage director are chosen to participate in the Program. Merola is dedicated to seeking out the finest young opera talent and helping them develop into professional artists of the highest caliber. Join us on Saturday, December

www.yourmonthlypaper.com 13 from 2-3 in the Community Hall as we welcome one of Merola’s star performers and an accompanist for a performance of classical, opera, and holiday selections. The program is titled, Opera & Ornaments: A Merola Opera Program Holiday Concert. Tickets are $10. Are you ready for a break? How about a low-impact way to improve balance and reduce stress in your daily life? Join us this ongoing class practicing the gentle Chinese martial art, T’ai chi ch’uan, with local instructor Robert Noha. Sensei Noha has more than 40 years experience teaching Aikido and T’ai chi ch’uan. Beginners are welcome; join us every Tuesday night at 6PM. This a free program for adults 18+, and no registration is required. The first WOW (Wonders of the World) presentation comes to us from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) on Wednesday, January 14 at 2PM in the Community Hall. Titled, Figure to Funk, the exhibit explores SFMOMA’s long-standing history of showcasing and nurturing California artists. The talk focuses on the exciting Northern California scene from the 1950s through the 1980s, a period when local artists, nurtured by the area’s educational institutions, developed a rich visual culture. Highlights include works from celebrated artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Wayne Thiebaud, David Park, Joan Brown, Robert Arneson, and Jay DeFeo. The docent will let us know where works from this period can be viewed while SFMOMA is closed for renovation and expansion (reopening in 2016). You will not want to miss Sweet Thursday on January 15 at 7:30PM when author Julia Scheeres discusses her latest book A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Jonestown. In this true story of blind loyalty and daring escapes, of corrupted ideals and senseless, the author follows the experiences of five Peoples Temple members. One critic called it, “chilling and heart-wrenching, this brilliant testament to Jones’s victims.” And for those people on your shopping list that you haven’t found the perfect gift, I have the perfect shop, a place of wide variety, charming staff, and the right price. You guessed it, the Friends Corner Book Shop is your best bet for new and gently used books in Contra Costa County. Here is my counsel: Pick up a couple of books for yourself! You deserve it! The huge inventory includes the latest popular fiction, classics, and mysteries, a wonderful variety of children’s books, travel guides, history and even some rare vintage gems. You’ll always find something interesting to read and to purchase, wrap up, and gift. Happy New Year! PM

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Recount, Rain, and Rehabbing the Town Hall Theater in 1964

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 7

By Ruth Bailey, Lafayette Historical Society

The county had a whopping 89.5% turnout for the 1964 general election, according to the unofficial returns from all 720 Contra Costa precincts, as reported in the November 6th Sun. The vote was 111,972 for LBJ, and 64,111 for Goldwater. “The electronic complex that tallied the thousands of ballots was located in the old J.C. Penney store in Martinez. Due to a power failure and jam-up in early evening, 528 ballots had to be counted by hand while repairs were made.” The following week’s Sun led with this story: ‘Sweeping’ Vote Probe Sought by Dems Group. “A far-reaching investigation of Contra Costa County’s election procedures on Nov. 3 – sought on the levels of the Board of Supervisors, Grand Jury and State Legislature – was demanded Tuesday by a resolution adopted by the Democratic Central Committee. “The committee chairman told the Sun that apparent infringement of voters’ rights triggered the call for an investigation, adding that as many as 10,000 ballots may have been disqualified through a combination of poor programming through the Coleman Vote Tabulator; ‘hit or miss’ consolidation of precincts, and a confusing arrangements of candidates on the ballot. “He said that the mangling of ballots – whose total was charged as considerable by defeated incumbent supervisor Mel Nielsen and evaluated as about 30 by election officials – was not the main reason for the resolution. ‘We found that thousands of votes were disqualified because the voters marked the squares for both Johnson and Humphrey and the Coleman machine would not count such balloting,’ Weidner said.” [One is reminded of the ‘Butterfly Ballot’ snafu in Florida.] The November 13th issue also brought word of a monumental rainstorm. “The natives began to fear another 100-year storm with Thursday’s avalanches, which brought the seasonal rainfall to 5.5 inches.” For the week ending Nov. 12, the daily rainfall totals were: 0; .03; 1.09; 1.17; .23; .65; .69.” [Remember when rain was considered a four-letter word?] There was great merriment at the November Lions Club meeting, as members were told to wear their service uniforms (or that portion that still fit) in observance of Veterans Day. “Lou Repetto dug out his campaign ribbons, rank emblems and other insignia. Because his uniform no longer fit, the ‘lettuce’ was sewed dramatically to a union suit. Mickey Meyers showed up in the pouring rain in what he called the latest togs for a ‘retired general’: Bermuda shorts and shirt sleeves. There was a rumor he was a retired corporal. “Warren W. Herlehy wore a helmet which looked like it came from the days of the knights. Only the speaker, commanding officer of Treasure Island, wore a proper uniform.” The story was headlined “Old Soldiers Die of Embarrassment.” And speaking of old soldiers, the venerable Town Hall appeared to be at death’s door in 1964. The dire situation, under the headline “Historic Town Hall Has Small Hope For Survival,” was reported thusly:“The fate of a building dear to the hearts of residents of Orinda and Lafayette, the Town Hall, hangs in the balance. Barring a favorable finding of an independent inspection by a structural engineer, the old shingle building is doomed. An inspection by state, county and local officials showed ‘some serious deficiencies’ in the building. Five officials involved with the inspection all agreed with the opinion of the county building department that it would not be practical to repair the old wooden building. The directors of the Lafayette Improvement Association, who have custody of the Town Hall for the community, decided to get an independent inspection by a structural engineer. By December 5, the LIA will have to tell its plans. If they aren’t feasible, there is no alternative but to demolish the building.” Not to leave readers cliff hanging until next month, it’s obvious that the Town Hall survived the ‘60s. Thirty years later, another fund-raising effort was needed to resuscitate the beloved building. That $100,000 campaign was led by Lafayette’s Honorary Mayor, Ed Stokes, who said at the time, “If the termites quit holdin’ hands, we’re in trouble.” The needed improvements were a new roof, new wiring and plumbing, new restrooms, a wheelchair lift, new seats, and air conditioning. Some upgrades were for patrons’ comfort– others were the law of the land. The Town Hall celebrated its 100th birthday on May 1, 2014. The landmark was built by volunteers to serve as the Town Hall when Lafayette was still a sleepy farming community. It is the oldest continuously active theater in Contra Costa and one of the oldest in California.

Looking for Veterans

The regional government of Normandy, France created a special medal to be given to living veterans of the Battle of Normandy (D-Day +100) or those who participated in the reconstruction of Normandy after the war. The local VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) group is searching for Lamorinda Veterans meeting the criteria. Boy Scouts of America will be distributing a special medal that was created for these Veterans. To be awarded the medal, the name of the Veteran and the unit served are needed. Lamorinda Boy Scouting is coordinating with the local VFW on an award ceremony for the Lamorinda Veterans. If you are a Veteran who served in the WWII Battle of Normandy, or who served in the reconstruction of Normandy after the war, or if you have information about one of these Veterans, please email VFW.8063@gmail. com with information about the individual.

Church Provides Community Care

Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian’s Stephen Ministry has 25 trained lay people who provide ongoing, one-on-one Christian care to those in our congregation and in the community who are experiencing transitions in their lives. LOPC Stephen Ministry is confidential and is provided at no cost. A Stephen Minister is... • A congregation member with a gift for listening, • A lay person who has received 50 hours training in providing emotional and spiritual care, • A committed caregiver who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages those who are hurting, and • Someone who will “be there” for his or her care receiver, meeting faithfully for about an hour each week, for as long as there’s a need. Stephen Ministers are available for those who are dealing with illness or hospitalization, loneliness, aging, being shut-in, separation due to military deployment, death or serious loss, separation or divorce, disabilities, or grief and anxiety. If you know of someone who would benefit from the ongoing confidential, no cost, spiritual, and emotional support of a Stephen Minister, contact Jean Lee at (925) 943-2237, or visit www.lopc.org/care_stephen_ministry.asp.

Page 8 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

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Lafayette Motors Independent service and repair for Mercedes Benz

JERRY FIGUEROA Shop (925) 284-4852 Cell (510) 754-1942 lafayettemotors@gmail.com 3470 Golden Gate Way , Lafayette, CA 94549

Manzanita Building Replacement

Since 1984, when the City purchased a dilapidated school for the purpose of turning it into a much needed community center, a variety of capital improvements have occurred. Yet one key facility has had to wait its turn—the Manzanita Building. As part of the City’s most recent budget cycle, it became evident that a new structure was needed to replace this tired, outdated building. The new building will be up to code, be energy efficient, have a larger floor plan, have great inside/outside views, and include a new patio and adjacent restrooms. All these new features will greatly improve overall program flexibility at the Center and offer an all-inclusive space for public events. During construction, which is estimated to occur from December 2014 through mid-Summer 2015, the Community Center will remain open. The construction area will be cordoned off so the public can navigate safely around the Center. Questions about this capital project should be communicated to the Parks, Trails and Recreation Director by calling (925) 284-2232 or emailing jrussell@ci.lafayette.ca.us.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Club Speaker Schedule

The Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Club offers upcoming speakers at their morning meetings held at the Lafayette Park Hotel located at 3287 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette at 7AM on the noted dates. For more information about the speakers and the Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Group, visit www. lamorindasunrise.org.

December 12 - Dennis Erokan, “Get Famous”

Dennis created BAM Magazine in 1976 to give the West Coast entertainment industry a way to reach young people at a reasonable cost. In 1977 he started the Mix Professional Audio Magazine. In 1978, Dennis founded the Bay Area Music Awards, the “Bammies.” In 1984, Dennis launched MicroTimes. This magazine focused on the heroes in the computing industry. In 2000-05, as director of the Alliance of Chief Executives, he worked closely with 50 of the 250 members, gaining valuable insight into the strategic issues and marketing challenges that many companies face.

December 19 - Indre Viskontas, “The Organized Mind”

Dr. Indre Viskontas is a neuroscientist and opera singer, straddling the line between science and art. She currently co-hosts Inquiring Minds, a popular science podcast, and is a sought-after public speaker, a frequent contributor to MotherJones.com and an editor of the journal Neurocase. Come hear Dr. Viskontas share her views on the intricate relationship between science, music, and emotions.

January 9 - Jan Cushman/Gail Chesler and Tech Trek Graduates, “Tech Trek—Empowering Women For Over 130 Years”

Seventeen years ago, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) California started the first Tech Trek camp for 8th grade girls. Tech Trek is a camp on the Stanford Campus that encourages girls to take science and math classes and pursue a STEM career (science, technology, engineering, and math). With many more girls dropping out of the science and math courses than boys, both in high school and college, the science and engineering fields continue to have more men than women. Three members of The Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette branch of AAUW will present some of the fun facts regarding the Tech Trek camp, and three former Tech Trek campers will be available to explain how the camp has impacted their plans for the future!

January 16, 2015, Gustavo Silva, “My Life as a Brazilian Exchange Student”

Our guest speaker will be Gustavo de Carvalho Silva. Gustavo is an exchange student from Paraguacu Paulista, Brazil, which is about 400km from Sao Paulo. Gustavo is being co-hosted by the Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Club and the Lafayette Rotary Club during this school year and is attending Acalanes High School. Come join us and hear about Gustavo’s adventures as an exchange

Lafayette Motors Independent service and repair for Jaguar

CARLOS “KIKO” CAICEDO Shop (925) 284-4852 Cell (925) 285-0783 lafayettemotors@gmail.com 3470 Golden Gate Way , Lafayette, CA 94549

All I want for Christmas

By Monica Chappell

December is my favorite month of the year! Almost every day there's a reason to open, taste, and share a new bottle of wine with friends and family: 8 days of Hanukkah, 25 Days of Christmas, New Year's Eve - you name it! But it’s also a great time to give wine as a gift. I’ve got a few suggestions for adding a little pizzazz to stocking stuffers for the wine-lovers on your list.

For the Novice:

Wine opener and foiler: No wino should be without the basics.    Vinturi Wine Aerator: If you don’t have the time or the equipment to aerate your wine the traditional way, this quick-fix gadget can come in handy.

For the Wine Geek:

Ah-So: This two-pronged wine opener extracts crumbling corks in one piece. Wine Bottle Tags: Organize your wine cellar with tags for red and white wine. Oenophilia Private Preserve: Protects your unfinished wine by replacing harmful oxygen with argon, the same gas used by wineries to protect their wine from oxidization.

For the Entertainer:

Wine Glass Writer: This pen writes festive messages or someone’s name on their glass, and then it washes off at the end of the evening. Bouchon: Every hostess has a bottle of bubbly on hand, and every good hostess also has a bouchon, or Champagne stopper, to keep the bubbles from escaping. Wine Away: A host’s secret weapon, Wine Away works magic on red wine stains. Whether you’re shopping for someone who just started to explore wine, someone who has been bitten by the wine bug, or someone who loves to throw wine parties, we’ve got you covered. Happy Holidays! Monica Chappell teaches and writes about wine. Visit her at www.wineappreciation101.blogspot.com.

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Walking the Reservoir By Jim Scala

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 9

11 Critical Home Inspection Traps to be Aware of Weeks Before Listing Your Home for Sale

The evening star for 2015. In late December the planet Venus will shine low in the western sky and get higher Lafayette - According to industry ex- sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers as spring approaches. After Christmas, perts, there are over 33 physical prob- away altogether. In most cases, you can stand on the dam at about 5:30 and look west across the water for a bright lems that will come under scrutiny during make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself star hanging above the distant trees. a home inspection when your home is if you know what you're looking for, and That’s The Evening Star and it will get for sale. A new report has been prepared knowing what you're looking for can help higher and brighter with each passing which identifies the 11 most common you prevent little problems from growing day. By March, good binoculars will of these problems, and what you should into costly and unmanageable ones. know about them before you list your home To help home sellers deal with this issue show its interesting phases. for sale. before their homes are listed, a free report Walking against colon cancer. I Whether you own an old home or a brand entitled "11 Things You Need to Know to quoted medical experts last month who said, “Sitting is the new smoking,” because young people are becoming too sedentary. The new one, there are a number of things Pass Your Home Inspection" has been statement hit harder when several recent studies showed that colon that can fall short of requirements during a compiled which explains the issues involved. cancer is affecting younger people. It means that our sedentary home inspection. If not identified and dealt To hear a brief recorded message about lifestyle, an important risk factor, has increased among young with, any of these 11 items could cost you how to order your FREE copy of this report, people, and is getting worse and showing up in those grim statistics. dearly in terms of repair. That's why it's call toll-free 1-866-265-1682 and enter It emphasizes that exercise is important in colon cancer prevention critical that you read this report before 2003. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, you list your home. If you wait until the 7 days a week. and simply walking the reservoir a few times weekly does the job. The American Medical Association report made the important building inspector flags these issues for Get your free special report NOW to learn point that you are never too young to take charge of your health! you, you will almost certainly experience how to ensure a home inspection doesn't And getting sufficient exercise is something everyone can do – costly delays in the close of your home cost you the sale of your home. This report is courtesy of J. Rockcliff Realtors #01763819. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2013 it’s simple. Too many people jump to conclusions for exercise and sit with their electronic devices. Don’t get trapped in that rut! Boxing on the bandstand. Most mornings, at about 10AM, look at the stage Cinema Classics and the grassy knoll, and you’re likely to see some incredibly fit and talented My Favorite Wife young people active in various types of exercise. By Peggy Horn Women who train for boxing are spectacular. Boxers must develop fast and This month’s Cinema Classic is My Favorite accurate footwork. These ladies do intricate stepping routines on plastic mats Wife, (1940) starring Irene Dune and Cary Grant made up in selected ladder-like patterns. Their routines are so intricate and fast and directed by Garson Kanin. Allegedly, in that it’s impossible to follow their feet. Then, they jump-rope, never missing a Hollywood folklore, movie titles containing the step and the rope whirrs so fast it can’t be seen. Kat, the pretty young instructor, word, ‘bride,’ are dramas and those with ‘wife’ in often spars with the boxers while wearing big flat target gloves and constantly them are comedies, and My Favorite Wife is a case moving while the boxers use standard gloves trying to hit them. It’s like watching a strange dance. in point. The film is based, however, on a tragic One afternoon Kat stopped sparing and said, “Jim, say hello to Mohammed poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson entitled “Enoch Arden” (1864). The poem Ali’s cousin.” I shook hands with the most gracious lady boxer, and she’s a champ. concerns a seaman who goes to sea hoping to make a fortune for his family. Yoga keeps going. Earth and Sea Yoga has a class on either the stage or the Unfortunately, he returns after ten years to find that his wife, believing him grassy knoll. Yoga helps you get in touch with your body and improves balance, to be dead, has remarried. The movie applies the last name ‘Arden’ to the flexibility, and mindfulness. And, at the reservoir, it’s inspiring. main character in tribute to the poem. Doodles rule. Our reservoir is an ongoing dog show of every size, shape and In the film, Cary Grant plays the role of Nick Arden, an attorney (‘a breed. And, they are always well groomed. In a short period I saw two full-sized, Harvard man’) who wants to have his wife declared legally dead as she impeccably coiffed black poodles – heads held high – leading a tall, well-built man. has been missing for seven years following a research trip at sea. Once the Right behind them was a young man with two razor-thin, three-foot tall, light-tan declaration of death is made, he remarries. Then his legally dead first wife greyhounds with elegant, sharply pointed noses. Those greyhounds had been rescued (Irene Dunne) returns seeking to reunite with Nick with whom she is still very from a Florida dog-racing park where they had made their owners lots of money. Doodles, the newest dog breed, are most interesting. My favorite, the much in love. In spite of its foundation on a tragic poem, this movie is very Labradoodle, is a cross between a Labrador retriever and a Poodle. With the funny. Not surprisingly, the acting is wonderful! If you believe that laughter is gentle friendliness of the Lab and intelligence of the Poodle, they’re a great the best medicine (and I do!), give your health a boost and see this movie that family dog and they don’t shed. Their shiny, golden hair is closest to the Lab, was nominated for three Academy Awards including best story. There is even a cameo appearance by Santa Claus in keeping with the season! but it is curly like the poodle. Balance age: Our balance slowly declines with age. There’s a simple way to Musical Notes A wonderful version of “Christmas Time Is Here” was released in 2013 by test your balance and calculate what experts call, your balance age. It’s done in bare Lyle Lovett and Kat Edmonson on the soundtrack for a Hallmark movie starring feet. Make sure there’s a chair or something you can grab if you start to fall. Hold one foot six inches off the floor by bending the knee at about 45˚. Practice Harry Connick Jr., Angels Sing, (2013). To hear this particular cut, the entire with both feet before testing. Then holding your foot off the floor, count in seconds album must be purchased, but the rest of the album is enjoyable, too. It’s hard to how long you can hold that pose. Do it three times, take the average time for each believe that Lee Mendelson wrote the lyrics to “Christmas Time Is Here” in ten foot, and use the best one. Sixteen seconds is a balance age of 40, eight is 55, and four minutes, especially considering the song’s continued popularity since 1965! is 70. E-mail me for a complete analysis. If you’d like to improve your balance age, Finally, I have a recommendation for your gift giving needs. The book I’ll meet with you on the stage and demonstrate some exercises to improve your time. is The Classical Reciter, by Gail McGaffigan, which contains a lovely My balance age is 25 years below my chronological age. I’m proof it works! selection of poems for memorization (including “T’was the Night Before An excellent gift. Steve Hobbs coffee-table book, A Visual Celebration, is a fine Christmas”). The poems are divided into educational levels from preschool holiday gift to grace any Lafayette home. It’s a pictorial celebration of the Lafayette to adult capabilities. The author makes the bold statement that if everybody Reservoir and there’s always something new in its many fine photographs. committed a poem to memory, the world would be a more peaceful and Zen sweatshirt. Smile and the heart will follow. Do it! civilized place. Shall we test that theory together? Let me hear from you at jscala2@comcast.net.

Page 10 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

Sustainable Tip of the Month

By Pam King Palitz, Community Outreach Manager

Sustainable Lafayette’s origins are in the environmental movement, but the concept of sustainability goes beyond that. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature exist in productive harmony, including our economic and social needs. Which brings us to … you guessed it … shopping. Economics are a significant component of sustainability, and shopping locally is something we can do to help Lafayette become the great community we envision. The more money that is spent in Lafayette, the more money there will be for street repairs, police services, youth and senior services, and other amenities and necessities. According to the Chamber of Commerce, nearly a third of the Lafayette’s budget comes from sales taxes collected here. On a dollar basis, this means that approximately 12% of every single dollar spent with local businesses ends up staying in the community. Besides the economic reasons for shopping locally, there are practical reasons, too: fewer lines, smaller crowds, better parking, and nicer help at local stores. Local merchants are more likely to stand behind their products because, well, they’re your neighbors and they’ve invested in our town. For the Chamber’s Top Ten reasons to shop locally, check out www. trylafayettefirst.org/about/shoplafayette. Shopping locally does take a bit more thinking than simply pulling into the garage at Target or Macy’s. First, you may want to check the Lafayette store’s website for store information, especially hours, as some small businesses have shorter hours than the big box stores. Next, plan your route so you can park once and walk to several stores. You can focus on one of the three shopping centers in Lafayette or a section of Mt. Diablo Boulevard (including the eastern end, with The Forge and Brown Avenue). If you’re averse to parking meters, don’t forget about small

www.yourmonthlypaper.com parking lots behind some stores, such as the ones of the south side of Mt. Diablo Blvd. between the two Lafayette Circle intersections. Otherwise, bring coins! After you’ve done your shopping, treat yourself to coffee, a snack, or a delicious lunch or dinner! The Lafayette restaurants, bakeries, and food shops that have been designated “Lafayette Green,” include Cake, Chow, La Boulange, Lafayette Park Hotel and Spa, Metro Lafayette, Pizza Antica, and Yankee Pier. See the complete list of green businesses at lafayettechamber.org. If you’re not sure what someone needs, then consider a Lafayette Gift Card that can be used at more than 40 local businesses. Kids will love this because it looks just like a grown-up card with a name imprinted on it. Learn more at www.lafayettechamber.org/about/giftcard. Of course, Lafayette cannot provide everything you need. But when you sit down to plan your shopping, make shopping locally one of your criteria. In other words, if there’s a gift that you can buy here or “there,” make sure you buy it here! If there is something you need that you can’t find locally, then consider shopping at smile.amazon.com where .5% of your purchase price can be donated to a charity of your choice (we’d recommend Sustainable Lafayette!). For more tips and real-world success stories about how Lafayette residents are living more sustainably, please visit sustainablelafayette.org.

The Many Stories of Rosie the Riveter By Pat Beckner

Join the Orinda, Moraga and Lafayette Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) on Tuesday January 20, 2015 for a program examining the powerful role of women in the WWII workforce. The monthly branch meeting begins at 9am with a light continental breakfast, followed by a presentation at 9:30am. The meeting will be held at Holy Trinity Serbian Church Cultural Center located at 1700 School Street, Moraga.

A guest speaker, Ranger Raphael Allen from the Rosie the Riveter National Park, will lead us through a historical recounting of Women in WWII—with special highlights surrounding “War Jobs for Women,” issues Dumploads OnUs surrounding the shifting role of women during this era, and the critical role “Rosie” played—who she was, how she got started specializes in and why the branding eventually discontinued. providing the ultimate Come prepared to share your family’s own war stories. We’ll junk removal solution. Y OUR J UNK R EMOVAL S PECIALISTS read wartime propaganda messages, considering how our elders We’ll haul away just might have chosen to respond. Women who were already in the about anything - from old household junk to construction and paid workforce had different perspectives than did housewives yard waste. The only items we are unable to accept are who signed up just to ‘bring the boys home.’ What questions did hazardous they each raise when the war ended? And what do we understand materials. We • Computers now when we regard these many women side by side? make getting • Cables A native of Oakland and graduate of Stanford University, rid of your • TVs Ranger Raphael Allen co-taught Stanford’s first course in History unwanted of Men and Masculinity. He went on to work as an acquisition • Monitors junk as easy 925.934.3743 • 925.934.1515 editor at both University of Michigan and Duke University • Servers as 1-2-3; www.dumploadsonus.com • www.erecycleonus.com Presses, where he acquired and developed titles in history, the we load, we 1271 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek • Phones social sciences, gender-studies, health, and technology studies. sweep, and Monday-Friday, 8-5 • Saturday 9-1, Sunday, closed After three years of volunteer work for the National Park Service, • Printers then we haul Allen became an interpretive ranger in support of Port Chicago •Copiers away. It’s that easy! Naval Magazine National Memorial (Concord) and Rosie the • Fax Machines • Power Supply Units • Discs and Tapes Plus we do it Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park (Richmond). with a smile! He assisted with the development of the Park’s permanent exhibits and 12 films, helps train docents to learn and share the historical literature, and also conducts programs for the public. Bring your friends, enjoy some refreshments, and share in the camaraderie! For more information about the event, email communication-publicity@aauwoml.org.

s d a o l p m OnUs Du

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Safety Around Utility Pipelines

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 11

By Candace Andersen, Supervisor, Contra Costa County, District 2

Last month our community experienced a small gas line leak at a construction site near one of our elementary schools. The coordinated response went smoothly, as it should, with the students being sheltered in place while first responders cordoned off the area outside the school, and fire trucks stood by, ready for the worst as PG&E worked to cap off the leaking gas line. The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, CHP, and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District all worked quickly and efficiently together to keep our community safe. An investigation into the cause of this recent incident is ongoing; however, despite a contractor’s best efforts to identify all the utility lines in an area, sometimes lines can shift or be mis-marked. Please remember as you work on your own property, even if you’re just planting a new bush or digging a fence post, call 8-1-1 before you dig. The 8-1-1 number is a national “Call Before You Dig” phone number designated to help save lives by minimizing damage to underground utilities. One easy phone call to 8-1-1 quickly begins the process of getting underground utility lines marked. Local personnel notify affected utility companies, who will send crews to mark underground lines for free. All utilities have two business days from the date of the call to locate and mark underground lines. Call early in the week for your weekend projects to allow the local utilities time to respond. Knowing where underground utility lines are buried before each digging project begins can prevent injury, expense, and penalties. The depth of utility lines may vary, and multiple utility lines may exist in one area. Simple digging jobs can damage utility lines and can disrupt vital services to an entire neighborhood, harm those who dig, and result in expensive fines and repair costs. Marked lines show those who dig the approximate location of underground lines and help prevent undesired consequences. Call 8-1-1 before you dig or visit www.call811.com for more information. When we do have the need for emergency response for an emergency or disaster, you may want to be notified on your cell phone in case you are not home when a community alert is sent out. The County’s emergency notification system automatically telephones landlines using a reverse 911 directory. However, since more and more people are using cell phones as their primary means of communication, Contra Costa County cell phone users can receive emergency alert calls directly to their cell phone. Register your cell phone with the Contra Costa County Community Warning System (CWS) so you can be informed about emergencies and disasters that could impact your neighborhood such as wildfires, gas line ruptures, earthquakes or floods. The CWS is operated by the office of the Sheriff and issues alerts about situations in the County that pose an imminent threat to life or health. Visit their website at www.cococws.us, and enroll your cell phone number in the service. If you prefer to get your news via social media, you can also receive alerts in your Twitter feed and get text messages on your phone. Go to Twitter and follow @CoCoCWS, and set your cell phone to receive a text alert. Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a safe and joyful Christmas and holiday season, and a Happy New Year! My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached by email at SupervisorAndersen@bos.cccounty.us or by phone at (925) 957-8860.

Weekly Dance Social

Dance for joy at the weekly Social, or just come to chat; all are welcome. Twirl, chat, and tap your feet to the beat. The Social, for all-level and all-style dancers, music lovers, and observers, 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 Social specializes in ballroom, but any style dance adds to the charm. For more information, visit sites.google.com/site/lafayetteteadance. Fees for the event are $2 for members of the Senior Center and $4 for non-members.

Lamorinda Peace and Justice

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

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Page 12 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

International House, UC Berkeley By Linda Summers Pirkle

Years ago when I was a student at UC Berkeley, I lived at the dormitory International House. The welcoming event for new residents was an English Tea held in the glorious I-House Great Hall where we were served crispy cucumber sandwiches, delicious desserts, and tea. The event was attended by fellow house mates from all over the world. I went on to form friendships with people from Italy, Turkey, Iran, Germany, Spain, France, and Romania to name just a few. International House with its red tile roof and distinctive tower officially opened in 1930. Located on Piedmont Avenue in Berkeley the house was the second of four in the “International House Movement.” As the I-House History brochure says, “International House is a laboratory for a new kind of experience-the day-to day- practice of international fellowship among men and women.” It was the largest dormitory built west of the Hudson River and shocked many people with the radical idea of letting men and women as well as people of different ethnicities and races live under the same roof. Despite resistance and hostility, I-House opened in August, 1930 with spaces for 115 women and 338 men with rent starting at $14 per month. For nearly 85 years, I-House has been home to thousands of students from all over the world. The interior is a step back in time: iron chandeliers in the Great Hall, balconies, hand painted ceilings, and lots of tile. My favorite area is the lovely courtyard outside the main Dining Commons. Under a canopy of trees, Heller patio is a charming spot that feels a bit like Italy. International House is perched at the top of Piedmont Avenue facing the Pacific Ocean. On a recent visit to I-House, I spoke to Tim Lynch, Events Manager, who mentioned, “There are probably ten days per year that are so clear that from the windows of the Home Room you can see as far as the Farallon Islands. Those ten days are usually in January and February.” Just a 5-10 minute walk from I-House is another spot for great views, Sather Tower or the “Campanile” located on the UC Berkeley campus. This tower is visible for miles and stands 307 feet tall. It’s the third tallest bell and clock tower in the world and the views from the observation deck are incredible. The Carillon (set of bells) is located above the observation platform. Plan your visit to the campus around the ten minute bell concerts which are performed by musicians (carillonists) every day at 7:50AM, 12PM and 6PM. Longer concerts are performed on Sundays at 2PM. Entrance fee for the elevator ride to the top of Sather Tower is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and students. Visitors are allowed to watch the carillonists (bell ringers) perform the noon concerts. *I-House is located at 2299 Piedmont Avenue, Berkeley. The phone number is 510-642-4128 and website is ihouse.berkeley.edu. Visitors are welcome Monday thru Friday. Ask if a guide is available. If not, you can explore on your own, but some areas are restricted. Don’t miss Memory Hall located near the student café. The Dining Commons will be undergoing renovation in January 2015. *There is limited parking on campus; it’s best to take BART to Downtown Berkeley and catch the Bus “P” which drops off in front of International House. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has been arranging and leading tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. To share your “Quick Trips” ideas, email Coverthemap@gmail.com.

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Operation School Bell Celebrates 20th Anniversary 1410127-TSO-ALToday-5x6.25.indd 1

10/27/14 12:05 PM

Operation School Bell® began in 1958 when a teacher in the Los Angeles school district saw children from one family coming to school on a rotating basis. She discovered that the children came to school based on whose turn it was to wear the few clothes the family had on a given day. What began as a one-woman effort to provide clothing to disadvantaged children has become a nationally a c c l a i m e d philanthropic program of Assistance League®. Since 1994, Assistance League® of Diablo Valley, one of 120 chapters, located at 2711 Buena Vista Avenue Dedicatedthmember volunteers + life-long learners X 20 years = in Walnut Creek, has Happy 20 Anniversary, Operation School Bell! provided schoolchildren with clothing and a shoe voucher card which in turn has improved school attendance, citizenship, and academic performance. The program began with 47 students at Buena Vista Elementary School in Walnut Creek. In more recent years, Assistance League of Diablo Valley has provided school district mandated uniforms in the Contra Costa community; presently, 85% of its elementary schoolchildren wear uniforms. Last year alone, 4,128 children benefited. Operation School Bell’s ongoing success lies in its ability to anticipate the needs of children and respond in a relatively short period of time. One innovation involves retail shopping, where Operation School Bell member

See Bell continued on page 17

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Your Digital Footprint By Evan

Corstorphine, Portable CIO

After writing last month’s column, I came across three articles that drove home the points I was making, and I wanted to share them to help illustrate the points I made. The first is an article about Facebook. You’ve probably read about the issues surrounding Facebook’s confusing privacy settings. The implicit agreement you make when you use Facebook’s service is that they will use as much of your data as they can to further their revenue goals. For the article, the author binged on “Liking” everything in Facebook for a period of 48 hours. He found that when he liked something that represented a certain theme, the advertising he received immediately afterward reflected whatever it is that he had “liked.” For instance, newsfeeds came across espousing particular products or political views, and almost immediately the advertising being pumped into his newsfeed were issues and product-based, crowding out the actual human-generated news items. In other words, the more you like something, the more you get until it’s all you get. I find it troubling that instead of complimenting a reader’s views with a variety of perspectives, the algorithms are designed to forcefeed you more of what you’ve already been ingesting. That doesn’t do much for the concept of broadening one’s horizons, nor of fostering tolerance for opposing viewpoints. The next article was in Slate Magazine by Amy Webb. She and her husband signed up for and purchased all the web domains, email accounts, and social networking accounts they could access on behalf of their newborn child. The idea was to create and isolate everything pertaining to their child’s name, but then to leave the sites fallow, unused. Doing so has the effect of creating a sort of blank spot on the Internet that protects their child from being exploited. Right now, everyone is exploited. But these children have a fighting chance to actually control their online identity because their parents are forward thinking enough to identify the threat and do something about it. At some point in the future, when their child is not only technically old enough, but importantly, mature enough to understand the implications of managing their digital identity, they will be given an envelope with their passwords. At that point, the child’s digital identity will actually be a rarity – it will be blank, and they will possess a tremendous control of what for us has long since been lost. The third article was about Uber, the popular new company that operates like a taxi service. The article reinforced my belief that at some point there is going to be a (well deserved) backlash against un-checked commercial digital data collection and snooping. Because people use their smartphones to contact Uber for rides, the service uses the GPS coordinates from the smartphone to pinpoint the individual’s location. The GPS coordinates are correlated to the smartphone owner because they have signed up for the service with their name, email address, and credit card. See where I’m going? Uber knows who you are, and where you are. This is probably true in a lot of cases, but other people who have that information have been smart enough to keep it quiet and not alarm the public. That is the information has been kept quiet until the publication of a snarky article in the Uber blog. Using data the blogger collected over the period of several months in the major markets where they operate, they correlated transactions where the drop off and pick-up were within the hours of 10pm and 4am, and happened within .1 miles of each other. In other words, they were attempting to isolate those people who used the service after a one-night-stand and needed a ride home. They correlated this with several calendar dates, such as Valentines day (low usage), tax day (high usage), and other dates with predictable highs and lows. Should this bug you? At one level, they researchers has found interesting metrics. At another, as they can track each individual when they are not using the service because they have their phone’s signature, and have shown a willingness to do so, I think it becomes creepy really fast. It’s not hard to see the implications for blackmail and who-knows-what-else. Just like a hammer can be used to hit your thumb or build a house, digital tools can be used constructively or destructively. I urge you to join the conversation. In the meantime, when your business or home need help with your network or computer systems, don’t hesitate to call your friends at Portable CIO for help at 925-552-7953 or helpdesk@theportablecio.com. Advertorial

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 13

Happy Holidays!

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Diablo Water Polo Club Wins TYR Champions Cup

The 2014 TYR Champions Cup (14 and under division) concluded at the LISD Westside Aquatic Center in Lewisville, Texas, and the girls of Diablo Water Polo Club were crowned champions. Above top row: Team is led by Head Coach Maureen O’Toole-Purcell, Brooke Westphal – Lafayette, Rachel Rosen – Alamo, Annelise Miller – Danville, Makenna Ferguson – Orinda, Christina Crum – Moraga, Alexandra Brown – Clayton, Morgan Lewis – Alamo, Alexis Rowell – Lafayette, Sydney Milham – Danville, Assistant Coach Kelly Mendoza. Bottom Row: Jewel Roemer – Martinez, Madeline Smith – Lafayette, Nina Munson – Moraga, Maisy White – Walnut Creek, Sydney Hammill – Danville, Kathryn Lyons – Orinda.

Genealogical Meetings

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.

Do you have a story idea, photo, or sporting news to share? Contact us at 925.405.6397, or Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com.

Page 14 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

Gardening with Kate By Kathleen Guillaume

I have been enjoying my rhododendrons which started blooming in late November. It is so strange to see them bloom in winter, and I am wondering if I can get them to re-bloom in late spring if I feed them in February. I missed my deciduous azalea’s blooms as they are nestled under foliage which has yet to fall. Normally, their bright golden blossoms light up in the bare-branch-sun in March, drawing my eye to that side of my garden, heralding the news that spring is around the corner. I caught a glimpse of their final petals glowing in the shade. I was not expecting their November show and saw them only because I glanced that way. My Allen hummingbirds are quite happy, having more things in bloom than normal this strange winter, and they flit around my garden treating me to their sweet movements. Holiday time is here -- time for baking and last minute shopping. Gardening gift cards are always welcome if you are not sure what your gardening friend might want. You can obtain them at your local nursery. Lafayette Nursery will have all of their beautiful Holiday displays up. It is worth a trip with children who can only wonder at their theme decorated Christmas trees. As it is the time for entertaining, you can create your own centerpieces and hostess gifts. This time of year I stop by Michaels crafts store and see what type of containers they have, like birch bark pots or wire sleighs. I also look at their assortment of picks (small bundles holiday decorations that are wired together), and there are bins of them. Picks are designed to tuck under ribbons on holiday gifts, but they are also perfect to tuck into the sides of live plants to make a festive presentation for any hostess. I go to the nursery and pick out small and medium size pots of plants in bloom and arrange them in a basket, or birch bark or twig pot. Then with

Hospice of the East Bay Grief Support Groups and Classes

Hospice of the East Bay has announced a new schedule for their upcoming support groups and workshops for adults, children, and teens experiencing grief after the death of a loved one. Classes will be offered at Hospice’s Administrative Offices located at 3470 Buskirk Avenue, Pleasant Hill. Bereavement Services are provided free of charge to all community members in need, however, donations are greatly appreciated. Pre-registration is required for all groups and classes, except the drop-in group. To register, please call (925) 887-5681 or email volunteers@hospiceeastbay.org.

Groups for Adults

Adults Who Have Lost a Parent • Mondays, 6 - 8PM ~ January 26 March 23, 2015 Widow and Widowers’ Support • Afternoon: Thursdays, 1:30 to 3:30PM ~ January 15 - March 6, 2015 • Evening: Mondays, 6 to 8PM ~ January 26 - March 23, 2015 Drop-In Bereavement Support Group • 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month ~ 4:30 - 6PM

Groups for Children and Teens

The Bridge - A bi-monthly support program for grieving children and teens using art, play, journaling, music, and conversation from October into June. You can start at any time. Support is also available for parents/guardians.

Classes and Workshops for Adults

Coping With The Holidays - November 13 & December 11~ 6 - 8PM • A class that presents ideas and strategies to help those experiencing grief during the holiday season as this time of year can be difficult for those who have experienced a death. Each session covers the same material. Hospice of the East Bay provides compassionate end-of-life care to terminally ill patients, while offering emotional, spiritual, and grief support for the entire family. As a not-for-profit organization, we accept all medically qualified patients, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com my trusty pruners, I go around the neighborhood and take snippets of redwood, cedar, or other holiday greens from the neighbors trees (always with their permission). I use these greens to fill in around the plants along with some moss, some well placed holiday picks, and a bright holiday ribbon. I end up with a perfect hostess gift. When selecting plants I look for something I am sure will handle the heated air inside a home, like succulents, ivy, and smaller philodendrons. If you are presenting your hostess or own home with a front porch decoration in a larger pot, there is a larger variety of plants to choose from as outdoors they won’t dry out as quickly. Larger plants will also accommodate regular Christmas decorations. I usually go to Walmart where I am sure to find tubes of plastic ornaments in silvers, golds, or different colors so I don’t have to worry about glass breaking if a bulb gets knocked around by a misfired newspaper at the front porch. It is fun to create holiday pots to line up around the front door, making your home seem welcoming. Another thing I love during the holidays is clove studded oranges in a basket lined with cedar. They are not only beautiful, but they fill your home with wonderful scents. Somehow decorating for the holidays always lifts my spirits in the depth of winter. I love to see clumps of birdseed beribboned hanging from trees. Most nurseries have these compacted seed balls, and I add bright ribbons and hang them on long wires so they are removed a bit out of squirrel range. Dried sunflower bloom works as well if you saved any from this summer. I think of these as gifts to my feathers friends who I want to encourage to come and stay around my garden. During December I try to reduce my garden chores to just raking fallen leaves. I do this to give myself a break from my garden work before the chores of rose pruning and cutting back perennials occur, which I will save to get done in late January. I am hoping for lots of rain. You don’t want to be working in beds and soil that is saturated, and there is not much to plant at this time of year other than sweet peas. Take a break and really get into the Holiday Season.

AA continued from front page

of action for recovery from addiction). There are no dues or fees associated with AA membership. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, political group, organization or institution. In its efforts to dissuade controversy, AA neither endorses nor opposes any causes. AA offers several types of meetings for its members, and no matter which type one chooses, a member’s privacy and anonymity is always respected. Closed meetings are for alcoholics only, those who have a drinking problem and have a desire to stop drinking. Open meetings are available to anyone interested in the Alcoholics Anonymous program of recovery; nonalcoholics may attend these open meetings as observers. Big Book meetings are those that use as a point of discussion the book Alcoholics Anonymous published by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. At these meetings, members often take turns reading from the book in which a passage may inspire a thought related to recovery. Discussion meetings are those in which one member selects a topic and attendees share their own experiences, struggles, and ideally success in dealing with their alcohol problem. Speaker meetings are those in which one or more members are selected beforehand to share their personal experiences. Step meetings involve discussion of one of the Twelve Steps of AA. Members will often skip from one type of meeting to another, in an effort to find inspiration for overcoming their addiction. AA becomes a lifelong support group for many; alcoholism is not a disease that is ‘cured,’ and a sober lifestyle can be a lifelong struggle. AA provides the support and counsel that allows members to accomplish together what they could not accomplish alone. Please visit www.contracostaaa.org where a full calendar of meetings locations and times can be found, or call the 24-hour hotline at (925) 9394155. The Contra Costa County AA service center also provides to its members a monthly newsletter, publications for sale, a newcomer packet, an audio rental library with more than 800 recorded AA speakers, special events and outings, and most importantly, a welcoming and safe place for all alcoholics to seek help and to be with others.

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Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 15

Life in the Lafayette Garden

Garden Architecture By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059

What is “Garden Architecture?” Garden = a plot of ground where plants, vegetables, and flowers are grown. Architecture = the art and science of designing and constructing buildings and hardscape. I approach your Lafayette landscape design with “Garden Architecture” in mind. The two design fundamentals brought together in a creative and cohesive design make up your landscape environment. Successful landscape design is a good balance of both. The approach I take is to focus on the “architecture” initially. The “architecture” defines the design. It creates structure with the borders, edges, views, and function of the “softscape.” Structures serve as background for people and plants. A focal point deserves significant detailing. Background structures don’t. Scale and proportion are important. Structures need to be scaled appropriately and in proportion to the surrounding environment. The outdoor environment allows for larger scale than the indoors. Measure the scale of structures by keeping in mind existing large scale trees, distant horizon lines, adjacent properties and views, and buildings. Call for details

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Architecture provides the bones to any landscape design. They provide ongoing significance throughout the season while the “softscape” changes from season to season. In general “hardscape” structures include the floor of the landscape (patios, decks, paths), steps and grade changes, enclosures and ceilings (arbors, pergolas, gazebos), walls (retaining, seat walls, benches), fences, buildings (cabanas, pool houses, potting sheds, storage sheds), use and recreation (swimming pools, sports court, bocce), and focal points (water features, bridges, garden ornament, gates, trellises). The purpose of any structure in the landscape design is function and form. What function shall any particular structure perform? In other words, what do they do? Those hot summer days in the Lafayette garden demand the need for shade, and those long cold gray winters when deciduous trees drop their leaves, give you bones. Arbors or pergolas are “Garden Architecture” that can fulfill that function. What do they do? Provide shade in the summer and structural bones in the winter! A structure can have several functions. For instance, an arbor can define a portal or an entry into a garden room, or it can frame a view beyond. The form an arbor takes is an open structure usually with plants or vines climbing over it to form a portal or tunnel. An arbor can be built to take on any form that suits your design style. It can be as simple as an arched gate with climbing clematis or a bold design with four twelve-inch round Corinthian columns with rough hewn beams above heavily laden with wisteria. Depending on the scale and architectural styling of your home and the design theme of your landscape, an arbor has many different forms it can take while performing the same function. A pergola as defined here is a free-standing overhead structure supported by posts or columns. The material that provides the shade may vary from lattice, wood beams, to vines. All can provide shade depending on how much you wish to have. Pergolas generally are more significant structure because of the function. Often, a pergola becomes a garden room or enclosure in the garden, a gathering place for people, and a focal point. “Garden Architecture” bring form and function to any successful landscape environment. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Built structures must be executed with proper construction techniques which are ensured through proper design, construction details and specifications, and on-site observations during the construction process. Landscape architects are tested and licensed by the state to

design garden architecture. Gardening Quote of the Month: “One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides”. ~W.E. Johns If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com. For design ideas, visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial

Page 16 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

The Care of Mature Trees

By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

Entering my sixth decade, the gathering stiffness in my joints deepens my appreciation that living systems change as they age. Trees also change as they grow older, but, for trees and humans alike, how gracefully we flower in later life is not determined by genetics alone. Long life for humans is a relatively new phenomenon. Our Paleolithic ancestors seldom lived beyond 35 years of age, and they would, I imagine, marvel that the average American now lives to be 78. However, long life for trees is nothing new. Methuselah, a bristlecone pine growing in the Sierras, has attained the astounding age of 4,838 and is the oldest documented living organism on our planet. It lifts my heart to acknowledge that the pine nut, which grew to become Methuselah, sprouted its first needles 2,268 years before the birth of Buddha, 2,832 years before the birth of Jesus, and 3,402 years before the birth of Muhammad. To promote long life, reduce the stresses on your trees. The densely

Lafayette Garden Club

The Lafayette Garden Club January meeting will be held Thursday, January 1, 2015. The meeting will feature Gary Bogue speaking on the subject of “Garden Friends and Not-Such-Friends.” Gary was curator at Lindsey Wildlife Museum and a long-time gardening and wildlife columnist for the Contra Costa Times. Now in “retirement,” he is an author, lecturer, and friend to all who garden. The meeting will be held at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Hall, located at 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette. Coffee time begins at 9:30am followed by the meeting from 10am-noon. Guests are welcome. If you have questions, please email cpoetzsch@gmail.com.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com packed clay soils common to the East Bay produce many stresses. Compacted soils lack air spaces and inhibit the movement of oxygen. Clay soils are soggy when wet (which promotes root rot), but they are hard when dry (which promotes drought stress). Improving the porosity of the soil by mulching, aerating, and, sometimes, by radial trenching reduces the stress on your tree. Mulching is the easiest and cheapest of these techniques. Two or three inches of quality mulch under the canopy of the tree, but not piled against the trunk, helps to keep the soil soft, moist, and cooler in the summer. Aerating aids soil porosity and reduces stress. To aerate the tree, use a deep root irrigator to drill many one-inch diameter holes to a depth of around 30 inches throughout the zone under the tree’s canopy. Pruning to remove dead and diseased branches reduces the stresses on the tree. Many fruit trees suffer from diseases, both fungal and bacterial, carried from flower to flower by pollinating insects. After entering through the flower, the infection spreads, usually slowly, down into the woody tissue. Pruning to a point below the spread of the disease increases the lifespan of the tree. As with humans, stresses can have cumulative effects. When pines are drought stressed, they are unable to make the sap they use to drown burrowing insects. Oaks suffering from oak root fungus have trouble taking up water and often suffer from drought stress. When planning elder care for your trees, several factors beg consideration: What is your emotional attachment to the tree? Is the tree a hazard? Will it become a hazard in the future, and, if so, when? What will it cost to maintain the tree? Will it attain ‘sabi,’ the beauty of aging, if given the correct care? I hope that as I grow older I accept Roethke’s challenge and ‘dare to blaze like a tree.’ If you wish to extend your tree’s lifespan 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

Ask Dr. Happy Dear Dr. Happy,

By Bob Nozik, MD

My only son, Steve, got married six months ago at age 22 to Molly, a 19-year-old woman that neither my husband nor I much care for. I am trying hard to like her, but she is bossy, stubborn, and overly selfconfident for her age. It especially bothers me seeing her push Steve around. When I discussed this with Steve, I found out later that he told Molly everything I said, and now she is mad at me. I told Steve that what I had said was private, but he went on to tell me that anything I tell him he feels he should tell her; and my husband agrees with him. Dr. H, I feel like rather than gaining a daughter, I’m losing a son. Dr. H, how can I get my son back? ~ Losing my son

Dear ‘Losing,’

Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment

Coping with the Death of a Pet

When you lose your pet, you often feel like a part of you is lost. The death of your beloved animal companion is one of the most difficult losses you may ever feel. This loss is sometimes made more painful by society’s seeming lack of support for pet grief. Hospice of the East Bay and the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation is offering a support group where participants can share memories and feelings and talk to others who truly understand and care. Meetings will be held the first Tuesday of each month from noon - 1:30PM at the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. For further information and/or to register, please call Bereavement Services at Hospice of the East Bay (925) 887-5681. Pre-registration is required. Hospice of the East Bay Bereavement Services are provided free of charge to all community members in need. However, donations are greatly appreciated.

All four of you are in the midst of major life transitions. Your son and new daughter-in-law are not only entering adulthood but also learning to be marital partners. You and your husband are transitioning from being in-charge parents to support-staff for your newly married son and his young wife. While this can be a daunting challenge for everyone involved, you can help make the transition much smoother. It is time now for you to loosen the parental grip on your son. His primary allegiance and responsibility is to his new wife, and you need to acknowledge and actively support this. This is your best strategy for assuring that your relationship with your son and daughter-in-law will thrive and strengthen rather than bog down in strife and bitterness.

Happiness Tip

Change, even change for the better, can be difficult for many people. Here, after several decades of raising her son and being in charge, ‘Losing’ is having trouble letting go. Does she really want Steve to remain her dependent? Probably not. Our brains are wired to resist change, even good change. And, recognizing this is the first step to acceptance. Once ‘Losing’ accepts that her son, now an adult, is creating his own family along with his wife, Molly, she will be well on her way to seeing that, in fact, she will be not be losing her son but will be gaining a daughter. For questions for Dr. Happy email pollyannan@aol.com.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Mrs. Y’s Smart Retirement Moves

By Jim Carley, Certified Senior Advisor and Reverse Mortgage Consultant

Mrs. Y, of Lafayette, a retired nurse, has always been a good saver and has created a retirement fund of $500,000. Mrs. Y supports her partially disabled daughter and is determined to always help her daughter, who lives on her own but needs part-time care. In order to support herself and provide care for her daughter, Mrs. Y has been withdrawing about $3,000 per month from her savings. She hates pulling money out of her nest egg because she wants her money to keep growing and knows that she has to help her daughter. She decided to use a Reverse Mortgage to pay off her current mortgage on her home in Lafayette. Her home is valued at $750,000, with a mortgage of $100,000. Her financial advisor agreed that paying off her mortgage made sense. Paying off her mortgage eliminated her mortgage payments of $1,000 a month, providing more money to help her daughter and also reduce her withdrawals from savings.

Mrs. Y’s Choices

When Mrs. Y decided to use a Reverse Mortgage she accomplished several things at the same time. By eliminating her mortgage payments she increased her cash flow by $12,000 a year. After talking to her CPA, she found she would also save over $6,000 a year in taxes by reducing withdrawals from her retirement account. As her CPA explained, her retirement account withdrawals were all taxable. Her Reverse Mortgage also provides her with $2,000 a month income to ensure that Mrs. Y can continue to enjoy her own life and still help her daughter. With this tax-free income she is able to reduce her withdrawals from her nest egg by $2,000 a month.

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 17 As an active retiree with many friends and activities, Mrs. Y now has sufficient income to help her daughter and continue to travel, which she loves. She says she actually has enough money available now to cover her expenses and is happy she is no longer depleting her savings. And her 401K can continue to grow due to her much smaller withdrawals. She smiled when her loan closed and said, “I’m so relieved to be able to help Amelia, without worrying about going broke.” To learn more about how a Reverse Mortgage can improve your finances and your retirement, call Jim Carley, Certified Senior Advisor and Reverse Mortgage consultant, at (925) 407-5727 or send an email to jim.carley@fpfmail.com. Advertorial

Bell continued from page 12

volunteers serve as personal shoppers to help students spend a designated amount of money on school clothing. What ensues calls for cutting edge strategizing to achieve that “Now, I’m ready” look. Another innovation precludes busing expenses and loss of valuable class instruction time in that member volunteers transport clothing in various sizes to the school site for students to sample. Putting “Caring and Commitment into Action” springs to life when member volunteers don blue aprons, take clip boards in hand and stand ready to record the necessary information. As students enter the school’s multi-use room, their eager young eyes take in tables heaped with stacks of pants, sweatshirts, skorts and polo shirts—all arranged according to size. Once recorded, this information is then processed at the chapter house by yet another group of member volunteers who add six pairs of appropriately sized socks and underwear, as well as a shoe card, to the bags of clothing for each child. These filled bags are returned to the school site for distribution. All of these efforts lead to a well-deserved celebration, and how better to celebrate the twentieth anniversary than by doing what Operation School Bell does best—provide clothing for children. To learn about Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s eight philanthropic programs that the thrift shop funds and its recently awarded GuideStar Exchange gold participation level status, please visit diablovalley.assistanceleague.org or the GuideStar Exchange.

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Page 18 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

Be on High Alert for Elder Financial Abuse! By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.

Working with many elderly clients and hearing about the parents of “baby boomer” clients, I see and hear signs of elder financial abuse way too often. Some of the stories are really heartbreaking. It’s not a stretch to characterize elder financial abuse as an epidemic. The confluence of an aging population, longer life expectancies, and a plethora of con-artists has resulted in an explosion of such instances in the last few decades. The perpetrators may be caregivers, financial service providers, neighbors, or “friends.” Fortunately, California has responded by enacting more aggressive civil legislation in the last decade or so. Relevant statutes have, among other things, loosened plaintiff “standing” requirements, giving the ability to more third parties to bring a case; expanded damages that can be ordered; and, in some instances, allowed attorneys’ fees to be recovered. Unfortunately, however, it is still difficult to combat elder financial abuse. Sometimes it isn’t recognized at all or at least not until it’s too late: the abuser and/or the money disappears. Tragically, such cases are hugely under-reported because the elder victim and/or family is embarrassed or just wants to move on. Even when a civil complaint (lawsuit) is filed, the accused perpetrator often argues that the elderly victim voluntarily gifted him the absconded funds. Evidence to the contrary may not be sufficient to satisfy the required standard of proof to hold the perpetrator liable. Sadly, “secret marriage” (a version of which is called “deathbed marriage”) is an ugly twist on elder financial abuse that’s extraordinarily difficult to defend against, particularly after the elder victim dies. This is when a financial abuser secretly marries an elderly person. Frequently, the marriage stays secret because the elder victim is incapacitated or has significant enough mental deficits that he or she doesn’t recall that the marriage ever took place. More problematic yet is that a wise abuser can arrange to enter into a “confidential marriage” with the victim. This process - perfectly legal when the easy requirements are met - blocks the marriage certificate from being accessible via public records, as it otherwise would be. Absent a court order, the only people who can access the record are the parties to the marriage themselves. Of course, once married, the abuser manipulates the vulnerable elder into making gifts to the abuser and/or turning over access to the elder’s assets. Sometimes, the abuser persuades the victim to change the elder’s Will or Living Trust so that the abuser spouse becomes the sole or major beneficiary. If not, on the elder’s death the abuser spouse can claim a share of the elder’s estate as an “omitted spouse”

City of Lafayette Contacts

Below are key Lafayette city departments and their contact information. Administration: Responsible for overall city operations such as human resources, finance and office operations. Key staff members include the City Manager, Administrative Services Director, City Clerk, and Financial Services Manager. The City Offices are located at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., #210, Lafayette. Hours are 8am – 5pm Monday-Friday. For information call (925) 284-1968 or email cityhall@lovelafayette.org. Police: Responsible for public safety, law enforcement, emergency operations, and parking control. The Police Department is located at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd, #130, Lafayette. Hours are 8am-12pm & 1am-5pm MondayFriday. For general questions call (925) 299-3220. For police dispatch call (925) 284-5010 or 911. Public Works: Responsible for maintaining the infrastructure of the City including road repair, storm drains, and landscaping of public property. The Public Works Corp Yard is located at 3001 Camino Diablo, Lafayette. Hours are 7am – 3pm Monday-Friday. For questions call (925) 934-3908. To report potholes, streetlight outages, traffic signal problems and other issues call the Hotline at (925) 299-3259. Parks & Recreation: Responsible for the management and operation of a variety of recreation programs, special events and facilities including the Lafayette Community Center, the Community Park and a system of city trails. The Parks & Recreation (Community Center) is located 500 St. Mary’s Road, Lafayette. Hours are 9am – 5pm Monday-Saturday. For questions call (925) 284-2232. For more information, visit www.ci.lafayette.ca.us.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com (or if the victim had no Will or Trust, the abuser may be entitled to the victim’s assets by intestate succession). Marriage is profoundly personal and favored by public policy. The government can’t practically decide or second guess who marries for “the right reasons.” Nevertheless, some kind of legislative recourse would seem to be rightfully available to relatives of victims of deathbed marriages. Unfortunately, only a few states, including Florida (not California), have enacted protective statutes. In fact, a substantial minority of states in our country have laws prohibiting heirs from challenging deathbed marriages! Naturally, the most effective means of fighting elder financial abuse is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Elder abuse clinics and other outreach programs sponsored by professional, judicial, and other non-profit organizations help build awareness and offer useful tools. Close relatives or friends of the elder citizen are sometimes willing and able keep an eye out for signs of potential abuse. Otherwise, what can you do to try to prevent this kind of tragic, rampant fraud and deception? Whether you are elderly yourself or a child of parents who are of advanced age, you should make sure that you (or your elderly parents) seek appropriate legal advice. While hiring an experienced estate planning attorney is not a guarantee against such abuse, it can help considerably. Among other things, the attorney can make a threshold assessment of the elderly client’s capacity; ensure that documents are in place that reflect the client’s bona fide, current wishes; recommend and oversee titling of assets in a careful and appropriate manner; and create documents in which caring and responsible family members and friends (or private or institutional fiduciaries) are nominated to hold important roles, such as attorney-in-fact under a Power of Attorney and trustee or co-trustee of the elder’s revocable living trust. Upon your request, I would be happy to provide you with any or all of the following, free: i) a tri-fold brochure on the pros/cons of alternative methods of holding title to property, ii) an “Estate Planning Primer,” iii) a complimentary introductory meeting. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group, 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 240, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com. This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors. Advertorial

Brainwaves by Betsy Streeter

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Your Personal Nutritionist

Soup is Always a Healthy Choice for Winter By Linda Michaelis, RD, MS

I always recommend that my clients consider soup as a healthy meal choice. It is the perfect way to add protein, legumes, whole grains, and veggies to your daily meal plan. Soup is both comforting and filling- a hot, savory bowl can take the chill out of the winter weather. I tell my clients that cold weather sets up a false sense of hunger. Fuel from food helps keep us warm during the winter months, but often I see clients reaching for food not because they are hungry but rather because they are uncomfortably cold. Yes, eating food can make your body temperature rise, but having a warm bowl of soup will save you hundreds of calories. Canned soups often have a high salt content, but if we read the nutrition label we can come up with some good options. Pay attention to serving size as many cans contain two or more servings. Look for soups with the following nutrition numbers - per serving: 250 Calories (or less), 5 grams of fat (or less), 5 grams of fiber (or more), 10 grams of protein (or more), 600 mg of sodium (or less). Did you know that a low sodium diet suggests that you keep your sodium intake to 2,000 mg day which is equal to a teaspoon of salt? If you have soup as part of your day and are aware of the sodium content in your other food choices that day, then soup as a choice is very acceptable. There are two ways to eat soup. It can be considered as a side to your meal, like with a sandwich or it can be your entire meal. Talking about side soups, clients love Trader Joe’s or Pacific Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Pumpkin Soup, Butternut Squash soup or good old Campbells’ tomato soup or their light cream of mushroom, broccoli, or chicken soups. These soups have 100 calories per serving and contain a small amount of fat, no fiber, no protein, and are low in sodium. If they are served piping hot they can help slow down your eating time. Instead of inhaling your food, I tell my clients to have a warm food with

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 19 their lunch if they are having a sandwich or a salad. Slower eaters tend to notice signs of fullness sooner and consume fewer calories by better enjoying their food in the moment. Studies show that people who eat broth or vegetable-based soups (not creamy or high fat ones) as the first course of a meal consume 20% fewer calories per meal when they started their meal with soup! Now let’s talk about homemade soup being the main meal. Yes, a hearty low fat soup can contain lots of protein and fiber to create a very balanced and filling meal. We can get our protein from legumes such as lentils, split peas, black, pinto, white, or kidney beans or nice big chunks of beef, chicken, or even shrimp and fish. By adding a generous amount of different veggies we fulfill our fiber content needs. We can make the soup with olive oil, garlic, onions, and herbs and use the low sodium stock of our choice. The lesson I teach my clients when making soups is to make sure each serving will have at least 4 oz. of protein, 1 cup cooked veggies, and 1/2 cup to 1 cup of whole grains such as whole wheat couscous, faro, bulgur, or brown rice. When you cook your soup always have the grain in a separate pot so that you can add it as you eat your meal and then decide how much carbs would be appropriate for the day. This will create a meal in itself. Purchasing soup with these amounts of ingredients is not always an option. Sometimes we can find fresh hearty bean or minestrone soups at Whole Foods or Lunardi’s, but I generally recommend taking the time to make them yourself. My clients have amazed me when they go to Pho shops and they ask for half the amount of noodles, extra fish or chicken and lots of veggies in addition to the bean sprouts, cilantro, and mint that is served. At Japanese restaurants you can do well with beef sukiyaki or seafood nobe which is a wonderful soup made with soba noodles, fish, tofu, and veggies. These types of discussions are a great example of the education and support that I provide for my clients on an individual basis. I am glad to inform you that my services are covered by most insurances companies such as Aetna, ABMG, Health Net, Hill Physicians and Sutter Health. Please feel free to call me at (925) 855-0150 or email me at Lifeweight1@gmail.com and tell me about your nutrition concerns. Refer to my website www.LindaRD.com for past articles in my blog section and Advertorial nutrition tips.

So How Does 2015 Look? By Art Lehman, Village Associates Real Estate

How does the 2015 real estate market look? From the point of view of Leslie Appleton-Young, the chief economist of the California Association of Realtors, it appears that it could be a better year for buyers as 2014 raging prices should slow some. The predications are that in California overall the median price of a home will go up 5.2% in 2015 while sales, after going down 8.2% this year, will rebound to an increase of 5.8%. Appleton-Young believes that many investors will move out of the picture, there will be more inventory, there will be a moderation of home prices, and even lending will be a bit more accommodating, which should make it an overall better market for buyers. “It might be a good pause for all the people who got a little bit exhausted by all the multiple offers and competition in the last couple of years,” Appleton-Young said. She believes interest rates will only rise slightly, there will be far less multiple offers (for comparison in 2013, seven of 10 homes had multiple offers and this year the number is only five of 10), and investors in the market will continue to slow (from 19% in 2013 and 15% in 2014). “We are transitioning, obviously, into a slower price appreciation environment,” Appleton-Young said. “I don’t think it’s out of the question that within two years or so we could actually see some declines, some retreats, in terms of prices.” So that’s the situation in California overall, and the real question is what can we expect for Lafayette? We always seem to have better seller numbers than the overall state numbers. I believe our market has had, and will continue to have, far fewer multiple offers next year. But still those homes that seem to fit the criteria of being desirable in Lafayette continue to be overbid but perhaps a little more tempered. As for the rest of our inventory, price it right and it shall sell. On a more personal note, I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and the best for 2015! If you have any questions on selling or buying a home in the area, please contact me at 925 200-2591 or by email at art@artlehman.com. If you’d like a free automatic email update of current listings and sales, visit my website to sign Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment up www.artlehman.com or call! Advertorial

Page 20 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

Hope continued from front page

CCITH incorporated in 1997 as a non-profit and partnered with Mercy Housing to purchase Garden Park Apartments (GPA) in 2000. Originally transitional living-space, the renovated Pleasant Hill 1950s complex became Contra Costa County’s first permanent supportive housing in December 2004, and CCITH reregistered as CCIH. According to research on housing needs leading to the Contra Costa County 10-year strategic plan launched in 2004, the biggest hole in available county services for those at risk for homelessness is permanent affordable homes. In order to be affordable, housing should cost no more than 30% of a person’s (or family’s) income. For someone earning the minimum wage, the average cost of rent in Contra Costa County ($1,578/month) equates to

Volunteers from the White Pony Express deliver nutritious groceries for families at Garden Park Apartments. Residents then work together to divide and distribute food. Photo courtesy of CCIH.

114% of earnings. “Affordable” housing with a 20% subsidy still requires 91% of income, and “affordable” housing with a 50% subsidy commands 56%. Those lucky enough to find a home at GPA pay no more than 30% of their income for rent. Stability, along with critical support services, is essential for America’s homeless to overcome the issues that have cast them out of their homes. Dr. Ellen L. Bassuk, Founder and then President of the National Center on Family Homelessness, noted in her October 16, 2007 testimony before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity: “Residential instability, interpersonal violence, and family separation and disruption are inextricably linked.” Citing a 1992 study, Bassuk highlighted statistics on the rising number of homeless children and families and stated: “Homelessness for a child is more than the loss of a house. It disrupts every aspect of life. It separates children from their belongings, beloved pets, reassuring routines, friends and community. At a time when children should be developing a sense of safety and security, trust in their caregivers, and freedom to explore the world, they are severely limited by unpredictability, dislocation and chaos.” A report issued in mid-November 2014 by the National Center on Family Homelessness indicates a sharp increase in the number of homeless children in the US. One in thirty children (2.5 million) experienced an episode of homelessness during 2013. California, with one-eighth of the nation’s population, has one-fifth of the country’s homeless children. “CCIH’s Board is passionate about children,” affirms Louise Bourassa, CCIH Executive Director since 2005. “The most cost effective way to change the trajectory of inadequate education, trauma, and a cycle of poverty is to provide high-risk youth with a permanent home and intensive services.” “We house, engage, educate, and provide long-term and stable supports to our families,” Bourassa explains. “It all matters.” The CCIH supportive service model encompasses counseling in parenting and employment strategies and encourages parents to further their own education, while reaching children with after-school homework clubs that are highly successful in

See Hope continued on page 21

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Reconstructive Surgery: The Other Side of Plastics By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.

What I really enjoy about writing this monthly column is that it affords me the opportunity to educate, and clarify misconceptions about plastic surgery. My practice encompasses both cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery, and is in the most basic sense, about changing my patients’ quality of life. Whether the surgery is cosmetic or reconstructive, I look forward to work every day because I know I can help people feel more confident about themselves, and improve their ability to function well, both physically and emotionally. Many of my past articles have focused on education associated with cosmetic procedures, but this month I want to focus on the reconstructive side of my practice. According to the American Board of Plastic Surgery, reconstructive surgery is defined as “surgery performed on abnormal structures of the body caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors, or disease.” Generally, reconstructive surgery is performed to improve function, but may also be done to approximate a normal appearance. As a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, I perform both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Reconstructive surgery represents a significant portion of my practice. The American Board of Plastic Surgery requires extensive training in areas which include congenital defects of the head and neck, craniomaxillofacial trauma, reconstructive surgery of the breast, surgery of the hand, plastic surgery of lower extremities, plastic surgery of the trunk and genitalia, burn reconstruction, microsurgical techniques, reconstruction by tissue transfer, and surgery of benign and malignant lesions. While a plastic and reconstructive surgeon’s training is extensive and spans many areas of expertise, a strong sense for aesthetics is also critically important for a procedure to be successful. Reconstructive surgery is in fact, as much an art form as it is a science. To perform a successful reconstruction, one must envision the results, the “art,” before beginning to operate. It is “seeing” in a completely different way. Plastic surgery has often been misunderstood, or perceived as being superficial. The reality is that my training and strong aesthetic sense has enabled me to perform countless reconstructions, most recently on a pregnant woman with rapidly progressing cancer. It has allowed me to reconstruct a gunshot victim’s facial wounds, and repair the faces of dozens of children who were victims of dog attacks. Additional reconstructive procedures I’ve performed include reconstruction of skin cancer defects, skin grafts, and hand surgery. To have the opportunity to work with patients in need of reconstructive surgery is one of my greatest joys in life. I have seen the physical and emotional transformation of thousands of patients over many years of performing surgery. Enabling a patient to live a normal life, while instilling in them a sense of renewed confidence and self-esteem, is remarkably rewarding. It is more than improving appearances, it is allowing people to live the life they deserve and desire. Dr. Barbara Persons is a Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925.283.4012 or drbarb@ personsplasticsurgery.com. Advertorial

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More Accurate Test for Detection of Prostate Cancer Now Available By Charles Fiske, M.D.

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men second only to skin cancer. Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men, second only to lung cancer. One man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. Given the above noted statistics, attempts to develop an accurate and reliable method to both screen for and diagnose prostate cancer have met with limited success. The PSA blood test is the best indicator for the presence of prostate cancer. Unfortunately, the PSA can be elevated in other conditions including prostate inflammation. The current method of Trans Rectal Ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy of the prostate to diagnose cancer in men with an elevated PSA is both inaccurate and misleading, leaving the utility of the biopsy in question. TRUS biopsies in patients with an elevated PSA find insignificant cancer 40% of the time, miss significant cancer entirely 40% of the time and in those patients in which it finds cancer, it misses the most aggressive portion of the cancer 40% of the time. These results are behind the recommendation of many professional organizations to abandon the use of PSA as a screening test for prostate cancer. However, MRI of the prostate has now emerged as a new test to both accurately diagnose and localize prostate cancer. MRI has been used successfully to diagnose neurological and musculoskeletal conditions for many years. Now, MRI is being used to generate detailed images of the prostate through the acquisition of high resolution images combined with dynamic contrast enhanced images to make the accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer. Multi-parametric high field 3T MRI has been shown to detect prostate cancer with 90% accuracy. As important, if the MRI exam is normal, there is a less than 3% chance that significant disease is present. MRI has emerged as a successful adjunct to TRUS biopsy diagnosis of prostate cancer by providing accurate information on the location and severity of disease, thereby aiding urologists to more precisely target their biopsies. Because 3T MRI images the entire prostate and surrounding structures, it can detect high grade and multifocal cancers and thereby determine the full extent of disease. It is also the most accurate method of diagnosing and following low grade tumors which don’t require biopsy or aggressive treatment. NorCal Imaging of Walnut Creek is using the most advanced Multiparametric high field 3T MRI technology to diagnose prostate cancer. The scan takes less than one hour, and there is no rectal coil. This imaging process allows for the most accurate detection, characterization, localization, and staging of prostate cancer for TRUS guided biopsies, treatment and follow up. NorCal Imaging is the only outpatient provider in the Bay Area currently offering Multi-parametric 3T prostate MRI with computer assisted diagnosis. This technology is also essential in making the decision for active surveillance of low grade prostate tumors and avoiding unnecessary biopsies. A physician led informational program, including Q&A will be held in January 2015 to discuss details of this procedure. Call 925-677-5041, x272 for date, time, and registration information. Charles Fiske, M.D. is a radiologist and Medical Director of NorCal Imaging in Walnut Creek. He specializes in oncologic imaging, diagnosis, staging and image guided interventions. For more information on the use of MRI for prostate cancer diagnosis and staging, call 925-937-6100. Advertorial

925.934.3743 • 925.934.1515

www.dumploadsonus.com • www.erecycleonus.com 1271 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek Monday-Friday, 8-5 • Saturday 9-1, Sunday, closed

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 21

Ivy League Physicians Expand Radiation Oncology Program By Matthew Sirott, MD

Dr. James Rembert, Dr. Christine Chung, and Dr. Sravana Chennupati recently joined Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group, expanding our Radiation Oncology Program to include Alta Bates Summit Medical Center/Herrick Campus in Berkeley, in addition to our current Radiation Oncology Division at the California Cancer and Research Institute in Pleasant Hill. Drs. Rembert, Chung, and Chennupati are outstanding, experienced, and compassionate Radiation Oncologists who will provide high quality, cuttingedge care to patients at both locations in Pleasant Hill and Berkeley. They trained at outstanding institutions including University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Harvard Medical School, Stanford Medical School, University of California at San Francisco, Oregon Health and Sciences University, and Harvard Radiation Oncology Program. “We are very excited to join a large, multidisciplinary medical group like Diablo Valley Oncology,” stated Dr. Rembert, managing partner of the Radiation Oncology group. “This association allows us to practice in a new geographic area at a comprehensive, community based cancer center as well as continue serving our well established hospital based practice. Expanding to a group of four radiation oncologists will allow each of us to focus more on our sub-specialty areas of interest which will translate into even better care for our patients at each site,” continued Dr. Rembert. Dr. Matthew Sirott, a medical oncologist, is President and CEO of Diablo Valley Oncology and Hematology Medical Group. The group provides comprehensive, coordinated and targeted cancer care in the San Francisco East Bay. Its seventeen physicians bring together medical oncology, hematology, urology, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, clinical trials, and supportive care services. Clinic locations include Antioch, Berkeley, Brentwood, Concord, Livermore, Pleasant Hill, Rossmoor, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek. For more information about Diablo Valley Oncology and Hematology Medical Group and its expanded Radiation Oncology Program, please call 925- 825-8878 or visit us at www. dvohmg.com. Advertorial

Hope continued from page 20

bringing reading and math skills up to grade level. Physical and psychological needs are effectively addressed. Marj Ho volunteers as a homework club tutor. “Having been at Garden Park almost since the beginning, I’ve noticed a real change. At first the doors were all shut and the curtains drawn. Now everyone is out there talking together and helping each other. Parents watch each other’s children, and those who have cars offer rides to those who don’t. It helps new people coming in to know that this is a community.” Ho is understandably proud when a student who has been an underachiever begins to take his or her potential seriously. “I see over time families getting stabilized and kids more focused. One boy suddenly began getting really good grades. When asked how he managed the abrupt change he responded, ‘Yeah, I decided to listen.’” Jane Russell is in her 5th year of volunteering as a tutor at one of CCIH’s Pittsburg sites. “Some of these students don’t work well independently. They need to have someone to help them get focused,” she comments and adds that “often these students do not have a quiet place at home to do their homework or someone at home who can assist them. The affordable housing after school program offers students the academic support and encouragement they need to improve grades and academic achievement.” That encouragement extends to helping with college and scholarship applications. Three high school seniors from east county CCIH residences were accepted into four-year universities this past year. Bourassa also notes that 100% of high school seniors at GPA complete their high school degree. Russell, who volunteers with additional programs servicing the homeless, talks about those still waiting for a new lease on life. “There is a long

See Hope continued on page 22

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Page 22 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

Events for Lafayette Seniors

Our mission is to provide personalized care, help All classes are held at the Lafayette Senior maintain independence and enhance our Center (LSC) located at 500 Saint Mary’s Rd in client’s quality of life on a daily basis. Lafayette unless otherwise noted. Space is limited. • Free in-home assessments • Regular home visits Please call 925-284-5050 to reserve a spot. ensure the right care plan • Hourly care Heartfelt & Document Your Life Story If you have for you • Live-in care Supportive • Fully bonded and insured • Geriatric care mgmt. wanted to write the stories, memories and • Elder referral and placement experiences of your life but haven’t known At All Times... where to start, wait no longer. You will be guided 3645 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite D Lafayette, CA 94549 through the process of leaving a living history (beside Trader Joe’s) www.excellentcareathome.com 925-284-1213 for future generations-what a gift! These are not drop-in classes, but are meant to be taken as a Free Peer Counseling • Alder Room, LCC - Contra Costa Health complete course. Dates, times, and meeting rooms to be determined. Please Services offers free one-on-one counseling with senior (55+) counselors call Lafayette Senior Services for details: (925) 284-5050. Unless otherwise who use their life experiences to help other older adults cope with life stated, classes are free for members and $5 for non-members. Caregiver Support Group Mondays • 1:30PM – 2:30PM • Elderberry changes, problems, crises, and challenges. Confidentiality is strictly observed. Appointment required. Please call Lafayette Senior Services at 284-5050 to Room, LSC - If you are a family member helping to care for an older adult, join sign up for one of the 60-minute appointments. our support group to find balance and joy as you manage your responsibilities. Hearing Screening & Telephone Distribution - 1st Wednesday Drop-ins are welcome. pm Men’s Slow Pitch Softball League, 68 years and up This new monthly • 1-2:45 • Alder Room, LSC. As a service in addition to your hearing screening, if it determined that you are eligible for specialized Lamorinda team for players with varying levels of experience focuses on fun, telephone equipment, a representative from the California Telephone Access camaraderie and safety. Games in this recreational league will be Wednesdays, Program (CTAP) will provide you with a free adaptive telephone at your AM 9-10:30 . Teams played will be Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and Concord. appointment. Appointment required. Please call Lafayette Senior Services First-year start-up fees are estimated at $50-$55/player; fees in subsequent at 284-5050 to sign up for one of the 20-minute appointments. years will be lower. For more information, please email Alan at alkanije@ Memory Loss: Help is Close at Hand - Wednesday, 12/10 • 10:30am aol.com and use “softball” in the subject line. Words of Wisdom...From the Philosophical to the Lighthearted – Noon • Cedar Room, LSC. Getting Connected: A great place for everyone to start. Learn the basics about Alzheimer’s disease, as well as programs and services Third Tuesday Monthly • 10:30AM–noon • Cedar Room, LSC - Take part in this offered by our local Alzheimer’s Association. Partnering With Your Doctor: Your free-wheeling exchange of inspiration, information, and humor. Topics – from healthcare team is a key resource as you face the challenges of dealing with soup to nuts - will be explored, examined, and discussed by participants. Stories Alzheimer’s or other dementias. You will learn how to identify the meaning and and photographs will stimulate humorous discoveries regarding the benefits of purpose of a healthcare partnership, put into action eight strategies that strengthen becoming the ‘elders of our tribe. Lafayette Oral History Project Do you have stories about Lafayette in the a healthcare partnership, and use tools to better prepare for doctor visits.

days of yore? Allow Ryan to document that history which will then be included in the Lafayette Historical Societies’ archives, preserved for generations to come. All you have to do is tell those stories to Ryan; he’ll do the writing. You’ll receive a copy of the final document at the time of completion. Call Lafayette Senior Services for details and to be a part of this project. No charge. Lamorinda Dance Social Wednesdays • 12:30 – 3PM • Live Oak Room, LCC - Enjoy afternoon dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the first Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen and Michael will provide a dance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests. Lafayette Senior Services Commission 4th Thursday of the month from 3:30 – 5:30PM at the LSC - View agendas at the City of Lafayette office or at www.ci.lafayette.ca.us. Lamorinda Nature Walk and Bird-Watching Every Wednesday • 9AM - Noon • Alder Room, LSC - Experience nature at its finest along our local trails. Delight in the beauty that unfolds around each bend, all the while learning to identify a variety of birds. Bring a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them. Join us every Wednesday or whenever you are able. For more information or to place your name on the route email/phone list, call Lafayette Seniors Services. No charge. Come Play Mahjong! Every Tuesday • Noon–3PM • Sequoia Room, LSC - Come join us on Tuesdays for a drop-in game of mahjong. Mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and certain degree of chance. All levels welcome. Bring your card, a mahjong set, and a snack to share (optional). RSVP not required. Creative Writing Workshop Tuesdays • 11AM - 12:30PM • Toyon Room, LSC - Examine the possibilities of self-expression through writing. This friendly dropin group will welcome you and any of your writing efforts. As there is no teaching instructor, you will find encouragement and feedback from your fellow participants who will help bring out the writer in you. If you can speak, you can write! Beginners to established writers welcome. Positive Living Forum (“Happiness Club”) 2nd Thursday monthly • 10:30AM – noon • Elderberry Room, LSC - Brighten your day with Dr. Bob Nozik, MD, Prof. Emeritus UCSF and author of Happy 4 Life: Here’s How to Do It. Brighten your day and take part in this interactive gathering which features speakers on a wide range of topics that guide participants toward a more ideal and positive life experience. Drop-ins welcome!

Hope continued from page 21

waiting list (about two years) for a family to be able to move into affordable housing. It is humbling for me to hear the stories of women who are currently homeless and realize that if my circumstances were different, I could be in the same situation. These people had lives and homes, and then at one point their lives fell apart and they lost everything.” Even with additional services added at Bella Monte Apartments in Bay Point, Los Medanos Village in Pittsburg and Lakeside Apartments in Concord, CCIH gets at least 30 calls a month from truly desperate people whose needs they cannot immediately meet except by referral to other agencies. Although the possibility of acquiring more facilities exists, Bourassa asks, “How can we afford to sustain additional programs we are being asked to provide? There are few deep-pocketed advocates for homeless people.” Fortunately, as she points out, each contribution has a trickle effect that turns despair into hope. “Whether it’s overcoming lifelong challenges of trauma and/or poverty, becoming a parent, working to succeed in school, or learning job skills to support your family, hope begins with an address,” write Bourassa and CCIH Board President Stephanie Bontemps in the CCIH 2013/2014 Annual Report. “Stable, affordable housing combined with life changing supportive services are critical to ending poverty and homelessness in our community.” Justine’s story is typical of CCIH success. Raised by parents suffering from addiction and coping with her own physical disability, Justine was cycling through jail, rehab and homelessness when she discovered she was pregnant. With help from CCIH she’s been clean for four years, has a healthy son and a steady job and is pursuing a degree in social work at Diablo Valley College so she can extend a lifeline to others. Erin Jones, CCIH Development Director, confronts the challenge with optimism. Focusing on what each gift makes possible, she works with the Ruby Slippers Committee to put together the annual fundraiser, scheduled January 31st, 2015 at Round Hill Country Club. You can make hope happen. To learn about the holiday Adopt-a-Family program, Ruby Slippers, volunteering, providing financial support and more about CCIH programs, visit their website at www.ccinterfaithhousing.org.

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Tis the Season of Looking in on Loved Ones and Neighbors

Lafayette Today ~ December 2014 - Page 23

By Mary Bruns, Lamorinda Senior Transportation

Here we are in the midst of the Holiday Season – how can it be here so soon? It gets so busy that it is hard to keep up with all the things we want to do while doing all the things we have to do. As you consider the impact of the holidays on your life, I would ask you to check in on the older adults in your family and neighborhood. Do they have family and friends around, or are they becoming a little isolated? Is there enough food in the cupboard or refrigerator? Do they have transportation to the doctor or grocery store? Have the ceiling lights burned out? Is there a new battery in the smoke alarm? Has the furnace filter been changed? Is there some small way you can contribute to their well-being and quality of life? It strikes me that a nice gift would be some hand-made gift certificates for small services like changing a light bulb or battery that’s hard to reach or making a quick trip to the grocery store for a few things. Or, give a coupon for “Let’s go out for coffee/ice cream/or lunch.” These are the gifts that make our neighborhood a true community and give older adults a way to ask for help when they need it. Our busy lives sometimes get in the way of providing these small gifts of service. Here at the Lamorinda Spirit Van Program, we have been busy grant-writing and providing rides to the older adults in our community. We are fortunate to have three new drivers and one person who has begun the process. This has allowed us to reinstate taking passengers to Friday lunch at the C.C. Café and to fill all 10 shifts of four hours each to take older adults to medical and personal appointments, to grocery shopping, to classes and social visits – Monday through Friday, as well as to Sunday church. Now, we are hoping to attract additional volunteer drivers so we can have two vans out and about during peak periods. Beyond the tangible help that older adults need, people also have a need to feel welcome. Older adults often feel invisible and no longer important to the people around them. Smiling at the people you see, welcoming them, and making time for a little conversation is a big gift to give to everyone in your world, and even more important to the older adults you know. Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us, “If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it.” Reaching out to the older adults in your world and volunteering to help someone will make you smile and feel good, and everyone will profit from it. Lamorinda Senior Transportation Our partners, Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors and Orinda An Alliance of Transportation Providers Seniors Around Town, also need additional drivers. Our ability to keep up Lamorinda Spirit Van 283-3534 with the growing need is met only to the extent that our community responds Takes Lamorinda Seniors to errands, appointments, grocery shopping, to the call for more volunteer drivers. Driving older adults to appointments, special events, and to lunch at the C.C. Café. Reserve your ride at least two errands, and shopping is a truly satisfying way to provide a gift of service. business days in advance – sooner or when you make your appointment if All volunteer driver programs are funded by grants and donations, so possible. WE LOVE TO SAY “YES”! please keep us in mind as you consider your end-of-year giving. For the Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company 284-1234 Lamorinda Spirit Van Program, you may make your tax-deductible donation 20% discount for Lamorinda seniors. payable to City of Lafayette. Write Lamorinda Spirit on the memo line, and Orinda Seniors Around Town 402-4506 mail to Lamorinda Spirit, Lafayette Community Center, 500 Saint Mary’s Volunteer drivers serving Orinda seniors with free rides to appointments and Road, Lafayette, CA 94549. For Senior Helpline Services, your tax-deductible errands. check may be made payable to Senior Helpline Services and mailed to 1035A Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors 284-6161 Carol Lane, Lafayette, CA 94549. For Orinda Seniors Around Town, your Volunteer drivers serving Contra Costa seniors with free rides to doctors’ tax-deductible check may be mailed to 26 Orinda Way, Orinda, CA 94563. appointments during the week. Grocery shopping on Saturdays.

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Page 24 - December 2014 ~ Lafayette Today