See Inside
East Bay Regional Parks Activity Guide
IT’S YOUR PAPER
Polka, bier, ist der Oktober hier www.claytonpioneer.com
October 7, 2016
925.672.0500
CBCA OKTOBERFEST EVENT CHAIR MARYANN LAWRENCE CATCHES THE FIRST STEIN as Gregg Kallenberger and Bill Safreed tap the keg, officially setting the 2016 festivities in motion. The annual two-day event raises over $70,000 which is donated back to the community in the form of grants for charitable causes, scholarships, local theater, schools and civic events.
CBCA Bocce tournament honors Skip Ipsen’s dedication to Clayton BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer
In a fitting salute to Clayton’s downtown restaurants, the Ed’s Mudville Grill team won the inaugural Skip Ipsen Memorial Bocce Tournament on Sept. 25. Lester “Skip” Ipsen, who opened the original Skipolini’s Pizza Garden in 1974, played a large role in downtown Clayton. In 1984, he co-founded the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA), a nonprofit that has raised and donated hundreds of thousands to the community. Later in life, he and his son RICKY NOLEN, LEFT, CAROL RICETTI-NOLEN, Aldo Ricetti and Kent donated funds and land to Larry and Linda Mullen won the Skip Ipsen Memorial Bocce build the Ipsen Family Bocce Tournament, playing for Ed’s Mudville Grill. Park, a multi-court private park that that is open to the public.
The CBCA operates and maintains the downtown courts through its bocce committee. The CBCA launched the two-day bocce tournament as a fund-raiser using a Swiss format, with 12 teams of four-six players. Teams included several of the Clayton Bocce League’s best players and representatives from each past championship team: Diablo Rollers, the 2014 summer champs; Ed’s Mudville Grill, 2014 fall and 2015 spring winners; the Avengers, the best of summer 2015; and this year’s top spring team, Chewbocce. The entire Clayton Bocce Committee was there to officiate the games, and Skipolini’s provided food and refreshments.
Last weekend’s Oktoberfest may turn out to be the biggest yet in its 13-year history. Saturday dawned sunny and mild promising enough heat to make a cold beer taste really good, but not enough to chase everyone home early. By noon, Main Street was already elbow-to-elbow and the biergarten tent was at its 500-seat capacity. Despite the early crowds, festival chair and Oktoberfest founder, Maryann Lawrence was unfazed. “It will all be fine,” she assured one frazzled volunteer. And, when it came time to tap the keg, a missing hammer was barely a blip on the radar. A block of wood was quickly produced and, after several whacks at the tap, the suds flowed, the band struck up “Beer Barrel Polka,” and the 13th Annual Oktoberfest was officially underway. The Oktoberfest is one of
two major fundraisers mounted by the Clayton Community and Business Association, the other being the Art and Wine Festival in the spring. Together, the festivals raise thousands of dollars which are returned to the community in the form of charitable contributions, scholarships, grants and civic events. The CBCA awards $25,000 in scholarships each year and the annual Tree Lighting and Mrs. Claus Dessert are both CBCA sponsored events. CBCA boasts a membership of 180, but the events require armies of volunteers. More than 200 were needed for the Oktoberfest alone. Volunteers come from members and the schools and organizations that CBCA has supported during the year. For more information or membership application, go to www.claytoncbca.org or call the CBCA office, 925.672.2272.
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
have made a significant artistic or philanthropic contribution to Contra Costa’s Arts and Culture” in 1996. This is the 19th year giving recognition to worthy individuals and organizations (no awards were presented in 2009) in the county. Bedecarré became involved in the arts when he was part of the original
KidFest producer from Clayton wins CCC Arts award Jay Bedecarré has spent many years involved in the local arts and cultural scene and is being recognized this month for those efforts by the of Arts & Cultural Commission of Contra Costa County with a 2016 Arts Recognition Award. The county commission began “honoring those who
See KidFest, page 2
See Bocce, page 7
Home Tour needs homes
Love to decorate for the holidays? Do you start channeling Martha Stewart as soon as summer is over? Consider adding your home to the Clayton Historical Society’s annual Christmas Homes Tour. This year’s tour is Sun., Dec. 11 from noon until 6 p.m. If you love to decorate and enjoy compliments on your decor please contact Shannon Seven, sseven1@me.com, or JoAnn Caspar, jojocaspar@gmail.com. Only you will determine how much of your home you wish to show on the tour. The Clayton Historical Society is a nonprofit society and the Christmas Tour is one of their main fundraisers.
Photo courtesy of Kidfest
AC5 AWARD WINNER, JAY BEDECARRE, has been a part of the local arts scene since 1975 when he was a member of the original Concord Pavilion administrative staff. For the past seven years his company, Bay Area Festivals, has presented Bay Area KidFest at his alma mater, Mt. Diablo High School. Besides affording an opportunity for nearly two dozen local groups to perform on the KidFest stage, the annual Memorial Day Weekend event always features famous characters from literature, TV and the movies such as Scooby-Doo.
What’s Inside
Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Community Calendar . . . . .15 Directory of Advertisers . . . .7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 School News . . . . . . . . . . .16
Friday–Sunday, Oct. 14-16
• starting now, Every $20 you spend earns you one Nellie Buck Good for $1 off any purchase Oct 14-16, 2016 • Buy One, Get One Free on select items • Propane $1.99 a gal. 8863 Marsh Creek Rd., Clayton, CA
20% Off Store-wide*
*excludes livestock + horse feed
Our Ambassador Nellie has a deal for you! Cut out this ad for one dollar off anything in the store...only one ad per customer
925-672-4600
www.Rodiesfeed.com
Postal Customer ECRWSS
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA 94517 PERMIT 190