San Pablo Scores a Goal with Rumrill

By Jeannie Howard

When faced with a childhood obesity epidemic the city of San Pablo did not take it lightly—they sprang into action. From creating a Childhood Obesity Prevention Task Force (COPTF) and a Youth Commission to building a new community center where all residents can access healthy eating and active living tools, the city has spent the past several years taking strides to make their city healthy all around.

The latest project the City of San Pablo has undertaken is to transform an empty parcel of land into Rumrill Park, a state-of-the-art soccer complex scheduled to be completed in April of 2015. The roughly four and a half acre park will have three U10 synthetic turf fields, a practice field and ample parking as well as kiosks and loads of lighting to make sure residents are able to get their soccer games and practice in from the early morning to late at night.

According to Charles Ching, Assistant to the City Manager, the lot Rumrill Park occupies was previously an old BNSF rail yard for which the city was given an EPA grant to clean up and turn into a soccer field.

“It was a vacant piece of blighted property—it was an eye-sore. Just imagine this giant piece of property with a lot of dumping, a lot of homelessness and with this new development all of that will be fixed,” described Ching. “It will be well lit, there will be commerce happening on the site. It’s going to make a big change in the area.”

All of the fields will be available to anyone who wants to use them, not just residence of San Pablo. “Of course we will offer reservations and those with a reservation will have priority, which is especially important to league play,” he said.

The demand for the fields has become evident since the project was announced, according to Ching. “We’ve been receiving calls from leagues in neighboring cities asking when it will be complete and what the rental rates will be.”

Ching assures rental rates will be comparable to fields in surrounding cities.

“Once the community services division and the city manager made the decision to integrate a health element into the general plan, it made healthy eating and active living an essence of the city’s governance—part of their reason for being,” said Leslay Choy, General Manager of the San Pablo EDC. “Part of the healthy initiatives the city has been implementing is to make sure people have outdoor space and this park lends itself to so many activities. It’s really huge for San Pablo.”

Unlike many sporting facilities, Rumrill Park will not have vending machines. Instead, fresh food kiosks will be opened and staffed providing locally prepared healthy foods during park hours.

“We will have two food kiosks that we will open up to local food vendors and as part of the healthy eating and active living component, we will not allow them to sell unhealthy foods,” said Ching.

“We are hoping to have some really great healthy food options available for people as well as being able to help local food entrepreneurs,” Choy continued. “Many food entrepreneurs are trying to get their name known and get their food out there but they don’t have money to open a brick and mortar location, so this is one of those great opportunities for them to build up clientele and a reputation.”

With a soccer-centric constituency, the city of San Pablo wanted to give their residence a quality facility to play their loved game, Ching said. “It’s not only a great facility to push forward the healthy eating and active living initiatives but when you look at the San Pablo demographics, we are not a high-end community,” he continued. “We are a very blue-collar family community and providing something like this to our residence is a big thing, not only from an economic development standpoint, but also from a quality of life standpoint—it’s a big boost.”

Cooking up the American Dream at Kitchen@812

By Raquel Toledo

Cindy Howell, owner of Granny’s Kitchen, is one of 17 “food-preneurs” cooking up their “American Dream” out of Kitchen@812 – a nonprofit food business incubator based in Contra Costa County.

Cindy grew up in the Bronx with her grandmother, 7 uncles, 7 aunts and 68 first cousins. It was simple – “If you wanted to eat, you had to cook”, she says. However, her inspiration for cooking wasn’t sparked by necessity.  It came from watching her Grandmother create culinary magic in the kitchen and “making the most creative meals from nothing”, Cindy shares.

After serving in the military, Cindy planted new roots in the heart of Richmond working as a nurse. It was there she found a calling to leverage her culinary talent and start a healthy food based catering business, Granny’s Kitchen. Her mission was a twofer– create healthier eating alternatives for the Richmond community and, of course, prove that kale chips could be far more delicious than potato chips when cooked in Granny’s Kitchen. The menu would offer a unique and tasty twist on locally grown, plant-based meals and fresh pressed juices.

As with so many aspiring entrepreneurs, Cindy had the vision and the drive, but no clear path on how to pursue the entrepreneurial dream.

Learning about Kitchen@812, Cindy was able to connect her business to an invaluable resource. Kitchen@812, operated by the Business Development Center, provided Cindy access to an affordable shared commercial kitchen space and guided her through the steps in growing a successful food business, supporting her with marketing and operations.

Today, Granny’s Kitchen is healthy and thriving. The food is a reflection of the chef herself, vibrant and energy-boosting. You can usually find Cindy cooking with a smile and dancing in the shared kitchen as she tells you all about the wonderful ways you can cook a vegetable you’ve likely never explored.  She also provides demonstration cooking classes on a monthly basis.

She takes pride in staying true to her mission to promote healthy eating and has expanded to include “Raw Food” cooking demos out of the commercial kitchen.  The demos are intended to teach the Richmond community how to “reverse diabetes and lower blood pressure by introducing raw plant food into their daily nutritional diet,” says Cindy.

You didn’t think she was stopping there, did you? Cindy has the dream that keeps on dreaming. Her cold pressed juices infused with organic fresh fruit, veggies and agave have proven to be a popular item on her catering menu and at the local Farmers Market. Capitalizing on this new juicing trend and with the help of Kitchen@812, Cindy is ready to pursue her next venture to take her juices wholesale.

About Kitchen@812

Kitchen@812 is a nonprofit food business incubator operated by the Business Development Center. Whether the dream is to open a bakery or catering business, Kitchen@812 works to leverage the culinary talents and passions of aspiring entrepreneurs and turn what they love to do into a growing business.  The program offers free business assistance and access to an affordable commercial kitchen space to support the launch of “food-preneurs”.  To learn more, visitwww.wccbdc.org or call 510.691.7439.

A life pitted in a smoldering love of glass

By Jeannie Howard

Cohn Stone Glass Studio  |  510-234-9690  |  Cohnstone.com

The Cohn Stone Studios story is a creative love affair forged in molten glass. While attending UC Berkeley in the 1970s, Michael Cohn and Molly Stone fell in love with glass blowing and have spent the past nearly 40 years building a reputation for creating high quality studio lines that showcase their collaborative vision as well as their individual artistic voices.

Being a couple years behind one another in their education didn’t stop the two from eventually meeting. “We really just met through the glass world, just crossed paths because we were both blowing glass,” Stone describes of how her and Cohn met in 1980.

Marrying shortly after that chance meeting, the artistic duo recently celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary. “At the studio it is a partnership and we try to keep the hats separate. We try not to talk about the studio when we are at home. It’s an effort,” she says.

With a life pitted in glass blowing it’s no wonder that nearly every waking moment for them is focused on glass. “When I wake up in the morning I can’t wait to get to the studio,” she shares. “We are so blessed that we get to do what we love.”

Stone admits that the couple is at their studio five, even six, days a week. “We are there more than we are at home. There are so many possibilities of what can be created and it is frustrating that there just isn’t enough time in the day. At some point we have to stop and actually go home,” she adds.

Their passion and dedication for their art form is evident in the remarkable pieces they create. From the whimsical nature inspired pieces to their imaginative vases and paperweights, every piece created is truly unique. “We are very picky of our work. We aim to make the very highest quality pieces we can and it is a challenge to make the next piece better than the last,” she says.

Stone credits the quality of their pieces not only to her and Cohn’s artistic skills in blowing and sculpting, but also to their proprietary formulas for making the glass.

“We melt our own glass. Each batch starts out as 13 or 14 raw materials that look like baking flour,” she describes. Once mixed, the raw batch will go into a 2,300 degree oven, which Cohn built himself, where it will cook all night. Come morning the batch will be a molten blob of glass ready to be transformed.

“Different batch formulas will act differently—some will move around longer, some will melt at lower temperatures. Our formulas are specific to how we need to and want to work with the glass. So we are always changing it depending on what we want to make.”

As an avid gardener Stone finds much of her inspiration in her garden outside the studio. This is clearly evident in her bird and flower pieces. “The birds are really fun and also challenging, which is what makes them extra fun,” she says. “Each one is unique and has a different expression.”

Stone says that a lot of inspiration for the duo also comes from simply working with the glass. “Something happens when you are working on a piece—you see something in the glass that you then develop into another idea,” she says. “Working is always an inspiration in itself.”

While they have built a loyal following for their various series, such as the pumpkins or the larger than life fruit, Stone says her and Cohn will be making a few changes in what they focus on. “Michael and I both want to make more one-of-a-kind pieces and sculptural things,” she reveals. “We are doing less of what we call production pieces, so we won’t have pumpkins anymore. We may do a special piece in that series in the future, but for right now we are not working on them.”

Loyal fans should not worry. “We’ll continue to work out of our studio and have open houses to allow the public to see what we are working on and purchase our work,” Stone assures. In between their open houses, studio hours will continue to be by appointment and she urges clients who want to stay up to date on studio happenings to sign up for their newsletter on their website.

Whether it’s her birds or flowers, the beloved pumpkins, or one-of-a-kind pieces, Stone says she “can’t imagine doing anything else. Glass work is just so much a part of who Michael and I are. We are both hands-on people and can’t imagine not creating—when I create time stands still.”

Ricky’s Corner Restaurant and Lounge

By Vickie Lewis

In today’s volatile economy, it is rare to find a privately owned restaurant that has been successful for 36 years and is still going strong!  Such is the case of Ricky’s Corner, a family-friendly restaurant and lounge, located at the end of Parker Avenue in Rodeo.  Although I’ve lived in West County my entire life, I’d never previously dined at Ricky’s, though I had heard many good things about it over the years.  But now that I’ve experienced it personally, it is definitely on my list of “go to” establishments where I can enjoy a delicious dinner in a casual comfortable environment.

Ricky’s Corner was established by Ricky and Judy Bratton, who met when they were very young while both were working at the former Vera’s Villa Valona Italian Restaurant in Crockett. Judy’s mother was the head waitress at Vera’s at that time, and trained Judy, who started as a bus girl, to wait tables.  After leaving Vera’s her parents became restaurateurs, and owned a couple of different businesses, including The Silver Dollar Restaurant, formerly located in El Cerrito.  When Judy and Ricky were ready to open a restaurant of their own, her parents helped them get started. Ricky’s Corner was opened in 1978 at the very same location where it exists today.  Sadly, Ricky passed away in 1995, but the establishment is still owned and operated by Judy and her family.

Ricky’s originally opened for lunch and dinner, but has only served dinner for the past fifteen years. It is often referred to as an Italian Restaurant, as their menu includes a half dozen Pasta entrees (including Ricky’s Homemade Cannelloni), as well as Chicken Caccitaore , Chicken Italiano, Veal Scallopini and Veal Parmesan. But there are also a variety of other non-Italian offerings, including seafood and beef entrees, pork chops, and one of Ricky’s specialties—beef liver and onions!  They also feature 7 to 8 daily specials, which vary based on product availability. Some examples include Oysters, Sweetbreads, Cajun Snapper, as well as Prime Rib dinner (every Friday and Saturday.) Suffice to say, there is an ample variety of menu selections that will appeal to any appetite!  Also important to note is that all entrees are served with soup AND salad, AND your choice of Mostaccioli, spaghetti, or French fries. Baked potatoes are available on Fridays and Saturdays.  Not only is this a great value for the price, but you definitely won’t go away feeling hungry!

Ricky’s Corner is well-known for its Fried Chicken.  They have their own special recipe that has become very popular with patrons over the years.  You can order fried chicken as an entrée; however, small and large buckets of cooked-to-order fried chicken are also available for take-out (with or without garlic) and are served with large potato wedges, which appear to be the size of a quarter of a potato.  Allow at least 30 minutes when ordering fried chicken to ensure it is hot and ready for pick-up.

Ricky’s also boasts a seasoned staff of cooks, wait staff and bartenders who are committed to providing fast and friendly customer service.  Judy’s son, Ricky, Jr., is the full time head cook, having assumed the role after his father passed away.  A second cook, Dennis, assists Ricky and has been with the restaurant for over 30 years.  The bartenders, Lori and Lucille, have also been with Ricky’s since it opened.  Several other long-time employees are on staff, and have come to know many of their customers personally.  Judy still works at the restaurant at least two nights a week, and her daughter-in-law, Chris handles the business operations (in addition to working full time for the City of Hercules.) Ricky’s diners appreciate the consistency in the staff and the friendly service they receive, which has resulted in significant repeat business and regular customers.

Contrary to the name, you won’t actually find Ricky’s Corner on a “corner”— it’s actually in the middle of the street, just as Parker Avenue curves to the right toward the Union 76 Refinery. From the outside, the gray concrete building belies the fact that inside there is a great eatery.  If not for the small lighted sign outside the lounge and the name “Ricky’s Corner” painted over the front entrance of the restaurant, it is easy to bypass this venue. Parking can be found along the street in front of and across from Ricky’s, and in the parking lots of adjacent businesses after business hours.

Upon entering the restaurant, it feels like you could be walking through the door of your grandmother’s house. Dark brown ceiling to floor paneling lines the walls which are adorned with an eclectic collection of floral paintings, other artwork, and signage.  Fluorescent lighting is mounted on the ceilings, and each table adjacent to a wall is lighted by a small wall-mounted lamp. Wooden hutches, book cases, and shelving add to the décor and the “homey” feeling of the room.  Wooden benches near the entrance, for patrons waiting to be seated or to pick up take-out, are reminiscent of church pews. In addition to a full-sized bar, the lounge includes additional tables where patrons can dine while watching a wall-mounted television. For additional entertainment, there is also a juke box, as well as a full-sized pool table and a Pac-Man arcade game.

My guest during this visit had dined at Ricky’s many times over the years, always with a positive experience.  When we were seated with our menus, I perused the offerings for several minutes before deciding, while my guest selected a favorite entrée that she’d enjoyed before.  We started with an appetizer of Deep Fried Mushrooms and Deep Fried Raviolis. These are listed individually on the menu, but our request for a half order of each was happily accommodated.  My guest ordered the Steak Parmesan, breaded steak topped with melted cheese and mushroom gravy, and I decided on the Filet of Sole, batter dipped and grilled with almonds. It’s important to note that Ricky’s makes all of its own soups, salad dressings, and sauces in-house.  Each day, two types of homemade soups are available—minestrone is served daily, but the other selection varies.  On the night of our visit, my guest ordered the Navy Bean Soup, and I ordered the Minestrone.  For our salads, we had our choice of four homemade dressings—Blue Cheese, Ranch, Italian, and Thousand Island.

While waiting, we enjoyed fresh sourdough bread, and enjoyed our refillable beverages, Iced Tea and Diet Coke, which were served in tall glasses.  The appetizers arrived promptly and were quite excellent!  There was a generous portion of both the mushrooms and raviolis, fried crisp with a light, seasoned batter.  The mushrooms were our favorite, but the raviolis were also very good. Soups were served next in cup-sized portions. The minestrone tasted very fresh with lots of well-cooked vegetables and shell pasta.  My guest’s Navy Bean soup was reminiscent of the bean soup my grandmother used to make—thick and hearty with pieces of ham, very tasty, and not at all salty–the kind of soup that one could make a meal of! Our generously portioned salads included beets, cucumber slices, and delicious, crunchy homemade croutons.

When our entrees arrived, we were already full from all of the other items we’d eaten.  So when the heaping plates arrived, we knew that take out containers would be required!  My entrée included three pieces of sole with a generous serving of fresh, sliced almonds on top. My side of Mostaccioli with homemade marinara was just the right size and was cooked “al dente”.  The sole was delicious, although the first couple of bites had a few small bones.  But the remainder was bone-free, and I enjoyed it with tartar sauce and squeezed lemon. I also found that I enjoyed the crunchiness and flavor of the almonds on the sole, which I hadn’t had before.  My guest’s steak parmesan was easily enough for two meals, accompanied by a large portion of spaghetti.  I tried a bite of the steak, and it was quite tender and flavorful.

For dessert, I enjoyed Kahlua Parfait, vanilla ice cream, covered with Kahlua, topped with whipped cream.  My guest indulged in the Strawberry Delight, which was vanilla ice cream, strawberries, and whipped cream.  Ricky’s also offers several other ice cream dessert choices, as well as Chocolate Mousse and Cheesecake.  The ice cream desserts were a light culmination to the meals we had just enjoyed.

Ricky’s is also a great place for family dining, and offers a Children’s Menu for those 12 and under, with prices ranging from $7.25 to $8.50 for entrée, sides, and drink. Prices on the regular menu range from $3.75 to $9.25 for appetizers and $13.95 to $18.95 for entrees.  All menu items are also available for take-out.  Ricky’s is very popular, having developed a regular following during its long tenure in Rodeo, so it can get often get quite busy, especially on weekends. Reservations are gladly accepted.   

If you have not discovered Ricky’s Corner, I strongly encourage you to give it a try the next time you are seeking a new place to dine.  Although the décor may seem a bit old-fashioned (because that’s the way the regulars like it), you will find friendly people committed to good, old-fashioned customer service, which is often hard to find these days.  I’m sure that you, like me, will find that Ricky’s Corner is a hidden gem in West County and will want to return again and again.

Pictures From The North Shore

By John Strohmeier

If you’re at home in West County and in need of a getaway, but are maybe short on time or gas money, you live in the right place. Contra Costa County’s “North Shore,” an area that stretches along San Pablo Bay and the Sacramento River from Pinole to Port Costa, is full of hidden gems to discover. We tend to think of this area as part of the East Bay, but get out your compass, and you’ll see that the view from the beach indeed faces north, toward the Sonoma and Napa Valley watersheds. Here are some people and places to visit along the road. For information on the North Shore Alliance, go to http://www.visitnorthshore.org.

Four Fools Winery, Rodeo

One stop should be Four Fools Winery in Rodeo. Licensed just last year, this is West County’s only winery open to the public on a regular basis. The tasting room, open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5:00pm, pours from a selection of six wines, red and white. Four Fools is a good starting point for North Shore road bike tours that can reach as far as Benecia, along such scenic routes as Franklin Canyon and the Carquinez Scenic Highway. You can finish the day with happy hour on the Four Fools deck overlooking the bay.

Four Fools is more than just a winery. It hosts weekly yoga classes and regular public events, some featuring live music. To get to Four Fools Winery, at 13 Pacific in Rodeo, take the Willow Avenue Exit off I-80 and head toward the bay. Turn left onto First Street, then right onto Pacific. When you cross the bridge you’ll see the water tank. That’s where the winery is. Go to http://www.fourfoolswinery.com for more information. 

The Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge Viewpoint, On the Way to Crockett

If any roadside viewpoint can be a road trip destination, it’s this one, just uphill from the Dead Fish Restaurant on San Pablo Avenue between Rodeo and Crockett. Day and evening views can be spectacular, as these photos show. But what I like best are the fascinating notes on signs placed around the viewing area. The notes comprise a history of life along the Carquinez Strait, including the Native American experience, Mare Island history, Mexican and Yankee settlement tales, and a marvelous episode from Jack London’s novel, John Barleycorn, which took place in the cold waters below.

Of special interest is the story of ironworker Alfred Zampa, after whom the new Carquinez Bridge span is named. According to the commemorative plaque here, Zampa worked on the three most famous bridge projects in the Bay Area — the Golden Gate, Carquinez and Oakland-Bay — and survived a fall from the Golden Gate Bridge, still in progress, thanks to a safety net. To the local ironworker trade, Zampa, a Crockett native, is a legend.

The Art Scene in Crockett

Park your car anywhere in central Crockett and you’re probably near the front door of an artist studio or gallery. Epperson Gallery at 1400 Pomona Street is likely to be the first one you see. Joanne and Jerry Epperson started this spacious gallery, which also houses seven working artist studios, in 1996. Paintings and ceramic work on display here are produced by artists throughout Northern California. Around the corner and down a block, at 1225 Ceres, you’ll find Bella Galleria di Valona, owned by painter Clorinda Smith. Here you’ll find a collection of antiques and collectibles alongside original artworks — painted, fiber and ceramic — most by local Crockett artists. On the walk between these two shops there are other shops and galleries of interest, and on a warm fall day you might catch a glimpse of an artist at work in his or her studio, or on location in front of one of Crockett’s historic buildings.

A gallery not to be missed is the Bailey Art Museum, down the hill in Crockett at 325 Rolph Avenue. This unique gallery, known by some as the Robot Museum, features the work of its owners Clayton and Betty Bailey. Clayton’s amazingly imaginative work — in sculpture, ceramics, glass and other media — has gained him international fame. He was recently named Golden Bear Artist of the Year by the California Arts Council. The Bailey Museum is home to a life’s work ranging over more than five decades. If you are wondering what Dr. Gladstone’s Weird Science Laboratory looks like, or have never seen a bigfoot egg, or a Clinker Pot made of Port Costa clay, stop by the museum between 1 and 5pm any Saturday or Sunday.

Crockett Museum

I visited this museum, located at 900 Loring Avenue, about thirty years ago and never forget what a fun place it was. In 2014, after a couple big earthquakes, including one this past August that broke a few antique booze bottles, the museum is still just as good. Not surprisingly, the museum has an impressive collection of materials related to the history of C&H Sugar, but the focus here is really on the life and people of Crockett, including hometown hero Aldo Ray, who starred alongside such film legends as Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy and Rita Hayworth in the 1950s. Ray’s idea of a refreshing workout, so museum docent Nancy Rieser tells visitors, was to swim from Crockett, out to and around Mare Island and back, which got him into trouble more than once when the island was still a US Navy base.

To see the whole museum right, budget enough time. It’s best not to leave without seeing the display on the history of Crockett’s bars (which once numbered 40), the recently added section on the contributions of women to Crockett culture, and the stuffed Leviathan known as “Joe’s Fish,” the largest sturgeon ever caught in the Carquinez Strait. Nancy or one of her colleagues will show you the actual pole it was caught with, not much more than a twig.

8 Years, 16 Trips – A Journey of a Lifetime

By Diane Springer, Founder – Orphan’s Hope Project, Inc., and Pinole Resident

When you travel to a third world country and live as the locals do, you see, feel and understand so much more than if you were staying in a hotel.  May 2006, 8 years ago, I found myself in Guatemala, in a small village in the mountains. As a long time homeowner, business woman and resident of Pinole, I soon discovered that Guatemala was not at all like the comforts of Pinole, CA.  I was one of 7 adults, volunteering for two weeks at Hogar Miguel Magone, an all boys’ orphanage outside of Guatemala City.  The days were warm, the small bedroom (shared with 3 other adults) was cramped and hot but the smiles and hugs of the 55 boys were endearing.  Staff was limited and that’s why our presence was so important to the children.

Some of the boys were indeed orphans.  Some were without family members that could care for them or educate them.  Some had been abused, in horrible ways, and they were little wounded souls.  Some had been street children who needed a home and adult guidance. Some were malnourished when they arrived, but with many other active children around them, we saw kids change, grow and trust.  They learned the rules, ate life sustaining food and started going to school.  They were fed wholesome food, they had a bed and they had adults that cared.

Fast forward a few months to my second trip, with my adult son Aaron, in December 2006 and January 2007.  Changes had been made. Things were improving and the Oakland Raider organization, the Exchange Club and other service clubs had become big supporters of me and my plans.  Unfortunately, after that second trip, the support of the earlier organization was pulled from Guatemala and we feared that the orphanage would flounder. Financially strapped without funds from volunteer fees and without volunteers coming in, the work would increase and the children would struggle for attention and love.

February 2006 was a pivotal point in my life.  After a few days of thinking about it, I decided that I could do this.  I could find ways to help fund the orphanage and I could get paying volunteers to the home to be with and to work with the boys.  I sought legal help and started the process to become a 501(c)3.  Forming a non-profit organization meant I had to file all sorts of forms, register with multiple government agencies, do lots of research and reading, establish a board of directors, get a business license, file state and federal taxes for the non-profit in subsequent years, create a web site, etc.  It was just something that had to be done to make it legal and to be recognized as a viable non-profit organization.  In the fall of 2006, I received notification that the non-profit status of Orphan’s Hope Project, Inc. had been approved and that approval was retroactive to April 2006.  Ah yes, I felt success at having done it and relief that the real work could begin.

Many trips were taken, many volunteers from all over the US went to Guatemala and worked (some local Pinole teens and college students also), many friends and families donated, many improvements were made and so many people and organizations supported our work. Many individuals and families came to Guatemala and fell in love with the children. For that, I will always be grateful.

Approximately 4 years ago, the Melia Family Foundation, a group of LegalShield Associates, decided to choose Orphan’s Hope Project, Inc. as their charity of the year for 2010.  They worked hard and had various fundraisers, golf tournaments, bracelet sales, 5K Runs, auctions, cookbook sales, t-shirt sales and more.  Instead of lending their support for just one year, they are now starting their 5th year of raising funds for Orphan’s Hope Project, Inc.

Fast forward again.  With 16 trips to Guatemala under my belt, I am pleased to announce that we created something special in Guatemala. On May 24, 2014 we had the grand opening of Maria Auxiliadora, a brand new, architecturally designed, all girls’ orphanage.  It is fully independent of the boys’ orphanage and will house 32 girls at capacity.  It is next door to the boys’ orphanage and on a separate parcel of land, with tall walls for security and protection of the girls. It was designed with a princess theme, it looks like a castle, and we feel like the girls that live there are our princesses.  They deserve it and they deserve a better life. We hope to empower the girls and teach them to be strong, independent women. There are two dorm rooms with bunk beds, multiple sinks and bathrooms, ample storage, a TV room, a study room, a large play room, an office, a couple of bedrooms for female volunteers, a restaurant quality kitchen, a large dining room,  a laundry room and more.  It is beautiful!  Last year, we did buy a new Mitsubishi van for the new orphanage and it is the source of transportation for the girls and staff.

Yes, we did it.  With the financial backing of the Melia Family Foundation and their Work, Play, Love organization, the new orphanage was fully funded and built.  The Work, Play, Love organization continues to raise funds to pay the monthly administrative costs and other costs to run the new girls’ home. We hope you enjoy the photos and the tale of our incredible journey to get to this point.  People helping people, across the world, donating what they can spare, working together selflessly, can make great changes in the world and in the lives of the innocents; the children.

For more photos and on-going updates, please ‘Like’ our Facebook page. It is Orphans Hope Project Inc.  The web site is http://www.OrphansHopeProject.org but updates appear more often on the Orphans Hope Project Inc Facebook page. For additional questions, please contact me at OrphansHope@aol.com. Thank you to all who made this possible!  You are heroes.

Take a Drive Down Mural Lane – A glimpse into the outdoor art culture of West County

By Matt Larson

In an age where emphasis on the arts is diminishing faster than gas prices are rising, West Contra Costa County is fortunate enough to have numerous organizations that have funded some breathtaking murals in the area. We’ve selected four of them to highlight, but encourage you to do some exploring to see what others you can find.

We start our tour at the Wells Fargo branch at 1374 Fitzgerald Drive, Pinole. Just walk into the bank and tell the host you’d like to view the mural.

This mural is part of Wells Fargo’s Community Mural Program. They contacted the Pinole Historical Society to provide them with enough photos and information to create a mural accurately depicting the history of Pinole. “We look at this mural as part of the Society’s exhibit space,” says Jeff Rubin, Vice-President of the Pinole Historical Society. “We don’t have a museum, so we look for every opportunity we can to spread history. This mural is marvelous.” Watch Jeff and others explain the mural in great detail at http://www.pinolehistoricalsociety.org/PinoleMural.mov.

From here, take I-80 down to the Barrett Ave exit—right on Barrett, left on 27th, then your second right to find the Richmond Senior Center at 2525 Macdonald Ave. To get the best look of the mural you may have to cross the street. Maybe pick up a Casper’s hot dog while you’re over there. 

The mural is titled The Extraordinary Ordinary People, unveiled by the Richmond Arts and Culture Commission. Artist Judy Baca took charge of this project and wanted to create something that spoke to the generations of people that have lived in Richmond from the beginning to present day; from the Ohlone Native Americans to World War II to Richmond’s current citizens and environmental “green” movement. For a detailed explanation on all the panels visit http://www.judybaca.com, click on “Latest Projects” and then “The Richmond Mural Project”. 

Next continue down Macdonald Ave. until you reach the intersection at 41st St. to arrive at the West Contra Costa County Children’s Services building. The mural is titled Imagination is the Pathway to Change.

“We did it over the last two summers,” says Loriana Valente, a mental health clinical specialist at the West Contra Costa County Children and Adolescent Mental Health clinic. She oversaw the mural process from start to finish. “It was actually two different mural projects that we did; funded through the Rainbow Community Center’s Contra Costa LGBTQ Youth Advocacy Collaborative program in Concord.” She partnered with some staff members, a group of about 8 kids that were clients of the clinic, and Peskador, an artist that is part of the CRP (Community Rejuvenation Project). 

With imagery including rainbows, dragons, Dia de los Muertos, a Latina version of Rosie the Riveter and much more, the mural is all about expression and acceptance. Peskador created the drawing after the group discussion, drew it on to the wall, then taught the kids how to spray paint in the lines. For a map of all the murals that the CRP has helped produce, scroll down the left sidebar at crpbayarea.org. 

Finally, head back on Barrett Ave. toward 40th St., turn left on Richmond Pkwy., then right on S. Garrard Blvd. Keep going until you see the tunnel and park. From this approach you’ll see the words “Ferry Point” adorned by two Pelicans, circa 1996; on the other, “Point Richmond” with egrets, finished just last year. Whichever words you see will take you to that destination once passing through. Local Richmond artist John Wehrle explains his inspiration behind the birds: “Pelicans are a reminder of the natural elements. And the egrets … one can never have too many egrets, let’s put it that way.” 

Thanks to the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council you can appreciate Wehrle’s work on the tunnel. “It’s just to make the passage through a little more enjoyable,” he says. The tunnel is officially where our tour ends (though the Richmond Plunge is just nearby and Wehrle has a fabulous mural in there as well). For more of Wehrle’s work visit  http://www.troutinhand.com.