editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
September 2011
Serving Alamo and Diablo
29th Annual Music and Wine Festival
The Alamo Music and Wine Festival is an annual community celebration benefiting, in part, our schools’ music programs while providing a variety of activities for the entire family. This 29th annual Rotary event will be held Saturday, September 10th from noon to 11P.M at the Alamo Plaza in Alamo. Headlining this event will be the annual favorite, the fabulous “Cruise Tones” starting at about 8pm. This talented group will play a wide variety of songs from the late 50’s to the hits of today – perfect for dancing under the stars. Also playing this year for the first time will be another popular Bay Area band – “Detroit Disciples” starting at 4pm. Local school music groups will perform starting at Noon. Come listen to the many talents from the San Ramon High School Bands, the Monte Vista High School bands, and the Stone Valley Middle School’s Jazz Band. It is always surprising every year to see the talents of our local youth. The day will be filled with many activities for the entire family. Food, games, and local business booths will be set up throughout the festival area. Kids will enjoy the play zone set up by the Mt. Diablo Regional YMCA and the Alamo Improvement Association. Our most popular feature for the youth – the Rock Climbing Wall – will again be there! We also have added the very fun and exciting kids train from the Museum of San Ramon Valley. Animals brought from ARF, the Animal Rescue Foundation, started by our own Alamo resident, Tony La Russa will be in attendance including rescue dogs that now provide therapy to those in need. The special animals and their trainers can tell about their particular pet and the therapy they provide. ARF will also have information for their organization and details on adoptable pets available from their Walnut Creek location. This year, dinner tickets will be only $15 each. These tickets will be good for a dinner from one of several excellent area restaurants: Forli’s, Faz, Maggie Rays, and Don Jose’s. The Alamo Rotary will also have a booth offering gourmet hot dogs, burgers, and chips at affordable prices. In addition, the Festival will feature wines from two outstanding California wineries: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Winery. Visitors may purchase commemorative wine glasses at the event. Soft drinks, beer, and water will also be available. Raffle Prizes: Raffle prizes will include an Apple iPad, an Amazon Kindle, a Fine Art Print from photographer Marnie Goodfriend, a Diamondback Outlook Mountain Bike from Alamo Bikes, $250 Maria Maria Gift Certificate from Bob Myhre, a 3 liter bottle of 2010 Cline Cellars Cashmere from Cline Cellars, a 3 liter bottle 2007 Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Pinot Noir from the Jacuzzi Family, a Bay Cruise for four from Celebrations on the Bay, and two nights at the Peppermill Hotel and Casino, from A. D. Seeno Construction. You will definitely want to take your chance at winning one of these excellent prizes! Raffle tickets will be available at the Festival for $5 each or six tickets for $20.
Taking Time to Talk with Trees
By Jody Morgan
The art of bonsai culture seeks to distill the essence of a tree’s encounter with the forces of nature over the course of Byron Nobriga gets advice from K Akabane a lifetime by presenting in a container a miniature specimen carefully trained to express the struggles the tree might have undergone and overcome in the landscape. Developed in Japan from an even more ancient Chinese practice of growing trees in pots, the centuries old art made its first major debut in Europe at the Paris World Fair Exposition of 1889. Initially unable to make their own bonsai survive, Europeans began gossiping about “Oriental secrets” and “Japanese magic.” Today bonsai clubs across the
See Bonsai continued on page 22
Project Second Chance By Fran Miller
With nearly 20% of the United States population estimated to be dyslexic, it is almost certain someone you know struggles with reading. Many hide their illiteracy behind excellent coping strategies, and many have managed to get through school and even graduate with high school diplomas. Challenged readers Project Second Chance volunteer tutor Helen Byer with are everywhere, and, her student, Ike. according to Laura Seaholm, program manager at Project Second Chance literacy program, it is not due to lack of intelligence. “Many people, particularly those with dyslexia, simply needed to learn to read differently,” says Seaholm, who states that about half of Project Second Chance’s students were born and educated in the United States, but never learned to read and write at the level they wish – probably due to some type of learning disability. Project Second Chance Volume XI - Number 9 (PSC), the Contra Costa County 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 Library Adult Literacy Program, Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 See Music and Wine continued on page 31 offers free, confidential one-onFax (925) 406-0547 one basic literacy instruction Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher PRSRT STD to people who are over 16 Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com U.S. Postage years of age, out of school, Sharon Burke ~ Writer PAID sburke@yourmonthlypaper.com and conversant in English. Permit 263 opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do Alamo CA Most students are between The not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today is not 35 and 55 years of age, and responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor
See Chance cont. on pg. 30
does publication imply endorsement.