Looking Back: Histories, Stories and Profiles
same time the West Marin Montessori Preschool under the direction of Alyssa Gleason and Lhasa Yudice moved from Woodacre to the San Geronimo Campus. These pro- grams further solidified the outstanding model partnership between the Lagunitas School District and the Community Center that is now approaching its fiftieth anniversary. Suzanne Sadowsky, the Center’s Associate Director, worked with middle-school teacher Sally Hutchinson to establish the Telling Our Stories project where eighth-grade students interviewed long time community members who were volunteers. Two fantastic books of stories came together from those interviews. Through the Community Center’s school-linked program middle-school students participated in the Marin Youth Court. In the area of Arts and Events, the Community Center hosted many eclectic events and developed a program called Valley Arts and Lectures. Examples of this programming include Mwanza Furaha’s Black History event. Every year the Community Center had amazing evenings with the McQuilkin Music Family Hour that featured some of the Valley’s finest performers. In partnership with the Lagunitas School, the Center hosted an event with Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss. Now in her 80s, Eva is the stepsister of Anne Frank. She shared her powerful story with the students and families in our community. In 2015, the Community Center honored Chuck and Grace Tolson at the annual Heart of the Valley Gala, which was hosted by the Center Board at the San Geronimo Golf Course. Grace’s family has been connected to the Valley since the 1860s owning and operating the Dickson Ranch. For many years, the Center has collaborated with the Dickson Ranch’s Valley Toys and Joys program, which distrib- utes holiday gifts to community children. Annual events like the Holiday Arts Faire, the St. Patrick’s Day Talent Show, and summer music concerts attracted huge crowds of community members. The Community Center Board and staff, through the Center’s Facilities Committee, work to maintain the histor- ic Community Center building, which is approaching its centennial. In 2015 the Center received donated funding to purchase a parcel of land at the intersection of Central and Carson in Woodacre to preserve as a pocket park. The parcel has been named Central Park and the Community Center has been planting trees and shrubs, and developing plans for the Park in 2017.
2015, the Center Board voted to formally add Nicasio to the Center’s mission. In the area of community wellness a new partnership with Dominican University’s Nursing and Occupational Therapy programs was established in community-based health. The Community Center’s Valley Health Days continued to grow each October. Hundreds of residents received flu shots and great information for their health and wellness. In 2014 two significant new projects were started at the Community Center. Funding was received for a Job Train- ing program for youth, teens and young adults. This proj- ect was led by Community Center staff member Heather Richardson who connected with local businesses and community-based organizations to place interns who gain workplace experience and mentoring through our partners. This program continues to grow and thrive. The second project was the establishment of the West Marin Coalition for Healthy Kids, which addressed teen binge drinking, prescription drug abuse, and smoking. The Community Center, with Suzanne Sadowsky as coor- dinator, became the lead agency for the Coalition which included all of West Marin, including the Lagunitas, Nicasio, Shoreline, Bolinas-Stinson and Tamalpais 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. In the program area of Child, Youth, and Teens, the Community Gym and the Loft Youth Center solidified its programming during non-school hours–evenings, weekends, holidays and summer. Community Center staff and volunteers worked to host Open Gyms that included basketball, ping pong, volleyball, and dance. In the Loft, there was a monthly Dads and Kids Pancake Breakfast along with cooking classes, and other projects in the arts such as metal arts, which was led by Woodacre artist Griffe Griffiths. The Community Center’s Valley After School Tutoring (VAST) program received a prestigious Golden Bell Award from the Marin County Office of Education. Middle-school-aged youth participated in the County’s REST program making meals and bringing them to the local women’s homeless shelter, which is open in the winter months. In December of 2015, Zoila Berardi retired after founding and directing the Co-op Preschool and Zoila’s After School Childcare program for over 40 years. Zoila provided loving care to generations of students in the east wing of the Community Center. Julie Young and Nicole Ramirez worked tirelessly to provide a smooth transition for the children as the Community Center assumed the leadership for the childcare program. In August of 2016, the childcare program moved from the East Room of the Community Center to the San Geronimo Campus. At the
We love that the Community Center does amazing outreach to the community, meeting the needs of our children and seniors. The staff and the community are very welcoming. Gael and Doug Hunt
63
50 th Anniversary
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker