News from Around the District - December, 2017
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Help Local Families in Your County with a Donation to the
Counties Care Holiday Food Fight
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Since 2004, employees of Contra Costa and Solano counties have competed during the holiday season to raise funds for the Food Bank. It's a friendly competition, with the county that raises the most funds per employee winning the Big Apple trophy for one year. The trophy and bragging rights pass back and forth, but the real winners are the hungry of both counties. In the 14 years since the Counties Care challenge began, the total amount raised by employees of both counties is $1,586,102.88. To learn how you can help or to donate,
click here .
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Join Friends and Family for Community Chanukah Celebrations
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I
n
Alamo
, celebrate the second night with a Public Menorah Lighting at Alamo Plaza on December 13th from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Enjoy music, latkes, doughnuts, and fun for the entire family.
See below for information about the
Blackhawk
celebration.
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Supervisor Andersen Attends CSAC Conference in Sacramento
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The CSAC Annual Meeting provides a full program of workshops and policy discussions about issues that matter to counties in California. One of this year's keynote speakers
is a familiar face on television and one of broadcasting’s most respected journalists, Jane Pauley who discussed
her own struggle with being bi-polar and the need to continue to destigmatize mental illness and find treatments for those suffering from it, just as we seek cures for other diseases.
At left, Supervisor Andersen and Supervisor Diane Burgis stand with guest speaker Jane Pauley.
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Active Seniors at The Heritage Downtown in Walnut Creek
Learn About County Issues
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The Heritage Downtown, a senior active living community in Walnut Creek with about 125 residents, invited Supervisor Andersen to speak to them
on November 1st. The residents were anxious to hear about current events in Contra Costa County, and asked quite a few questions after the presentation.
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Head Start Joint Training
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On November 1st, Supervisor Andersen, along with Supervisor Diane Burgis, Supervisor Federal Glover, Supervisor Gioa's Chief of Staff Sonia Bustamante, and Supervisor Mitchoff's Deputy Chief of Staff Lia Bristol, attended the Head Start and Early Head Joint Governance Meeting in Concord. Opportunities for families and a vision for future avenues to be explored were discussed.
The County's Community Services Bureau provides comprehensive services for approximately 2,100 children, ages 0-5 and their families each day. This includes education, health, disability and mental health services, nutrition and family support services, and resources to all families enrolled in the program.
Research confirms that children who attend high-quality early care and education programs are better prepared for Kindergarten. High-quality care and education offers one of the highest returns of any public investment – ranging from $7 to $14 for every dollar spent – by potentially reducing future expenditures on special education, public assistance, and the criminal justice system.
For more information about the County's Head Start and Early Head Start programs,
click here
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Help with Native Habitat Restoration
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Danville Tree Lighting Open House
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On Friday, November 24th, friends and neighbors joined Supervisor Andersen at her open house during the annual lighting of the old Oak Tree in Danville.
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Supervisor Andersen Speaks to Leadership San Ramon Valley
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Supervisor Andersen attended Government Day for the San Ramon Valley Leadership program and presented an overview of local government and its relationship to other governmental bodies. Students received first-hand experience in civic leadership by campaigning and running for public office in a mock city council election. Opportunities were provided throughout the day to interact with current and former public office holders as well as public service administrators. One of the goals of the program, and this session, was to familiarize the class with methods of effecting change through the governmental process. For more information about Leadership San Ramon Valley,
click here
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Congratulations to Eagle Scout Ben Clark of Alamo
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Ben Clark of Alamo, belonging to Mt. Diablo-Silverado Troop 822, became an Eagle Scout on November 5th.
For his Eagle Project Ben organized a school supply collection for the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, California. The collected items helped with the ongoing demand for these supplies at the hospital, helping youth with serious and long-term medical needs. While the children are in the hospital they miss school, and are often far away from their homes and families, needing the supplies so that they can do their school work.
As part of Ben's project, he and his fellow scouts distributed flyers to homes in Alamo and Danville announcing the collection drive and asked people to place items for donation on their doorsteps. Ben received help from more than 15 scouts and 8 leaders and together they spent more than 115 hours on this project. Ben was able to deliver over 25 boxes filled with school supplies to Oakland Children's Hospital.
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Hazardous Materials Incident Response Team Honored
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Urban Shield is a regional preparedness exercise that takes place each year and assesses response capabilities for serious incidents, disasters and emergencies.
Contra Costa Health Services Hazardous Materials Programs has the primary hazardous materials incident response team in Contra Costa County. The Contra Costa Hazardous Materials Incident Response Team won second place in the hazardous response portion of the Urban Shield Exercise for 2017.
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Presentation recognizing November 2017 as Homeless Awareness month in Contra Costa County
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The month of November is recognized as Homelessness Awareness Month in the United States. The Board of Supervisors recognizes that homelessness continues to be a serious problem for many individuals and families in Contra Costa.
The Supervisors encourage all citizens to recognize that thousands of people in Contra Costa do not have housing and need support from citizens, and private/public nonprofit service entities. For more information about how you can help our homeless in Contra Costa County,
click here
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Orinda Tree of Lights Ceremony
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Join the Orinda Community for their 2017 Tree of Lights ceremony on Saturday, December 2nd, from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the Orinda Village, by the Bank of America.
For over thirty years, the Tree of Lights ceremonies have offered members of the communities a way to honor the lives of their friends and loved ones. By dedicating a Memorial Light for a suggested gift of $30, 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.
This ceremony is part of Orinda's community holiday celebration. Memorial names are not read at this ceremony.
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Racial Justice Task Force Forum in Danville
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In 2016, the Board of Supervisors established a 17-member Racial Justice Task Force to research and identify measures to reduce racial disparities in the criminal justice system, plan and oversee implementation of the measures, and report on progress made toward reducing racial disparities within the criminal justice system.
Last month, the County, along with RDA consultants, held a Racial Justice Task Force forum in each of the five supervisorial Districts, inviting the community to hear about the project purpose, work to-date, and provide input on the topics the Racial Justice Task Force is discussing.
The well-attended District 2 forum was held on November 8th at Danville Congregational Church.
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Holiday Helpers Warehouse
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Donate a new toy! Contra Costa County Employment & Human Services is sponsoring a holiday toy drive.
You can make a difference this holiday season by donating a NEW toy or gift (unwrapped) for a child in need.
Drop off your gifts at our office by December 7th, or on December 8th between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at Contra Costa Employment and Human Services, 500 Ellinwood Way in Pleasant Hill.
For more information call VESTIA at (925) 521-5060.
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AAUW 13th Annual Holiday Home Tour
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The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) presents their 13th Annual Holiday Home Tour on Friday, December 8th and Saturday, December 9th from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tickets $40 each. Five Festive Danville and Alamo homes are featured.
Mail your check payable to: "Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW" with a business size, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: AAUW Holiday Home Tour, PO Box 996, Alamo, CA 94507.
Tickets are available at East Bay Flower Company at 206 Sycamore Valley Rd W. Danville (Livery Shopping Center) with cash or checks only. Or you can purchase them online by
clicking here
. No children under 12.
The profits from the Holiday Home Tour go to Tech Trek, a week long, residential summer camp for ten middle school girls with interest in science, technology, engineering and/or math (STEM) at Sonoma State University and to local scholarships for women to complete their undergraduate or graduate degrees. AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.
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Annual Homeless Point in Time Count
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The
Continuum of Care Planning, Health, Housing and Homeless Services Division
is seeking volunteers to help with the annual Homeless Point in Time Count in late January. Volunteers will be trained on how to administer a short survey and then be stationed at specific community sites with other volunteers to conduct the surveys. This survey provides valuable information on the scope of homelessness, particularly around the number of unsheltered people on the streets and the progress being made to end homelessness. It is also used by local agencies to help plan services and programs appropriately, address strengths and gaps, increase public awareness, and attract resources to help end homelessness.
Volunteers are needed to help conduct surveys on Wednesday, January 24th and Thursday, January 25th. Volunteers who want to participate will need to attend a training the week of January 15th before being able to administer the survey, even if they've volunteered with the Point In Time count before.
To get more information and to volunteer, please
click here
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Moraga Holiday Tree Lighting
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Join Santa and his Moraga Youth Involvement Committee helpers for the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, December 7th. Enjoy cookies and hot cocoa in the Commons Park at 6:30 p.m. with the tree lighting at 7:00 p.m.
You can help light the tree by donating to the Buy-a-Bulb Fundraiser. Please send checks payable to the Town of Moraga, Attn: Buy-a-Bulb, 2100 Donald Drive, Moraga, CA 94556
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Lafayette Chamber December Holiday Mixer
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The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce annual holiday mixer will be held f
rom 5:30pm to 7:30pm on Wednesday
, December 13th at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Building, 3780 Mt. Diablo Boulevard.
Enjoy food from many of Lafayette's “award winning” restaurants and caterers, and partake in the big holiday raffle. The mixer is $10 for members, $20 for non-members. Bring at least 3 canned items for the Food Bank and admission is free
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Moraga Reopens Canyon Bridge with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
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The temporary one-lane bridge from Moraga to Canyon opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, November 22nd. To commemorate this occasion, a procession of police and fire vehicles crossed the bridge acknowledging the important access needs of emergency responders at this vital entrance point into the community of Canyon.
Pictured above are Moraga Councilmembers Dave Trotter, Kymberleigh Korpus, Mayor Jeanette Fritzkey, Councilmember Teresa Onoda and Edric Kwan.
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County Seeks Nominations for Humanitarian of the Year and Student Humanitarian of the Year
Awardees to be Honored at January Event Commemorating the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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In 2018, fifty years will have passed since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That sobering reminder will serve as a backdrop to Contra Costa County’s 40
th
annual commemoration of Dr. King’s life and legacy. We hope you will make a note to save the date of Tuesday, January 16, 2018, and plan to attend our community celebration.
At the event each January, the Board of Supervisors also recognizes a community member as well as a student leader whose dedication to others embodies the spirit and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The nomination period is now open for candidate names to be submitted for both the adult and student humanitarians. We encourage east bay residents to nominate an adult and/or student whose achievements reflect the spirit of Dr. King’s work and achievements.
In January of this year, James Noe was honored as the County’s Humanitarian of the Year for a lifetime of work helping people in need. Our Student Humanitarian of the Year was Paige Godvin, then a Monte Vista High School senior, who at a young age has already had a long list of accomplishments that follow in the path of Dr. King.
You can submit your nomination of an adult or student candidate by visiting the County’s website by
clicking here, where
you can also find out more about past ceremonies and see prior humanitarian winners.
The deadline to submit names for consideration is Friday, December 15, 2017.
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39th Annual Lafayette Community Thanksgiving Breakfast
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Supervisor Andersen attended the annual Lafayette Community Breakfast on November 17th at the Lafayette Veteran's Memorial Center. Candace is shown here visiting with Lafayette resident Larry Duson.
Guest speaker Deanne Pearn, Executive Director for Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, talked about the mission of CCIH to provide permanent, affordable housing and vital support services to homeless and at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County.
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San Ramon Historic Foundation Crab Feed
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Join the San Ramon Historic Foundation for their popular annual crab feed, known to be one of the best crab feeds in San Ramon.
All proceeds benefit the preservation and programs at Forest Home Farms Historic Park. The event is being held at the Dougherty Station Community Center,
17011 Bollinger Canyon Rd, in San Ramon.
The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and dinner service at 7:00 p.m. An auction of special desserts and fun games will round out this great event. All for only $55 per person. For tickets,
click here
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San Ramon Valley Street Smarts "Be Reel" Video Contest
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Do you know a middle school student who is interested in filmmaking, creating digital media, or acting? If so, the 13th Annual Street Smarts “Be Reel!” Video Contest is for them!
The Street Smarts “Be Reel!" Video Contest provides San Ramon Valley middle school students (grades 6–8) the opportunity to showcase their knowledge of traffic safety by producing public service announcements (PSAs) that educate their friends, family, and community. As a component of the Street Smarts Program, the video contest aims to raise awareness about traffic safety issues to both the students participating in the contest and those who see their work. Participants can be individuals or a group of up to four middle school students, who can win on a specific traffic safety theme. This year’s video theme is “Gear Up for Safety!”
Finalist videos will be screened at a special awards ceremony on March 13, 2018, at the Danville Village Theatre. At the ceremony, the top video entries will be recognized and awarded prizes several categories. In addition, all finalist videos are shown on Contra Costa Television.
Complete rules and guidelines, required forms, submission process, and video ideas are available online by
clicking here.
Videos must be submitted by Tuesday, December 19th, no later than 4:00 p.m., uploaded to
BeReel! Video Contest 2017-18.
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Industrial Association Annual Supervisors Luncheon
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Supervisor Andersen spoke at the annual Industrial Association luncheon on November 9th in Pleasant Hill.
The Industrial Association of Contra Costa County provides its industrial and business members opportunities to share information and concerns about issues and trends affecting the economic vitality and quality of life in Contra Costa County.
Each year, the Supervisors are invited to meet with member companies and hear their most pressing challenges and concerns, and to share their goals and plans for the coming year.
On the right, Supervisor Andersen stands with Jack Bean, Executive Director of the Industrial Association of Contra Costa County.
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Annual Moraga Veterans Ceremony
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Supervisor Andersen participated in the annual Moraga Veterans Ceremony on November 11th at the Moraga Commons.
The posting of the Colors and the Flag Ceremony included both Boy and Girl Scout Troops.
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Candidates Can Get an Earlier Start on Running for Office
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Attention to those Contra Costa residents looking to run for office: under new State law the date to start collecting signatures to run for office has been moved up two weeks and will begin on December 14th.
Candidates seeking to run for state, federal and county offices in 2018 have the ability to start the process early and gather signatures of registered voters to reduce the filing fee. Each qualifying signature brings down the final cost for filing. A bill recently signed into law changed the state’s Election Code and moved the timeframe for candidates to collect these signatures in lieu of the filing fee.
The Contra Costa Elections Division is offering appointments to interested candidates on weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Documents for those with appointments will be prepared ahead of their appointment time.
The process should take no more than 20 minutes. Walk-ins are always welcome. To schedule an appointment please request a date and time by
clicking here
or call 925-335-7800.
The filing fees vary by office. Information about the filing cost for specific offices and more information about the filing process is available on the Contra Costa Elections Division website by
clicking here
.
Signatures collected in lieu of fees count toward any signature requirement for that office.
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The Rotary Club of Lafayette Welcomes the Supervisor
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Candace joined Larry Blodgett, President of the Rotary Club of Lafayette and Don Anderson, Rotary member at their monthly luncheon on November 2nd.
Supervisor Andersen spoke to the group about current County issues and programs of interest to the Lafayette community.
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Walnut Creek Honors Veterans
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Candace joined other local city, county and state officials to honor Veterans at the annual Walnut Creek Veterans Day event held at the Lesher Center.
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Apply for a California Arts Council Grant
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On December 5th, eight California Arts Council grant programs will open for applications - with seven more to follow by the end of the month. Details and links to program offerings opening December 5th are below.
State arts funding saw a significant permanent increase this year. Greater investment equals greater opportunity to meet the demand for arts and cultural experiences across California. This grant season stands a good chance of beating the number of grants awarded for the 2016-17 fiscal year; already more than they have awarded in the past decade.
The California Arts Council invests in California nonprofit organizations and units of government via competitive grant programs, administered through a multi-step public process.
Program details including availability, application deadlines, guidelines, and more can be found by
clicking here
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San Ramon Arts Foundation Presents Handel’s The Messiah
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Dust off the Libretto and tune up the vocal cords for the 2017 San Ramon Sing-A-Long Messiah on December 17th at 7:00 p.m. at the San Ramon Community Center at Central Park.
Under the direction of Maestro Tim Smith, the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra, four guest soloists, and the audience present an inspirational message of joy and celebration to the inspiring music of George F. Handel’s most festive of oratories, The Messiah. Whether you sing or just sit back and enjoy the music, this is an event for the entire family. Join in after the performance in the Community Center lobby to sing Holiday songs and Christmas carols! For more information, visit the Arts Foundation by
clicking here
.
Choral workshops are available for those who want to practice and prepare, but these are not required to come and enjoy the event. Tickets to the Messiah Sing-A-Long can be purchased for $10 at the door the evening of the show.
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HomeAid Fundraiser at Lesher Center
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Supervisor Andersen and her husband, Phil, attended HomeAid LIVE, HomeAid Northern California’s hallmark fundraising event, on November 13th at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. HomeAid Northern California is a non-profit that builds and renovates multi-shelter units for the homeless. Formed in 1999, HomeAid Northern California has built or renovated 30 multi-unit shelters with 10 more underway.
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Holiday on the Farm
in San Ramon
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Join in on the holiday fun Saturday, December 9th, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Forest Home Farms Historic Park. This event is free.
Enjoy an old-fashioned holiday gathering at Forest Home Farms Historic Park. Have a traditional holiday family experience including visits with their Victorian Santa and his reindeer, old-fashioned ornament making, a puppet show, holiday entertainment, and refreshments. Special holiday tours of the Glass House Museum will be given at 1:00 p.m. ($5 fee).
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Santa’s Mailbox is in Danville
Letters dropped by Dec 8 will receive response by Dec 24
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Looking for a place to drop off those Christmas wish lists? Look no further than Santa’s Mailbox, now open at the Danville Community Center.
Children can write a letter to Santa and drop it off from November 27, 2017 to December 8, 2017. In return, they will receive a letter from the jolly old elf by December 24, 2017. The mailbox is located in the lobby of the Danville Community Center, 420 Front Street.
Letters can be dropped off Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The Danville Library will also have a mailbox for letter drop-off during open business hours. Parents, please be sure to include a
return mailing address
with all letters. For more information, contact the Danville Community Center at (925) 314-3400.
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Lamorinda Arts Council “Call for Poet Laureate Applications”
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The Lamorinda Arts Council (LAC) announces the formation of a Poet Laureate Program (PLP) which marks the first opportunity of its kind for their local literary community. Thanks to endorsements from the City Councils of Orinda and Lafayette, the Lamorinda Arts Council PLP will manage and support the Poet Laureate who will serve both Lafayette and Orinda. Poets interested in this position are invited to apply online by
clicking here
. The deadline to receive all online applications is December 31, 2017 at 5 p.m.
The Poet Laureate will be called upon to write theme-based poetry and read poetry at civic and other events such as public ceremonies and dedications. They will also support the Lamorinda Arts Council PLP activities in the schools and community and serve as a liaison with literary organizations.
The selection committee will review potential candidates and recommend a Poet Laureate to the two city councils to be appointed in early 2018. The Poet Laureate will serve a two year term and receive a yearly $3,000 stipend. Professional poets who live and/or work in the cities of Lafayette or Orinda are eligible. Duties include poems of occasion for community and civic events, poetry events including K-12 schools and more.
Founded in 1950 as the Orinda Arts Council, the now Lamorinda Arts Council is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has been igniting and sustaining artistic expression and appreciation in the visual, performing and literary arts for people of all ages in our community for over sixty-five years. Notable LAC events include Lamorinda Idol, the High School Visual Arts Competition, Lamorinda ShortDocs Film Fest, Art in Public Places, and Orinda Library Art Gallery exhibits. For more information,
click here
.
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Contra Costa County Volunteer Opportunities
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As we approach the holiday season and head toward the New Year, you might be considering new ways to get involved. The Board of Supervisors receives valuable input and community participation through a variety of advisory boards, covering many different community issues.
To follow is a list of advisory bodies that currently have vacant seats:
District 2 vacancies available:
Alamo Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) - alternate seat
County Service Area P-5 Citizen Advisory Committee
Advise the Board of Supervisors regarding community desires in the area of extended police protection for the Roundhill area of Alamo.
Alcohol and Other Drugs Advisory Board
Provides input and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and the Health Services Department concerning family and community needs regarding prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug related problems.
First 5 – Contra Costa Children and Families Commission
click here
The commission works to support early childhood development through a strategic plan developed pursuant to the California Children and Families First Act of 1998.
Iron Horse Corridor Management Program Advisory Committee - Alamo Seat
Provide citizen input for a management program for the Iron Horse Corridor.
In addition, Supervisor Andersen would like to draw your attention to the following list of countywide advisory bodies that currently have seats available:
Advisory Council on Aging
Affordable Housing Finance Committee
Countywide Bicycle Advisory Committee
County Connection Citizen Advisory Committee
Developmental Disabilities Board
Economic Opportunity Council
Local Planning and Advisory Council for Early Care and Education
Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Council
Family and Children’s Trust Committee
Hazardous Materials Commission
Contra Costa Council on Homelessness
Affordable Housing Finance Committee
In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority Advisory Committee
Juvenile Justice Commission/Delinquency Prevention Commission
Managed Care Commission
Workforce Development Board
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Chief of Staff
Field Representative;
San Ramon & Danville
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Field Representative:
Canyon, Moraga & Orinda
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Scheduler, Field Representative;
Lafayette
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Field Representative;
Alamo & part of Walnut Creek,
including; Parkmead, Rossmoor & Saranap
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San Ramon Valley Office
309 Diablo Road
Danville, CA 94526
Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: (925) 957-8860
FAX: (925) 820-3785
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Lamorinda Office
Fire Station #15
3338 Mt. Diablo Boulevard
Lafayette, CA 94549
Hours:
Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
and by appointment, please call
Phone: (925) 646-6067
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Candace's Committee Assignments
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Pleasant Hill BART/Contra Costa Centre Joint Powers Authority Board of Trustees
She serves as an alternate on the following:
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District II Supervisor Candace Andersen
309 Diablo Road | Danville | CA | 94526| (925) 957-8860
3338 Mt. Diablo Blvd. | Lafayette | CA | 94549 | (925) 646-6067
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