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February 2013 Las Trampas, Inc.
Serving the Lafayette Community From Parking Lot to Garden Plot
By Fran Miller
By Janet Thomas
Tucked between Moraga Blvd. and the Lafayette Moraga Regional Trail are three and a half acres of what might appear to be a refuge – a safe haven, a retreat. But appearances can be deceiving. Las Trampas, Inc, located on Lana Lane southeast of Las Trampas Creek, is a place of empowerment. (Above and below) Las Trampas clients assembling items for For the 60 developmentally the Reuse, Repeat, Recycle program. disabled clients it serves, it is a place to learn survival skills, to find acceptance, and to explore interests. Rather than providing a cocoon, Las Trampas prepares individuals to live a successful life outside of its boundaries. Las Trampas, Inc. is a community-based nonprofit organization committed to helping moderately to severely developmentally disabled adults achieve success in life. First incorporated in 1958, the property was once a school for developmentally disabled children. It became an adult center in the 1970’s. The property encompasses several buildings, a sail-covered patio and a central garden. The outward idyllic nature of the place belies the internal budget struggles that they, and every state funded program, face. “We are doing our best under poor budget circumstances,” says Executive Director Dan Hogue apologetically as he high-fives a passing client. Under the guidance of trained and experienced staff, Las Trampas clients take part in a variety of on-site and community activities designed to help develop and maintain communication, social, intellectual, and physical skills. Programs emphasize a lifelong educational process that includes becoming skilled in self-advocacy, evaluating risks and consequences, learning to manage strong emotions, and communicating clearly. Participants, who come primarily from Contra Costa County but as far as Oakland, are given the opportunity to practice these skills in real life situations, such as outings to the bank, the grocery store , restaurants, baseball games, and museums. Campus activities include art instruction, food preparation and kitchen skills, computer skills, physical fitness activities, a music and reading lounge, and an on-site garden. Of those served, 20 are currently in the Adult Vocational Program, and 40 are in the Adult Development Program. One of the more popular
The Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center, located across from the Lafayette Reservoir entrance, is about to start its second season. Less than a year old, the garden has become an attractive, thriving space which, beginning in March, will be open most days for all to enjoy. In order to build the infrastructure and develop the beds, the garden received generous support and help during its first year from garden members, community members, the Lafayette Community Foundation, the Happy Valley Garden Club, Leap Frog Plumbing, Overaa Construction, Diamond K, and other area businesses. Art work in the garden lists the names of early garden supporters.
See Las Trampas continued on page 24
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PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 21 Lafayette, CA
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From 2008 to 2011 a group of community members searched Lafayette for a site to establish a garden and outdoor learning center. Their goal was to create a space where citizens of all ages could grow
See Garden continued on page 18
The Wheelchair Foundation: Giving Hope Gaining Purpose By Jody Morgan The Wheelchair Foundation has delivered nearly 920,000 wheelchairs in over 150 countries since its inception in 2000. As founder Kenneth Behring’s original goal of giving one million wheelchairs to disabled individuals around the world nears fulfillment, global need continues to grow. An estimated 100 million people unable to afford a wheelchair are waiting in hidden corners of the earth for the chance to experience the empowerment of mobility. Wheelchairs were not among the donations Behring was packing in his private plane in 1999 when LSD Charities (the humanitarian outreach branch of
See Wheelchair cont. on page 20
Volume VII - Number 2 3000F Dਁਖਉਅ Bਖ #117 Aਁਏ, CA 94507 Telephone (925) 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher
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