Cookie and Candy contest entry deadline extended to Dec. 4. See page B8
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December 2, 2005
925.672.0500
Hospice tree lighting is a symbol of compassion JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
A couple of weeks ago, trees throughout the Bay Area were lit to celebrate lives touched by Hospice and Palliative Care of Contra Costa. At Clayton Station, the annual tree lighting took place with music, candles and somber references to Hospice’s care and compassion for the terminally ill. Chaired by Clayton resident and realtor Kim Dromlewicz, the brief, but poignant event featured the Mt. Diablo Elementary School choir with soloist Alaina Campbell. Approximately 110 young voices joined together to sing “Thankful for the USA,” “The Apple Song” and “A Song of Peace.” MDES Choir director Christine Billingsley shared a personal story about both her parents dying of cancer. “It’s the first time I’ve been able to talk about it this year,” she reflected. Other speakers also had personal experiences with Hospice, like Mayor Gregg Manning who remembered how HUNDREDS
CAME TO HELP LIGHT
CLAYTON STATION’S TREE
OF
LIGHTS
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
ON
NOV. 16 to remind all of Hospice’s care of the terminally ill and their families
See Hospice, page A4
YASO musicians make classical music a priority TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Music has charms to soothe a savage breast; to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak. (William Congreve, 1670-1729) Music also has the power to switch off the TV and silence the iPod for three hours every Monday while six Clayton teens forego mall crawling and blogging in favor of Mozart and Wagner. Vaso Rahimzadeh (violin), Elizabeth Tooley (flute/piccolo), Justin Beutel (piano), Alex Campomanes (violin), Tom Porcella (bass) and Mario Vargas (violin) are members of the 50-member Young Artists Symphony Association (YASO) and are currently preparing for their Christmas Concert at Los Medanos College on Dec. 11.
What’s inside SECTION A Around Town . . . . . . . . . .A2 Classifieds and Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . .A5 Letters to the Editor . . . . .A6 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . .A9 Upcoming Event . . . . . . .A10 Sharing History . . . . . . . .A10 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . .A12 Tea For You . . . . . . . . . . .A13
SECTION B Hiker’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Dining Around . . . . . . . . . .B4 Music Notes . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Holiday Gift Ideas . . . . . . .B6 Pioneer Cookie Contest . . .B8 Paws and Claws . . . . . . . . .B9 Community Calendar . . . .B10 Church News . . . . . . . . . .B11 Crossword Puzzle . . . . . . .B12
The program is ambitious and includes Mozart’s 40th Symphony, Johann Straus’ Tritsch Tratsch Polka and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride. While music programs in California public schools are in sharp decline, groups like YASO provide opportunities for talented young musicians to study, rehearse and perform with other like-minded teens at a level beyond what they might find in their music classes at school. The young musicians from the eighth grade through community college age must pass muster at an audition with orchestra leader Steve Accatino, and only the best of the best will make the ranks. Currently, says Accatino, the group has openings for double reed, trombone, French horn and additional string musicians. In addition to the three-hour
YASO rehearsal every week, the young musicians must also be enrolled in the music program at their school. Many of the students also study privately. Justin Beutel studies with Clayton piano teacher, Roxanne Pardi. Accatino has directed the orchestra since 1996 and is currently the Director of Instrumental Music at Ygnacio Valley High School where he is in his 25th year of teaching. YASO was organized by parents, teachers and community volunteers in 1980 as the Diablo Youth Orchestra. In 1990 the name was changed to Young Artist Symphony Association and the group made its first international tour. That year, YASO was awarded the Frances Comber Cup at the Bourmemouth International Festival in England. Since then,
See YASO, page A7
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
These six talented Clayton teens are members of the select Young Artists Symphony Association. From left, standing: Tom Porcella, Mario Vargas, Elizabeth Tooley, Vaso Rahimzadeh and Alex Campomanes. Justin Beutel is seated at the piano.
Dogs4Diabetics hopes to save lives JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Many people with Type 1 Diabetes know the scenario all too well. You take extra insulin so you can indulge in the dessert tray and then fall asleep without testing yourself. You wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself incoherent, dizzy and sweating. When you finally test, you discover that your blood sugar is dangerously low and you take immediate measures to raise your glucose level. Living with diabetes is high maintenance and there’s often times when the maintenance is neglected, ignored or just not working. Now imagine a friend with you 24/7 that could keep you
on track and most importantly warn you when you get into trouble with low blood sugar or
hypoglycemia. That friend actually exists, but not the type you would expect. It’s the four-
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
Chris Edwards with a scented T-shirt waits for Armstrong to find and alert.
legged furry type and part of a new grass roots program called Dogs4Diabetics. With new headquarters in Concord and non-profit status, the program is taking off. Dogs4Diabetics has placed one dog with a nursing student from Livermore and about six other dogs are currently in training with other families throughout the Bay Area. It’s taken six years of research and a lot of dedication, but Mark Ruefenacht, founder and president of Dogs4Diabetics, is finally seeing the fruition of his dream and passion…to help save the lives of people affected with Type 1 Diabetes. “If the program can
See Dogs, page A11
Do you love the movies? If you are a movie lover who always has an opinion on the latest flick and can write well, the Pioneer is interested in you. We will buy dinner and movie tickets for two in exchange for a 450500 word witty, erudite review once a month. To be considered, go see a movie and review it. Email your review to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. Who knows, you may be the next Siskal or Roeper. For more information call Tamara Steiner at 925672-0500.