Looking Back: Histories, Stories and Profiles
About the Resource Guides by Jean Berensmeier The 2017 Community Guide anticipates and celebrates the Community Center’s 50th Anniversary in 2019. Origi- nally begun as the seventh edition of the Resource Guide, it quickly evolved into a much larger project, thus the new name. The Resource Guide traces its origins to the devastating 1982 storm when, overnight, the Community Center was the “go to” place for stranded families, shelter and advice. This experience was a wake up call—a call to “service” beyond the Center’s existing program. 1983
use plans, and more. For the first time, we added info about Nicasio, our northern Valley neighbor. 2011 The usual updated basic information, plus headings and key information in English and Spanish. The Guide stressed health issues and planning for emergencies, along with other practical items. But alas! A Val- ley phone-directory was no longer possible as we lost our exclusive 488-prefix!
The Community Center and the Wilder- ness Way Environmental Library have a collection of all the Resource Guides. The Story of the Community Center Logo
A year later the first Valley Resource Guide was delivered free to every box holder in the Valley. It covered community, family and county resources as well as how to live in a rural, ridge-enclosed Valley. Subsequent issues have added new topics and insights that reflect diverse aspects of our vibrant community. 1991 Eight years later the Community Center produced its second Resource Guide . We updated the basic 1983 information and added a large Business Directory as well as an Arts and Crafts Directory. 1995 Along with the usual updates, we added a Valley map, information and map about the Valley’s Open Space Preserves, sustain- ability articles, and sprinkled thoughtful quotes throughout. 2000 For the Millennium issue we went all out and dedicated the entire Guide to our old- est residents . . . the Valley’s coho salmon. We had salmon articles, a salmon song, a salmon dance and “salmon footers” racing across the bottom of each page. It was a gem! 2006
by Fred (Lee) Berensmeier In the early days of the Art Center, we had many classes for kids. I was down there often. Despite its rather shab- by and run-down appearance in those days, it had a sparkle and energy you could feel. When I was asked to come up with a logo, I simply put together the images that came to my mind from many visits there.
Let’s see, there were the prominent, inviting portico arches with new planter boxes bursting with flowers . . . the valley oak struggling, but with consistent watering began to thrive . . . the family of ravens, loudly squawk- ing in the upper branches . . . the Spanish tile roof un- der a full moon. All these elements came together within a sun circle. The final touch for the frame of the design was an arch echoing the portico arches. It came together easily, no struggle. What I created was a story of what all of us old timers experienced at one time or another during those early days. The design still seems to wear well, even after decades of evolving from Art Center to Community Center to Cul- tural Center and back to Community Center. And, to my great delight, the generations of offspring of that raven family still prevail.
Here we added public transportation, Valley schools, day care, waste disposal, pets and wildlife, annual events, land
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50 th Anniversary
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