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April 6, 2018
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Historical Society, Natives showcase best of Clayton’s gardens in double-tour weekend BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer
KeiTh hAyDOn
MAYOR’S CORNER
Buy books, drink wine and clean up
I hope you are enjoying our spring weather. After some much-needed rain, our valley is greening up nicely – encouraging us to get outside and enjoy our beautiful community. It’s a busy month in Clayton, with three community events. Two will take place outdoors so we can appreciate the town’s picturesque setting. The first event is the Spring Used Book Sale by the Clayton Community Library Foundation. It is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. April 13 (members only), 10 a.m.-6 Julie Pierce p.m. April 14 and noon-4 p.m. The “illusion” of a river in the front yard of Lynn Vogensen’s Dana hills home is just a sample of the creative April 15 at Hoyer Hall in the details incorporated in her revamped garden when she ditched her thirsty lawn. Vogensen’s garden will be Clayton Community Library. This sale raises funds for the one of six homes on the Clayton historical Society’s Annual Gardens Tour May 6.
See Mayor, page 7
May is the perfect time for a garden party, and the weekend of May 5-6 brings two such events to Clayton. The Clayton Historical Society’s Gardens Tour features five gardens in Clayton and Concord, while four Clayton yards will be part of the Bringing Back the Natives Tour. Historical Society vice president JoAnn Caspar says Lynne Vogensen has one of the best gardens she’s seen in the 26 years of the Clayton tour. When the Dana Hills resident decided to ditch her lawn, Vogensen didn’t want her yard to look like a typical revamp. Rather than creating a false river in the front, she added “the illusion of possibly a river.”
See Gardens, page 4
Clayton women honored by Soroptimists BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer
Clayton’s community spirit was on full display at the recent Women of Distinction awards from the Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista. The group recognized LaTonya Watts and Roxanne Pardi for their work with ClayMarch’s showers bring ton Theatre Company and ClayApril’s flowers – and some ton resident Linda Cruz for her weeds and rubbish, too. myriad volunteer contributions. Residents can help toss the trash at this year’s Clayton TIGHT-KNIT Cleans Up on April 21. Rain or THEATER TROUPE shine, check in at 9 a.m. at Pardi has known Watts Clayton City Hall to get a volunteer shirt and garbage bag. Fill the bag to the brim, then return to City Hall for a free barbecue celebration. The Clean Up also embraces Earth Day. Volunteers can hear ideas from local clubs and organizations about enjoying area trails, recycling, gardening, conserving water and do-it-yourself projects. Make a morning of it with family, friends, neighbors and clubs. Clayton artist Renaye Johnson returns as the designer of this year’s T-shirt, featuring a favorite scene in town. Johnson is a member of the Creekside Artists Guild and is the library’s art exhibit liaison. The Clayton Pioneer and the city of Clayton sponsor the event, with donations from Republic Services, the Clayton Business & Community Association, Travis Credit Union and Innovative Impressions.
since their teacher/student days at Pittsburg High School. “It was kind of a joke when she graduated, she said: ‘Hey, someday we should start a theater company together,’ ” Pardi recalls. The two reunited a few years back and got serious about their plan. The Clayton troupe just concluded its sixth season at Endeavor Hall and has won five Shellie Awards for community theater. Although Pardi says it’s been a challenge getting the word out about the small Clayton venue, they had record
attendance at recent performances of “Lend Me a Tenor.” In addition to three-week runs of a musical in the fall and a play in the spring, the pair offer a children’s drama camp in the summer. This year, participants will perform a reduced version of “Seussical.” Pardi, the managing director, and Watts, the artistic director, both wear many other hats – including choreography and costuming. Members of the board of directors also help out at each performance.
See WOD, page 4
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
Roxanne Pardi, left, and LaTonya Watts received their certificate and bouquets from Clayton resident and Soroptimist member, Sonja Wilkin.
Odyssey kids reach for the stars
Download a registration form from the city of Clayton website at ci.clayton.ca.us and bring it filled out to event. For more information, call the Pioneer at 925-672-0500.
BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer
Contributed photo
Odyssey of the Mind team Awesome Sauce cleans up at regional and state competitions. From left, 4th grader Chris Dent and 5th graders Joshua Peach, Ava Chan, Ruby Bartholomew, Mikayla Agnew, Billy Blackwell and Anja Perreira.
Mt. Diablo Elementary School students gave a stellar performance, going to outer space (and Riverside) in this spring’s Odyssey of the Mind competition. The team placed first at the regional event, earning them the trip to UC Riverside on March 24. Team coach Renee Culp called the competition “fierce,” yet the Mt. Diablo kids ended up fifth in the state out of 40 teams. Odyssey of the Mind (OM) is an after-school enrichment program run by parent volunteers. Team members work together at length to solve a predefined long-term problem and present their solution at a competition. During a sponta-
neous portion of the event, students must generate solutions to a new problem. “The long-term problem solution often takes many months to complete and involves various elements of theatrical performance, construction and design,” Culp says. With Culp and co-coach Kelly McDougall, Team Awesome Sauce has made it to the state competition three years in a row. This year’s long-term problem was Stellar Hangout. “In the outreaches of the universe, there is an Intergalactic Hangout where all sorts of creatures from different worlds stop, eat, refuel and relax,” Culp says. “Teams create a humorous performance
See MDES, page 6
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