Brentwood Press_12.03.10

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Vol. 12, No. 49

YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Community opens heart at Feast by Samie Hartley Staff Writer Thanksgiving is over, but hundreds of East County residents continue to give thanks to the organizers of Street Feast, a regional holiday celebration for those who needed a helping hand to make it through last week’s festivities. Organized by Willy’s Bagels and Blends, Cornerstone Fellowship, GTK Tactical and a host of other community organizations and volunteers, the inaugural event at Town Center in Brentwood offered free home-cooked turkey dinners with all the fixings as well as free clothes to anyone who stopped by on Thanksgiving Day. Organizer Pastor Billy Rieder of Cornerstone Fellowship estimated that more than 400 East County residents received a boost of support at the event. “The folks who came were surprised to find more than just food being offered,” Rieder said. “Bounce houses were set up for the kids, a live band provided

Photo courtesy of Dena Jeglum

Kevin Kazazz, a member of Cornerstone Fellowship, serves big helpings of turkey at the inaugural Street Feast event on Thanksgiving Day. music, and one of the Oakland Raider’s mascots came to hand out prizes. Many people commented on the festive atmosphere.”

The event also featured a video game station, children’s activities and a clown who delivered stuffed animals to the children who came for dinner.

Ryan Richardson of Willy’s Bagels and Blends said one of the highlights of the event was watching the children running around, smiling and laughing as they played in the jump houses or showed their artistic side at the coloring tables. According to volunteer Dena Jeglum of Antioch, hundreds of volunteers from East County rallied to make the inaugural event a success. Some families even arrived in shifts during the event so that they could enjoy Thanksgiving at home and with the community at Street Feast. Toward the end of the event, volunteers contacted East County Military Families and Friends, the Warrior Watch Riders and local law enforcement personnel to offer them free meals for the holiday. Jeglum said the people who stopped by the event for a free meal and clothes were overwhelmed with gratitude: “They

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December 3, 2010

This Week So you think you know ...

Fancy yourself an expert on your hometown? You’ll find our website photo contest a rewarding challenge. Page 6A

Special delivery The burglary of a specialed classroom spurred fellow students to action. Page 12A

Heritage falls to De La Salle

see Feast page 26A

Tanners give thanks for the gift of life by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer When the phone call came on Black Friday morning, it was just one more testament to what Elizabeth Tanner refers to as an ongoing state of grace. “For this all to happen on Thanksgiving weekend, of all things – it was just too much to be a coincidence,” said Tanner. “When I got the call asking if we wanted to meet, we didn’t even think about it. We just jumped in the car and went.” The long-hoped-for call was from John Trinwith, grandfather of the 5-year-old boy whose heart and kidney were donated to Aaron Tanner last

The Tanners recently met with the family who donated a heart and kidney to young Aaron Tanner, right, last summer.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Tanner

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Talent touted

go to news/WebExtras! Liberty students and alumni took the stage for the In the House extravaganza.

summer. Visiting family for the Thanksgiving weekend in Brentwood, Trinwith had been keeping tabs on the Tanner’s story from his home in Washington, and through a series of inquiries learned that his grandson was the donor for young Aaron, who had been on an organ donor list for more than a year. “I had been hoping to meet with the Tanners and was hoping it could be when I was here in Brentwood for Thanksgiving,” said Trinwith, who was able to reach the family through a local contact. “It was just too much of an opportunity to pass up.” see Thanks page 26A

Breast health

go to news/press releases A mobile mammography clinic will provide low-cost digital screenings.

The Patriots played their hearts out, but it wasn’t enough to topple one of the best teams in the nation. Page 1B

Plus: Calendar ............................ 23B Classifieds ......................... 15B Cop Logs ............................19A Entertainment ................. 11B Health & Beauty ................ 8B Milestones ........................ 10B Opinion ..............................18A Outdoors ...........................21A Sports ................................... 1B

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

Ice is nice

go to multimedia/videos Skaters laced ’em up and took a spin on the annual Holiday on Ice rink.


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