The San Geronimo Valley Community Center produces the Community Guide every 5 years.
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Community Guide 2017
Copyright © 2017 San Geronimo Valley Community Center All stories, articles, photographs, images, and poems are copyright of their respective creators as indicated herein, and are reproduced here with permission. Printed in the United States of America by McNaughton & Gunn Printed on recycled paper Publisher: San Geronimo Valley Community Center Editor: Barbara S. Brauer Photo Editor: Anne McClain Design & Production: David Russ Cover Design: Anne McClain Page Footers: Anne McClain, Molly Edwards, Fred (Lee) Berensmeier
Lagunitas School Map: Anne McClain Valley Map: Fred (Lee) Berensmeier Spanish Translation: Victor Reyes, Nicole Ramirez Advertising Sales: Larry Rippee
Funding: County of Marin Community Service Grant; Marin Municipal Water District; and San Geronimo Valley Community Center Community Guide Editorial Committee: Barbara S. Brauer, Chair, Jean Berensmeier, Dave Cort, Don Holmlund, Anne McClain, Alexander McQuilkin, Larry Rippee, Diana Rocha, David Russ, Suzanne Sadowsky, and Margo Schmidt Proofreaders: Jean Berensmeier, Barbara S. Brauer, Roberta Floden, Michel Kotski, Anne McClain, Suzanne Sadowsky
and Margo Schmidt Acknowledgments
We owe a deep debt of gratitude to all the many community members who shared the stories, photos, and memories that so enrich this Community Guide . We would particularly like to thank the following individuals who responded so gener- ously to our requests for materials: Bob Baker, John Beckerley, Jean Berensmeier, Paul Berensmeier, Frank Binney, Lau- rence Brauer, Cyndi Cady, Alan Charne, Anita Collison, Dave Cort, Marian Cremin, Susan Gregg Conard, Liza Crosse, Elaine Patterson Doss, Jim Fazackerley, Anne Faught, Gerald Fleming, Hank Floyd, Chuck Ford, Terry Garthwaite, Andy Giddings, Molly Giles, Curtis Havel, David Hoffman, Don Holmlund, Megan Isadore, Wendi Kallins, Dahlia and Jack Kamesar, Michel Kotski, Amos Klausner, Richard Lang, Lenna Matzen, Stefanie Marlis, Judy Cooper Martin, Ken Mas- succo, Marty Meade, Martha McNeil, Amy Morse, Fred Mundy, Rebecca Ng, Judy North, Peter Oppenheimer, Cindy Purkey, Nicole Ramirez, Ramon Ramirez, Diana Rocha, Dennis Rodoni, Art Rogers, Grace W. Rogers, Paloma Russ, Suzanne Sadowsky, James Sanders , Margo Schmidt, Connie Smith Siegel, Newall Snyder, Jennifer Olson Spindell, Jim Staley, Aneice Taylor, Jasper Starfire Thelin, Kira Thelin, Sara Tolchin, Grace Dickson Tolson, Petra Toriumi, Amy Valens, Tom Valens, Judy Voets, Carol Whitmire, Bruce Wick, David Wilson. Our sincere appreciations go out to the Community Center’s amazing staff and Board of Directors for their help and support. Please note: It was our goal to offer the most useful, inclusive, and accurate information possible. The committee extends its sincere apologies for any inadvertent omission or error. Dedication On behalf of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center Board of Directors the golden 50 th anniversary Community Guide is dedicated to Barbara Swift Brauer and Anne McClain. Because of the perseverance, persistence, skill, kindness and wisdom of these two remarkable volunteers, you hold a gem in your hands.
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Contents Welcome
Chapter 4: Our History from the Beginning
4 4 5 5 6 7
72 73 74 82 84 88 94 96 98
Valley Coast Miwok History
A Unique Community
History of the San Geronimo Valley 1844–2017
Preface
Nicasio History
A Treasure Trove
Trains—the Lifeline of the Valley 1874–1933 Lagunitas School District: A Brief History Our Community’s Faith Organizations Homegrown Hero—Gary Giacomini Samual P. Taylor Park: More Than You Ever Knew
A Note Regarding Photographs
Introduction
Part I: As We Are Today Chapter 1: The San Geronimo Valley Community Center 8 Programs of the SGV Community Center 9 Calendar of Celebrations 13 Honorees of the SGVCC Gala Benefit 14 Center Permanent Art Collection 17 Maurice Del Mué Mural 20
Profile: David Wilson Profile: Steve Kinsey
100
102 San Geronimo Valley Music History: 1966–Present 104 The Red House, Forest Knolls 108 Profile: Peter Lind 109 Protests in the Valley 110 Profile: Phil Arnot 114 Valley in the 1940s & 1950s: Grace Dickson Tolson’s Memories of the Valley 116 Idyllic Childhood Years 118 The Swimming Pool at Forest Farm Summer Camp 122 Forest Knolls Doggie Olympics 126 Profile: Ronald Peter Marden 127 Valley Scenes 130 Part III: Guide to Resources Chapter 5: Resources for the Community 132 Property Owners’ Guide to Working with the County 133 Septic Systems: Proper Care and Concerns 135 Living with Propane 136 Planning for Emergencies in the San Geronimo Valley 138 MMWD’s Legacy and Future: Conservation and Efficiency 140 VERG—San Geronimo Valley Emergency Readiness Group 141 Wildfire Preparedness in the San Geronimo Valley 142 Medical Emergencies 144 Mental Health/Mental Illness 145 Lyme Disease 146 Wood Smoke, Public Health and Woodstove Replacement Rebates 147 Chapter 6: Guide to Our Natural Environment 148 San Geronimo Valley Open Space Preserves 149 Willis Evans Canyon 151 Map of Valley Open Space 152 Living with Wildlife Neighbors 154 Pets in the Valley 156 Fun Facts 157 Directory of Advertisers 160 Por Nuestros Lectores en Español 171
An Epic Tale . . . The Journey to the San Geronimo Valley Community Gym and Loft Teen Center
22 24 26 28 30 35 38 40 41 42 44 44 44 44 45 45 46 48 52 53 57
The Valley Games
Deb Hubsmith: A Ball of Energy
Chapter 2: Community Organizations and Services
San Geronimo Valley Organizations
Nicasio Organizations
Volunteering in the Community
Edie Robinson Awards
Annual Events in the Valley & Nicasio
Valley Map
San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio Post Offices
KWMR
Emergency Notification System
Community Email List About Lagunitas School
Marietta Larsen Memorial Nature Preserve
Lagunitas School Map
Valley Population and Housing
Sports in the Valley What’s in a Game? Profile: Ramon Ramirez
Part II: Looking Back: Histories, Stories and Profiles Chapter 3: How We Became “The Heart of the Valley” History of the SGV Community Center Interview with Founder Jean Berensmeier
58 59 64 67 68 71
About the Resource Guides Kate Wolf: Looking Back at You
Do You Remember?
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Welcome!
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, I would like to welcome you to this 50th anniversary issue of the Community Guide (formerly Resource Guide ) and the rich legacy it represents. If you are new to the San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio, and this is the first Guide you’ve seen, you are in for a treat! The first time I saw the Valley Resource Guide , having just moved to Forest Knolls from NYC, it was the “Millennium 2000” issue. I opened it thinking it was merely a telephone directory. After several hours of amazed reading about everything from Miwok History to advice on water-saving toilets, I felt informed and illuminated about the rich past and dynamic present of this beautiful place we live in. Over the years, that millennial Guide’s corners, and those editions that followed, have grown soft with use, margins filled with jotted notes; to this day we still refer back to them for tips and infor- mation.
The Board and Staff of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center are extremely proud and grateful to again coordi- nate and fund the publication of this latest edition of the Guide . We are deeply thankful to the team of volunteers who’ve devoted countless hours and energy to the creation of this special anniversary edition. As we approach our 50 th year, the San Geronimo Valley Community Center Board of Directors is dedicated more than ever to ensuring that the Center and its programs are able to continue our mission well into the future. This anniversary Guide is an apt reflection of that effort. This new Guide , like those before it, is bursting with information and resources, fresh stories and fascinating history about the San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio you may have never heard. I’m sure you’ll delight in opening the pages of this Guide and the gifts and surprises within. No doubt, your copy too will grow soft and dog-eared. Use it well, and enjoy!
Sincerely,
Marian Cremin, President San Geronimo Valley Community Center Board of Directors
A Unique Community
Our community is not only beautiful for its landscapes and diversity of thought, but also for the abundance of resources available to our residents. I am proud to serve all of you as your County Supervisor at the Board of Supervisors. The San Geronimo Valley is a unique and wonderful community, and all of you using this Guide exemplify what it means to be a community member. It is important, now more than ever, to continue to engage and be active in your surroundings. This Community Guide will provide you with the necessary information to be a successful resident of the San Geronimo Valley. If you need help or have questions, this Guide will lead you in the right direction. This newly updated 2017 Community Guide is how the San Geronimo Valley demon- strates to our residents that we care. Remember, it will be a community effort to meet the needs and challenges of each new generation. As your Supervisor, I will always fight for all of you and be your resource.
Warmly,
Dennis Rodoni District 4, Marin County Supervisor
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Preface by Barbara S. Brauer, Editor
more than one person acknowledged), tangible and tactile. Asking ourselves to choose between an online or print for- mat, we all agreed that there is something satisfying about holding a book in our hands, settling in to read and brows- ing through its pages. So here is the print edition of the Community Guide , with all its benefits and drawbacks, with an online edition. One of the most beautiful things about the online edition is the fact that it contains everything from this print edi- tion, but will continue to add new materials and updates in the months and years to come. When we began, we issued a wide invitation to all in the community to submit stories, memories and photos. The items and photos you see here were contributed by many individuals throughout the community, for which we are very grateful. At the same time, we know there are many more stories, memories, and photos out there. We hope that reading this Guide will spur you to submit your own to be included in the Community Guide Online . See page 174. Please note that we have tried to be as inclusive and accurate as possible. We sincerely regret any inadvertent omissions or errors. It is also important to acknowledge that the articles and items submitted by the contributors reflect their own viewpoints and are not necessarily those of the Community Center or Community Guide Committee. We hope you will enjoy the wealth of material assem- bled here as much as we have.
How does one go about creating a collection of stories, histories, profiles, photos, and miscellany inclusive and rich enough to convey the vibrancy of the San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio communities? Very thoughtfully. We began with the realization that the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, the organization responsible for financing and producing the Guide , would soon be celebrating its 50 th anniversary, a major achievement for the Center and all of us in the community who support it. Surely the 2017 Guide should be worthy of that milestone achievement, celebrating not only the Center’s past and current role as “The Heart of the Valley,” but also the com- munities it has served so effectively over the years. Another major consideration at the outset was the fact that technology has revolutionized all aspects of the way we live, especially the way we obtain information, even about goings on around the corner. So, just as the loss of our exclusive 488 telephone number prefix and the advent of cell phones meant the demise of the local phone directory in the 2011 Guide , so, too, we know people often prefer to go online to access the resources they need. So the question was: should this be print or online or hybrid? We weighed the advantages of an online format: easily updated information, color photos and graphics, and freedom from space limitations. Then the advantages of a print edition: more accessible (even in a power outage,
A Treasure Trove In gathering and compiling materials for this special anniversary edition of the Community Guide , we wanted to include the many stories, events, personal profiles and miscellany relevant to both the Community Center and how it came to be, and the Valley and Nicasio communities it serves. It wasn’t long before we realized the incredible treasure trove of information buried in past issues of the Center’s newsletter, Stone Soup . From 1989 to the present, each issue of Stone Soup records the events, pressing issues, celebrations and voices of the times. Eureka! We’d found a gold mine! Throughout this Community Guide , we present some of the most notable profiles and tidbits from past issues of Stone Soup . Not unlike having our very own time machine.
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A Note Regarding Photographs for this Edition by Anne McClain, Photo Editor
Tom Valens has taken many great photos of the com- munity coming together to build playgrounds and to work at the school, as well as some of flooding streets when we get one of those years of deluge. Larry Brauer and Peter Oppenheimer contributed beautiful landcape and nature photos. Elaine Patterson Doss rounded up some wonderful historical photos of Nicasio. Art Rogers allowed us to pub- lish several of his famous group photos commemorating moments in Valley life. Chuck Ford gave us permission to use photos from his collection as well as a wonderful pic- ture he took of the Gratis Builders at Aneice Taylor’s home. (You can find that story inside!) Susan Gregg Conard gave us photos and drawings made by her father, Harold Gregg, of Forest Farm Summer Camp (now Serenity Knolls). Bob Baker contributed some fun photos of the Doggy Olympics from the 1980s, and Petra Martin Toriumi gave us some from her childhood in the 1950s. Where we found gaps in our photo record, San Geronimo School student Paloma Russ took the perfect photos to fill them. As well as photos, I was able to collect some historic documents such as the Holly Fair 50 th Anniversary booklet from 2000 and some pages from the Worth While Club from the 1940s and ’50s. On behalf of the Community Guide Committee, I want to express our deep gratitude to these many individuals for the generous contribution of these amazing photos and documents. It has been a wonderful and eye-opening expe- rience to get a look at all of these treasures, and I hope that you enjoy them, too!
It is a time-worn cliché that a picture is worth a thousand words, but I think it is a truth. We were given access to many wonderful photos illuminating times gone by and pictures documenting the here and now. Hank Floyd gave us access to photos taken by his late father, Harlan Floyd, who not only built quite a few houses in the Valley, but also documented some of the wild times and personalities of the Valley in the ’60s and ’70s with beautiful photo- graphs. He also allowed us to publish Harlan’s photo of Jerry Garcia playing ball at the Woodacre Ball Field—the first and only time it has been published anywhere. Images of earlier days were brought to us by Jim Staley, who allowed us to use photos and infomation that he col- lected and previously published in his book, Railroads in the San Geronimo Valley 1874–1933 , and his 2005 calendar highlighting historical scenes from the San Geronimo Valley. Newall Snyder, who collects antiques, paper items and ephemera, allowed us to scan the items from his personal collection related to the Valley and Nicasio. Amazingly, he found a photo of the Center’s mural signed by Maurice Del Mué, the artist himself, and inscribed to Bobby Clever, the boy who posed for it. Newall came across this treasure the day after coming to the Community Center and seeing the mural for the very first time. The postcard’s inscription appears in these pages. David Wilson entrusted some of the old photos that he and his family have collected to Jean Berensmeier and told her stories of the old days to accompany them as well as giving an interview to Amos Klausner.
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Introduction by Dave Cort, SGV Community Center Executive Director
community where our residents remain passionate about all of their fellow community members, and the stunning environmental beauty that we live in. At the same time I am honored to observe how the community continues to address the changing needs of our residents. I feel extreme- ly fortunate to have had the opportunity to be employed at the Community Center since 1991 and to experience the growth of our organization and our commitment to our mission: To foster healthy communities within the San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio by providing a dynamic center for locally based human services, arts and culture, education, health and wellness, and community building. It is critical that this mission is so much more than words on paper. Our Board of Directors, our staff, and our volunteers, along with our community partners from the public sector, the private sector, faith-based organizations, and from our fellow nonprofit organizations, work together in the healthiest ways possible to insure that we remain the caring community that is reflected throughout this Community Guide . See page 174.
It is an honor to present this Com- munity Guide to our community. Throughout 2017 the Community Center Board and staff have been engaged in preparations for the 50 th anniversary of our organization that will take place in 2019. This Commu-
nity Guide will kick off the celebration of this milestone. The Community Guide Committee under the leadership of Barbara Brauer has worked tirelessly for two years to pre- pare this wonderful guide as a gift to our community. Its historical information and photos provide incredible exam- ples of how our community has evolved into the model community that it is today. As I glance through our past Resource Guides from 1983, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2006, and 2011, I am so appreciative of our Valley community in both how much it has grown and changed while keeping its core values as a caring
SGV Community Center Staff and Board 2016 (Photo by Peter Oppenheimer)
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Part I: As We Are Today Chapter 1: The San Geronimo Valley Community Center
Volunteers at the Monday Senior Lunch l-r Stephanie Fein, Elena Roncaglia, Linea Larsen, and Sylvia Cornejo
(Photo by Donn DeAngelo)
(Photo by Anne McClain)
Zoila Berardi reading at the new “Zoila’s” Day Care Center, 2016
I love the Center because it gives you a sense of community. It’s a place for meeting new friends and having delicious meals. What’s not to love? Kathleeen Brown
Tim Cain and fans at the Holiday Arts Faire, 2007
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Programs of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center Many think of the Community Center as the heart and soul of the San Geronimo Valley. Through an evolution as natural as the hills that surround it, the Center has grown from the creative seed planted by a few visionary residents into a thriving organization providing a wealth of ongoing services and events for residents of the Valley, Nicasio and beyond. It is impossible now to imagine our communities today without “the Heart of the Valley.” Senior Activities Classes and gatherings are held at the Community Center throughout the week for our community members age 60 years and older. Growing Old Gracefully peer support group, Mah Jongg, Ping Pong, Exercise for Alta Cockers, and Tai Chi are all included in the Senior Activities programming.
Health Fairs In collaboration with Coastal Health Alliance, Kaiser, Marin County Health and Human Services, West Marin Senior Services, Dominican University, San Geronimo Val- ley Lions Club and other local health care practitioners, the Community Center offers Health Fairs, which are held in the spring and fall, providing free health screenings, immunization clinics, flu shots, homeopathic remedies, and health information and prevention services for adults and children. Dominican University nursing students par- ticipate in a community nursing class every Thursday at the Community Center during their spring and fall semesters. They collaborate with Center staff and volunteers in pro- viding preventative services to our residents. West Marin Coalition for Healthy Youth This Coalition addresses teen binge drinking, prescription drug abuse, and smoking. The Community Center is the lead agency for the Coalition that includes the Lagunitas, Nicasio, Shoreline, Tamalpais and Bolinas-Stinson school districts. The Coalition is funded by the County of Marin and includes other Coalitions throughout Marin under the umbrella of the Marin Prevention Network. The Coalition is currently working on Social Host Ordinances and parent education, and creating an array of healthy activities for our youth and teens. Children, Youth, Teen, and Family Programs Summer Bridge/School Readiness In partnership with the Lagunitas School District, the Cen- ter provides a free five-week School Readiness Program, called Summer Bridge. This program offers kindergarteners
In fulfillment of our Center’s mission to foster healthy communities within the San Geronimo Valley and Nica- sio, the San Geronimo Valley Community Center offers a range of resources, information, and referrals for all Valley and Nicasio residents and the communities beyond. Here is an overview of programs current as of Septem- ber 2017. For more information and program updates, please call 415-488-8888 or visit www.sgvcc.org. Human Services Programs Food Bank In partnership with the San Francisco/Marin Food Bank the Community Center distributes food to 150 families and individuals on average every month. We also offer special distributions for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Cha- nukah. Health and Wellness Education and healthy food choices are important parts of our nutrition program. The Food Bank is open Mondays from 9:00am–5:00pm and Thursdays from 1:00–5:00pm.
Food Bank (Photo by Rebecca Teague)
Senior Lunch This program is held on Mondays and Thursdays at noon and provides nutritious and delicious meals cooked by Good Earth Natural Foods for our community members age 60 years and older. At the lunch, seniors can enjoy live music, speakers, legal advice, blood pressure checks and a great opportunity to mingle, socialize, and enjoy the art in our galleries. Follow- ing the Senior Lunch, a free hot meal for the general public is offered, a program made possible through our partnership with St. Vincent’s Dining Hall.
Summer Bridge Program
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entering Lagunitas or Nicasio school districts a preview of the routine of their new adventure…school! This program runs Monday through Thursday every July. First 5 -Valley Playgroup The free Ready, Set, Go Valley Playgroup is designed for fami- lies and caregivers with children 0-5 years. It meets every Tues- day and Thursday 10:00am-12:00 noon in the East Room at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center. The playgroup has been funded by Marin First 5 since 2005. The program offers free health screenings, holiday parties, and weekly visits from Marin Literacy Program, the FLAGship bus on Tues- days. The FLAGship bus provides bilingual storytime, songs, art projects, and School Readiness activities for families with children 0-5. It’s fun learning on wheels! The primary focus for Playgroup is emotional, social and physical well-being. Playgroup is a wonderful place to interact with other parents, and offers an array of toys, special events, books, art projects and overall support to Valley parents. In addition to twice weekly playgroups, the Center offers infor- mative parent education: programs on nutrition, child health and safety, parenting skills, and child development. First 5 and SGVCC Events for Kids 0–5 Newsletter The Community Center provides a calendar for families in the San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio, listing informa- tion on local events, programs, activities and resources. It highlights ongoing events such as playgroup, classes, and support groups, and special events such as speakers, free health clinics and other community resources. For calendar submissions or subscriptions call 415-488-8888 ext. 254. “Zoila’s” Licensed Childcare This after school childcare program serves children in kin- dergarten through third grade on the San Geronimo School Campus. Named in honor of the program’s founder, Zoila Berardi, the Community Center staff runs this innovative program that includes healthy fun and adult and peer mentor- ing in a safe, nurturing environment where our young people learn skills they need to make positive differences in their own lives and in the world around them. Loft Youth Center Located in the San Geronimo Valley Community Gym, our Valley-minded youth center, the Loft, is open Mondays through Fridays after school until 5:30pm on regular school days and serves students grades 4 to 8. Members enjoy the Loft for a “hang out zone,” open gym time, a healthy snack, and a place to be before going to sports, tutoring or any other after school activity. Special evening and week- end programming is also provided throughout the year.
Valley After School Tutoring Program (VAST) Started in 2001, this award-winning program offers one-on- one tutoring and homework help for students at affordable fees. This locally based program addresses the specific educa- tional needs of elementary, middle, and high school students. The tutoring center is a place for students to get help with subjects that are difficult for them or subjects in which they want to excel. Tutors are matched to meet the specific needs of each child. Tutoring is offered on the Lagunitas School cam- pus Monday through Thursday afternoons. After School Enrichment and Recreation Throughout the year, the Community Center offers a vari- ety of fun and enriching activities for children and youth of all ages. Classes are publicized through the Center’s Stone Soup Catalogue of Classes published quarterly and includes classes such as karate, kung fu, yoga, and more. The Com- munity Center partners with St. Cecilia’s Church, St. Rita’s Church and Catholic Charities as a host site for CYO bas- ketball throughout the fall and winter months. Summer Day Camp The Community Center offers an exciting and enriching five-week summer program for children ages 5 to 10 years old, Monday through Friday. This is a great opportunity for kids to spend their days right here in our own beauti- ful Valley. We are proud to have an outstanding staff of talented, professional and enthusiastic counselors. This traditional, classic Valley camp is what brings campers back year after year. Weekly field trips to one of Marin County’s many wonderful nature spots for a few hours of hiking and fun are a highlight of the camp’s program. The program is located in the Loft and in the Community Gym. Holiday Camp This program for children in kindergarten to eighth grade is offered in the Loft and in the Gym during school breaks.
Summer Day Camp
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Wellness and Arts Classes For Adults Adults of all ages participate in a diverse array of programs at the Community Center and at the Community Gym. Open Gyms include coed basketball, men’s basketball, ping pong, volleyball, dance and more. Every week there are classes in yoga, tai chi, core fitness training, and other types of movement and martial arts. The Community Center partners with the College of Marin in hosting a watercolor class taught by long-time Valley resident Marty Meade. Arts and Cultural Events, Performances, and Gallery Shows The Community Center is proud to nurture the creative talents of the Valley’s outstanding artists showcasing music, painting, sculpture, photography, comedy and other works. We support the careers of emerging, local artists by pro- viding opportunities for community members to showcase their talent and to participate in arts activities. Musical and theatrical performances take place in the Cen- ter’s Valley Room, and larger events, often featuring regional and national acts, take place outdoors in the Courtyard. The Maurice Del Mué Galleries in the Valley and West rooms feature monthly solo artist exhibits or group shows with receptions for the entire community and beyond. The long running annual Spring Art Show in May features the work of up to 100 Valley artists. Other annual group shows include the Senior Lunch Group Show, Pressing Matters: Printmakers Group Show, and the Annual Photography Show. A new addition is the Valley Arts and Lectures series offering free workshops, talks and films on subjects of com- munity interest such as environmental, social, political and spiritual issues. As part of the Arts and Lectures program, the Center hosts a monthly Artist Film Night featuring a documentary on an individual artist or arts theme. The showing is fol- lowed by a discussion period. Other major annual events include the St. Patrick’s Day Talent Show, summer concerts, open mic nights, and the Holiday Arts Faire, which has taken place the first weekend every December for more than 40 years. Community Building: Healthy Community Collaborative (HCC) The Healthy Community Collaborative is made up of San Geronimo Valley, Nicasio, and other West Marin organiza- tions and local residents who meet to exchange informa- tion, and identify and work together to address community needs and support collaborative implementation of pro- grams. The Community Center has provided coordination and administrative support to the San Geronimo Valley’s
This is a donation based camp. Donations are greatly appreciated and support the sustainability of these camps. Holiday Camp hours are from 9am to 5pm. Job Training In its third year as of 2017, the Job Training Program is for youth, teens and young adults and connects middle school, high school, and college students with local businesses and community-based organizations. Students gain firsthand experience in employment and mentorship with our part- ners. This program continues to grow and thrive. School-Linked Services These programs had their genesis in 1996 when the Lagunitas School District, in partnership with the Com- munity Center, received a Healthy Start grant from the California Department of Education. Through these school-based services, the Community Center and the Lagunitas School District partner to provide programs in health, wellness, and social and emotional learning throughout the school day along with parent education in the evenings. Today, the school’s wellness policy; the school garden program; healthy school lunches; reduce, reuse and recycling programs; and safe routes to school programs all continue to thrive.
Halloween Carnival at the Lagunitas School (Photo by Anne McClain)
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HCC since 1996. Monthly meetings are held September through June at the Community Center. All West Marin organizations and individuals are invited to join. Participants include Coastal Health Alliance, Marin County Health and Human Services, Legal Aid of Marin, West Marin Senior Services, Lagunitas School District, Gan Halev, St. Cecilia’s Church, San Geronimo Commu- nity Presbyterian Church, West Marin Rotary Club, Valley Emergency Fund, Valley Toys and Joys, San Geronimo Val- ley Affordable Housing Association, TAPS, VERG, Valley Planning Group, IN SPIRIT, Marin County Fire Depart- ment, CYO Basketball, SPAWN, Wilderness Way, San Geronimo Valley Stewards, and others. Call Center Executive Director, Dave Cort, at 415-488- 8888, ext. 224 if you or your organization are interested in getting notices about the monthly meetings and becoming a part of the Collaborative team. Publications of the Center The Center offers other online and print publications to keep the community up to date on its many programs and events. “What’s Happening at the Community Center” is a weekly e-newsletter of upcoming events and programs. The “Senior Lunch Menu” e-newsletter is sent out monthly and includes useful quick links to other Center information, including Senior Programs. To sign up to receive either of these, email info@sgvcc.org. The quarterly print Stone Soup provides extensive articles on community and Center news and events, including the Programs and Classes Catalogue inserted into each issue. These are distributed free to every post office box in the San Geroni- mo Valley and Nicasio. View past issues online at sgvcc.org. Facility Rentals The Community Center has four rooms, a kitchen and a beautiful outdoor space, as well as the Community Gym
and Loft, available as rentals for classes, meetings, work- shops, conferences, private parties, weddings, and events. The daily and hourly rental rates are among the most rea- sonable in the County. Please contact Poko Giacomini at 415-488-8888 ext 250. Volunteer and Community Service The Community Center has many volunteer and com- munity service opportunities for students and adults. The Center couldn’t operate without our loyal volunteers. The Center is authorized as a Community Service site by Marin County Probation for Marin residents to work off Com- munity Service hours.
(Photo by Paloma Russ)
Central Park in Woodacre In 2015, the Community Center was presented with the opportunity to become the owner of a parcel of land in Woodacre. A generous foundation offered to purchase the lot and set up payments for the long term to cover proper- ty taxes and insurance. It is intended to be a “pocket park” for the enjoyment of Valley residents. We are in the process of installing signage, landscaping, tables, benches, etc., and are maintaining the property. It is envisioned as a place to sit in the shade and read a book or meet your neighbors for a game of chess. We welcome the community to come to the park and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
Supervisor Steve Kinsey (standing, in checked shirt) was honored by the San Geronimo Valley Healthy Community Collaborative at its annual celebration on May 16, 2016. (Photo by Samantha Davidson)
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The San Geronimo Valley Community Center
A Calendar of Celebrations/ Annual Events of the SGVCC Something is always happening at the Community Center. Among the most popular of all are the major events that have become popular Valley traditions. • The St. Patrick’s Day Talent Show fundraising event highlights Valley youth in an all-family, Saturday after- noon and evening event in mid-March. Proceeds go to fund the Community Center’s youth programming. Parents and other community members provide vol- unteer support for set up, box office, concessions, and clean up. Center Board members donate lasagna to be sold at the event. • The Spring Art Show is held for 10 days in May in the Center’s Valley and West rooms, and features the art work of up to 100 Valley artists. The Friday night Opening Reception is one of the major social events of the year, attracting more than 200 people over the course of the evening. A lively fiddle band accompa- nies the event. • Golf Tournament and Oyster Feed Fundraiser , held at the San Geronimo Golf Course, grows more popular every year. Business and community members are invited to sponsor the event in support of the Community Gym and Loft. Attendees enjoy a day of golf and an oyster feast, for which tickets can be purchased separately. • T he Healthy Community Collaborative Volunteer Appre- ciation Potluck is held the first Monday of June to honor the volunteers of the West Marin nonprofit organization members of the HCC. Barbecue and beverages are pro- vided for this family event. The location rotates between the Center, St. Cecilia’s and San Geronimo Presbyterian Church. Every other year, the Edie Robinson Awards Pre- sentation is included in the program. • Heart of the Valley Gala is the biggest event on the Center’s calendar, hosted by the Center Board. Held in the fall at the San Geronimo Golf Course, the event features beverages and hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, a fabulous dinner, the year’s honoree acknowledge- ment, and live music and dancing. • Holiday Arts Faire , a free event almost as old as the Center itself, is held the first Saturday of December each year, welcoming the community with fun activi- ties for all ages: Live music performances by Valley youth, popular favorites such as Tim Cain; wreath- making; Santa visits; an arts and crafts faire; silent auction; and food and treats for sale in support of the Center and other Valley nonprofits.
I love the Center because I’ve lived here 40 years and now that I’m retired, I’m finally meeting my neighbors and taking part in our art community and the holiday faire. Marie Eisen
For twenty years this hand-screened poster by Donna Sloan was printed by the hundreds in artist Fred (Lee) Berensmeier’s art studio in Lagunitas by a crew of Valley residents. It was put up on telephone poles throughout West Marin and Fairfax to advertise the Community Center’s Art Festival, the forerunner to the Holiday Arts Faire.
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Heart of the Valley Benefit Gala Each year the Community Center’s Heart of the Valley Benefit Gala welcomes more than 200 community members for a wonderful evening of delicious food, live music, and conversation. It is the perfect occasion to honor outstanding community leaders.
2006: Dave Cort 2009: Founding Board of Directors: Jean Berensmeier, Jim Brown, Jack Dorward, Don Lethbridge, Jim Rawlinson, Donna Sloan, Judy Voets 2010: Gary Giacomini 2011: Al and Lisa Baylacq
2012: Ethel Seiderman 2013: Larry Enos and Sally Hutchinson 2014: Chuck and Grace Tolson
2015: Zoila Berardi 2016: Steve Kinsey 2017: Suzanne Sadowsky
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The San Geronimo Valley Community Center
Here, from the inaugural 1989 issue, is Arnold Erickson’s story of how the Center’s newsletter came to be known as “Stone Soup.” The Name “Stone Soup” The name “Stone Soup” is taken from a universal story. Some say that it originates in Eastern Europe. This ver- sion began with the Native American Chumash and became something different in the telling. Coyote approached town near the end of day. As usual, he was hungry. There was little fat on his bones to get him through hard times, and he had long since run out of food and money. Yet, after his last trick from a previous story, the people probably couldn’t put up with another. “Nothing to eat but the stones,” thought Coyote. And so he began to gather some rocks and put them in a pot of water that he drew from the village well. “Hey, Coyote!” called the wom- an. “I didn’t know that your stomach was that powerful. What are you doing with those stones?” “Just making Stone Soup. It’s the latest cuisine in the village over the hill. But, come to think of it, I could use a little seasoning.” The wom- an happened to have some seasoning with her. Intrigued, she gave it to Coyote for his soup. Another person had potatoes, still another, carrots. And so it went. Each person in the vil- lage brought something different. And some even came back with fry bread. That night, everyone feasted on stone soup. (Reprinted in the 40 th Anniversary issue, Summer, 2009) East Wing Restroom Mural by Zoila Berardi The famous east wing restroom mural was painted the night before the 1971 Holiday Faire by some of the parents of the San Geronimo Valley Family Preschool. Donna Sloan created it and Sandy Dorward, Andrea Giacomini, Claire Felson, Jane Rawlinson, Niz Brown, Cummings Saunders, and I helped paint it. We scoured the Valley for brightly colored wall paint. Between, “Donna, is this okay? and “Pass the wine up the ladders,” we magically transformed the bathroom. Happily it was saved during the remodel of the Center in 1981 and still survives today.
Summer 2009 Community Center Stained Glass Windows by Marty Meade The stained glass windows in the West Room is my favorite commission ever, as it enabled me to bring in five apprentices (7 th and 8 th graders) to assist me. These five, Misha Lebell, Ari Piscatelli, Oscar Steiner, Nathan Dressler and Tommy O’Mahoney, had studied stained glass with me in my studio, and proved that they could take on the task. After creating the design, I assigned one unit to each of them, and it was their responsibility to work with me indi- vidually until their piece was completed. Misha Lebell took on two panels. We made a trip to the glass wholesalers, and they selected the glass that would be used in their pieces. We cut out the pieces, prepared them for the sandblasted etching, foiled them for soldering, did the soldering and final cleanup . . . an immense amount of work on hot summer days. My son, Kevin Meade, installed the windows which also proved to be a huge undertaking. We were all excited with the outcome, and still look at the finished piece with pride.
A section of Marty Meade’s stained glass series in the West Room
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Spring Art Show by Jack Kamesar
Sounds for Art by Terry Garthwaite
The Spring Art Show brings together people from the Valley who take this opportunity to share their creative work. Larry Rippee is the Arts & Events Coordinator who coordinates the show and publicity. He is steadfast in encouraging and receiving the art. Some of the artists are professional. Some are inspired to do a piece every year just for the show. Some have only ever done the one piece that they bring. Others consider what they would create if they were to make something for the next year. Artists deliver their work on Thursday morning. The Arts Committee curates and hangs 100 pieces that day. Some years 300 people come to the Opening Reception. It is inspiring to discover those who live in the Valley who choose to express themselves. The Spring Art Show is a great celebration of our community’s creativity.
As soon as a child enters your life it’s a new world. It’s a small world, after all. In the ’80s and ’90s I was pretty involved in the Valley community—first on the board of the Cultural Center (now Community Center), where my main interest was providing creative opportunities for kids. Artist Barbara Andino-Stevenson and I got grants from the Marin Arts Council for rehearsal space for a local boy band and for children’s art shows, includ- ing one that would incorporate student music as an ambience for the work. Putting the music together was my job. I found kids in grades 1 through 8 to individu- ally come to my house to record. They were nervous when they arrived—unsure of what lay ahead and how they’d do—yet excited to be part of a recording, part of the art show. They each had their own special time to record their music—singers (including my nieces who lived in the Valley), a sax player, and a tap dancer. I used my 4-track tape deck so there’d be plenty of room for do-overs. To get the rhythms of the tap dancer I just pointed a mic on a boom stand toward her feet and let her go. And the others had an opportunity to be a star for a minute on the mic. I fixed and mixed the recordings and made a cassette tape (too soon for CDs), “Sounds for Art.” And there they were at our Grounds for Art opening for all to hear, recorded for posterity. We sold the cassette at the opening and at our local video store. Still have a copy.
I love the Community Center because it brings the community together for wonderful events and does a good job of taking care of those who have the least among us. Wendi Kallins
Sculptor and member of the SGVCC Arts Committee, Jack Kamesar (Photo by Donn DeAngelo)
2015 Spring Art Show reception (Photo by Michel Kotski)
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The San Geronimo Valley Community Center
Valley Room Mural by Connie Smith Siegel, 1981
Center Permanent Art Collection by Anne McClain
• Sculpture titled “Recycled Bootie” by Debra Amerson fea- turing an array of recycled objects including an old leather cowboy boot that houses a vase of living Lucky Bamboo, intended to bring luck and prosperity to the Center. And don’t forget to poke your head in the bathroom where “Bird Rock” a serigraph by Pesl, currently hangs. • An original hand-printed silkscreen poster from the first year of the San Geronimo Holiday Art Festival in 1969 donated by former Board member, June Tolbert. It was designed by Donna Sloan and 600 were printed annually for several years by community members who turned it into a printmaking party in Lee Berensmeier’s art studio. This delightful remnant of past days is one of only two or three posters still known to exist. Over the years there have been several major art projects done for the Center in stained glass. Windows in the front of the Center and in the Valley Room were done as a result of an artist-in-residence program funded by the San Francisco Foundation and InterArts of Marin. They selected Shelley Jurs who designed the works titled “Architectural Glass Woven Interlude.” She was inspired by her interest in basketry and Native Americans. The Valley Room panels were executed by school children and adults who participated in a class given by Jurs. The panels on the front of the building were executed by adult community members, some of whom were Terry Shea, Bob Stansel, Murilla Parratt, Carel and Sarah Gillingham, Mike Finsterbush, Heather Blise, Brian Antonio, Tourne Jans- sen, Ami Erlich and Margo Klein. In the West Room is the lovely stained glass series depict- ing our Valley landscape. You can recognize our local hills, cows and even Spirit Rock as the panels across the West Room take us through the seasons. It was designed by Forest Knolls artist Marty Meade and executed by Valley students under her direction. These apprentices were Misha Lebell, Ari Piscatelli, Oscar Steiner, Nathan Dressler and Tommy O’Mahoney. The piece was installed in 2002 by Kevin Meade. The Valley Room is host to a huge acrylic on canvas by Connie Smith Siegel, “San Geronimo Valley Community Center.” Connie is renowned for her beautiful paintings
Fifty years ago the San Geronimo Valley Community Center started life as the Art Center and those roots are alive and well today. The Center nurtures Valley arts and artists through exhibits, programs and our permanent art collection. Every- one who has ever walked into the San Geronimo Valley Com- munity Center is aware of the beautiful Maurice Del Mué mural (see page 20). It is the centerpiece of the lobby, but did you know that the Center is also home to an entire collection of art? Having begun as the Art Center, and with the Valley bursting with creative energy, this really just stands to reason. The following is a guide to the art that is on permanent dis- play at the Center—in addition to the wonderful monthly art shows happening year-round! In the lobby of the Center, after you have absorbed the impact of the mural, look around to view the other pieces hanging there. Honoring the founder of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, Jean Berensmeier, and the founding board members are two lovely brass plaques designed with special care by Jean’s husband, Lee Berens- meier, who also designed the Center’s logo (see page 67). The founders were feted in 2009 at the 40th Anniversary Gala which is the subject of an iconic Art Rogers photo- graph of 200 attendees hanging nearby. Look closely and you are sure to spot many of your friends and neighbors— and yourself! Another work in honor of the people who make our community so special is the colored pencil draw- ings commemorating the winners of the Edie Robinson Community Service Award by Valley artist, Anne McClain. Other works that can be found throughout the Center are: • Poster for the 11 th Annual San Geronimo Valley Christ- mas Art and Music Festival (featuring Valley icons Terry Garthwaite and “Santa” Fred Berensmeier, Sr., father of artist Fred [Lee] Berensmeier) • Untitled pastel of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center by Barbara Lawrence • “Kate Wolf Lingering in a Doorway,” print by MOT (the original painting currently hangs in the West Office)
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A tile mural by Gage Taylor, “Rolling Hills of San Geron- imo Valley,” hangs in one of the Center offices. The tiles were designed by Gage Taylor and produced collaboratively with his Lagunitas neighbor, tile maker Fred Ross, in 1980. This mural is a suite of 12 individual tiles. And let’s not forget about the outside of the Center! At the front of the building is the Kate Wolf Memorial. (Kate was a much beloved singer/songwriter and former Center Board Member whose loss to leukemia in 1986 was felt deeply by the community see page 68.) The patio/stage with a beautifully symbolic dove formed in the concrete and the curvilinear benches were built in her honor. There is also the Carol Meese Memorial Garden estab- lished in front of the East Room to remember this beloved young mother of two whose life was cut short by cancer in 1996. An apple tree grows there in her memory. Our teens have been busy beautifying the Center as well with the large mosaic planter under the arches at the front of the building done by Jordan Chappell, Sadie Cort, Angie Notari and Leah Rippe as part of a Drake High School “Art is Everywhere” project. The Gym and the Loft have provided more opportuni- ties for enriching our community with public art. A com- mittee was formed and the County provided a grant to make sure that art had its place in this new building and that the children of the community would be part of the projects envisioned for it. Kathy Calloway designed and created the two tile mosaic pieces installed in the Gym, working alongside community volunteers. The “Wall of Fame,” honoring those who donated to make the Gym a reality, is on view at the entrance to the Gym and the wonderful mosaic salmon graces the water fountain area just down the hall.
Center Permanent Art Collection continued
and pastels of the local landscape. Here she has portrayed the view from Sir Francis Drake Blvd. between Spirit Rock and Woodacre. Another Valley artist who has made a reputation far beyond the Valley is Elly Simmons. She and Elizabeth Raybee completed the stunning mosaic tile murals that grace our kitchen in 2001. These mosaics are a colorful and lively ren- dering of the wildlife and natural environment of our Valley.
Summer 2009 Valley Room Mural by Connie Smith Siegel
The context for creating the mural of the San Geronimo Valley hills was far from the warm shelter of the Valley. I made the painting in the early ’80s, a period in my life when I had dedicated myself to painting large landscape banners with quotes of Helen Caldicott, the anti-nuclear activist. I had been so unsettled after reading her book, Nuclear Madness , that work in the studio became dif- ficult. The context for showing paintings in galleries and museums seemed to be covering up, rather than acknowledging our predicament. To find an alterative to this aesthetic context I decided to combine Caldicott’s quotations with my landscapes on large canvases, to be hung in public places, such as anti-nuclear confer- ences, or even carried in marches. I had never put words into my paintings, but now quotations such as “We are the curators of life on earth. We hold it in the palm of our hands” gave the landscapes a larger meaning. During this time I had started a large horizontal painting of the Valley from a drawing of the hills east of Flanders ranch. Because the composition didn’t feel balanced, I painted the hills west of the ranch as well. When I put the two sides together it created a more complete panorama, but now the painting was too long to hang just anywhere. The space above the doors in what is now called the Valley room was the only space large enough, and I brought it to the Center. I painted the words: San Geronimo Valley Community Center just under the painting, as I had done with my other anti-nuclear landscapes. Having this image so close to home has been espe- cially gratifying—contributing to a community that had given me so much. Instead of protecting the earth, I am acknowledging its power, and celebrating the natural beauty of this special Valley. (See image on preceding page.)
Marty Meade and students Tessa Wardle, Lindsy Mobley, Ariana Dukkers, Maya Normandi, Sara Joseph and Kelly Pennypacker install the fused glass piece in the Loft, 2009. (Photo by Anne McClain)
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