editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Communications Manager at Save Mount Diablo
Pearl Harbor Day Beacon Lighting Ceremony Moved
Photos: Hi –res images may be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0wrwnd6u6v76zs7/ESF5zijalG Credits: are included in the file names. Please contact Beryl for caption requests.
December 2014 Eye ofchill Diablo Contra Costa Interfaith Housing: Giving Concord, CA – Last year, the strong winter moved the Save Mount Diablo, the Sons down from the Hope a Home By Jody MorganMount Diablo Beacon Lighting Ceremony & Daughters of Pearl Harbor
Serving Danville
summit. TheCosta same concerns of ice atop Mount Having a home for the holidays is only amountain’s dream for many Contra Survivors Association, and CaliDiablo andofforLafayette-Orinda the comfort of those in attendance, County residents. In 1991, the Homeless Task Force fornia State Parks will light the Presbyterian Church identified the escalating problem. Fifteen congregaparticularly local Pearl Harbor Survivors, will keep the Lighting “Eye of Diablo,” Mount Diablo’s tions responded immediately to their call for help, jointly founding Contra Ceremony at the Cal State East Bay campus in Concord again beacon. The beacon is lit each Costa Interfaith Transitional Housing (CCITH). Recognizing that breaking this year. But thanks to CCTV lending Save Mount a memorialize December 7th to Diablo the cycle of poverty, trauma and homelessness demands stability, the nonhand, everyone will be able to seePearl bothHarbor the ceremony and Day and remember profit renamed Contra Costa Interfaith Housing (CCIH) currently provides lighting from the campus as well as up close footage of the permanent residences for more than 330 formerly homeless families with those who served. Beacon from the summit. For the comfort of those in atsupport from 35 faith communities, generous sponsoring organizations and tendance, particularly local Pearl numerous individuals including 440 volunteers. The public ceremony honors those who served at Pearl Survivors, and because Providing shelter is the first action item. Estimates suggest that on any Harbor of concerns of that ice atop Mount celebrates the rejuvenated Beacon will shine given night, as many as 5,000 Contra Costa Harbor County and residents are homeless. Diablo, the Lighting Ceremony their memory. Everyone is invited to attend the ceremony Accurate counts are difficult to obtain. “Theinreason I fight it [being labeled will be held at the Cal in the Room of the Library of East homeless] is not from pride, it’s from strategy. TheOak moment someone labels at the Concord CampusState Bayour campus Concord. Thanks you as homeless, they assume drugs, alcohol, or laziness. There’s not room California State East Bay and watch local in Pearl Harbor to CCTV lending Save Survivors lit the Beacon to shine for this one night of the Mount year. Diablo a hand, everyone will be able to lost see both A commemorative symbol of those who their the livesceremony at and lighting from the campus as well as up-close footage of the beacon from Pearl Harbor, the Beacon is relit by Survivors each year in a the summit. ceremony attended by their families and the public. Although the ceremony has been held at the The ceremony will be held Saturday, December 7, 3:45pm – 5:30pm in the Summit Building, this is not the first it has been moved due toatthe top’s East devilish Oaktime Room of the Library Building the mountain California State Bay winter Concord weather over the last 50 odd years. The Survivors remain undaunted and from sunset on Saturday, Campus, located at 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord. December 7th, to sunrise the next morning, restored Beacon will shine Lighting brightly in memoryvisit of their For morethe information about the Beacon Ceremony www. sunken shipmates. savemountdiablo.org/activities_events_beacon.html or contact Save Mount Diablo’s office at (925) 947-3535. “We are grateful to have been involved the restoration this historic symbolconservation of freedom,” said Ron SaveinMount Diablo is aofnon-profit 501(c)(3) organization Brown, Executive Director of Savewhich Mount “Its restoration the memory of those lost hasDiablo. been preserving lands onensures and around Mount Diablo andwho educatthe public about the mountain’s natural values since 1971. Preserved their lives on that historic day willing continue to live on.” lands have increased from 6,788 acres in one park to more than 110,000 acres more than 40 parksto and Save Mountaviation. Diablo continues The Beacon was originally installed andinilluminated in 1928 aidpreserves. in trans-continental It is one to preserve, defend, and restore the remainder of the mountain for people of the four guiding beacons installed along the west coast by Standard Oil of CA and is the only one and wildlife to enjoy. known to still bePark operational. Volunteers from faith communities and service clubs help brighten Garden Apartments After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Beacon’s light was extinguished with landscaping and furnishings. during the West Coast Blackout, for fear it may enable an attack on California. It stayed dark until Pearl Harbor Day 1964, whenquoted Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz relit the Beacon in a commemorative ceremony [under this term] for people who actually work,” explains one client and suggested be illuminated sacrificed. Since in the Contra Costa County Homeless Continuum of Care’sitAnnual Report every December 7th to honor those who served and Pictured in photo at left are, front row (l-r): Dee for Fiscal year 2013-2014. Thompson, Claudia Nemir, CCITH incorporated in 1997 as a non-profit and partnered with Mercy and Sara Schmitz, back row Housing to purchase Garden Park Apartments (GPA) in 2000. Originally (l-r): Patty Dobbin and transitional living-space, the renovated Pleasant Hill 1950s complex became Linda King. Contra Costa County’s first permanent supportive housing in December 2004, and CCITH reregistered as CCIH. According to research on housing needs leading to the Contra Costa County 10-year strategic plan launched Volume VI - Number 2 in 2004, the biggest hole in available county services for those at risk for 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, homelessness is permanent affordable homes. Alamo, CA 94507 In order to be affordable, housing should cost no more than 30% of a (925) 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 person’s (or family’s) income. For someone earning the minimum wage, the average cost of rent in Contra Costa County ($1,578/month) equates to Wreaths Across America: The Alamo Lafayette Cemetery Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher
See Hope continued on page 16
Local Postal Customer
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 263 Alamo CA
ECRWSS
District Board of Directors is pleased to have the San Ramon Valley Republican Women Federated sponsor the Wreaths Across America project for the Alamo Cemetery on El Portal in Danville. On Saturday, December 13th at noon, the club will be placing Holiday Wreaths on the graves of veterans buried in the Alamo Cemetery. We have identified 18 veterans buried in the Alamo Cemetery. This project is part of the club’s “Caring for America.” The public is invited to attend.
editor@ yourmonthlypaper.com The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Danville Today News. Danville Today News is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.