APR 09 Clayton Pioneer 2004 by Pioneer Publishers

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April 9, 2004

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YMCA salutes happy, healthy kids

Tamara Steiner / Clayton Pioneer

KIDS BY THE DOZENS work off energy on the Obstacle Course at the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day

Connie Rehr retires after 25 years as Museum’s curator BY JANET EASTON Special to the Clayton Pioneer

Last month, Connie Rehr, Clayton Museum’s long time curator, resigned. Her health precludes her from opening the doors to the museum every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon. During her 25-year tenure as curator, Connie Rehr proved to be a most gracious hostess. Rehr moved to Clayton more than 50 years ago. In 1974 she was one of the founding charter members of the Clayton Historical Society. When the building for the museum—the Joel Clayton house—was acquired by the Society from the Keller property, Connie officiated. The building was dedicated in December 1978 and the museum opened to the public in January 1979. During the first two years of

the museum’s operation, Connie unofficially assumed the position of curator. Subsequently, at every annual meeting, the board of directors made it official. Connie raised the flag each week during the museum’s open hours. One busy week, she hurriedly raised the flag in front of the museum and was surprised by a call from the Clayton police, inquiring if something was wrong. It seems that someone from the Clayton Club had called to report that the flag was flying upside down–an international distress signal. None of the “brave” men from “across the street” dared investigate. Connie went outside and corrected the flag’s position while the patrons of the Clayton Club cheered her from “their side” of Main Street. Another time, during one of the Society’s annual Camellia

Teas, a group of leather-clad motorcycle riders entered the museum. Connie, gracious as always, greeted them and asked them to join the festivities. They ate some cookies, toured the museum, left generous donations, but did not seem interested in tea. They left and walked back across the street to the saloon for more suitable libations. Always one to diminish her personal contributions, Connie says that the job of curator is definitely not a “one woman job.” She attributes her success as curator to the many docents she recruited and trained over the years, and to the work contributed by the volunteer housekeepers and museum maintenance staff. She is hesitant to name them for fear of omitting someone, but certainly among them are the Bates family, the Arundells, the Hoyers, the

Sowersbys, Sally Turner, the Eastons, the Gomez family, the descendants of the Frank and Duncan families, and many others. Some of Connie’s favorite memories of the museum are the visits by the school children. More than one thought that Connie was “Mrs. Clayton” or that the museum was “Connie’s house.” The monthly brown bag, oldtimers lunch was instituted during Connie’s curatorship. She’d say, “Rain’s predicted and I don’t know if anyone will show up.” But show up they did, be it five or 35, and they all shared old times in Clayton, laughing or arguing about a particular story and it’s details or just having fun. She also served as the chair of the acquisition committee, and the artifacts, antiques and other furnishings of the museum and its grounds were all obtained under her guidance. When asked what her favorite museum pieces are she replied, they “would have to be the music, the organ and pew from the old Congregational Church. That was the entertainment of the day. But then again, I love the needlepoint furniture in the living room and of course, the Russelmann and Frank pieces upstairs. And, Oh! The school things.” She just

Kids came for the fun activities. Parents came to find out how to keep their kids healthy. Everyone left with their fill of physical exercise and healthy information. The Concord/Clayton branch of the Mt Diablo Region YMCA hosted “Healthy Kids Day” at the Clayton Community Gym last Saturday and offered four hours of games, activities, sports events, dancing demos and information booths to promote physical activity that is fun for youth. The 13th annual nationwide event is even more important today due to the national decrease in PE classes at schools across the county and the rising statistics on youth obesity. According to Julie Finora McAfee, Director of Resource Development for the Mt. Diablo YMCA, “getting exercise and being healthy doesn’t have to be boring or tedious.” McAfee cites stats from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that fewer than three out of 10 U.S. kids attend physical education classes and according to the American Heart Association, less than one-quarter of high school students get 20 minutes or more of vigorous physical activity each

day. The afternoon free event was anything but boring. There was break dancing, obstacle courses, fire truck tours, fitness activities, karate and face painting. The event also provided an opportunity for families to sign up for the Y’s summer programs like swimming, day camp, sleepover camps and sports activities. Information booths included SCORE, Presnick Chiropractic and DVC Dental Hygiene. “Healthy Kids” is also a way for the YMCA to promote families exercising together. “When kids and parents work out together, it becomes a way for families to spend quality time together, work toward a common goal and reconnect with each other,” says McAfee. The afternoon event was also a first for the six YMCAs in Central, South and East Contra Cost County to come together and promote Healthy Kids. “We wanted to showcase the new gym,” says Lisa Ramirez, District Vice President for the YMCA in charge of the new Concord/Clayton branch. “Over 2400 YMCA’s across the county are involved in promoting healthy kids,” says McAfee.

Photo courtesy of Tery McCade/Clayton Historical Society

CONNIE REHR, retires after 25 years as curator of the Clayton Museum couldn’t decide on one particular piece. And who could? The museum is so packed with Clayton memorabilia that you could visit many times and each time notice something that you

hadn’t seen before. Connie Rehr still plans to be a docent at the museum, to greet visitors and show them around. She is, and always will be, a gracious hostess.

They’re more than just the “ladies in the office” BY JILL BEDECARRE Clayton Pioneer

They work in an office where the testosterone levels are unusually high. They interact mostly with men and run an office that is virtually a revolving door of uniformed police officers. Diana Errington and Susan Burdette are the support team at the POLICE SUPPORT TEAM, Diana Errington, left, and Susan Burdette, right

Clayton Police Department. Diana has been with the department for the past nine years and Susan, the past six years. They respect for who they are and what they do from the police chief on down. Keeping track of what everyone does is a job in itself. With 11 officers out in the field doing their jobs, it’s up to Diana and Susan to keep the enormous paper trail organized and the department running

smoothly. Although their jobs overlap at tines, Diana and Susan have their own daily log of duties. And they perform those duties with finesse, expertise and always with a woman’s touch. “We’re more than just ‘the ladies in the office,’” Diana says. Diana is the Police Office Coordinator for the city of the Clayton. She’s well qualified for her job with close to 400 hundred hours of skilled training

under her belt. Diana oversees the basic functions of the front office, coordinates computer needs for the department, processes accounts payable, and citations, compiles statistical data and oversees department volunteers. She served two terms on the planning commission and started with the police department as

See Police, page 3